Turn Ye To Me - more verses??

07 Jan 99 - 01:12 PM (#52570)
Subject: Turn Ye To Me - more verses??
From: Susan-Marie

A friend says she's heard "Turn Ye to Me" sung with lyrics that praise nature, different from what's in the DT. Is anyone familiar with variations of this song?

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07 Jan 99 - 01:29 PM (#52572)
Subject: RE: Turn Ye To Me - more verses??
From: Bruce O.

4 more verses, in Scots Gaelic, in Alfred Moffat's 'The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Highlands'.

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08 Jan 99 - 08:16 AM (#52740)
Subject: RE: Turn Ye To Me - more verses??
From: Susan-Marie

Thanks Bruce. If you get a chance to post them they'd probably be a welcome addition. Can you tell me what "Mhai-ri-dhu" (from the lyrics in the DT) means? Is it the name of a bird?

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08 Jan 99 - 11:20 AM (#52775)
Subject: RE: Turn Ye To Me - more verses??
From: Mo

Susan- Marie, I know Mhairi is a girl's name - I THINK it means Mary. And Dhu, umm - my scanty knowledge of Gaelic, makes me think it means black, So, Mhairi Dhu - Mary Black! PLEASE, those of you who's Gaelic is better than mine, can you confirm? Cheers Mo

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09 Jan 99 - 02:15 AM (#52988)
Subject: RE: Turn Ye To Me - more verses??
From: Murray on Saltspring

Closer would be "Dark Mary"--i.e. MAry of the dark hair.

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10 Jan 99 - 02:50 PM (#53188)
Subject: RE: Turn Ye To Me - more verses??
From: Bruce O.

I suspect that the 18th century tune titles "Black Mary's Hole" and "Black Mary's Hornpipe" are crude translations from Scots Gaelic.

Air Feasgar Ciu\in Ce/itein
Turn ye to me

Air feasgar cui\in Ce/itein 's mi teurnadh an t-sle/ibh-e,
Hug o/ro is eutrom mo cheum air la\r;
Tha ghrian anns na speuran a' de\arrsadh gu ceutach,
Is eunlaidh nan geugan a' seinn an da\n;
Tha'n t-allt ruith do'n abh-ainn caithream's le ceo\l;
Na craoghn fo'n duillach 's na lusan 'nan glo\ir;
Na beanntan 's na gleannt-an 'nam maise ro o\irdheirc
Is thall air a' cho\mhnard tha o\igh mo gra\idh.

A chailin gun fhoill, bidh mo dhu\archd a choidhch'dhuit,
A mhaighdeann ghlan aoidheil is caoimhe su\il;
Tha grinneas do dho\ighean fa m' chomhair an co\mhbuidh
Is fo\s do bhinn cho\mhradh tha mo\dhar ciu\in;
Is duilich leam fhe/in mar nach d'e/irich dhomh a\gh,
'S gur suarach mo bhuannachd's nach buannaich i al\,
Na'm biodh agsm saibhreas sin thoillinn uait fa\bhar
Is rachainn gun athadh 'nad dha\il a nunn.

Is truagh nach do stiu\ir thu, a Fhreasdail, mo chu\rsa
'Nad chaoimhbeas d'a h-ionnsuidh an tu\s mo re/;
Sin bhithinn-sa eudmhor, deanadach, gleusda
An a\ite bhi ge/illeachd roimh cheann na re/is.
Roimh 'n a\m so b'e do\chas bu dho\chas bu dho\mhsa mar nhaoin;
Bhiodh doilgheas an la\-'n diugh am ma\ireach air sgaoil;
Ach tha\inig thu, Mho\rag, is leo\n thu le gaol mi
Nach tarruing gu faochadh mur taobh thu rium fe/in.

Tha 'm feasgar a' ciaradh o'n theirig a' ghrain;
Tha rionnag 'san iarmailt os eionn an du\in;
Eo\in bhuchainn a'bharraich air casgadh an caithreim:
C'ar son tha mi fanachd aig taobh a' chu\irn?
Sud thall air an re/idhlean gun duin' ach i fe/in
A' mhaighdeann fhior-uasal nam buadh is nam beus:
A dheo\in no a ch'aindeoin, gur daingeann mo spe/is di,
'S air Na\ile! gu'n te'id mi'na da\il nu\nn.

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