Cadi and Bili The Cadi, also known as Kate or Megan, is a man dressed half as a man and half as a woman. I know a few guys like that. He fulfils the function of chief marshal, orator, buffoon and collector of money, often carrying a ladle.The Cadi helped sweep away the evil spirits of Winter in readiness for the coming of Summer - represented by the Branch bearer. Occasionally, these were also accompanied by the Mari Lwyd - a horse's skull on a pole, which was a symbol of fertility.The dancers were sometimes accompanied by a Fool, Bili, dressed comically in one instance in a tail coat and silk hat, and sometimes carried the ladle. A more reliable description comes from William Roberts, of Llannefydd (Welsh National Music and Dance. W.S.Gwynn Williams.) a village equidistant from Denbigh and St.Asaph. He points out the likeness of the Fool and the Cadi to the Pwnch and Shuan in the Mari Lwyd ceremony. In yet another description, in Hone's Every Day Book (1825), there is no Fool, but the Cadi is dressed half as a man and half as a woman. He fulfils the function of chief marshal, orator, buffoon and collector of money.   Punch and Judy These characters gradually appeared in the dance in recent centuries.The Fool and the Cadi were sometimes replaced by Pwnch and Shuan, characters that were popularised by Italian Comeddia De Arte, and had long roots.They appeared with Morris teams, and sometimes their lively antics would have them banned from pubs. Punch would carry an oversized poker or cudgel, and Judy would wreak havok with her besom.   Branch Bearer He carryied Y Fedwen Haf (Birch Branch) or a branch of gorse.They were accompanied by a musician who played a fiddle or concertina.The Branch Bearer is the only member of the team not to black up. Gorse flowers between May and June. The Branch Bearer follows Bili and Cadi in theCadi Ha processional.   Mari Lwyd This is a horse's skull, set on a pole and carried upright by a man, completely hidden by a white cloth. In some places in Wales it is known as Y Fari. Gwasseilwyr It is therefore very strange that, in Wales, sometimes a singing contest takes place between the inmates of the house and the Mari Lwyd party, apparently designed to keep the luck-bringing visitors out. According to a report in Archeologia Cambrensis 1888, this practice originally belonged to another party. These were the Gwasseilwyr, who carried a wassail bowl, sang a wassail song and were roughly disguised, with blackened faces. They carried staves with which they beat each other, being well padded under their puffed out garments. These were sometimes accompanied by a Punch and Judy. After singing the obligatory verses of the song, there sometimes followed a musical contest. If the inmates failed to respond to one improvised verse with another, it was understood that the Gwasseilwyr must be admitted. Another party were the Mari Lwyd men. These were dressed, not only in their best but decorated with ribbons. The Mari also was decorated, being the pride of the village. They sang the wassail song, with the additional verse: "We've got a fine Mari, She's dressed very pretty, With ribbons a plenty, this Christmas" According to this report, which refers to South Glamorgan, the Mari men were admitted at once, without a rhyming contest. But there is no mention of a Punch and Judy.