Lyr Req: My Fair and Rare One

Subject: My Fair and Rare One
From: Kim C
Date: 23 May 00 - 09:54 AM

I just bought a compilation CD on clearance from the Past Times catalog and it has this lovely song called My Fair and Rare One. I couldn't find it in the database or anywhere. Part of it goes like this:

My fair and rare one, my faithful fond one
My faithful fair wilt not come to me
On bed of pain here, I will remain here
With weary longing for sight of thee

Any ideas?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My Fair and Rare One
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 23 May 00 - 01:46 PM

Yes. It's My Faithful Fond One, a translation into English of the Scottish Gaelic song Mo Rùn Geal Dìleas. From the piece you quote, it looks to be Professor Blackie's rather loose translation; if you want the rest, I can post it later. There was a discussion of the song some time ago: Lyrics to Mo Run Geal Dileas? and Gaelic lyrics -a longer version, with the verses in a different order- are on the DT, though at some point the text became a bit distorted: MO Ri GEAL DILEAS. George Seto has a full set of the Gaelic as sung by the Rankin Family at his website: click here. Finally, there is a full English translation, with Gaelic, at Donald MacDonald's site: Gaelic Songs and Translations.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My Fair and Rare One
From:
Date: 23 May 00 - 05:40 PM

Malcolm, thanks for the new link to Donald MacDonald's Song pages!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My Fair and Rare One
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 23 May 00 - 08:50 PM

It took some time to find it again; most of the existing links were broken.  I actually had the file saved from a while back, but I think it's better to link to the proper source rather than just copy-and-paste.  Anyway, there's nothing more interesting than a challenge!

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My Fair and Rare One
From: Peace
Date: 18 Jun 07 - 05:01 PM

The link above to Gaelic Songs and Translations is now at

http://www3.sympatico.ca/donaldmacdonald/songs.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My Fair and Rare One
From: RunrigFan
Date: 02 Apr 15 - 04:37 PM

Sorry for the bump

Chorus

My fair and rare one, my faithful fond one,
My faithful fair, wilt not come to me,
On bed of pain here who remain here
With weary longing for a sight of thee?

If wings were mine now to skim the brine now,
And like a seagull to float me free,
To Islay's shore now, they'd bear me o'er now,
Where dwells the maiden that is dear to me.

O were I yonder with her to wander
Beneath the green hills, beside the sea,
With birds in chorus that warble o'er us
And ruth of kisses so sweet to me.

For let the sky here be wet or dry here,
With peaceful breeze here or windy war,
In winter glooming or summer blooming,
'Tis all one season, love, when thou art far.

Ian Giles


My fair and rare one, my faithful fond one,
My faithful fair, wilt not come to me,
On bed of pain here, who will remain here
With weary longing for sight of thee?

If wings were mine now, to skim the brine now,
And like a seagull to float me free,
To Islay's shore now, I skim o'er now,
Where waits the lassie so dear to me.

(Repeat Chorus)

And where I ever, with her to wander
Beneath the green hills, beside the sea,
With birds in chorus, to whistle o'er us
And ruth of kisses so dear to me.

(Repeat Chorus)

And if the sky here be wet or dry here
With peaceful breeze, or a windy war
In summer blooming in winter glooming
'Tis all one season, love, when thou art far.

(Repeat Chorus)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My Fair and Rare One
From: RunrigFan
Date: 04 Apr 15 - 03:00 PM

Paul Mounsey has a version, but only first verse is sung

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My Fair and Rare One
From: maeve
Date: 04 Apr 15 - 03:27 PM

The late Donald MacDonald's website is now at: http://www3.sympatico.ca/donaldmacdonald/

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: My Fair and Rare One
From: maeve
Date: 04 Apr 15 - 03:34 PM

While I have it on my monitor, these are the Gaelic and English words on Donald MacDonald's site http://www3.sympatico.ca/donaldmacdonald/songs.htm#chi :

MO RÙN GEAL DÌLEAS

Mo rùn geal dìleas, dìleas, dìleas
Mo rùn geal dìleas nach till thu 'nall
Cha till mi fhein leat, a ghaoil, cha'n fhaod mi,
'S ann tha mo ghaol-sa na laidhe tinn.

Is truagh nach robh mi an riochd na faoilinn
A snàmhadh aotrom air bhàrr nan tonn;
Is bheirinn sgrìobag do'n eilean Ileach,
Far bheil an rìbhinn dh'fhàg m'inntinn trom.

Is truagh nach robh mi 's mo rogha cèile
Air mullach shlèibhte nam beanntan mòr,
'S gun bhi 'gar n-éisdeachd ach eoin na slèibhe,
'S gun tugainn fhéin di na ceudan pòg.

Thug mi corr agus naoi mìosan
Anns na h-Innsean a b'fhaide thall,
'S bean bòichead t'aodainn cha robh ri fhaotainn,
'S ged gheibhinn saoghal cha'n fhanainn ann.

Thug mi mìos ann am fiabhrus claoidhte
Gun dùil rium oidhche gu'm bithinn beò;
B'e fàth mo smaointean a là 's a dh'oidhche,
Gu'm faighinn faochadh 'us tu bhi 'm chòir.

Cha bhi mi strìth ris a' chraoibh nach lùb leam
Ged chinneadh ùbhlan air bhàrr gach gèig,
Mo shoraidh slàn leat ma rinn thu m'fhagail,
Cha d'thàinig tràigh gun mhuir làn 'na dèigh.

Words by Maclean
Torlosk, Mull.
        
MY FAITHFUL FAIR DARLING

My faithful fair darling,
My faithful fair darling, won't you turn back to me;
I will not turn with you, my love, I cannot
For my beloved is lying ill.

I grieve I am not in the guise of a seagull,
Swimming light on top of the waves;
And I would journey to the island of Islay
Where tarries the maiden who vexes my soul.

I regret I am not with my own chosen mate,
On the mountaintop moorland
And no one to listen but the birds of the heath;
And hundreds of kisses I would give to her.

I took more than nine months
In the Indies so distant,
Where a woman whose beauty like yours was unseen
And for all this world I would not stay there.

I spent a month in the torment of fever
When each night I did not expect to survive;
The object of my thoughts each day and night
That my request be granted and you at my side.

I will not struggle with the tree I can't bend,
Though each bough be amply laden with apples;
My fond farewell to you if you have left me,
The sea never ebbs, but follows the flow.