The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #72897   Message #1260182
Posted By: Helen
30-Aug-04 - 07:04 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: The Old Musician and his Harp
Subject: Lyr Add: DAFYDD Y GARREG WEN (Ceiriog Hughes)
A similar song is
Dafydd y Garreg Wen [David of the White Rock] and it has a lovely melody too - one of my favourites. You can hear the melody at that site as well.

Original Welsh by Ceiriog Hughes

1. "Cariwch," medd Dafydd,
"fy nhelyn i mi,
Ceisiaf cyn marw
roi tôn arni hi.
Codwch fy nwylaw
i gyrhaedd y tant;
Duw a'ch bendithio
fy ngweddw a'm plant!"

2. "Neithiwr mi glywais
lais angel fel hyn:
'Dafydd, tyrd adref,
a chwarae trwy'r glyn!'
Delyn fy mebyd,
ffarwel i dy dant!
Duw a'ch bendithio
fy ngweddw a'm plant!"
                
-

"Bring me my harp,"
was David's sad sigh,
"I would play
one more tune before I die.
Help me, dear wife,
put the hands to the strings,
I wish my loved ones
the blessing God brings."

"Last night an angel
called with heaven's breath:
David, play, and come
through the gates of death!
Farewell, faithful harp,
farewell to your strings,
I wish my loved ones
the blessing God brings."

"The Welsh tradition is, that a Bard who lay on his death bed, called for his harp and played the above air, requesting at the same time, that it might be performed at his funeral" --- and it was accordingly played on the harp, at the Parish church of Ynys Cynhaiarn; in which parish the house called "Careg-Wen" in Carnarvonshire is situated. J. Parry's "Welsh Harper"