The Silver Cow: A Welsh Tale

An ancient Welsh tale is given new life in this magical picture book from the author of The Dark Is Rising series.

When young Huw plays his harp on the mountains above his father’s farm, he does not realize that the magic people of Wales, the Tylwyth Teg, are listening from within the Bearded Lake. But suddenly, among his father’s herd of black cattle, Huw finds a wonderful silver cow, sent up from the lake as a gift. It makes his father a rich man-until one day… (plus)

An ancient Welsh tale is given new life in this magical picture book from the author of The Dark Is Rising series.

When young Huw plays his harp on the mountains above his father’s farm, he does not realize that the magic people of Wales, the Tylwyth Teg, are listening from within the Bearded Lake. But suddenly, among his father’s herd of black cattle, Huw finds a wonderful silver cow, sent up from the lake as a gift. It makes his father a rich man-until one day the farmer becomes greedy, and the Tylwyth Teg take their revenge.

     Written in the soft, musical rhythm of Welsh speech and enriched by Susan Cooper’s own imaginative gifts, this old tale takes on new life. Warwick Hutton’s marvelously evocative illustrations capture the beauty of the Welsh countryside, the crafty greed of the farmer, and the magic of the Tylwyth Teg. Readers will return to this timeless retelling of a Welsh folktale again and again.