The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #17322   Message #166707
Posted By: GUEST,Conrad Bladey
22-Jan-00 - 12:06 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: Welsh Mari Lwyd/Wassail Song
Subject: Welsh Mari Lwyd/Wassail Song
I have finally found tune used for the "Y Wassael" recorded by Iona. I have not found a song by that name anywhere. The tune is qute similar with the Iona version deviating a bit changing the feel of the music at least from that of this version. It is not really appropriate to mix Mari Lwyd traditions with those of Wassail despite the fact that folks go door to door etc...there is much more to Mari Lwyd than that. I have included the song none the less as an example of a related tradition..... There are other Welsh (Gower etc.) Wassail songs- those which actually use the word and do not involve Mari Lwyd. I do not have the lyrics for the Iona version (On: Nutmeg and Ginger) but if their's is this same Mari Lwyd song they should not have called it a Wassael but even in the source I found the title was translated to Wassail Song. So the edges blur which is what we would expect them to in such a genre..... Almost forgot....sorry about accents....they are yet to come. I wonder if windows 98 has a Welsh keyboard...

Anyway you will find the midi and abc and notation on the Wassail epicenter. http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5567/wassail.html

(Mari Lwyd)=Blessed Mary
Wel,dyma nin dwad
Gyfeillion diniwad,
Wel, dym nin dwad,
Gyfeillion diniwad,
I ofyn cawn gennad,
I ofyn cawn genad, I
I ofyn cawn gennad I ganu

(Ateb)
Rhoweh glywed wyr dothion,
Pa faint ych o ddynion,
A pheth yn wch union
Yw'ch enwau?

(Mai Lwyd)
Os na chawn ni gennad
Rhowch glywed ar ganiad
Pa fodd mae'r 'madawiad
Nos heno.

(Ateb)
Does gen i ddim cinio
Nac arian i'w gwario
I wenud i chwi roeso
Nos heno

 

See, here be we coming
Six mummers a-mumming
To sing, if becoming,
Our carol

Good luck to your labours
Your pipes and your tabors;
But frist tell me, neighbours,
Who be you?

In song you must quell us,
Good fellow, or tell us
How you can compel us
To leave you!

Then Stay; but I fear, Sirs
You'll never find help here, Sirs,
Or money or beer, Sirs,
To cheer you

-English Metrical version
Sir H.I. Bell, From "Old Welsh Folk-Songs"

-Source=Caneuon Traddodiadol Y Cymry (Traditional Songs of the Welsh)., W.S. Gwynn Williams, Gwynn, LLangollen,N.Wales,1961.
"Carol or penillion sung at Christmas-tide in Gwent and Morganwg, in the old pastime called "Mari Lwyd". LLangollen (Eisteddfod) MS (1858). It was understoodthat the carol singers could demand food and liquor at any house where one of the inmates could not answer each of their stanzas with another. "This type of song was common all over Wales.  There is a large collection of the Anglesey ones in the British Museum.  "Mari Lwyd" was merely a S. Wales variant of a custom common throughout the country."-J.H. Davies (J.W.E.S.S., Vol.1,Part 1(1909 No.9)
Also may be  known as: Y Wassael