Aodann Srath Bhain  (The Slopes of Strath Ban)

Leggi in italiano

The Gaelic name Srath Bhàthain translates to English as “the valley of the Blane”, with reference to the Blane Water is ‘The Braes of Strathblane’ ballad, also sung in Scottish Gaelic, may have originated in Stirlingshire; it is however widespread in the Hebrides and in Ireland like “The Banks of Strathdon”
‘The Braes of Strathblane’ is a song which is firmly based in the oral tradition. As a result it is difficult to pinpoint its origins and author. It is, however, one of many folksongs which feature the braes of a village and young love. This song, indeed, an identical match to the lyrics of ‘The Braes of Strathdon’, which lies in Aberdeenshire. On other broadsides the suggested to tune to these lyrics is often ‘As I stood at my cottage door’.see)

SCOTTISH GAELIC VERSION

lavandaiaWidespread in the Hebrides and sung in Scottish Gaelic ballad’s history is a bit unusual compared to the “courting songs”: a young washerwoman refuses the proposal of marriage of her suitor (apparently a idle lad and not liked by her parents) and he instead to wander desperately and disconsolate for some distant valley (as would happen in an Irish song) goes to woo some other more available girl. In the last verses the girl complains about having let slip the opportunity to get married (with the fear of being a spinster forever)!

Capercaillie in “Delirium”, 1991.

Aodann Srath Bhain  (The Slopes of Strath Ban)

English translation *
I
Walking out early alone
on a morning in May
Among green fields,
an outcast and purposeless,
I saw a maiden
who lived some way above me
As she washed her clothes
out on the slopes of Strath Ban.
II
I then climbed upwards
to the maiden I loved was
And courteously and mildly
I spoke to her
“It’s over a year
since our love began,
And if you are willing
we shall marry at once.”
III
“Marry? To Marry
I’m too young
Your sort has tongue
that could cause trouble anywhere;
My father and mother
would scold me forever more
If I were to marry the likes of you,
you feckless young man.’
IV
But you young girls everywhere
who are still unmarried,
Don’t go turning young men down through pride or contempt.
How sad for me
to be unmarried forever more-
I’ll have to live alone,
out on the slopes of Strath Ban.

I
‘S mi ri imeachd nam aonar
Anns an òg-mhadain Mhàigh
Feadh lèantaichean uaine
Mar fhear-fuadain gun stàth
Nuair a chunnaic mi a’ ghruagach
An taobh shuas dhiom a’ tàmh
‘S i ri nigh’a cuid aodaich
Mach air aodann Srath Bhàin
II
An sin dhìrich mi suas
Far ‘n robh gruagach mo ghràidh
Is labhair mi rithe
Gu sìobhalta tlàth
“Tha bliadhn’agus còrr
Bhon a thòisich an gràdh
Is ma bhitheas tu deònach
Nì sinn pòsadh gun dàil”
III
“Gu pòsadh, gu pòsadh
Ro òg tha mi ‘n dràsd’
Gu bheil teang’aig do sheòrsa
Dhèanadh fògradh ‘s gach àit
Gum biodh m’athair ‘s mo mhàthair
Gam chàineadh gu bràth
Nam pòsainn do leithid
O fhleasgaich gun stàth”
IV
Ach a nìonagan òga
Tha gun phòsadh ‘s gach àit’
Na diùltaibh fir òga
Le mòrchuis no tàir
Nach muladach dhòmhsa
Bhith gun phòsadh gu bràth
‘S fheudar fuireach nam aonar
Mach air aodann Srath Bhàin

NOTES
(1) The Blane Water has also been referred to as Beul-abhainn  meaning “mouth-river” after the numerous burns merging.One of its tributaries, the Ballagan Burn passes over the waterfall the Spout of Ballagan which shows 192 alternate strata of coloured shales and limestone (including pure alabaster) (from Wiki)

Gary Ellis “Balloch”

SCOTTISH AND IRISH VERSIONS

LINK
http://glasgowpictures.blogspot.it/2010/02/high-ballagan-waterfall.html
https://www.visitscotland.com/info/towns-villages/strathblane-p240461
http://digital.nls.uk/broadsides/broadside.cfm/id/20794
http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/capercaillie/aodann.htm

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Pubblicato da Cattia Salto

Amministratore e folklorista di Terre Celtiche Blog. Ha iniziato a divulgare i suoi studi e ricerche sulla musica, le danze e le tradizioni d'Europa nel web, dapprima in maniera sporadica e poi sempre più sistematicamente sul finire del anni 90

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