a lot of accented letters got muddled in the Mudcat update. But there were errors in the original transcription anyway and last time I looked, Aine had taken the song off her web page (for an update I think). I'm pasting in lyrics for two versions, one via Einr¡ O Muirgheasa and the other via Altan. There are loads of Scottish versions under the titles "A' Bhean Eudach" (the Jealous Woman" and "Bean Mhic a' Mhaoir" (The Wife of the Son of the Agent/Official). APOLOGIES:I haven't put in HTML symbols for the accented letters, so they may transmute at a future date! Also the layout for the translation is inconsistent.
A Bhean Uda¡ Thall ("Dh Ch‚ad de Cheoltaibh Uladh")
A bhean uda¡ thall, a sh¡og¢
Ag siubhal a' chladaigh, a h¢r¢
Nach truagh leat bean f hú£ire ceo
agus ¡ d b thadh i mBaile Le¢il
N¡l mo ghaol ionnat, a sh¡og¢
N¢ mo ph irt, a h¢r¢
Is an uair nach bhfuil, f hú£ire ceo
Bheirim cead sn imh duit i mBaile Le¢il
Tabhair sg‚ala do m'athair, a sh¡og¢
Annsoir mo mh thair, a h¢r¢
'S ar athair mo chlainne f hú£ire ceo
Go bhfuil mise 'mo bh thadh i mBaile Le¢il
T leanbh beag agam, a sh¡og¢
'Gus leanbh beag eile, a h¢r¢
Is leanbhan eile f hú£ire ceo
I gcionn a thr¡ r ithe i mBaile Le¢il
Tiocfaidh mo athair, a sh¡og¢
'Na chladaigh i mb rach, a h¢r¢
Gheobhaidh s‚ mise f hú£ire ceo
'Mo bhrad n bhog bháidhte i mBaile Le¢il
Nach m‚anair do'n mhnaoi ¢ig, a sh¡og¢
A thiocfas 'mo it-se, a h¢r¢
B‚idh seomra¡ b n' aici f hú£ire ceo
Is fuinne¢ga¡ gloinne i mBaile Le¢il
Altan version: "The following lyrics are taken from the singing of Mair‚ad N¡ Mhaonaigh, who got the song from the late Neil¡ N¡ Dhomhnaill of Rann na Feirste, Co. Donegal. The song is sung in both Ireland and Scotland and there are many versions of the words and the tune. This version is in the form of the call and answer song typical of many older traditional songs in County Donegal. The Girl/An Cail¡n lures The Wife/An Bhean out to the strand, binds her by the hair to a rock, and drowns her and the children in order to get the husband for herself. The Wife pleads for mercy and is refused by The Girl. When The Wife sees there is no pity at all in the other woman, she brings down a curse upon her." -Aine
(An Bhean)
T mo ghruaig gheal bhu¡ , a sh¡ ¢g¢
Greamaithe don fheamnaigh a h¢g¢
v 'S mo bhrollach geal mar ch£r na tr
'S m‚ ag ¢l a' tsaile, maile leoin
[My bright yellow hair is tied with the seaweed
and my white breast like foam on the tide]
'S a bhean uda¡ thall, a sh¡ ¢g¢
T a' si£l na tr seo a h-¢g¢
Nach truaigh leat bean a shi£ir i ceoidh
'S ¡ 'gabh il a b thadh maile leoin
[o woman yonder walking on the strand
do you not pity a woman who is drowning?]
(An Cail¡n)
O n¡l mo ghaol, a sh¡og¢
Na mo ph irt, a h-¢g¢
Is an uair nach bhfuil, a shi£ir i ceoidh
'S ‚ bheirim cead sn mh duit maile leoin
[I have no kinship
or relation with you
And since I have not
I'll leave you to swim]
(An Bhean)
Tiocfaidh m'athair a sh¡ ¢g¢
[My father shall come, a sh¡ ¢g¢]
Anuas f n traigh a h-¢g¢
[Down to the strand, oh no]
Is gheobhaidh s‚ mise 'mo bhrad n bhog bh idhte
[And find me soft and bloated like a drowned salmon]
ag ¢l a' tsaile, maile leoin [drinking the sea water]
(An Cail¡n)
N¡ thiocfaidh d'athair a sh¡og¢
[Your father shan't come, a sh¡og¢]
Anuas f n tr igh a h-¢g¢
[Down to the strand, oh no]
N tiocfaidh m‚ f‚in le ban£ an lae
[but I myself will come at break of day]
Is scaoileadh le le casla¡. Maile leoin.
[and I will cast you into the creeks]
(An Bhean) O t leanb n agam a sh¡ ¢g¢
[Oh, I have a babe, a sh¡ ¢g¢ ]
i gceann a ch£ig raithe a h-¢b¢ [who is 15 months old]v Is t leanban eile, a shi£ir i ceoidh [And another babe ]
I gceann a r ithe Maile leoin [ Who is only three months old]
(An Cail¡n)
O t leanb n agat, a sh¡og¢
[Oh, you have a babe, a sh¡og¢]
i gceann a ch£ig raithe, a h-¢g¢
[Who is who is 15 months old]
'S b‚idh leanb n eile agam a shi£ir i ceoidh
[And I will have a another babe]
A bheas ina mh istir Maile leoin [Who will be the master ]
(An Bhean)
Tabhair mo bheannacht, a sh¡ ¢g¢
ionns' ar mo mh thair, a h-¢g¢
'S an darna beannacht a shi£ir i ceoidh
'S ar athair mo chlainne Maile leoin
[bring my blessing
to my mother
and the second blessing to
the father of my children]
[an cail¡n]
N¡ thabharfad do bheannacht
Ionns' ar do mh thair, h-¢g¢
ach tabharfad do mhallachtmo mhallacht, a shi£ir i ceoidh
'S ar athair do chlainne. Maile leoin
[I won't bring your blessing
to your mother
But I will take your curse to
the father of your children
] [an bhean]
Nach m‚anar do'n mhnao¡ ¢g, a sh¡ ¢g¢
[There's fortune in store for the young woman, a sh¡ ¢g¢]
a rachas i m' it, a h¢g¢
[Who will take [go into] my place, oh no]
B‚idh tithe geala a shi£ir i ceoidh
[she'll have bright houses]
Is fuinneoga¡ gloinne aici. Maile leoin.
[And windows of glass ]
(An Cail¡n)Is mise a' bhean ¢g, a sh¡og¢ [I am the young woman, a sh¡og¢]
A rachas i d' ite, a h¢g¢, [Who will take your place]
Beidh tithe geala, a shi£ir i ceoidh [I will have bright houses]
Is fuinneoga¡ gloinne. Maile leoin [And windows of glass]