On the rocks beyond Gwbert sat Hywel the fisherman. He whistled a tune as he watched the seagulls wheel and dip on the cliffs around him. Suddenly he sat up. A little distance from where he was sitting sat a Mermaid. Never had Hywel seen someone so beautiful. He had stopped whistling in his surprise at seeing her. Quietly on all fours, he crept nearer to see her more plainly. The Mermaid was not aware that Hywel was staring at her. She sat singing in a voice as low and sweet as the little waves lapping in the shadowed pools in the sand. She combed her long loose tresses Pausing to gather the shells that hid and glistened in her golden hair. "How beautiful she is!" Hywel kept repeating "I must take her home." He tiptoed along the path until he was close beside her. Without saying a word, he gathered her in his arms and bore her away into his boat. The Mermaid cried bitterly. "Let me go- please, please let me go!" she sobbed, but Hywel only shook his head. "Tell me your name," he said. "Modlen," said the Mermaid. "Now please let me go." Hywel had made up his mind to keep her. He took her home and locked her in a room. Modlen refusing to eat any of the food he brought her, continued to sob bitterly day and night." Let her go back with the next tide," said Maredudd, Hywel’s friend, when told of the Mermaid’s cries. "Maredudd is jealous" thought Hywel. "He is jealous because he did not catch the Mermaid himself." "She will cast a spell over you if you do not let her go," Maredudd warned, but Hywel laughed, and said "I will do as I like and I mean to keep her." As the months went by the Mermaid grew thin and wan. "O Hywel, let me go back to my home," she pleaded "If you will do that, I will help you all I can. Should you be in danger on the sea, I will come to you. I will warn you by calling to you three times, and I will lead you to safety." Hywel thought for a while, and then said to himself "Maredudd said she would curse me if I kept her, and now she promises to help me if ever I am in danger. I had better take her offer and let her go." He gathered her in his arms, carried her to the shore, and kissing her said "Farewell Modlen." Many weeks passed by. Hywel had almost forgotten Modlen. One evening he was out fishing in his boat, when Modlen appeared at the prow. "Hywel, Hywel, Hywel!" she called. "Draw your net! Hywel, Hywel, Hywel!" The sea was calm and there were no signs of storm clouds in the sky. "Modlen knows of some danger," Hywel said. He rowed steadily back to the harbour. The jeers and jests of the other fishermen echoed to him over the quiet water. Scarcely had Hywel reached the haven when a great storm arose. Great clouds hung low over the land and sea, and the waves rode high in the tempest. The men of the fishing fleet were seen no more. "I owe my life to Modlen," said Hywel, as he climbed to the weather beaten church to give thanks for his safety.
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