“Willie the Waterboy” (Willie-O) but also “The bay of Biscay” is considered an Irish variant of the ballad “Sweet William and Lady Margaret” (Child Ballad # 77) particularly widespread in Northern Ireland (Donegal)
Little else is there to say being a version handed down mostly orally
“Willie the Waterboy” (Willie-O) ma anche “The bay of Biscay” è considerata una variante irlandese della ballata “Sweet William and Lady Margaret” (Child Ballad # 77) diffusa in particolare nell’Irlanda del Nord (Donegal)
Poco altro c’è da dire essendo una versione tramandata per lo più oralmente
Sean Cannon
Tim Hart $ Maddy Prior in Folk Songs of Old England Vol 2. , 1969
The album’s sleeve notes commented: An Irish song of the night visiting variety collected by Geoff Woods from James McKinley of Tra-Narossen, Donegal. Like so many of these songs the drowned sailor, after a seven year absence, appears to his girlfriend in the middle of the night; presumably an extension of the belief that unless a body received Christian burial the soul could not rest in peace.
Karan Casey & John Doyle in Exiles Return 2010
I My William sails on board the Tender And where he is I do not know For seven long years I’ve been constantly waiting Since he crossed the bay of Biscay-O (1). II One night as Mary lay a sleeping A knock came to her bedroom door Crying “Arise, arise, oh my dearest Mary, For to earn one glance of your William-O.” III Young Mary rose, put on her clothing And to the bedroom door did go And there she saw her William standing His two pale cheeks as white as snow. IV “Oh William dear, where are those blushes? Those blushes I knew long years ago.” “Oh Mary dear, the cold clay has them. I am only the ghost of your William-O.” V “Oh Mary dear, the dawn is breaking, Don’t you think it’s time for me to go? I’m leaving you quite broken-hearted For to cross the Bay of Biscay-O.” VI “Had I the gold and all the silver, And all the money in Mexico, I would grant it all to the king of Erin Just to bring me back my William-O.” |
Traduzione italiano di Cattia Salto I Il mio William salpò a bordo del Tender e dove sia non lo so per sette lunghi anni l’ho atteso continuamente da quando attraversò la baia di Biscaglia -oh II Una notte che Mary giaceva addormentata, venne a bussare alla porta della camera dicendo “Svegliati, svegliati, mia carissima Mary, per dare un’occhiata al tuo William- oh” III La giovane Mary si alzò, si mise le vesti e alla porta della camera andò e là vide il suo William in piedi con le guance pallide bianche come la neve IV “Oh caro William, dove sono le tue guance rosa? Quelle guance che conoscevo tanti anni fa?” “Oh cara Mary, la fredda terra le ha prese, sono solo il fantasma del tuo William – oh” V “Oh cara Mary, l’alba si avvicina non credi che sia ora per me di andare? Ti lascerò a malincuore per attraversare la Baia di Biscaglia” VI “Ho oro e argento e tutto l’oro del Messico lo darei per intero al Re d’Irlanda solo per avere indietro il mio William” |
NOTE
1) il luogo in cui si presume sia affogato il bel William
https://mainlynorfolk.info/steeleye.span/songs/bayofbiscay.html
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=13440
