St David's final charge to his followers, it is said, was, "Gwnewch y pethau bychain" - 'do the small things'. That is, that small kindnesses and acts are important.

Anyhooo, someone has decided that today is Pethau Bychain day and wants all Welsh people to do something to get more Welsh (language) content up on the Internet (although there is, in actual fact, a fair bit already).

So this is my Peth Bach. I'm trying to get to grips with abc notation for work purposes and I've worked out - I think - a few Welsh songs and tunes. Let me try a couple out on you here.

The tune is Malltraeth, which is a village (with a very nice beach and view) in south east Anglesey. It's a very popular dance tune.

X: ST1
T: Malltraeth
C: Trad
N: Malltraeth, pentre yn ne orllewin Sir Fon
N: Malltraeth, a village in south west Anglesey
N: from "Musical and poetical relicks", Edward Jones
M: 3/4
L: 1/8
K: G
Q: 200
dc|B2GBAG|F2 DFEC|B,2D2GF|G4\
dc|B2g2f2|e2A2d2|^c3de^c|d4:||:\
d2|edefge|d2B2cd|e2EFGA|G2FEDC|\
B,2D2GF|E2c2B2|A3/2c1/2D2GF|G4:||:

The second is a song which I've just come across in a new book by Dr Meredydd Evans in which he gives an in-depth overview of the major Welsh folk song collectors. This one was collected by Thos. D. Llywelyn ('Llywelyn Alaw', 1828-79) and I hadn't heard it before, although I've heard variants:

X: ST5
T: Fy Ngariad (sic) Gweddus
C: Tradd
N: cofnodwyd gan Llywelyn Alaw – taken down by Llywelyn Alaw
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: C
Q: 170
A2|d2AcB2AG|F2A2z2d2|c2A2G2EF|D4z2A2|\
d2AcB2A2|G2B2z2d2|c2A2G2EF|D4z2AB|\
c2B2A2Bc|d2e2z2d2|c2A2GAB2|c4z2e2|\
d2AcB2AG|F2D2z2DF|A2BAG2E2|D6z2|

Words given:
Dydd da fo'i Ngariad gweddus madroddus medrus maith,
Mi ddaetho'i unwaith eto fel buoi lawer gwaith
I ofyn os dyw'n bosyb eich troi chwi'n wraig i fi.
Cewch rhan o'r byd a'i olyd os mentrwch, braf eich bri.

Spelling then was a bit more ... fluid ... that it is now; some words look odd today but are completely understandable. Roughly translated:

Good day to you my decorous, famed, capable, life-long Love,
I come once again, as I have come so often
To ask if it wouldn't be possible for you to be my wife.
You can have a piece of the world and all its riches if you take a chance, great your esteem.

Think he might be over-egging the bread there?

Well, the two of the work for me when I use concertina.net's Convert-a-Matic . Although it gives an error message (if anyone can tell me why, I'm open to learning!) the Midi clicky produces the correct tune.

Hope these are of interest.

sian