Meaning & Analysis
The proverb claims, through extreme exaggeration, that the Snowdon mountain range in Wales is so vast and fertile that it could provide enough grazing land to feed all the livestock in the entire country simultaneously.
Insights
Boastful Abundance
The proverb is a powerful expression of national or regional pride, using the immense scale of Snowdon to boast about the wealth, resources, and self-sufficiency of Wales.
Untapped Potential
Metaphorically, Snowdon represents a core, seemingly singular source that contains vast, untapped potential. It suggests that immense value and resources can be found within a concentrated or unexpected place, sufficient to meet overwhelming demands.
Resilience in Crisis
The mountain acts as a metaphor for national resilience. It implies that the heart of the nation holds the resources to sustain its people through any hardship, functioning as an ultimate safety net in times of crisis.
Symbol of National Identity
Snowdon, or Eryri, is a potent symbol of Welsh national identity, historically representing a fortress of cultural and political resistance. The proverb elevates the mountain from a mere geographical feature to a mythic provider, embodying the enduring strength and self-sufficiency of the Welsh nation.
Agrarian Economics
In a pre-industrial agrarian economy, access to pasture was a direct indicator of wealth and security. This proverb reflects the historical importance of livestock farming to Welsh life, framing Snowdon as the ultimate source of national prosperity and sustenance.
Cultural Pride and Hyperbole
As noted by Fuller in 1662, the proverb is a conscious use of hyperbole to express regional pride. This form of boastful exaggeration is common in folklore, serving to reinforce a community's sense of place and confidence in its own resources.
Psychology of Security
The proverb speaks to a deep psychological need for a symbol of inexhaustible security. By portraying Snowdon as an infinite provider, especially 'in case of necessity' (as the 1610 quote suggests), it offers a powerful metaphor for resilience and stability in times of crisis.
Rhetorical Devices
Hyperbole
The core rhetorical device is hyperbole. The claim is a deliberate and massive overstatement designed to emphasize the extraordinary scale and perceived fertility of the Snowdonian landscape.
Symbolism
Snowdon (Eryri) symbolizes the Welsh nation—its ruggedness, natural wealth, and enduring spirit. The 'cattle' metaphorically represent the Welsh people or the nation's collective needs.
Personification
The proverb subtly personifies the mountain, portraying it as a benevolent and willing provider that actively 'will yield' its resources for the benefit of the nation.
Transcription
Quotations
It is a very common speech among the Welsh That the mountaines Eriry will yield in case of necessity sufficient pasture for all the cattails in Wales if they were put upon them together.
Craig Eriry, or Snow-don, will yield sufficient pasture for all the cattell of Wales put together .. importing, by help of an hyperbole, the extraordinary fruitfulness of this place.
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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