The Cannibal Witch of Llanberis

The famous Welsh cannibal witch, Canrig Bwt, was said to live under a stone in Llanberis. Her favourite meal was the brains of children, and many had gone missing nearby – but no one knew how to deal with such a terrifying witch.

Finally, the local community formed a plan. Instead of executing a local criminal, they gave him one chance to redeem himself by striking down the evil witch. If he could kill her, he would be pardoned from all his crimes.

Setting off with his sharpest sword, the criminal climbed to the top of Canrig Bwt’s stone and called out her name. As he stared around him at the collection of infant bones, tiny skulls with golden curls still hanging from them, he heard the shaken reply of the witch…

“Wait, till I have finished eating the brains in this sweet little skull”

Presumably once she was done, she emerged from the mouth of the cave, whereupon the man struck a blow and cut off her head. Her eyes glowed in her skull as it fell down the sound of the mountain, and he smelled sulphur.

We love this poem by David J Costello, painting the picture of a boy taking up sword against the witch as revenge.