Lyr Add: Bi Falbh O'n Uinneig

Subject: Lyr Add: Bi Falbh O'n Uinneig
From: GUEST,Rory
Date: 06 Dec 23 - 03:21 PM

Bi Falbh O'n Uinneig
(Go away from the window)

Not to be confused with the night visiting song "Go from my Window".

This traditional lullaby is a night visiting song whereby a woman is married and her husband is lying next to her, unbeknown to the approaching lover.
The woman conveys a warning to her lover to flee from his pursuers who are closing in on him. She tells him to move away from the window and not to return again and to go to his ship that will be leaving that evening.

Appears in:
The Gaelic bards and original poems, by Thomas Pattison (1828-1865), second edition, 1890, p 263 (poetic translation p 262).
This poem not published in the first edition of 1866.

The Gaelic Bards - BI FALBH O'N UINNEIG


BI FALBH O'N UINNEIG

Bi falbh o'n uinneig, fhir-ghaoil, fhir ghaoil
'Sna tig an nochd tuilleadh fhir-ghràidh, fhir-ghràidh,
Bi falbh o'n uinneig, fhir-ghaoil, fhir-ghaoil
'S na tig an nochd tuilleadh fhir-ghràidh, fhir-ghràidh,
Tha do long air an t-sàile 's i gun seoladair aice,
Tha do long air an t-sàile 's i gun seoladair aice,
Bi falbh o'n uinneig, fhir-ghaoil, fhir-ghaoil
'S na tig an nochd tuilleadh fhir-ghràidh, fhir-ghràidh.

Bi falbh o'n uinneig, fhir-ghaoil, fhir-ghaoil
'S na tig an nochd tuilleadh fhir-ghràidh, fhir-ghràidh,
Bi falbh o'n uinneig, fhir-ghaoil, fhir-ghaoil
'S na tig an nochd tuilleadh fhir-ghràidh, fhir-ghràidh,
Cuir umad do bhrògan tha'n toir a tigh'n cas ort
Cuir umad do bhrogan tha'n toir a tigh'n cas ort
Gur mise bhios bròiiach ma ni 'n toir so cuir as duit
Na tig an nochd tuilleadh fhir-ghràidh, fhir-ghràidh.

Bi falbh o'n uinneig, fhir-ghaoil, fhir-ghaoil
'S na tig an nochd tuilleadh fhir-ghràidh, fhir-ghràidh,
Bi falbh o'n uinneig, fhir-ghaoil, fhir-ghaoil
'S na tig an nochd tuilleadh fhir-ghràidh, fhir-ghràidh,
'Nuair a theid mi measg sloighe fear do bhoidhche cha'n fhaic mi
Tha faltan donn dualach air mo luaidh do na gaisgich
Gur mise bhios brònach ma ni 'n toir so cuir as duit
Na tig an nochd tuilleadh fhir-ghràidh, fhirghràidh.


Literal translation

Go away from the window my love, my love,
Come no more tonight my love, my love.
Go away from the window my love, my love,
Come no more tonight my love, my love.
Your ship is afloat with no sailor on it,
Your ship is afloat with no sailor on it,
Go away from the window my love, my love,
Come no more tonight my love, my love.
        
Go away from the window my love, my love,
Come no more tonight my love, my love.
Go away from the window my love, my love,
Come no more tonight my love, my love.
Put on your shoes the pursuers are coming close to you,
Put on your shoes the pursuers are coming close to you,
I will be grief-stricken if these pursuers kill you,
Come no more tonight my love, my love.
        
Go away from the window my love, my love,
Come no more tonight my love, my love.
Go away from the window my love, my love,
Come no more tonight my love, my love.
When I go among people, a man of your beauty I do not see,
Brown hair in tresses has my love, the hero,
I will be grief-stricken if these pursuers kill you,
Come no more tonight my love, my love.


Poetic translation - page 262

HASTE FROM THE WINDOW.

The words of this song are intended by the singer to convey a warning to her lover, one of the outlawed MacGregors, to flee from his enemies.

Haste, haste from the window, oh stay not, my love,
Fly swift as the breeze and delay not, my love.
Haste, haste from the window, oh stay not, my love,
Fly swift as the breeze and delay not, my love.
The pilotless ship is unmoored by the tide,
The breakers triumphant career o'er her side;
Haste, haste from the window, oh stay not, my love,
Fly swift as the breeze and delay not, my love.

Haste, haste from the window, oh stay not, my love,
Fly swift as the breeze and delay not, my love,
Haste, haste from the window, oh stay not, my love.
Fly swift as the breeze and delay not, my love.
Go quickly, but softly, for danger is near.
Oh woe, if a trace of thy footsteps appear;
Down, down by the grey copse, hide deep in its shade,
Lie hushed in the dell which the torrent has made.

Haste, haste from the window, oh stay not, my love,
Fly swift as the breeze and delay not, my love,
Haste, haste from the window, oh stay not, my love.
Fly swift as the breeze and delay not, my love.
The mist of the mountain shall wrap thee around,
Thy tread shall be lost in the cataract's sound.
Around thy light vessel the vexed waves chafe.
One bound o'er the wave and my lover is safe.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Bi Falbh O'n Uinneig
From: GUEST,Rory
Date: 06 Dec 23 - 03:27 PM

Recording

Song: Bi Falbh O'n Uinneig
Artist: Tannas
Album: Suilean Dubh (Dark Eyes), (1999)

Tannas - Bi Falbh O'n Uinneig


Sèist:
Bi falbh on uinneig fhir ghaoil, fhir ghaoil,
’S na tig a-nochd tuilleadh fhir ghràidh, fhir ghraidh,.

Tha do long air an t-sàile ’s i gun seòladair aice,
Tha do long air an t-sàile ’s i gun seòladair aice,
Bi falbh on uinneig fhir ghaoil, fhir ghaoil
’S na tig a-nochd tuilleadh fhir ghràidh, fhir ghràidh

(Sèist)

Cuir umad do bhrògan tha ’n tòir a’ tigh’nn cas ort
Cuir umad do bhrògan tha ’n tòir a’ tigh’nn cas ort,
Gur mise bhios brònach ma nì ’n tòir seo cur às dhut
’S na tig a-nochd tuilleadh fhir ghràidh, fhir ghràidh.

(Sèist)

Nuair thèid mi measg slòigh fear do bhòidhchead chan fhaic mi,
Tha faltan donn dualach air mo luaidh de na gaisgeach,
Cuir umad do bhrògan tha ’n tòir a’ tigh’nn cas ort,
’S na tig a-nochd tuilleadh fhir ghràidh, fhir ghràidh.



Chorus:
Go away from the window my love, my love,
Come no more tonight my love, my love.

Your ship is afloat with no sailor on it,
Your ship is afloat with no sailor on it,
Go away from the window my love, my love,
Come no more tonight my love, my love.
        
(Chorus)
        
Put on your shoes the pursuers are coming close to you,
Put on your shoes the pursuers are coming close to you,
I will be grief-stricken if these pursuers kill you,
Come no more tonight my love, my love.
        
(Chorus)
        
When I go among people, a man of your beauty I do not see,
Brown hair in tresses has my love, the hero,
Put on your shoes, the pursuers are coming close to you,
Come no more tonight my love, my love.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Bi Falbh O'n Uinneig
From: Felipa
Date: 10 Dec 23 - 08:07 AM

tapadh leat, a Ruairidh. Thanks for these interesting lyrics.

The theme reminds me a bit of Alfred Noye's Highwayman. And of course there is a little similarity with the English language Go From My Window (go away from my window, my dear For the wind is in the west, and the cuckoo's in his nest And you cannot get a harbouring here.) I'm also thinking of the very different Gaelic song Gur Milis Mòrag because the married woman has taken a lover (albeit after her husband was mistakenly thought to have been killed at war)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Bi Falbh O'n Uinneig
From: Felipa
Date: 10 Dec 23 - 08:49 AM

The Gaelic song is more than a little similar to the version of Go Away from My Window which I quoted above; the English language song also has the lines about the boat awaiting. Listen here to Shirley Collins rendition of Go From My Window https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E8D_QQWeRM
"For the wind is blowing high, and the ship is lying by
And you cannot get a harbouring here"

Oh, and this is interesting - Although I haven't come across any lyrics about pursuers in the English language Go Away From My Window songs, Jeannie Robertson, a Scottish singer who learned the song from American tradition singer Jean Ritchie, reportedly told Stanley Robertson "that the song was actually about a young girl who got involved in crime, and robbed a bank with a partner. The girl was caught at the crime scene, but the man was not and this is what the terrible sin is about." https://mainlynorfolk.info/shirley.collins/songs/gofrommywindow.html Here is Jeannie Robertson singing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg3dXCgWlMc. I don't know whethere Stanley Robertson uses the same tune, but it says in the Mainly Norfolk page that Stanley "learnt the song from 'Burnter’s Bonnet’s Maggie' and that the tune is a piping retreat that he used to play."