LAZARUS’S BLA BLA BLOG

Here, in the historic Welsh town of Llandovery, ensconced in the rustic Castle Hotel, Debbie Eve and I contemplate the day. It is fitting ‘Crach Ffinnant – The Prophecy’ is launched publicly for the first time here in this town. Whilst Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805) English hero of the Battle of Trafalgar, stayed here several times on his way to Pembroke, often, coincidentally, when Lady Hamilton was too, Crach Ffinnant would have visited Llandovery a number of times in the middle ages. Of course, that was a long time before Admiral Nelson. The Castle Hotel did not exist back in the 1400’s but Llandovery Castle did and sits behind the hotel on the Castle Mound overlooking the town. Crach Ffinnant, Prophet and Seer, would definitely have visited this town whilst riding at the side of his Prince, Owain Glyndwr, between 1390 – 1410. Lazzmatazz is a festival of my own creation, born four years ago acting as a platform for new musicians, poets and writers. To launch Crach Ffinnant – The Prophecy  at this festival in this town is a real privilege and honour.

So off for a quick breakfast and then start setting up the site, ready to open this evening at six. This is so exciting and I am sure Crach FFinnant, would see all this as ‘Justice’. Diolch!

Llewelyn ap Gruffudd Fychan statue overlooks the town.  Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan of Caeo ( c. 1341–1401) was a wealthy Carmarthenshire landowner who was executed in Llandovery by Henry IV of England in punishment for his support of Owain Glyndŵr‘s Welsh rebellion.

Llandovery Castle

Llandovery

Castle Hotel

Llandovery Coat of Arms

SO HUMBLED …. NAMASTE UNIVERSE

LAZZMATAZZ FESTIVAL

CASTLE HOTEL LLANDOVERY

1/2/3 June 2018

I am so looking forward to this coming weekend and our first official book signing. Debbie Eve and I will be happy to chat with folk and sign copies of Crach Ffinnant – The Prophecy. Copies will be available all weekend as will we.

Drop by and say hello!

Hello again Crach, would you share with people about your early life?

“My Master, Llwyd ap Crachan Llwyd, had given me the name Crach. Ffinnant is a tiny Hamlet hidden deep in the mountains of Wales and is where I was born. I recall little of my life before becoming an apprentice but there are remembrances and dreams of past joy and happiness. My parents were of normal stature. Father was a woodcutter by trade. His strength was well-known and till this day revered by those who knew him. Mother was quiet, kind and gifted with the sight of prophecy. I dimly recall visitors to our tiny home, seeking counsel and rewarding her service with gifts of chicken, duck and goose. On reflection, I may have, in some small way, inherited some of my father’s strength and my mother’s gift of prophecy.

Master had never indicated any of this was true, but why take me as an apprentice unless something hidden deeply within revealed a vision telling of a journey together? He would teach and I would learn. For ten years, lessons often started early in the morning before the sun rose and continued late on into the darkness. We spent many weeks, sometimes months, away from my Master’s small cottage. We walked, trudged, staggered, but never rushed, down valley and up to mountain top. We often slept in caves, under huge boulders, many times soaked to the skin by lashing rain. Winter was no different from any other season, we just wore more clothes, thus making my little frame heavier. “

More soon from Crach Ffinnant – Dwarf, Prophet & Seer

What can you tell us about Rise of the Dragon, Crach?

“I hesitate to say too much, suffice to say all will be revealed in the fullness of time. So this dwarf errs on the side of caution as all good magicians do. But here a scene from Book Two Crach Ffinnant Rise of the Dragon… to whet your appetite methinks! And as you will see once again.. justice prevails.”

The large golden eye staring at who knows what, flickered in the firelight, his whole body twitched and the sleeping eye awoke. He twitched again, lifted his head and sneezed. Fortunately for us we were not sat in the danger area as he sneezed. Unfortunately for Carron and Wolf, they were. Carron flew through the air, wings totally useless in this sneeze breeze, tumbling and turning, rolling over wolf’s back. Wolf tried to keep his balance but even his great bulk gave up to the onslaught, as sliding on to his side in a rather ungainly manner for an animal so regal, he was blown along the ground.  Suddenly the sneeze created wind dissipated and wolf’s slide came to a halt. Carron still in the air, skillfully flapped his wings, curved a swerve and regaining control, alighted on a nearby tree. The big black raven shook his whole-self several times. Looking like a big ball of swirling feathers the moonlight gave him the appearance of something, not of this earth. Wolf regained his composure after a good shake and a cursory glance of disapproval towards Tan-y-Mynedd. Of course the great reptile thought it was all very funny. I have to admit, it was. Faerydae still sniggering tried to say something but when Carron lost his balance and fell out of the tree, we all laughed so loudly and uncontrollably, we could have woken the dead. My poor old friend Carron was not so amused and strutted around the tree pecking at the trunk, as if it was this ancient oak’s responsibility for the fall. He was just about to give another good peck, when a branch fell off the tree narrowly missing the raven who shocked, took off and flew high up in to the sky circling above us all screeching loudly into the night. We four, faerie, dragon, wolf and dwarf howled with laughter.

Eventually calm returned as did silence and even Carron came back, non-the worse for wear. I have told you before, to be in the way of a great dragon’s sneeze is indeed a most perilous place to be.