Untitled

titles. teitlau

01 collen lawn, cawell llawn. can wil y tloty
02 y folantein
03 cariad cyntaf
04 can o glod i mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn
05 gwel yr adeilad
06 can dyffryn clettwr
07 y deryn du a'i blufyn shitan
08 y bachan main
09 morgan jones o'r dole gwyrddion
10 hiraeth am feirion
11 bugeilia'r gwenith gwyn
12 y ddau farch
13 y gwydd
14 can y fari

01

01 *collen lawn, cawell llawn. **can wil y tloty

*
ma'r merched bach eleni
yn cneua 'rhyd y perthi
fe ddala i cyn diwedd mai
bydd llath gan rai o rheini

**
ped oeddwn i'n dyfod diwernod ar daith
o ddilyn y ddiod oferdod yn faith
fi gwmpes o'r diwedd yn ryfedd i'm rwyf
i fwrw yngorffws bron eclws fy mlwyf
ac yno canfyddes y ddoniol lan ddynes
ped cyntag i gweles fi oifes mewn nwyf

fi'n caru medd rai un o flote mish mai
os wyf yn ei charu pwy wel arnai fai
ei charu a wneuthum a'i charu a wnaf
nid er mwyn ei golud ond er mwyn ei chal
un lan lon lyceitddu lliw blote oll gymru
ma ngwyllys te ngallu i'w meddu pe cawn

fi briota eleni er dirmyg a gwawd
cawn eulwen oleulan i oleuo ein rawd
ni ganwn yn apus a charwn yngyd
er cystudd a dolur ni ganwn o hyd
o dere eneth annwl i gysgod fy mynwes
cei gariad didor o der gwenno fwyn

*full hazel, full cradle **wil from the workhouse's song

*
the young girls this year
are nutting along the hedges
i hold that before the end of may
some of these will have milk

**
when i was coming one day on a journey
from following the tedious wasteful drink
i fell at last strangely to my restlessness
to spend my rest at the gate of my parish church
and there i noticed the gifted beautiful lady
first time i saw her i swam in gaiety

i love some say one of the flowers of may
if i love her who'll see a blame on me
love her i do and love her i will
not for her wealth but for to have her
one beautiful happy black eyed the colour of all the flowers of wales
my will is if my ability is to possess her if i can

i'll marry this year in spite of contempt and scorn
we'll have bright sunshine to light our course
we'll sing happily and love together
in spite of affliction and pain we'll sing always
o come dear girl to the shadow of my breast
you'll get unending love - o come gentle gwen

*noted by d rhys philips from the lips of hywel of cwm gwrach, morgannwg (glamorgan) around 1885-7. he used to croon it to himself while pursuing his daily toil

**sung by sam y delyn (samuel davies) pontrhydyfen, morgannwg (glamorgan). sam's song is a version of a fi ar ddiwarnod yn dyfod o'm taith which was sung by racky of llanofer, gwent (monmouthshire) in the 1830s. she sang the words of the first verse here, which are also found in iolo morgannwgs manuscripts and are attributed to wil opcyn

titles. teitlau

y folantein

fe ddarfu gaeaf creulon
tawelach yw'r awelon
a'r adar bach gan fywiocau
sy'n dechrau gwau caneuon

holl anian gain sy'n gwenu
gan neisied ymgynhesu
ac nid yw'n deilwng rhoddi sen
i minnau gwen am ganu

wrth weld dy lun mor laned
pa fab all dewi dywed
o rho i lanc ar soddi i lawr
o'i ddolur mawr ymwared

yn dewis y mae'r adar
yn awr pob un ei gymar
i fyw mewn undeb eithaf llon
uwch pob argoelion galar

un, un dewisaf finnau
a hon wyt ti lliw'r blodau
yn rheidiol les o rho dy law
i dorri'm braw a'm briwiau

mae'r gwanwyn yn egino
daw blodau'r haf i'w rhifo
anturia gwen mae natur gain
yn cymell sain cydsynio

the valentine

the cruel winter is finished
quieter are the breezes
and the small birds by livelying themselves up
are starting to weave songs

all of artful nature is smiling
and joyfully warming
and it is not deserving to insult me
gwen for singing

to see your hip so beautiful
which boy would be quiet say
o give to a boy who is sinking down
from great pain deliverance

choosing are the small birds
now each one their partner
to live in union of extreme happines
above all signs of grief

one one i'll choose
and she is you colour of the flowers
for necessary benefit o give your hand
to break my fear and destruction

the spring is budding
the summer flowers are coming to be counted
venture gwen fine nature
is compelling with the sound of consent

noted by jennie williams from the singing of evan rowlands, mynydd bach, ceredigion (cardiganshire) in april 1911.

titles. teitlau

cariad cyntaf

mae prydferthwch ail i eden
yn dy fynwes gynnes feinwen
fwyn gariadus liwus lawen
seren syw clyw di'r claf

addo'th gariad i mi heno
gwnawn amodau cyn ymado
i ymrwymo doed a ddelo
rho dy gred a dwed y doi

liwus lonad serch fy mynwes
wiwdeg orau 'rioed a geres
mi'th gymeraf yn gymhares
rho dy gred a dwed y doi

yn dy lygaid caf wirionedd
yn serennu gras a rhinwedd
mae dy weld i mi'n orfoledd
seren syw clyw di'r claf

first love

there is beauty second to eden
in your warm breast white beauty girl
tender loving bright gay one
beautiful star hear the one who is ill

promise your love to me tonight
we'll make conditions before leaving
to bind together come whatever
give your belief and say you'll come

bright contented one love of my brest
fairest best thing that i ever loved
i'll take you as a partner
give your belief and say you'll come

in your eyes i have truth
that starshine grace and virtue
to see you is rejoicing to me
beautiful star hear the one who is ill

from a phonograph record of mr a. jenkins, van driver of aberystwyth, ceredigion (cardiganshire) who had also sung it at a folk song competition at llangeitho eisteddfod on august 11 1890

titles. teitlau

can o glod i mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

mewn mwynder y mae mwynyn
yn pori ar y bryncyn
d'os yn y shir o ben i ben
ail mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

ma efnych ym mhenderyn
un llwytfrwnt yw a melyn
ple ceir o fewn morgannwg wen
ail mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

lliw blota gwyn mehefin
ne eira ydyw mwynyn
ni cheir yn unlle dan y nen
ail mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

peth mwyn yw huan melyn
peth mwyn yw pib a thelyn
y mwyna drwy forgannwg wen
yw mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

yn deffro drwy y dyffryn
ma blota teca'r flwyddyn
mi bletha rhein yn dalath wen
i mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

yn deffro drwy y dyffryn
ma pib y du bigfelyn
rhof inna sain heb unrhyw sen
i mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

fi olchas sais o goegyn
a churas gewri dulyn
a chosfa sur ga'r gwr ro sen
i mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

swrddaned gwr nantmelyn
a thasced bras y dyffryn
d'os un ysgerbwd dan y nen
fel mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

fel brenin llwybra'r bryncyn
a'i glycha arian claerwyn
a phres addurna cyrn dilen
hardd fwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

y per afala melyn
a fwyti megis plentyn
ma rhan o ffrwyth afala'r pren
i mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

run hil a teirw'r llinyn
o aberpergwm ddillyn
o'r dreiga hyn yn hil ddilen
daw mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

y ddraig goch ddyry gychwyn
a gan hen brydydd purwyn
o'r draige hyn o lyn nedd wen
ma mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

ma'n bengyrch ac yn benwyn
r'un lliw a'r ira claerwyn
ma cyrn yn ddwylath ar i ben
gan mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

ma'r carlwm coesa cyndyn
a mwynyn yn bar purwyn
yr ych a'r arian-gylch yw'r pen
sef mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

yn gadarn union linyn
fe gera'r gwys yn ddillyn
pa efnych ym morgannwg wen
fel mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

o dan y llwyni celyn
ar ben y dalar derwyn
ennynaf salm nes seinio'r nen
i fwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

fe dynnaf danna'r delyn
a'r gan lif yn feluswin
i thanna aur ry dùn ddilen
i fwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

tra gwrangon lan yn dilyn
i chwrs i fro y moryn
bydd clod pob llais o graig y llyn
i fwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

d'os sais nag un ysgotyn
na gwyddel du da dewryn
faidd twlu gair o unrhyw sen
ar fwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

ma'n hoffi swn y delyn
a swn y piba melyn
ac hoff o gainc gan lais fy ngwen
yw mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

a song of praise to mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

in gentleness mwynyn
grazes on the hill
there isn't in the county from end to end
a second mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

there's an ox in penderyn
it's dirty grey and yellow
where is there is beautiful glamorgan
a second mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

the colour of junes white flowers
or snow is mwynyn
and there is nowhere under heaven
a second mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

a gentle thing is yellow cream
a gentle thing are pipes and harp
the gentlest in glamorgan
is mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

awakening through the valley
are the most beautiful flowers of the year
i'll plait them in a white torque
for mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

awakening through the valley
is the pipe of the black yellowbeak
i'll make a noise without insult
to mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

i dipped a big englishman
and beat dublins giants
and a sour thrashing shall have the man who insults
mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

the man of nantmelyn growls
and the rich men of the valley bluster
ther's not one skeleton under the heaven
like mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

like a king he wanders the hill
with his silver bells ringing clearly
and brass adorns his unequalled horns
magnificent mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

the pure yellow apples
he eats like a child
there is a part of the apple tree fruit
for mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

the same race as the bulls
of unbroken descent from aberpergwn
from these dragons in unequalled lineage
comes mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

the red dragon will begin it
sings the old poet of purwyn
from these dragons of beautiful glyn neath
is mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

he's curly headed and white headed
the same colour as white snow
his horns are two yards on his head
with mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

carlwm of the straight legs
and mwynyn are a pure white pair
the ox with the silver bells is the head
that is mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

solidly in a straight line
they walk the furrow without break
what oxen in beautiful glamorgan
like mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

under the holly groves
and on the oak tops
i'll utter a psalm till the heavens ring
to mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

i'll tug the harp strings
and song shall flow like sweet wine
the golden strings give unbroken melody
to mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

while beautiful gwrangon follows
its course the the lands of the sea
every voice from draig y llyn will praise
mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

there is not one english or scottish man
nor black irish nor brave man
dare to throw any insult
on mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

he likes the sound of the harp
and the sound of the yellow pipes
and fond of a song by my gwen's voice
is mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn

thus ends gwrgant morgannwg's copy of the song as transmitted by him personally to d rhys phillips in september 1917. it is an ox song from the hepste, morgannwg (glamorgan). mr j bowen (gwrgant morgannwg) of melin gryddan copied two songs in 1882 out of an ms then in the possession of an old man who had been a co servant at a farm with jem, the witch of hepste - the original owner of the book. the tune is a version from blaenannerch, ceredigion (cardiganshire) of y ddau farch and the scale used the is an old mon (anglesey) hornpipe scale.

titles. teitlau

gwel yr adeilad

mae'r durtur ber yn canu
a'r byd yn gorfoleddu
mewn gwir fyw lwyddiant

a choed y maes sydd eto
oll fel yn curo dwylo
mewn clod a moliant

ca'r gwyn
a gwridog fawl am hyn
llu'r nef a'i moliant
a'r llawr cydganant
hwy'n un enynant
pob un a'i dant yn dyn
a'u tanllyd anthem iddo nes deffro bro a bryn

mewn pryd
iachawdwr mawr y byd
ddaeth ar ei orsedd
i roi trugaredd
i blant y llygredd
fu mhwll eu camwedd cyd
teyrnasa dirion iesu yw gwaedd ei delu i gyd

see the building

the pure turtle dove is singing
and the world is rejoicing
in true living success

and the trees of the field are again
all as if clapping hands
in praise and praise

love the white
and blushing praise for this
hosts of heaven and their praise
and the floor sing together
they are in one utterance
every one with their string tightened
and their fiery anthem to him till waking the valley and vale

in time,
the big saviour of the world
came on his throne
to give pity
to the children of the pollution
who were in their ugly pool together
tender jesus reigns is the shout of all his family

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can dyffryn clettwr

do mi hales amser llawen
yn yr ysgol yn llwrdwen
ac wrth ddilyn y pysgotwr
ar hyd glan yr afon clettwr

nol i'm wrthod a'r scolheigion
droes i mas yn fab afradlon
ac mi es yn lanc o forwr
mas o olwg dyffryn clettwr

nosweth gynta wrth fynd sha bryste
pan yr own ar geirwon donne
ron i'n gwiddi ar y dwfwr
o na bawn yn nyffryn clettwr

nol i'r gwyntodd i ostegi
a'r geirwon donne i lonyddi
gododd cwili ar y morwr
i ddod nol i ddyffryn clettwr

rwyf yn hoff o'm hen gyfeillion
siams y fadfa a john blanglowon
shanco'r go a twm y naddwr
ynt fel un llaw yn nyffryn clettwr.

hoff oedd gan y morwr ffyddlon
i ddod nol o wlad yr estron
yngynt na'r gwynt na'r hoff drafeilwr
i ddod nol i ddyffryn clettwr

bum yn rhodio dolydd gwyrddon
a chofleido'r merched gwynion
ond gwell o lawer gan y morwr
ferch fach lan o ddyffryn clettwr

dyffryn clettwr song

yes i spent a happy time
in the school in rhydowen
and following the fisherman
on the bank of the clettwr

after rejecting the scholars
i became a prodigal
and i went as a sailor boy
out of sight of clettwr valley

on the first night going towards bristol
when i was on the rough waves
i was shouting to the deep
o that i was in clettwr valley

after the winds abated
and the rough waves calmed
a shame rose on the sailor
to return to clettwr valley

i am fond of my old comrades
siams y fadfa and john blanglowon
sianco the blacksmith and twm the turner
they are like the fingers on one hand in clettwr valley

the sailor was fond
of returning from strange lands
faster than the wind than the fond traveller
to come back to clettwr valley

i have roamed green pastures
and praised fair women
but i prefer by far
a girl from clettwr valley

edward rees, talgarreg

titles. teitlau

y deryn du a'i blufyn shitan

aderyn du a'i blufyn shitan
a'i big aur a'i dafod arian
a ei di drostoi i gytweli
i oli ynt yr un wy'n garu

un dou tri pheth y'n anodd imi
yw cownto'r ser pan fo i'n rhewi
a doti'n llaw i dwtsho'r lleuad
a deall meddwl f'annwl gariad

blackbird with its silk feather

and its gold beak and its silver tongue
will you go for me to kidwelly
to ask the way of my dear love

one two three things are difficult for me
are counting the stars when it is freezing
and putting my hand to touch the moon
and understanding the mind of my dear lover

collected by d gwynallt evans, a teacher and playwright, working in barry county school. he was researching in the swansea valley and an old lady sang it over and over until she believed he had learnt it. published in 1948, the publishers did not bother to name the old lady

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y bachan main

roeddwn mas yn rhodio'r caeau
dy mawrth ddiwetha ar doriad y dydd
mewn llefydd ishel dan goedwig dawel
lle clywn i ddwy'n ymgomio nghyd
nesu nes yn nes nes atynt
nes on i yn y lle a'r fan
pwy oedd yno yn ymgomio
fyn annwyl gariad gyta'i mam

ti fanwylyd ti sydd yma
a dy ddwy law bach yn rhydd
yn lan dy drwshad yn ardd d'osodiad
a minne am dy fatsho sydd
cei fownto'th geffyl yngangen gynnil
a gweision sifil iawn i'w drin
a golyd bydol ac aur melynion
ac arian gloywon wrth dy glun

pe cawn i ranne o wletydd india
shitan prwsha ac aur penrhiw
gwell gen i'r crwt rwyf fi'n ei garu
wy am gal sefyll iddo'n driw
os taw fylna wyt ti'n darparu
cei wiro dy wely ar frig o ddrain
os penderfynu wnaed i'w garu
a phrioti a'r bachan main

gyta'r bachan main mi fentra
fy mam fi wetaf wrthoch gwir
gatawa'r moddion i'r cymdogion
a mentraf gyta blote'r shir
a'i wyneb purwyn a'i wallt melynwyn
ac ar i rudd y mae dwy ros
gwyn ei byd y ferch a fyddo
rwnt ei freiche'n cysgu'r nos

ath yngariad i mell dros y morodd
fe'm gadaws ar y lan
on duw o'r nefodd ro rwydd-deb iddo
a'i gyfarwyddo fe mob man
da'i ddim i lefen waith na becso
nac i grio ar ei ol
os odyw e yn digwydd i mi
daw fannwl gariad eto'n ol

a'i law i un sgrifennws lythyr
sel o gwer oddiwrth i gwt
ac o dos dim yn torri ngalon
ond ei ddarllen fore a nos
ar ei wilod ma tair llythyren
y rhai sy'n mynd a'm pryd a'm gwedd
ond oni ddaw e nol i sbelo
y rhein a'm gyrio i ymyl bedd

the slender boy

i was out roaving the fields
last tuesday at the break of day
in low places under a quiet wood
where i heared two women secretly talking
i approached closer close until by them
until i was at the spot
who was there talking but my dear lover and her mother

you my dear daughter you are here
with your two hands free
your appearance neat and your stature fine
and i want to arrange a match for you
you can mount your horse my beautiful branch
and have civil servants to tend it
and the earths riches and yellow gold
and shining silver at your knee

if i had parts of india
prussian silk and penrhiw gold
i would rather the boy that i love
i want to be true to him
if that's how you are preparing
you can make your bed on a branch of thorns
if you decide to love
and marry the slender boy

with the slender boy i'll venture
my mother i'll tell you the truth
i'll leave the medicine to the neighbours
and i'll venture with the flowers of the county
and his pure pale face and his pale yellow hair
and on his cheeks there are two roses
and a perfect world to the girl who would
be between his arms sleeping the night

my love went far over the sea
he left me on the shore
but god in heaven give him an easy passage
and direct him everywhere
i won't cry nor worry
nor grieve for him
if he's true to me
my dear lover will return

with his own hand he wrote a letter
a seal of wax on it's back
and oh nothing breaks my heart
but to read it early and late
at the bottom are three letters
these take my life
unless he comes back to spell them
these will drive me to the grave side

collected by d roy saer from the singing of wil moc who learned it in his youth, working in the tin plate works in ystalyfera around 1900. wil sang the words to a different tune. the scale used is an old hornpipe scale.

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morgan jones o'r dole gwyrddion

mari watkin odd e'n garu
yn well na neb tu fewn i gymru
yn gobitho cal yn briod
ferch syr watkin dyffryn llynod

morgan jones odd yn i wely
yn glafedd iawn yn ffaelu codi
fe ddoi ato newydd garw
fod i gariad bron a marw

a rho'i di gyngor i mi

dounaw sgarff a dounaw cleddy
dounaw gwas o weision lifri
dounaw march run lliw a'r sguthan
yn hebrwng merch syr watkin allan

fe geisie fynd i gladdu'i gariad
er i fod bron ffaelu a cherdded
oedd i galon ar fin torri
gweld llwyd bridd a cherrig arni

ffein yw llygaid y briallu
ffein yw'r lle y ma nhw'n tyfu
ffein yw'r bedw sy'n eu cysgod
ond ffeinach odd merch dyffryn llynod

morgan jones a mari watkin
fu mewn cariad mowr diderfyn
nes ddath ange i wahanu rhyngddynt
mewn un beddrod rhod nhw wedyn

anodd plethu dwr yr afon
mewn llwyn teg o fedw gleision
ond anhawsach peth na hynny
yw rhwystro dau fo'n ffyddlon garu

a rho'i di gyngor i mi

morgan jones from dole gwyrddion

he loved mari watkin
better than anyone else in wales
hoping to marry
the daughter of sir watkin dyffryn llynod

morgan jones was in his bed
very ill he couldn't get up
grave news came to him
that his lover was nearly dead

will you advise me

eighteen scabards and eighteen swords
eighteen servants in livery
eighteen piebald stallions
bearing out the body of sir watkin's daughter

he tried to bury his love
he could hardly walk
his heart broke
to see grey earth and stones on her

primroses are beautiful
the place they grow is beautiful
the birch which casts its shadow on them is beautiful
the daughter of dyffryn llynod was more beautiful

morgan jones and mari watkin
were in great infinite love
until death separated them
they are in one grave

it is difficult to plait the water
in a river in a lovely birch grove
but more difficult
to separate two that love faithfully

dole gwyrddon is near lampeter in the teifi valley. dyffryn llynod is downstream, near llandysul. one version of the story has morgan fighting for cromwell. one says that the lovers died of smallpox. one says that the bodies are buried together in lampeter. another has morgan's dying wish ungranted. the ballad's author was thomas dafydd of dyffryn teifi, ceredigion and was first published around 1720. it contained many traditional stanzas as well as his own work. from the singing of guto dafis of cardiff but with an additional refrain sung by sera trenholme of nefyn, caernarfonshire.

titles. teitlau

hiraeth am feirion

yn y mor y byddo'r mynydd
sydd yn cuddio bro meirionnydd
na chawn unwaith olwg arni
cyn i'm calon dirion dorri

mi wnaf long o dderw cariad
a'i mast hi o bren y profiad
a rhof hireth arni i nofio
o don i don i'r wlad a fynno

yn y mor y mae pysgodyn
ar y lan yr wy'n ei mofyn
yn y cwrt y mae dysgeidiaeth
yn y galon fach mae hireth

dacw lan a dacw lannau
dacw lan fy nghariad innau
nid am y llan yr wyf fi'n mofyn
ond am y mab sydd yno'n rhwymyn

af i lan y mor i wylo
fe ddaw'r wylan ataf yno
rhoddaf lythyr dan ei haden
draw i'w gario i dre gorwen

o fy nghalon tor os torri
pam yr wyt yn dyfal boeni
ac yn darfod bob ychydig
fel ia glas ar lechwedd llithrig

gwynt ar for a haul ar fynydd
cerrig llwydion yn lle coedydd
a gwylanod yn lle dynion
och dduw pa fodd na thorrai nghalon

longing for meirionnydd

in the sea is the mountain
that hides meirionnydd
if only i could have one more look at it
before my gentle heart breaks

i'll make a boat of the oak of love
and its mast of the wood of experience
and i'll load it with longing to sail
from wave to wave to any country it desires

in the sea is the fish
on the shore i fetch it
in the courtroom is wisdom
in the weak heart is longing

there is the shore there are the shores
there is my lover's shore
its not the shore i want
but the boy who is there

i'll go to the sea to weep
the gull will come to me there
i'll put a letter under its wing
for it to carry over to corwen town

o my heart break if you will break
why do you constantly worry
and stop occasionally
like blue ice on slippery slate

wind on the sea and sun on the mountain
grey stones in the place of trees
and gulls in place of men
oh god how come my heart doesn't break

from the singing of dan morris of llandeilo, originally from meirionnydd. additional traditional verses added by lynne denman and ceri rhys matthews.

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bugeilia'r gwenith gwyn

llawer gwaith y buoi'n ffol
yn caru'n ol fy ffansi
yn bugeilia'r gwenith gwyn
ac eraill yn i feti

pam na ddewi di ar fy ol
bob dydd ar ol i gilydd
wath fi sy'n gweld fanwylyd fach
yn lanach lanach beunydd

ie glanach lanach wyt bob dydd
ne fi sy a'm ffydd yn ffolach
er mwyn y gwr a wna dy wedd
gwna fi drugaredd bellach

ishte lawr f'anwylyd fwyn
a grynda gwyn dy gariad
mi wn fod llawer mab yn fyw
a leica liw dy lycad

tro dy wyneb elen dro
wre'm llaw gwen dirion
yn dy fynwes bert ei thro
cei allweth clo fy ngalon

tra fo dwr y mor allt
a thra fo ngwallt yn tyfu
tra fo calon dan fy mron
mi fydda'n ffyddlon i ti

dweta i'm y gwir eb gíl
a rho dan sel atebion
pun ai myfi ne eraill gwen
sydd ora gen dy galon

tending the white wheat

many times i've been foolish
loving after my fancy
tending the white wheat
and another harvesting it

why don't you come after me
everyday after another
because i see you my love
purer as time passes

yes purer you are every day
or my faith is foolish
for the man who made your face
pity me more

sit down my gentle love
and hear your lovers complaint
i know there are many men alive
who like the colour of your eyes

turn your face elen turn
this is my hand take it dear gwen
in your beautifuly turned breast
you'll find the key to the lock of my heart

while there is the water of the salt sea
while my hair grows
while there is a heart under my breast
i'll be faithful to you

tell me the truth without a lie
and put under a seal your answers
whether me or others gwen
is best with your heart

popularly this song is understood to be the unrequited love song of an older man loving a younger woman out of his class. it is the product of a mixture of folk verses and others by dafydd niclas, wil hopcyn and iolo morgannwg. the famous tune now associated with the words originated in germany but in england was associated with death and the maiden. that tune was used in glamorganshire as an ox driving song. iolo morgannwg sang the words the the tune pebyll penon. the tune sung here comes from the carmarthenshire ceredigion border and the words sung to it were the floating verse tra bo dwr yn y mor yn hallt etc. dylan plays out with the harp tune difyrrwch gwyr y gogledd after llio rhydderch of anglesey.

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y ddau farch

pan oeddwn ar foreddydd
yn rhodio mas o'm cyfydd
cyfarfod neuthum a dau farch
yn ymgom ar y mynydd

dywedai y cel gwannaf
nawr wrth y ceffyl cryfaf
fe fum i undydd yn fy mharch
yn gystal march a thithe

pan es yn hen glunhercyn
ces gario yd i'r felin
a beth ddigwyddod i fy rhan
ond gogred gwan o eisin

tynasant fy mhedole
gyrasant fi'r mynydde
a thra bo anal yn fy ffroen
ni ddeuaf byth shag adre

the two stallions

when i was at dawn
wandering out of my home
i met two stallions
conversing on the mountain

the weaker horse said
now to the stronger horse
i was one day when i was revered
as equal a stallion as you

when i went lame
i was allowed to carry corn to the mill
and what happened to my part
but a weak sieveful of husk

they pulled off my horseshoes
drove me to the mountains
and while there is breath in my nostrils
i'll never go home

words sung to a different tune by mrs jones, penyrheol, llangeitho, ceredigion into a phonograph at cwrtmawr, july 1910. she learnt it when a child from her nurse, a native of blaenannerch. her tune was a major mode version of the tune used for "mwynyn penrhiwrmenyn" in this session. both are in triban meter.

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y gwydd

pan oeddwn ar ryw nosweth yn y gwydd
yn gwitho ngrefft trwy drafferth yn y gwydd
meddyles ynwyf unan
nas wypwn pa mor fuan
gorfyddai i fy amcan yn y gwy^dd
lwyr cefen ado'r cyfan yn y gwy^dd

am yn gatawaf ganu ar fyr dro
i fynd o'm gwishg i gysgy ar fyr dro
os gofyn neb trw'r gwletydd
un pryd pwy odd y prytydd
un sydd yn dishgwl beunydd ar fyr dro
cal nef a daear newydd ar fyr dro

two stanzas from a ballad sheet originally to be sung to the tune purwyn.
the song was written by rev. benjamin francis 1734 - 1799.

the loom

when i was some night in the loom
working my craft in difficulty at the loom
i thought to myself
that i didn't know how soon
i made my intention at the loom
to totally turn my back and leave the lot at the loom

for this i leave singing quickly
to go from my clothing to sleep quickly
if anyone asks throughout the countries
one time who was the poet
one who expects constantly quickly
to have a new heaven and earth quickly

two stanzas from a ballad sheet originally to be sung to the tune purwyn.
the song was written by rev. benjamin francis 1734 - 1799 and was collected in the neath valley thirty years later sung to this tune. the collector didn't feel the need to mention the singer's name.

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can y fari

a gloisoch chi drysa
ma bois y cwrseila
yn siwr o ddod yma i gianu

wel dyma ni'n dwad
gyfeillion diniwad
o ofyn am gienad i gianu

ma nhw ar y bili
clywch arnyn nhw'n gwiddi
dewch ferched myn jain i i gwato

ma'r fari lwyd yma'n
llawn sers a rhupana
man werth i roi gola i'w gwelad

en fari lwyd druan
dos neb am weld rhupan
na ser ar dy dalcan nos eno

fe dorswn ein crwmpa
wrth groesi'r shticila
wrth ddwad shag yma nos eno

sawl crwmpad a giesoch
sawl shticil a groesoch
wrth ddod y fordd ddethoch nos eno

wel tapwch y faril
giyllyngwch i'n rhicil
a llanwch y ddishgyl o gwrw

ma yma farilid
o gwrw bach sblendid
ond chewch chi ddim llymid o gwrw

o tynnwch y bollta
agorwch y drysa
i fois y cwrsheila rhowch greso

y bollta a dynnwn
y drysa agorwn
a'r fari gresaw-wn i'n gwyla

wel diolch i chitha
am greso i ninna
ag nes dolig nesa ffarwelwch

mari song

did you close the doors
the wassail boys
are sure to come here tonight

well, here we come
innocent friends
to ask permission to sing

they are on the bailey
listen to them shouting
come on girls for godssake to hide

the mari lwyd is here
full of stars and ribbons
its worth giving a light to see her

poor old mari lwyd
nobody wants to see ribbons
and stars on your forehead tonight

we broke our shins
crossing the styles
coming here tonight

how many broken shins did you have
how many styles did you cross
by coming the way you came tonight

well, tap the barrell
pour it freely
and fill the cup with beer

here is a small barrel
of splendid small beer
but you won't have one sip of beer

o pull the bolts
open the doors
to the washel boys give a welcome

the bolts we'll pull
the doors we'll open
and the mari we'll welcome to our holiday

well, thank you
for the welcome to us
and until next christmas farewell to you

t.i. phillips of aberystwyth, ceredigion sent the words to a collctor in 1976. they were originally sung in melin ifan ddu, morgannwg (blackmill, ogmore valley, glamorgan) in the last quarter of the nineteenth century.

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