THE SCENE: The medieval Welsh may have been drily funny people, but one of the immutable laws of humor is that if you have to explain a joke, it ain’t funny anymore.
THE TEXT: In Wales courtiers and even family-men in their own homes are often very funny in what they say. This assumes their guests and gains them the reputation of being great wits. They make the most droll comments, some of which are very clever. They love sarcastic remarks and libelous allusions, plays on words, sly references, ambiguities and equivocal statements. Some of these are just for fun, but they can be very bitter. I thought you would like me to give you some examples to show you what I mean.
One day when he was going on a journey, Rhys ap Gruffydd, Prince of that region, went into St David’s cathedral to pray. Quite a few of his men were with him. Mass was said and they made their oblations. A young man came up to Rhys in church and threw himself at his feet. With everyone listening, he announced that he was Rhys’ son. He wept and begged that the truth of what he had said might be tested by the trial of white hot iron. When this was reported to Rhys’ family, one of his two sons, who had just left the cathedral, replied: “Well, I am not surprised. Some gave gold and some gave silver. This man had neither, so he gave what he had, which was iron.” He was referring to the man’s poverty.
A group of people were talking about a horse, which was so strongly built that it could never be entered by force. “Yes, the house is well-protected,” said one. “We shall never be able to get at the larder, always assuming that there has ever bean any food in it.” In this play on words he was referring to the meanness of the householder.
Someone made a similar remark about a housewife for her parsimony: “I have only one thing to hold against her,” he said. “She puts too little butter in her salt.” This was an example of the part for the whole. By such subtle play on words the speaker means that there was too little butter, but he seemed to imply that there was too much salt.
– The Description of Wales, Gerald of Wales, 12th Century AD
