Helig had a daughter, Gwendud and they said she "appeared lovliest at the Offering on the day of the Nativity, or at the feast of Easter" but her heart was evil, cruelty and deceit.
The son of one of the barons of Snowdon loved her and she loved him in return. Only she would not wed him because he had no golden collar.
Tathal (her suitor) tried for a long time to win, but failed. Gwendud wouldn't change her mind and was determined get a collar by any way possible.
Rhun led an expedition and brought back many prisoners where he held them to ransom. The first captive whose liberty was bought by his kinsmen was a young chieftain who had won a golden collar in the wars against the Picts. Tathal went to him and offered his services as guide.
He stabbed him in the back and brought back his golden collar. Gwendud now agreed to wed him and Helig made a great feast.
A harper, who was asked to play music for the revel, had to gift of second sight and asked the cupbearer to tell him if she saying anything unusual when he went down to the cellar. He came back and said, "a stream of water is flowing into the cellar, and hundreds of little fishies are swimming in it."
They decided to fly away. Everyone else screamed for their lives as water rushed around their feet. They reached Rhiwgyfylchi exhausted and out of breath and waited for morning. When morning came, an expanse of rippling water where Helig's Hollow had been lived. Some fishermen claim to see Helig's Palace down beneath the water's surface.
Helig's Hollow by W. Jenkyn Thomas
Helig's Hollow. Source: Wikimedia Commons
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