These, the fairy cattle of Wales, were among fairy animals very closely akin to the Crodh Mara of the Highlands, except that they are generally said to be milk-white, though in one story at least the cow is described as speckled or particoloured. These cattle in Wales were often given as part of the dowry of a Gwragedd Annwn, a Lake Maiden, but a water-bull would sometimes visit earthly herds with most fortunate results for the farmer. On one occasion at least a stray fairy cow attached herself to an earthly bull, and the farmer succeeded in catching her. From that moment his future was made. The number and quality of the calves born to the stray cow were unsurpassable. Never was such milk or butter or cheese. The farmer became the richest man in the countryside. But as years passed the rich farmer became prouder and more grasping. He began to think that the stray cow's heyday had passed and that it was time to fatten her for the market. She was as industrious at fattening as she had been at breeding or giving milk. Soon she was a prodigy of fatness. The butcher was called, the neighbours assembled to see the death of the far-famed cow. The butcher raised his sharp knife; but before the blow could be struck his arm was paralysed and the knife dropped from his hand. A piercing scream rang out, and the crowd saw a tall figure in green standing on the crag above Llyn Barfog. She chanted out in a great voice:

Come thou, Einion's Yellow One,

Stray-horns, the Particoloured Lake Cow,

And the hornless Dodin;

Arise, come home.

As she sang the stray cow broke loose, and followed by all her progeny, raced up the mountain-side to the fairy lady. The farmer followed frantically after them, only to see them surrounding the green lady, who formed them into ranks and led them down into the dark waters of the lake. She waved her hand derisively to the farmer, and she and her herd disappeared into the dark waters, leaving only a cluster of yellow waterlilies to mark the place where they had sunk. The farmer became as poor as he had been rich.

The Highland version of this story is the elf-bull, though no lake maiden appears.

[Motif: F241.2]