ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n THE SHEPHERD AND THE SONGBIRD<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Synopsis <\/strong><\/p>\n This story unfolds across two timelines. The present day is set in New York, where one of the protagonists – a world\u2011famous opera diva – hosts a dinner party. The past takes place in mid\u2011rural Wales, near Lake Vyrnwy, where both protagonists\u2019 lives briefly and mysteriously intersect.<\/p>\n Characters <\/strong><\/p>\n Mrs Katrin Lloyd Evans (known as The Songbird; accent shifts between South Wales Valleys and American)<\/p>\n Mr Kevin Wiess (Katrin\u2019s American manager)<\/p>\n Tommy (Katrin\u2019s driver; Cockney accent)<\/p>\n Huw Jones (the Shepherd; strong Welsh accent)<\/p>\n Mrs Williams (pub owner; strong Welsh accent)<\/p>\n Part One <\/strong><\/p>\n The sound of opera music, laughter, and clinking glasses. <\/em><\/p>\n Kevin: Oh, I don\u2019t believe in ghosts – and neither should any of the twelve people sitting around this table.<\/p>\n Katrin: Well, I do, Kevin.<\/p>\n Kevin: Really, Katrin? And what experience, pray tell, convinced you? (Light laughter around the table.)<\/p>\n Katrin: If you\u2019re going to laugh, I won\u2019t tell you at all.<\/p>\n Kevin: Oh come on – will it be set back on your old home turf? Go on, my fine Welsh songbird. Tell us all, on this balmy New York night.<\/p>\n Katrin: Not exactly my home turf – but it is set in Wales.<\/p>\n Kevin: And what were you doing there?<\/p>\n Katrin: I was born in a village called Taffen in the South Wales mining area, but this happened years later, in mid\u2011rural Wales near Lake Vyrnwy. It was before you became my manager. I was working on the London opera scene and had been sent to sing at the Eisteddfod in Llangollen.<\/p>\n Kevin: That famous music festival.<\/p>\n Katrin: That\u2019s the one. The company sent a driver – Tommy.<\/p>\n Kevin: Ah yes, the cheeky Cockney cabbie.<\/p>\n Katrin: He picked me up from my apartment in Kensington in the Rolls, and we set off for North Wales.<\/p>\n Part Two <\/strong><\/p>\n Car doors close. Footsteps. The engine starts.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tommy: Right, Katrin – straight to Llangollen, or any stops on the way?<\/p>\n Katrin: Just the usual comfort breaks. How long should it take?<\/p>\n Tommy: About four hours, traffic permitting.<\/p>\n Katrin: And please stop calling me \u201cMadam.\u201d Call me Katrin.<\/p>\n Tommy: Right you are. Off we go.<\/p>\n The car drives on. Opera plays quietly on the radio.<\/p>\n Tommy: Looks like a standstill ahead. We could cut through mid\u2011Wales and take the A roads.<\/p>\n Katrin: Whatever you think best. I\u2019ll have a little nap.<\/p>\n Later. The engine cuts out. <\/em><\/p>\n Tommy: Katrin – sorry to wake you. We\u2019ve got a problem.<\/p>\n Katrin: What\u2019s happened? Why is it so foggy?<\/p>\n Tommy: It came down suddenly. The radio and sat\u2011nav went haywire, and I didn\u2019t want to risk driving blind.<\/p>\n Katrin: Do we know where we are?<\/p>\n Tommy: Afraid not. Phones are dead too.<\/p>\n Katrin: Let me try mine.<\/p>\n Static. <\/em><\/p>\n Katrin: Nothing. How strange.<\/p>\n Tommy: I saw what looked like a building down the road. I\u2019ll go and look for help.<\/p>\n Katrin: Good idea. I\u2019ll stay here.<\/p>\n Tommy walks away. The fog thickens. <\/em><\/p>\n Part Three <\/strong><\/p>\n Katrin wakes alone in the cold. <\/em><\/p>\n Katrin: Where on earth is Tommy?<\/p>\n A sound outside the car.<\/p>\n Katrin: Tommy? Hello?<\/p>\n Footsteps. A cough in the distance. <\/em><\/p>\n Katrin: Wait – please stop and call out!<\/p>\n She slips and falls down a slope. Sheep bleat. A dog barks. A man sings an old operatic aria. <\/em><\/p>\n Huw: Helo – wyt ti\u2019n iawn?<\/p>\n Katrin: Please – stop shaking me!<\/p>\n Huw: English, are we? Jock, lie down.<\/p>\n Katrin: I\u2019m Welsh, actually – the Valleys.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Huw: Ah. You\u2019ve hurt your foot. I can strap it and take you to my hut.<\/p>\n Katrin: A hut<\/p>\n Huw: Just down the valley.<\/p>\n He helps her to her feet and supports her as they walk. <\/em><\/p>\n Katrin: My name\u2019s Katrin.<\/p>\n Huw: Huw Jones. And this is Jock. I\u2019m the shepherd here.<\/p>\n Part Four <\/strong><\/p>\n Inside the shepherd\u2019s hut. A fire crackles. <\/em><\/p>\n Huw: Sit down. I\u2019ll put more logs on. Tea?<\/p>\n Katrin: Please.<\/p>\n Huw: No sugar, I\u2019m afraid.<\/p>\n Katrin: That\u2019s fine.<\/p>\n Huw: You asked where you are – you\u2019re in the Vyrnwy Valley.<\/p>\n Katrin: And Llangollen?<\/p>\n Huw: Forty miles or so, as the crow flies.<\/p>\n Katrin: You sing beautifully, you know.<\/p>\n Huw: It passes the time. The sheep don\u2019t complain.<\/p>\n Katrin: You could sing at the Albert Hall.<\/p>\n Huw: What\u2019s that?<\/p>\n Katrin laughs. <\/em><\/p>\n Huw: Rest here. I\u2019ll look for your driver.<\/p>\n Later, they walk together, singing as the fog lifts. <\/em><\/p>\n Huw: We\u2019re close to the road. I\u2019ll go on ahead.<\/p>\n Katrin: Thank you, Huw. Truly.<\/p>\n He walks away, singing. <\/em><\/p>\n Part Five <\/strong><\/p>\n Katrin alone again. The fog returns. <\/em><\/p>\n Katrin: Huw? Can you hear me?<\/p>\n Knocking on glass. <\/em><\/p>\n Tommy: Katrin! Open the door!<\/p>\n Katrin: Tommy! Did you see Huw?<\/p>\n Tommy: Who?<\/p>\n Katrin: The shepherd\u2014he helped me all day.<\/p>\n Tommy: Katrin, I\u2019ve only been gone half an hour.<\/p>\n Later, in a pub. <\/em><\/p>\n Mrs Williams: His name was Huw Jones?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Katrin: Yes.<\/p>\n Mrs Williams: Come and look at this photograph.<\/p>\n Katrin: That\u2019s him.<\/p>\n Mrs Williams: Taken in 1888. He drowned in 1892, saving my grandfather when the reservoir was new. That\u2019s why this place is called The Drowned Shepherd.<\/p>\n Katrin: It felt so real.<\/p>\n Mrs Williams: Around here, we\u2019d say you had\u2026 an experience.<\/p>\n Epilogue <\/strong><\/p>\n Weeks later, back in Wales. <\/em><\/p>\n Katrin walks alone. Mist gathers. A dog barks. <\/em><\/p>\n Katrin: Jock?<\/p>\n An operatic voice drifts through the fog. <\/em><\/p>\n Katrin: Huw\u2026<\/p>\n BBC News Report: <\/strong><\/p>\n Police have suspended the search for the missing opera singer Katrin Lloyd Evans, who disappeared three weeks ago while on a walking holiday near Lake Vyrnwy in mid\u2011Wales.<\/p>\n ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST THE SHEPHERD AND THE SONGBIRD Synopsis This story unfolds across two timelines. The present day is set in New York, where one of the protagonists – a world\u2011famous opera diva – hosts a dinner party. The past takes place in mid\u2011rural Wales, near Lake Vyrnwy, where both protagonists\u2019 lives briefly and mysteriously intersect. Characters Mrs Katrin […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[334,430],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s6cWjO-16581","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13573,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=13573","url_meta":{"origin":16581,"position":0},"title":"PEOPLE\u2019S COLLECTION WALES","author":"Alan Williams","date":"4th September 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 PEOPLE\u2019S COLLECTION WALES \u00a0 People's Collection Wales is a free website dedicated to bringing together Wales's heritage. The Collection is\u00a0full of fascinating photographs, documents, audio and video recordings and stories that link to the history, culture\u00a0and people of Wales. These items have been contributed to the website not only\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Picture15.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":16636,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=16636","url_meta":{"origin":16581,"position":1},"title":"Competing In the Crufts Obedience Championships","author":"Alan Williams","date":"28th February 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST COMPETING IN THE CRUFTS OBEDIENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS Two local canine residents Eva and Asher Heath have made their dog mum very proud as they both won championship dog obedience classes last year which meant they were invited to compete in the annual Crufts Obedience Championships in 2026.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Crufts.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12022,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=12022","url_meta":{"origin":16581,"position":2},"title":"Place Name History -BRO MORGANNWG","author":"Alan Williams","date":"4th August 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"THE MEANING AND DERIVATION OF PLACE-NAMES BRO MORGANNWG - VALE OF GLAMORGAN There are two patterns in English which convey a Welsh place-name such as Bro Morgannwg - namely \u2018Vale of Glamorgan\u2019 and \u2018Glamorgan Vale\u2019 (cf Ogmore Vale, Ebbw Vale, Merthyr Vale etc). This second pattern is the exact equivalent\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":15618,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=15618","url_meta":{"origin":16581,"position":3},"title":"J C Meggitt Story – Post Script","author":"Alan Williams","date":"30th May 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Articles of Interest THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MR J C MEGGITT - POSTSCRIPT In the three previous issues of What\u2019s On, we learned how 28 year old Meggitt had come to Barry in 1884 at the start of the construction of the dock and set up a thriving timber\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Leggit-01.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Leggit-01.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Leggit-01.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Leggit-01.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Leggit-01.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Leggit-01.jpg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8274,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=8274","url_meta":{"origin":16581,"position":4},"title":"September Puzzle","author":"Alan Williams","date":"4th September 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"PUZZLE For each definition find a word which starts and finishes with the same letter. Each letter of the alphabet is used except for J and Q. (Couldn\u2019t find a word to fit) \u00a0 Premium bond computer (5) Inhabitant of middle east country (7) Root vegetable (7) An Irish county\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12857,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=12857","url_meta":{"origin":16581,"position":5},"title":"Place-Names Derivation – LLAN","author":"Alan Williams","date":"1st February 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"THE DERIVATION AND MEANING OF PLACE-NAMES We\u2019ll now look at some common elements in Welsh Place-names. LLAN The most common element by far in Welsh place-names is the word \u2018llan\u2019. If you were to look at a book of place-names, you would see that there are over 400 places in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16581"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16581"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16583,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16581\/revisions\/16583"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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