I used to live near there and at a whim decided to see what wiki said (if anything) about it.
The legend Wiki gives differs slightly from the one i know from local lore....
We have 3 bridges there on top of each other, it looks rather spectacular, especially when enjoyed from the railway.
QUOTE
Devil's Bridge (Welsh Pontarfynach) is a village in Ceredigion, Wales. Its main feature is the bridge of the same name which spans the Mynach, a tributary of the Rheidol. It consists of three bridges built above each other. The most recently built was an iron bridge in 1901 which was built over a stone bridge constructed in 1753 when the original bridge was thought to be unstable, using the original bridge built (1075 - 1200) to support the scaffolding.
The bridge is at a point where the Mynach falls around 90 metres (300 ft) and meets the Rheidol.
Legend says that the bridge was built by the Devil as it was too difficult for people to build. The Devil built the bridge in return for the soul of the first life to cross the bridge, but the Devil was tricked by the people who threw bread onto the bridge and a dog followed thus becoming the first life to cross the new bridge.
The bridge is a tourist attraction; turnstiles control access (in 2005, at £1 a person) to a view of the bridges, as shown in the picture. Over the other side of the road, £2.50 grants a longer walk to view the Mynach falls.
Devil's Bridge is served by Devil's Bridge railway station on the Vale of Rheidol Railway, which opened between Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge in 1902.
The bridge is at a point where the Mynach falls around 90 metres (300 ft) and meets the Rheidol.
Legend says that the bridge was built by the Devil as it was too difficult for people to build. The Devil built the bridge in return for the soul of the first life to cross the bridge, but the Devil was tricked by the people who threw bread onto the bridge and a dog followed thus becoming the first life to cross the new bridge.
The bridge is a tourist attraction; turnstiles control access (in 2005, at £1 a person) to a view of the bridges, as shown in the picture. Over the other side of the road, £2.50 grants a longer walk to view the Mynach falls.
Devil's Bridge is served by Devil's Bridge railway station on the Vale of Rheidol Railway, which opened between Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge in 1902.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil's_Bridge,_Ceredigion
Now the version i know is, as i said, slightly different.....though im sure there are a few variants.
a little old lady, with a cow and a cat, lived in a little cottage next to the gorge...bless her, she had to go the long way around to the village every day.
one day a man appeared and promised to build her a bridge across the river, which would take ages of her travelling time and spare her tired limbs.
The only condition...he added in a mutter (thinking her ears were no longer as sharp) was that he could claim the life/soul of the first to set foot on it. He'd have it ready after midnight - he said.
Agreeing to the pact the lady went to bed, and woke at around midnight hearing a crack from outside. She went down to the river with her basket and found the man standing on the far bank beaming over his little stone bridge...."try it out", he said.
From the basket the little old woman produced her cat, and threw it onto the bridge.
Enraged at her trickery....he really is rarely outdone, he stomped onto the bridge, scooped up the cat and disappeared.
Im sure ive left out a few minor details, that some Pontarfynach folk could embellish on.
oh, here's a piccy of the bridges....
Ive had a quick look to see if there are devil's bridges elsewhere, to see if the story is a common myth, but only found one in antigua.
if anybody knows or comes across any similar stories it'd be good to compare.
edit/ found one in Bulgaria and a few other places, i wonder if they have similar stories attached to them.
unusual brigde indeed, first time i ever seen a bridge like that... i did cross one that sounds as tho its singin or more like a humming so to speak. interesting thread.
