Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn: Difference between revisions
Peterwlane (talk | contribs) m correction to word order of translation |
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Give me your pretty white hand; |
Give me your pretty white hand; |
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Because in your lovely breast |
Because in your lovely breast |
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Is the key to the lock of my heart |
Is the key to the lock of my heart. |
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I rose today with the dawn, |
I rose today with the dawn, |
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Hastening greatly my fatigue |
Hastening greatly my fatigue, |
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So that I should be able to kiss your footsteps, |
So that I should be able to kiss your footsteps, |
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Which have walked through the wood |
Which have walked through the wood; |
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Raise my head from the long sadness |
Raise my head from the long sadness |
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With the affectionate language of civility, |
With the affectionate language of civility, |
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And while my hair is growing, |
And while my hair is growing, |
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And while there is a heart in my breast |
And while there is a heart in my breast |
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I shall be faithful to you |
I shall be faithful to you; |
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Tell me the truth in secret |
Tell me the truth in secret |
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And give your answer under seal, |
And give your answer under seal, |
Revision as of 15:38, 13 January 2024
"Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn" (English: Watching the White Wheat) is an 18th-century traditional Welsh love song.
The song was collected from the oral tradition in the 1830s and was first published in 1844 by the Welsh musician and folklorist Maria Jane Williams in her collection Ancient National Airs of Gwent and Morganwg.[1] The song has been linked, rather vaguely, to the popular story about a rich heiress, Ann Thomas (1704-27) — the so-called ‘Maid of Cefn Ydfa’, from the parish of Llangynwyd in central Glamorgan, and the somewhat nebulous poet, Wil Hopcyn (1700-41), to whom the song is attributed. However, the song itself makes no explicit reference to the tale, and the version presented here actually refers to "Gwen" rather than to "Ann".
According to Dr Wyn Evans, the history of the song is complex. He conjectures that it is probably a medley of folk stanzas from a number of sources, ‘improved’ by Taliesin Williams (1787-1847) and extended with a verse composed by his father, ‘Iolo Morganwg’ (Edward Williams, 1747-1826) "that wayward genius, who — under the influence of the love of his native Glamorgan, not to mention laudanum — rewrote the history of Welsh scholarship and literature with Glamorgan very much centre stage."[1]
Lyrics
There are several versions of the lyrics with minor variations in the words and additional verses. A modern version is:[2]
Words with English translation
Mi sydd fachgen ifanc ffôl |
I am a foolish young boy |
Common variations include using the more literary ieuanc in place of ifanc (meaning young) in the first verse (as in the clip above). Also, gwna (make or do) is often used in place of dod (come) in the second verse, and the soft mutation of bo to fo is often omitted following tra in the fourth verse.[3]
Tune
First published version
The melody and words first published by Maria Jane Williams in 1844:[4]
Modern version
A modern version of the tune is:[2]
References
- ^ a b James, E. Wyn. "Watching the White Wheat and That Hole Below the Nose: The English Ballads of a Late-Nineteenth Century Welsh Jobbing-Printer". Cardiff University. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ a b Hywel, John, ed. (1990). Famous songs of Wales : Caneuon enwog Cymru 1 (3rd ed.). Caernarfon: Gwynn. pp. 28–29. ISBN 0-900426-60-8. (Lannach and glannach have been corrected to lanach and glanach, im'th to imi'th, and in the last line gen to gan.)
- ^ Edwards, Meinir, ed. (2012). 100 o Ganeuon Gwerin. Talybont: Lolfa. p. 21. ISBN 978-1-84771-599-9.
- ^ Williams, Maria Jane (1844). Ancient National Airs of Gwent and Morgannwg. Llandovery: William Rees. pp. 38–39. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
External links
- Media related to Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn at Wikimedia Commons