Feast Day of Saint Collen and the story of St Collen and the King of the Fairies

Today, 21st May, is the feast day of Saint Collen. Saint Collen was a  monk born in c.600 and the Welsh town of Llangollen takes its name from him 'gollen' being a mutation of "Collen". He is said to have arrived in Llangollen by coracle and to be descended from the Kings of Gwent. St Collen died on 21 May, at sometime in the early 7th century and was buried in his chapel, which for many centuries was located immediately to the west of the present medieval church of St Collen in Llangollen. This is the only church in Wales (Cymru) dedicated to St Collen, but he has connections with Cornwall (Kernow), where St Collan Church in mid-Cornwall is dedicated to him, and with Langolen in Brittany (Breizh) a commune in the Finistère (Penn-ar-Bed) department of Brittany, which takes its name from Collen.

There are a number of myths and legends associated with St Collen. One is the story of:

St Collen and the King of the Fairies

While on a religious retreat in a mountain cave, Collen hears two men talking about Gwyn ap Nudd. Gwyn ap Nudd was king of Annwn (the Otherworld) and also king of the fairies. Collen tells them to stop talking about devils and demons and to go away. The men warn Collen that Gwyn ap Nudd doesn't like being talked about in such an offensive way, and that they'll report Collen's behaviour to him.

Collen receives a summons from the king to meet him on the hilltop at noon and , after three refusals, he finally goes to meet the king of the Fairies. He takes the precaution of keeping a bottle of holy water with him for protection. On reaching the hilltop, Collen finds a magnificent castle. Surrounded by troops, handsome courtiers, beautiful dancing maidens and song and music filled the air. The people of Gwyn's court were all dressed in a clothes of red and blue. A courtier tells him that the king is waiting to eat inside the castle, and Collen walks in.

Inside, the king sitting on his golden throne provided Collen with a lavish feast given in his honour. Collen resists temptation to join in with the pleasures of the Otherworld, where the king tells him that anything he wants he may have. But Collen won't eat the king of the fairies' food or be impressed by the beauty of his court, as he associates them with evil. He draws out his bottle of holy water and sprays it over the king and his courtiers and they disappear, leaving him alone on the hilltop.