Another regretfully infrequent occurrence of Welsh music this week. Here it is performed by the singer Meredydd Evans, whose album Traditional Welsh Songs was a landmark recording in Welsh folk music.

Y ferch o blwy Penderyn

‘Rwy’n caru merch o blwyf Penderyn, ac yn ei chanlyn ers lawer dydd ;
Ni allwn garu ag un ferch arall, er pan welais ‘run gron ei grudd.
Mae hi’n ddigon hawdd ei gweled, er nad yw ond dyrnaid fach ;
Pan elo i draw i rodio’r caeau, fy ‘nghalon glaf hi wna yn iach.

Pan o’wn i’n myned ar ryw fore yn hollol ddiflin tua’m gwaith,
Mi glywn aderyn ar y brigyn yn tiwnio’n ddiwyd ac yn faith,
Ac yn d’wedyd wrthyf innau, “Mae’r ferch wyt ti’n ei charu’n driw
Yn martsio’i chorff y bore fory tua rhyw fab arall, os bydd hi byw.”

‘Rwy’n myned heno, dyn am helpo, i ganu ffarwel i’r seren syw ;
A dyna waith i’r clochydd fory fydd torri ‘medd o dan yr yw !
A than fy enw’n ‘sgrifenedig ar y tomb wrth fôn y pren,
Fy mod i’n isel iawn yn gorwedd yng ngwaelod bedd o gariad Gwen.

English Translation:

(1) I love a girl from Penderyn Parish
And have been following her for many days
I could not love another girl
Since I saw the one with the round cheek
It is so easy to see her
Although she is only a little thing
When she goes out to walk the fields
She makes my ailing heart well

(translation for verse 2 unavailable thus far)

(3) I’m going this evening, may [God] help me
To sing farewell to the lovely star
And here’s a job for the sexton tomorrow
To dig my grave under the yew
And carve my name, written,
On the stone at the bottom of the wood
That I am lying very low down
In the bottom of a grave from the love of Gwen