Categoria: Musica scozzese/ Scottish music

Hughie the Graham

Contrary to my usual, in which I go to find historical and anecdotal evidence on the characters of the ancient ballads, about Hughie Graeme, I just know that he is one of the many border reivers (the Lowlands Raiders) of medieval Scotland, a bully boy or a bandit, who, for a matter of honor, steals a mare to Bishop Aldridge of Carlisle (in English soil, just after the border). We are in about 1540 and our Hugh does not find a better way to take revenge on his horns; pursued by Sir John Scroope, captured and reported to Carlisle, he is tried and hanged for abigeate.
For the deepening of the story I refer to here
The ballad is classified by Child to the number 191 in several variations, but they are only two versions more popular in the folk revival: that of Robert Burns and that of sir Walter Scott.
On the other hand, we find the first print form in the “Pills to Purge Melancholy” by D’Urfey (1720), which transcribes the ballad with the title “The Life and Death of Sir Hugh of the Grime” (on the Chevy-chace melody) here
[Contrariamente al mio solito in cui mi picco di andare a scovare riscontri storici e aneddotici sui personaggi delle antiche ballate per Hughie Graeme mi basterà sapere che è uno dei tanti border reiver (i razziatori delle Lowlands) della Scozia medievale, un po’ testa calda, un po’ bandito, il quale per questioni d’onore ruba una giumenta al Vescovo Aldridge di Carlisle (in terra inglese, appena dopo il confine). Siamo nel 1540 circa e il nostro Ugo non trova modo migliore per vendicarsi delle corna; inseguito da Sir John Scroope, catturato e riportato a Carlisle, viene processato e impiccato per abigeato.
Per l’approfondimento della storia rimando a qui
La ballata è classificata nel corpus childiano al numero 191 in svariate varianti ma sono solo due le versioni più diffuse nel folk revival: quella di Robert Burns e quella di Walter Scott.
D’altro canto la prima forma in stampa la troviamo nel  “Pills to Purge Melancholy” di D’Urfey (1720) che trascrive la ballata con il titolo “The Life and Death of Sir Hugh of the Grime” (sulla melodia Chevy-chace) vedi]

Sir Walter Scott

We find a version similar to the one reported by D’Urfey just few centuries later in the Northumbrian Minstrelsy (1882) by Bruce and Stokoe, or the version of Sir Walter Scott already published in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border of 1803 (from William Laidlaw of Blackhouse)
[Una versione simile a quella riportata da D’Urfey la ritroviamo qualche secolo più tardi nel Northumbrian Minstrelsy (1882) di Bruce and Stokoe, ovvero la versione di Sir Walter Scott già pubblicata nel suo Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border del 1803 (da William Laidlaw di Blackhouse)]

Scocha in “Bordering on”, 2013  greatly reduce the verses to just under half
[riducono abbondantemente le strofe a poco meno della metà]

I
Gude Lord Scroope’s tae the hunting gane,
He has ridden o’er moss and muir;
And he has grippit Hughie the Graeme,
For stealing o’ the Bishop’s mare.
II
But as they were dealing their blows sae free,
And both sae bloody at the time,
Ower the moss came ten yeomen sae tail,
All for tae take brave Hughie the Graeme.
III
Then they hae grippit Hughie the Graeme,
And brought him up through Carlisle toon;
The lasses and lads stood on the walls,
Crying, ‘Hughie the Graeme, thou’se ne’er gae doon’!
IV
Then they hae chosen a jury of men,
The best that were in Carlisle toon;
And twelve o’ them cried oot at once,
‘Hughie the Graeme, thou must gae doon’!
V
‘If I be guilty’, said Hughie the Graeme,
Of me my friends shall hae talk?
And he has loup’d fifteen feet and three,
Though his hands they were ded behind his back.
VI
‘Fare ye weel, Maggie my wife!
The last time we came ower the muir,
‘Twas thou bereft me of my life,
And wi’ the Bishop thou play’d the whore.
VII
Here Johnie Annstrang, take thou my sword,
That is made o’ the metal sae fine;
And when thou comest tae the English side,
Remember the death of Hughie the Graeme’

English translation Cattia Salto
I
Good Lord Scroope’s to the hunting gone,
He has ridden over morass and moor;
And he has gripped Hughie the Graeme,
For stealing of the Bishop’s mare.
II
But as they were dealing their blows so free,
And both so bloody at the time,
Over the morass came ten yeomen so tail,
All for to take brave Hughie the Graeme.
III
Then they have gripped Hughie the Graeme,
And brought him up through Carlisle town;
The lasses and lads stood on the walls,
Crying, ‘Hughie the Graeme, thou’ll never go down’!
IV
Then they have chosen a jury of men,
The best that were in Carlisle town;
And twelve o’ them cried out at once,
‘Hughie the Graeme, thou must go down’!
V
‘If I be guilty’, said Hughie the Graeme,
Of me my friends shall have talk?
And he has leaping fifteen feet and three,
Though his hands they were ded behind his back.
VI
‘Farewell, Maggie my wife!
The last time we came over the moor,
it was you bereaved me of my life,
And with the Bishop thou played the whore.
VII
Here Johnie Annstrang, take thou my sword,
That is made of the metal so fine;
And when thou comest to the English side,
Remember the death of Hughie the Graeme’
 traduzione italiana di Cattia Salto
I
Il buon Lord Scroope (1) è andato a caccia,
Galoppando per paludi e brughiere;
E ha arrestato Hughie Graeme (2),
Per aver rubato la giumenta del vescovo (3).
II
Ma mentre si davan colpi a destra e a manca(4)/Entrambi assetati di sangue (5),
Arrivan dalla palude dieci cavalieri(6) in fila,
A catturare il coraggioso Hughie Graeme.
III
Allora hanno arrestato Hughie Graeme,
E riportato alla città di Carlisle (7);
Le ragazze e i ragazzi stavan sugli spalti,
Urlando, ‘Hughie Graeme, non ti impiccheranno mai (8)’!
IV
Poi hanno scelto una giuria di uomini,
Il meglio che c’era nella città di Carlisle;
E dodici di loro gridarono insieme,
‘Hughie Graeme, tu dovrai essere impiccato’!
V
“Se sono colpevole- disse Hughie Graeme,-
Quali amici miei dovranno parlare per me (9)?”/E fece un balzo di cinque metri (10) / Anche se le mani erano legate dietro la  schiena.
VI
“Addio Maggie, moglie mia!
L’ultima volta che andammo nella brughiera
Sei stata tu a privarmi della vita,
E con il vescovo facevi la puttana.
VII
Vieni qui Johnie Annstrang (11), prendi tu la mia spada,/Fatta di un metallo ben temprato;
E quando sarai nella parte inglese,
Ricorda la morte di Hughie  Graeme ‘

NOTE
testo Scocha qui la versione estesa qui
1) Lord Scroope= John o Henry Scroope: the Warden of Carlisle and of the West March, he caught Hugh near Solway Moss [lo “sceriffo” di Carlise e della Marca Ovest che catturò Ugo vicino a Solway Moss]
2) According to Prof. Child, the Grahams were one of the greatest clans on the English-Scottish border in the late 16thcentury [Secondo il Prof. Child, i Graham furono uno dei più grandi clan del Border tra Inghilterra e Scozia nel tardo XVI secolo]
3) Robert Aldridge, Bishop of Carlisle, seduced Hugh Graham’s wife, and in revenge Graham staged a raid and stole the bishop’s horse [Robert Aldridge, vescovo di Carlisle, sedusse la moglie di Hugh Graham e, per vendicarsi, Graham organizzò una razzia e rubò il cavallo del vescovo]
4) Hugh is seen with sympathy, he is the “gentleman”, a skilled swordsman who falls into an ambush, against the sheriff’s men has no escape. [Ugo è visto con simpatia, è il “galantuomo” provetto spadaccino che però cade in un imboscata, contro gli uomini dello Sceriffo non ha scampo.  Riccardo venturi traduce “mentre si tiravan colpi a rondemà” e nella nota spiega: Termine tipicamente livornese, ma è a mio parere l’unico che rende bene quel che si dice nel testo originale. Il termine livornese deriva peraltro dal francese: à ronde main.(” tratto da qui)
5) both so bloody at that time=letteralmente entrambi così cruenti.  Venturi traduce tutt’e due all’ultimo sangue in quel frangente (ho omesso at that time perchè ridondante in italiano)
6) concordo e sottoscrivo la nota di Venturi :” Difficile tradurre bene yeoman (termine derivato storicamente da young man. In genere indica(va) un piccolo proprietario terriero che prestava servizio in fanteria, oppure si armava a difesa degli interessi del grande latifondista appartenente alla grande aristocrazia.“
7) Venturi nella nota scrive: importante e storica città del Cumberland (a soli 16 km di distanza dallo Scottish Border). Il suo nome è di origine brittònica, qualcosa come Car L(e)uel “città di Luel”. Si ricordi che, comunque, la pronuncia standard di “Carlisle” è [kar’la:jl].
8) letteralmente: “non andrai mai giù” con un duplico significato, non penzolerai mai dalla forca ma anche “non tramonterai mai” in senso lato “non sarai mai sconfitto”, ma anche “non ti dimenticheremo mai”
9) the Scocha omitted various verses in which Ugo’s friends interceded in his defense
[gli Scocha saltano varie strofe in cui gli amici di Ugo intercedono in sua difesa]
10) ci sono due ipotesi di traduzione loup’d= leaping ad indicare un tentativo di fuga o un sobbalzo del cuore; ma anche loup’d= looped e io mi immagino Ugo legato come un salame e con un cappio già intorno al collo, per impedirgli ogni tentativo di fuga
11) The most infamous Johnny Armstrong (Black Jock of Gilnockie) was executed in 1530 so Hughie couldn’t ask him for revenge but there were other infamous John Amrmstrongs. Marsden suggests it could have been a reference to Jock o’ the Side who was contemporary and named in a petition made to the Scottish Queen by the said bishop.. one of the Grahams listed as being transported from the Borders to Ireland after James VI becomes King of England is a “Hugh’s Francie”. In other words a Francis Graham who’s father was called Hugh. Of course it doesn’t prove anything other than there were people called Hugh Graham living on the border in the 16thC. (from here) [Il più famigerato Johnny Armstrong (Black Jock di Gilnockie) fu giustiziato nel 1530, quindi Ugo non poteva chiedergli vendetta, ma c’erano altri famigerati John Amrmstrongs. Marsden suggerisce che avrebbe potuto essere un riferimento a Jock o ‘the Side che era contemporaneo e nominato in una petizione fatta alla regina scozzese dal suddetto vescovo .. uno dei Graham elencato come confinato in Irlanda dopo che James VI divenne Re d’Inghilterra è un”Hugh’s Francie”. In altre parole, il padre di Francis Graham si chiamava Hugh. Ovviamente questo prova solo che c’erano persone chiamate Hugh Graham che vivevano nel Border del XVI secolo.]

A different melody is sung by Ewan MacColl who follows a motif learned from  Thomas Armstrong of Newcastle.
[Una diversa melodia è cantata da Ewan MacColl che segue un motivo imparato da Thomas Armstrong di Newcastle.]

Ewan MacColl in The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (The Child Ballads), Volume II {Bronson’s #6}

Ewan MacCall
Child #191 C*
I
Gude Lord Scroope’s to the hunting gane,
He has ridden oer moss and muir,
And he has grippet Hughie the Graeme,
For stealing o the bishop’s mare.
II
‘Now, good Lord Scroope, this may not be!
Here hangs a broad sword by my side,
And if that thou canst conquer me,
The matter it may soon be tryed.’
III
I neer was afraid of a traitor thief;
Although thy name be Hughie the Graeme,
I’ll make thee repent thee of thy deeds,
If God but grant me life and time.’
IV
‘Then do your worst now, goo Lord Scroope,
And deal your blows as hard as you can;
It shall be tried, within an hour,
Which of us two is the better man.’
V
But as they were dealing their blows so free,
And both so bloody ay the time,
Over the moss came ten yeomen so tall,
All for to take brave Hughie the Graeme.
VI
Then they hae grippit Hughie the Graeme,
And brought him up through Carlisle town;
The lasses and lads stood on the walls,
Crying, “Hughie the Graeme, thou’se neer gae down!”
VII
Then they hae chosen a jury of men,
The best that were in Carlisle town,
And twelve of them cried out at once,
Hughie the Graeme, thou must gae down!
VIII
Then up bespak him gude Lord Hume,
As he sat by the judge’s knee:
‘Twenty white owsen, my gude lord,
If you’ll grant Hughie the Graeme to me.’
IX
‘O no, O no, my gude Lord Hume,
Forsooth and sae it mauna be;
For were there but three Graemes of the name,
They suld be hanged a’ for me.’
X (omitted)
‘twas up and spake the gude Lady Hume,
As she sat by the judge’s knee:
‘A peck of white pennies, my good lord judge,
If you’ll grant Hughie the Graeme to me.’
XI (omitted))
‘O no, O no, my gude Lady Hume,
Forsooth and so ti mustna be;
Were he but the one Graeme of the name,
He suld be hanged high for me.’
XII
‘If I be guilty,’ said Hughie the Graeme,
‘Of me my friends shall hae small talk;’
And he has loupd fifteen feet and three,
Though his hands they were tied behind his back.
XIII
He looked over his left shoulder,
And for to see what he might see;
There was he aware of his auld father,
Came tearing his hair most piteouslie.
XIV
‘O hald your tongue, my father,’ he says,
‘And see that ye dinna weep for me!
For they may ravish me of my life,
But they canna banish me fro heaven hie.
XV
‘Fare ye weel, fair Maggie, my wife!
The last time we came ower the muir
‘Twas thou bereft me of my life,
And wi the bishop thou playd the whore.
XVI (omitted)
‘Here, Johnnie Armstrang, take thou my sword,
That is made o the metal sae fine,
And when thou comest to the English side
Remember the death of Hughie the Graeme.’

traduzione italiana di Cattia Salto **
I
Il buon Lord Scroope  è andato a caccia,
Galoppando per paludi e brughiere;
E ha arrestato Hughie Graeme,
Per aver rubato la giumenta del vescovo.
II
“Ora buon Lord Scroope, non c’è storia!
Ho qui lo spadone al mio fianco,
E se riesci a vincermi,
La questione sarà presto risolta”
III
“Non ho mai temuto un traditore e ladro,
Anche se ti chiami Hugh Graeme;
Ti farò pentire delle tue azioni,
Se solo Dio mi darà vita e avventure (1).”
IV
“Allora fai del tuo peggio, buon Lord Scroope,
E assesta i tuoi colpi più forte che puoi;
Si vedrà entro un ora
Chi dei due sarà il migliore.”
V
Ma mentre si davan colpi a destra e a manca/Entrambi assetati di sangue,
Arrivan alla palude dieci cavalieri in fila,
A catturare il coraggioso Hughie Graeme.
VI
Allora hanno arrestato Hughie Graeme,
E riportato alla città di Carlisle;
Le ragazze e i ragazzi stavan sugli spalti,
Urlando, ‘Hughie Graeme, non sarai mai impiccato’!
VII
Poi hanno scelto una giuria di uomini,
Il meglio che c’era nella città di Carlisle;
E dodici di loro gridarono insieme,
‘Hughie Graeme, tu dovrai essere impiccato’!
VIII
Allora parlò il buon Lord Hume
Mentre si mise in ginocchio davanti al giudice:/venti bianchi buoi, mio buon Lord
Se mi darai Hughie Graeme”
IX
O no, no mio buon Lord Hume,
Proprio così deve essere!
Se ci fossero tre Graeme con lo stesso nome,
Per me dovrebbero essere impiccati tutti .”
X
Allora parlò la buona Lady Hume
Mentre si mise in ginocchio davanti al giudice: una borsa d’argento (2) mio buon Lord giudice/ Se mi darai Hughie Graeme”
XI
O no, no mia buona Lady Hume,
Proprio così deve essere!
Se anche fosse il solo Graeme con quel nome,
Dovrebbe essere impiccato in alto per me”
XII
“Se sono colpevole- disse Hughie Graeme,-
I miei amici dovranno parlare per me?”
E fece un balzo di cinque metri
Anche se le sue mani erano legate dietro la  schiena.
XIII
Gettò uno sguardo dietro alla spalla sinistra (3)
Per vedere chi poteva scorgere;
Si accorse allora del suo vecchio padre
Che arrivava strappandosi i capelli come supplice.
XIV
“Frena la tua lingua padre, -dice lui-
E vedi di non piangere per me!
Perchè mi possono portare via la vita
Ma non possono bandirmi dall’Alto de’ Cieli. (4)”
XV
“Addio bella Maggie, moglie mia!
L’ultima volta che andammo nella brughiera
Sei stata tu a privarmi della vita,
E con il vescovo facevi la puttana.
XVI
Vieni qui Johnnie Armstran, prendi tu la mia spada,/
Fatta di un metallo ben temprato;
E quando sarai nella parte inglese,
Ricorda la morte di Hughie  Graeme ‘

NOTE
* da http://71.174.62.16/Demo/LongerHarvest?Text=Child_d19103
** vedasi anche la traduzione del buon Venturi qui
1) life and time: credo sia l’equivalente del nostro “tempo e modo”, ma ho tradotto un po’ più letteralmente
2) peck is an ancient unit of measurement that was used for grain. White penny is the old silver coin used in the Middle Ages
[il peck è un’antica unità unità di misura che si usava per la granaglie; in italiano si traduce come moggio, in senso lato indica una grande quantità. White penny è la vecchia moneta in argento in uso nel Medioevo]
3) Tied up and condemned to die, Hughie the Graeme is powerless to defend himself and as such he presented as the less dominant of the two main characters. Here, the formula indicates the
character’s despair, which is expanded in the following verse, where all he can do is assure
his grieving father that he will go to heaven. (noted from here)
[legato e condannato a morire, Hughie the Graeme non ha il potere di difendersi e come tale si presenta come il meno dominante dei due personaggi principali. Qui, la formula indica 
la disperazione del personaggio, che si espande nel verso seguente, dove tutto ciò che può fare è assicurare il padre addolorato che andrà in paradiso]
4) a profession of innocence, maybe Hugh has not stolen the mare but it is all a plot of the bishop to keep his wife
[una professione d’innocenza, forse Ugo non ha rubato la giumenta ma è tutta una macchinazione del Vescovo per potersi prendere sua moglie]

Robert Burns

For publication in the Scots Musical Museum the bard of Scotland collects the ballad of Hughie Graeme from the oral tradition of the Ayrshie, reworking some verses and adding some of his own. [Per la pubblicazione nello Scots Musical Museum il bardo di Scozia raccoglie la ballata di Hughie Graeme dalla tradizione orale dell’Ayrshie, rimaneggiando alcune strofe e aggiungendone di sue]

June Tabor live Tune mostly adapted from the Appalachian piece The Falls of Richmond. She recorded a version of this song on ‘An Echo of Hooves’ in 2003 [Melodia tratta dal brano appalachiano “The Falls of Richmond. registrò una versione per  ‘An Echo of Hooves’ 2003]

Malinky in The Unseen Hours 2005

Ian Bruce in Robert Burns: Scotland’s First Superstar, Vol. 1, 2014

Ian F. Benzie in Robert Burns the Complete Songs vol. 5, 1996

The Corries live 1974 (I, III, VIII, XI, XII, XIV)
lyrics here
intro spoken
The popular conception of a Scotsman is of a kilted Highlander on top of this hill, way up in the Highlands somewhere, clutching a claymore, and shouting, “Wha’s like us …”. But down in the Borders there used to be quite a martial scene, too, because that’s after all where the English stopped – or were stopped, I should say. And the Border clans, the Lowland clans used to be quite warlike, in particular the Graham. Clan Graham used to occupy the debatable land. They were always untameable.
[L’idea popolare di uno scozzese è quella di montanaro con il kilt in cima a una collina, da qualche parte nelle Highlands, che stringe uno spadone e grida “Non c’è nessuno come noi!”. Ma giù nella Marca un tempo c’era pure una  scena abbastanza marziale, perché dopotutto è dove gli inglesi si fermavano – o sono stati fermati, dovrei dire. E i clan del Border, i clan di pianura erano piuttosto bellicosi, in particolare i Graham. Il clan Graham era solito occupare la terra della discordia. Erano sempre indomabili.]

Child #191 B *
I
Our Lords are to the mountains gone,
A-hunting of the fallow deer;
They have grippit Hughie Graeme
For stealing of the bishop’s mare.
II
They have bound (tied) him hand and foot,
And led him up through Carlisle (1) town;
All the lads (and lasses) along the way
Cried, “Hughie Graeme you shall hang.”
III
“Loose my right hand free, he says,
Put my broadsword in my hand;
There’s none in Carlisle town this day,
Dare tell the tale (2) to Hughie Graeme.”
IV
Up and spake the good Whitefoord,
As he sat by the Bishop’s knee,
“Five hundred white stots (3) I’ll give you,
If you’ll give Hughie Graeme to me. (4)”
V
“Hold your tongue, my noble lord,
And of your pleading let it be,
Although ten Graemes were in this court,
Hughie Graeme this day shall die.”
VI
Up and spake the fair Whitefoord,
As she sat by the Bishop’s knee;
“Five hundred white pence I’ll give you,
If you’ll let Hughie Graeme go free.”
VII
“Hold your tongue, my lady fair,
And of your weeping let it be;
Although ten Graemes were in this court,
It’s for my honour he must die.”
VIII
They’ve ta’en him to the hanging hill(5)
And led him to the gallows tree;
Ne’er the colour left his cheek,
Nor ever did he blink his eye.
IX
Then he’s looked him round about,
Al for to see what he could see;
There he saw his father dear,
Weeping, weeping bitterly.
X
“Hold your tongue, my father dear,
And of your weeping let it be;
It sorer, sorer grieves my heart (6)
Than all that they could do to me.
XI
And you may give my brother John
My sword that’s made of the metal clear;
And bid him come at twelve of the clock
And see me pay the Bishop’s mare.
XII
And you may give my brother James
My sword that’s made of the metal brown;
And bid him come at four of the clock
And see his brother Hugh cut down.
XIII
Remember me to Maggy my wife,
The next time ye come o’er the moor;
Tell her, she stole the Bishop’s mare,(7)
Tell her, she was the Bishop’s whore.
XIV
And you may tell my kith and kin,
I never did disgrace their blood;
And when they meet the Bishop’s cloak,
Leave it shorter by the hood.” (8)
 Traduzione italiana di Cattia Salto
I
I nostri Lord sono andati sulle montagne
A cacciare il daino
Hanno arrestato Hughie Graeme,
Per aver rubato la giumenta del vescovo.
II
Lo hanno legato mani e piedi
E riportato alla città di Carlisle (1);
I ragazzi (e le ragazze) lungo il cammino,
Urlavano, ‘Hughie Graeme, sarai impiccato’!
III
“Liberate la mia mano destra-dice lui-
e mettetemi lo spadone in mano;
Non c’è nessuno a Carlisle questo giorno
Che oserà raccontare favole a(2) Hughie Graeme.”
IV
Si alzò a parlare il buon Lord Whitefoord,
E s’inginocchiò davanti al vescovo:
“Darei cinquecento giovani buoi (3)
Se voi mi darete Sir Hugh Graeme.” (4)
V
“Frenate la lingua, mio buon Lord
Smettetela con questa supplica!
Anche se ci fossero dieci Graeme in questa corte,/ Hugh Graeme morirà oggi.”
VI
Si alzò a parlare la bella Whitefoord
E s’inginocchiò davanti al vescovo:
“Darei cinquecento misure d’argento
Se farete liberare Hugh Graeme.”
VII
“Frenate la lingua, mia bella Lady 
E smettetela con la lagna!
Anche se ci fossero dodici Graeme in questa corte,/ E’ per il mio onore, che deve morire”
VIII
Lo hanno portato alla collina della forca (5)
E messo sotto la forca
Mai il colore lasciò le sue guance
E nemmeno strizzò gli occhi
IX
Allora lui si guardò dietro alla spalla sinistra
Per vedere cosa riusciva scorgere;
Si accorse allora del suo amato padre
Che piangeva, piangeva amaramente 
X
“Taci, mio amato padre,
E smettila di piangere!
Ciò mi addolora assai più (6)
Di tutto quello che potrebbero farmi
XI
E tu darai a mio fratello John
la mia spada che è fatta d’acciaio
e pregalo di venire alle 12 in punto
Per vedermi pagare la giumenta del Vescovo
XII
E tu darai a mio fratello James
la mia spada che è fatta d’acciaio brunito
e pregalo di venire alle 4 in punto
Per vedere suo fratello Hugh penzolare”
XIII
“Ricordami a Maggy mia moglie;
La prossima volta che passerai per la brughiera,
Dille che lei rubò la giumenta del Vescovo (7),
dille che era lei la puttana del Vescovo. 
XIV
E dirai ai miei cari
Che non ho mai disonorato il loro lignaggio
E quando incontreranno il mantello del Vescovo
Che lo accorcino dal cappuccio (8)”

NOTE
* see the Scottish text published in the SMM [si veda il testo in scozzese pubblicato nello SMM]
1)  Robert Burns places the process further north, in Stirling (‘Strievelin toun’)
[Robert Burns colloca il processo più a nord, a Stirling (‘Strievelin toun’ )]
2) credo che l’espressione equivalga al nostro “fare la festa” nel senso di uccidere
3) young oxen
4) If ye’ll let Hughie Graham gae free
5) gallows hill
6) to see his father’s tears is more painful for Hugh than the gallow tree
[vedere il padre in lacrime è per Ugo più doloroso della prospettiva di finire impiccato
7) heavy insult against the bishop who in other versions was not so explicit
[pesante insulto nei confronti del vescovo che in altre versioni non era così esplicito]
8) let take his head! [che gli taglino la testa!]


Tay ammarey, O Londonderry

Ewan MacColl resumes the melody transcribed by Gavin Greig from the testimony of Mrs Lyall of Skene, near Aberdeen (Aberdeenshire). This tune was also later used by Fairport Convention for their ballad Sir Patrick Spens
[Ewan MacColl riprende la melodia trascritta da Gavin Greig dalla testimonianza delle signora Lyall di Skene, vicino ad Aberdeen (Aberdeenshire). La melodia è stata usata più tardi dai Fairport Convention per la loro ballata Sir Patrick Spens]

Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger – Hughie the Graeme in Classic Scots Ballads, 1956 {for tune cf. Bronson’s #4}

Ewan MaCall
Child #191 E *
I
The Laird o’ Hume he’s a huntin’ gone
Over the hills and mountains clear,
And he has ta’en Sir Hugh the Grame
For stealin’ o’ the Bishop’s mear.
chorus
Tay ammarey, O Londonderry
Tay ammarey, O London dee.
II
They hae ta’en Sir Hugh the Grame
And led him doon through Strievling toon,
Fifteen o’ them cried oot at ance,
“Sir Hugh the Grame he must gae doon!”
III
“Were I to die,” said Hugh the Grame
“My parents would think it a very great lack”
Full fifteen feet in the air he jumped
Wi’ his hands bound fast behind his back.
IV
Then oot and spak the Lady Black,
And o’ her will she was right free,
“A thousand pounds, my lord, I’ll give
If Hugh the Grame set free to me.”
V
“Haud your tongue, ye Lady Black
And ye’ll let a’ your pleading be!
Though ye would gie me thousands ten
It’s for my honour he would die.”
VI
Then oot it spak her Lady Hume
And aye a sorry woman was she,
“I’ll gie ye a hundred milk-white steeds
Gin ye’ll gie Sir Hugh the Grame to me.”
VII
“O Haud your tongue, ye Lady Hume
And ye’ll let a’ your pleading be!
Though a’ the Grames were in this court,
He should be hanged high for me.”
VIII
He lookit ower his left shoulder
It was to see what he could see,
And there he saw his auld faither
Weeping and wailing bitterly.
IX
“O, haud your tongue, my auld faither
And ye’ll let a’ your mournin’ be!
For if they bereave me o’ my life
They canna haud the heavens frae me.”
X
“You’ll gie my brother, John, the sword
That’s pointed with the metal clear,
And bid him come at eight o’clock
And see me pay the Bishop’e mear.”
XI
“And brother James, tak’ here the sword
That’s pointed wi’ the metal brown
Come up the morn at eight o’clock
And see your brother putten down.”
XII
Ye’ll tell this news to Maggie, my wife
Neist time ye gang to Strievling toon,
She is the cause I lose my life
She wi’ the Bishop played the loon.
Traduzione italiano Cattia Salto
I
Il Laird di Hume è andato a caccia
sulle colline e le montagne
E ha sorpreso Sir Hughie Graeme,
A rubare la giumenta del vescovo.
coro
Tay ammarey, O Londonderry
Tay ammarey, O London dee.
II
Lo hanno legato mani e piedi
E condotto per la città di Stirling;
Una quindicina (1) di loro urlava con una sola voce: ‘Sir Hughie Graeme, sarà impiccato’!
III
“Se dovessi morire- disse Hughie Graeme,-
I miei genitori la considereranno una grande perdita”/E fece un balzo di 15 piedi in aria
Con le mani legate strette dietro la  schiena.
IV
Si alzò a parlare Lady Black,
E di sua spontanea volontà:
“Darei mille sterline mio signore
Se mi libererete Hugh Graeme.”
V
“Frenate la lingua, voi Lady Black
Smettetela con questa supplica!
Anche se me ne dareste diecimila,
E’ per il mio onore, che deve morire”
VI
Poi si alzò a parlare Lady Hume
E si una donna affranta lei era:
“Vi darei un centinaio di bianchi destrieri
Se mi darete Sir Hugh Graeme.”
VII
“Frenate la lingua, voi Lady Hume
Smettetela con questa supplica!
Anche tutti i Graeme fossero in questa corte,
Dovrebbe essere impiccato in alto per me”
VIII
Lui si guardò dietro alla spalla sinistra
Per vedere cosa riusciva scorgere;
Si accorse allora del suovecchio padre
Che piangeva e piagnucolava amaramente 
IX
“Taci, mio amato padre,
E smettila di piangere!
Perchè mi possono portare via la vita
Ma non possono bandirmi dal Paradiso”
X
Darai a mio fratello John la spada
Che è fatta d’acciaio
e pregalo di venire alle 8 in punto
Per vedermi pagare la giumenta del Vescovo”
XI
“E fratello James prendi la spada
Che è fatta d’acciaio brunito
Ritorna al mattino alle 8 in punto
Per vedere suo fratello penzolare
XII
“Darai la notizia a Maggie, mia moglie;
La prossima volta che passerai per Stirling,
Per colpa sua ho perso la vita,
Lei con il Vescovo saltava la cavallina”(2) 

NOTE
* from here
1) the judges obviously not impartial [sono i giurati ovviamente per niente imparziali]
2) to play the loun= to behave unchastely, commit fornication

And finally let’s enjoy this instrumental version of the Duo Menguy – Le Pennec
[E per finire godiamoci questa versione strumentale del Duo Menguy – Le Pennec]

Border Affaires!

FONTI
http://walterscott.eu/education/ballads/reiver-ballads/hughie-the-graeme/
http://71.174.62.16/Demo/LongerHarvest?Text=ChildRef_191
https://www.antiwarsongs.org/canzone.php?id=57570&lang=it
https://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=2749
https://mainlynorfolk.info/june.tabor/songs/hughiegraeme.html
http://www.joe-offer.com/folkinfo/songs/479.html

http://mysongbook.de/msb/songs/h/hughtheg.html
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=144233

I sergenti reclutatori nelle campagne britanniche del 700-800

Read the post in English

L’arruolamento nelle armate britanniche era a base volontaria, così nel 1700 e fino alla metà del 1800, giravano per le campagne i sergenti reclutatori accompagnati da un giovane tamburino: erano bravi a convincere i giovanotti già un po’ alticci che si trovavano nelle locande, a prendere  il famigerato scellino del Re (King’s Shilling).
Facevano leva sui disagiati, i mezzadri sfrattati e ridotti a lavorare come braccianti giornalieri, coloro che erano senza un mestiere e che vedevano nell’arruolamento l’alternativa per non morir di fame. I più ingenui si lasciavano vincere dal fascino dell’avventura o semplicemente erano troppo ubriachi per pensare lucidamente!

the-recruiting-sergeant
John Collet (1725-1780) The Recruiting Sergeant

Twa recruitin’ sergeants

La canzone “Twa recruitin’ sergeants” viene dalla tradizione scozzese ed è quasi un documento storico della vita nelle bothy farm : così i reclutatori facevano breccia nella vita dei disperati, i giovani ragazzi che conducevano una vita grama. L’origine della canzone è fatta risalire al 1700 ed è ritornata popolare negli anni 1960 con la versione di Jeannie Robertson.
A.L. Lloyd ha evidenziato che l’opera di Farquhar, “The Recruiting Officer” (1706), ha aiutato a diffondere ‘Over the Hills and Far Away’. La canzone è stata spesso cantata durante le guerre napoleoniche. E’ sopravvissuta per due secoli e mezzo tra i cantanti folk, in decrescendo, fino a quando sembrava si fosse limitata al nord-est scozzese “. Poi una variante tornò in auge nelle città inglesi con il titolo “Two Recruiting Sergeants from the Black Watch” (da Mudcat qui)

La melodia è ovviamente un’allegra marcetta, perfetta per entusiasmare i malcapitati..

Gaberlunzie (strofe I, II, III, V)

Schooner Fare (strofe I, II, IV, V)

Adam Raeburn & Friends

A Parcel o’ Rogues (strofe I, II, IV, V)


I
Twa recruiting sergeants came frae the Black Watch(1)
Tae markets and fairs, some recruits for tae catch.
But a’ that they ‘listed was forty and twa:
Enlist my bonnie laddie an’ come awa.
Chorus:
And it’s over the mountain and over the Main,
Through Gibralter, to France and Spain(2).
Pit a feather tae your bonnet, and a kilt aboon your knee,
Enlist my bonnie laddie and come awa with me.
II
Oh laddie ye dinna ken the danger that yer in.
If yer horses was to fleg, and yer owsen was to rin,(3)
This greedy old farmer, he wouldna pay yer fee.
Sae list my bonnie laddie and come awa wi’ me
III(4)
With your tattie porin’s(5) and yer meal(6) and kale(7),
Yer soor sowan’ soorin’s(8) and yer ill-brewed ale,
Yer buttermilk(9), yer whey(10), and yer breid fired raw.
Sae list my bonnie laddie and come awa.
IV
And its into the barn and out o’ the byre,
This ole farmer, he thinks ye never tire.
It’s slavery a’ yer life, a life o’ low degree.
Sae list my bonnie laddie and come awa with me
V
O laddie if ye’ve got a sweetheart an’ a bairn,
Ye’ll easily get rid o’ that ill-spun yarn(11).
Twa rattles o’ the drum(12), aye and that’ll pay it a’.
Sae list my bonnie laddie and come awa.
 Traduzione italiano Cattia Salto
I
Due sergenti reclutatori vennero dai Black Watch
per mercati e fiere, a prendere delle reclute.
ma ne arruolarono 42:
“Arruolati mio bel ragazzo e vieni via”
Chorus:
Per le montagne e oltre il mare,
attraverso Gibilterra, per la Francia e la Spagna(1).
metti una piuma sul tuo berretto(2) e un gonnellino sopra il ginocchio,
arruolati mio bel giovanotto e vieni via con me
II
Oh ragazzo non sai il pericolo al quale vai incontro
se i tuoi cavalli si spaventano e i buoi si mettono a correre(3)
questo taccagno di un vecchio contadino, potrebbe non pagarti il tuo stipendio
così arruolati mio bel giovanotto e vieni via con me me
III(4)
Con la tua acqua delle patate, il tuo porridge e il cavolo,
la tua brodaglia scadente di avena e la birra mal fermentata
il tuo latticello e il siero del latte, e il pane mezzo crudo.
così arruolati mio bel giovanotto e vieni via con me me.
IV
Dentro e fuori il fienile e la stalla,
questo vecchio contadino pensa che non ti stancherai mai
la tua è una vita da schiavo, una vita di degradazione.
così arruolati mio bel giovanotto e vieni via con me me.
V
O ragazzo se avessi una fidanzata o un bambino,
potresti facilmente sbarazzarti di quella brutta storia, due rullate di tamburo(12), si, ti ripagheranno di tutto
così arruolati mio bel giovanotto e vieni via

NOTE
Le frasi del sergente si commentano da sole
1) citazione da “Over the hills and far away“: ovviamente non si fa cenno alle indie occidentali e alle varie colonie dell’impero!!
2) la divisa dei Black Watch: plaid scozzese nero e verde, gilè e giacca rossi e berretto blu, moschetto, baionetta, spadone e pugnale. Nel 1795 adottarono il pennacchio rosso (in inglese red hackle) per il loro berretto.

3) i sergenti si rivolgevano ai cavallanti e aratori stagionali delle grandi fattorie scozzesi
4) sicuramente gli animali della fattoria erano nutriti meglio dei suoi lavoranti! Il sergente sapeva come parlare alla “pancia” del suo pubblico: uno degli istinti primari quello del cibo!
L’elenco di cibi insipidi era lo standard per i lavoratori agricoli. Ord in “Songs And Ballads” dice “Molte canzoni si riferiscono al cibo fornito dall’agricoltore ai suoi braccianti, che, in molti casi, era di pessima qualità”. Ord continua: “Se la colazione era scarsa, la cena non era migliore:
il pane era spesso,la farinata d’avena scarsa, / la zuppa era una brodaglia
Ho inseguito l’orzo nel piatto, / E ce n’erano tre chicchi.
(tradotto da qui).
5) Tattie pourin’s=l’acqua di bollitura delle patate
6) Meal: avena
7) kale=varietà di cavolo
8) sourin’s sowans: si prepara con gli scarti d’avena messi a macerare e fatti fermentare e infine bollendo il liquido per ottenere un blando sostituto della birra
9) Buttermilk – il latticello che si forma nella preparazione del burro come prodotto secondario di scarto
10) Whey: siero del latte che si forma nella preparazione del formaggio, dopo la cagliata.
11) modo di dire: spin a yarn= raccontare una storia
12) la gloria della battaglia

LA VERSIONE DI TERRANOVA

Bob Hallett del gruppo folk-rock canadese Great Big Sea ha riscritto il testo della tradizione scozzese “Twa recruitin’ sergeants” in memoria dell’Esercito Terranoviano, annientato durante la battaglia della Somme (Francia) durante la Prima Grande Guerra. Il 1 Luglio è il Giorno della Memoria nell’Isola di Terranova e Labrador in ricordo del bagno di sangue e della vita dei suoi giovani figli uccisi a Beaumont Hamel, il primo giorno della Battaglia.
All’epoca della grande guerra Terranova era una colonia inglese e anche i Terranoviani fecero la loro parte inviando 500 uomini (il Newfoundland Regiment), che accorsero su base volontaria all’appello del loro Re (e il re li omaggiò graziosamente dell’appellativo Royal dopo la guerra, come sentito ringraziamento per il loro sacrificio)

Non voglio soffermarmi nella rievocazione della battaglia, credo che basti la poesia di Ungaretti “Soldati”
“Si sta come
d’autunno
sugli alberi
le foglie”

Great Big Sea in “Play” 1997 Il video è un omaggio a tutti i soldati di Terranova


I
Two recruiting sergeants came to the CLB (1),
for the sons of the merchants (2), to join the Blue Puttees (3)
So in the bow all the hands enlisted, five hundred young men
Enlist you Newfoundlanders and come follow me
II
They crossed the broad Atlantic in the brave Florizel,
And on the sands of Suvla (4), they entered into hell
And on those bloody beaches, the first of them fell
[Chorus]
So it’s over the mountains, and over the sea
Come brave Newfoundlanders and join the Blue Puttees
You’ll fight the Hun in Flanders, and at Galipoli
Enlist you Newfoundlanders and come follow me
III
Then the call came from London, for the last July drive
To the trenches with the regiment, prepare yourselves to die
The roll call next morning, just a handful survived (4).
Enlist you Newfoundlanders and come follow me
IV
The stone men on Water Street still cry for the day
When the pride of the city went marching away
A thousand men slaughtered, to hear the King say
Enlist you Newfoundlanders and come follow me		 Traduzione italiano Cattia Salto
I
Due sergenti reclutatori vennero dal CLB
perché i figli dei mercanti si unissero ai Blue Puttees
così nel salone tutte le braccia arruolarono, 500 giovani uomini:
“Arruolatevi Terranoviani e seguitemi”
II
Attraversarono l’Atlantico sull’ardita Florizel
e sulla spiaggia di Sulva  atterrarono all’inferno
e su quelle spiagge insanguinate, i primi tra di loro caddero
Chorus:
Per le montagne e oltre il mare,
venite valorosi Terranoviani e unitevi ai Blue Puttees
combatterete gli Unni nelle Fiandre e a Gallipoli,
arruolatevi Terranoviani e venite via con me
III
Poi la chiamata venne da Londra per i restanti, la campagna di Luglio
“sulle trincee con il reggimento, preparatevi a morire”
All’appello del giorno dopo solo una manciata risposero
“Arruolatevi Terranoviani e seguitemi”
IV
I negozianti di Water Street ancora piangono quel giorno
quando l’orgoglio della città se ne andò marciando
un migliaio di uomini macellati per ascoltare il re dire
“Arruolatevi Terranoviani e seguitemi”

NOTE
1) gruppo paramilitare che costituì il nucleo del nascente Esercito
2) pescatori e contadini servivano alla giovane colonia
3) ovvero il Royal Newfoundland Regiment il soprannome Blue Puttees venne dalle pezze blu con cui si fasciavano i polpacci, dette fasce mollettiere, una parola perduta, una moda lanciata proprio nella prima guerra mondiale, in cui praticamente tutti i soldati degli eserciti schierati nel conflitto indossavano le fasce mollettiere (qui)
4) quelli che rimasero dopo la campagna del 1915 che vennero inglobati in un Reggimento di 800 uomini, mandato al macello alle trincee del Somme il 1° Luglio 1916

FONTI
https://terreceltiche.altervista.org/bothy-ballads/
http://ontanomagico.altervista.org/arthur-mcbride.htm
http://magnius159.deviantart.com/journal/The-Black-Watch-328946633
http://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/1661to1966/recruiting/recruiting.html
http://bwrhrrg.com/reggimento-e-dintorni/
http://www.antiwarsongs.org/canzone.php?id=41351&lang=it
http://www.rampantscotland.com/songs/blsongs_recruiting.htm
http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=28076
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=28076#347502
http://sangstories.webs.com/twarecruitinsairgeants.htm
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/40388/6;jsessionid=2331DA5243CD6F62BF17E5DAD70783CE
https://www.fresnostate.edu/folklore/ballads/GrD1077.html

Morag and the Kelpie

Leggi in italiano

In the most placid rivers of Ireland and in the dark depths of the Scottish lakes live water demons, fairy creatures, that feed on human flesh: they are “kelpie”, “each uisge” (in English water-horse), “eich- mhara “(in English sea horse); to want to be picky kelpie lives preferably near the rapids of the rivers, fords and waterfalls, while each uisge prefers the lakes and the sea, but kelpie is the most used word for both. Similar creatures are also told in Norse legends (Bäckahästen, the river horse) – and Germanic (nix in the form of fish or frog). (first part)

MORAG AND THE KELPIE

At the summer pastures of the Highlands they are still told of the beautiful Morag (Marion) seduced by a kelpie in human form; she, while noticing the strangeness of her husband, did not understand his true nature, if not after the birth of their child and … she decided to abandoning baby in swaddling clothes and husband shapeshifter!

On the Isle of Skye they still sing a song in Gaelic, ‘Oran-tàlaidh an eich-uisge’ or ‘Oran each-uisge’ (The water kelpie’s song) the “Lullaby of the kelpie” a melancholy air with which the kelpie cradled his child without a mother, and at the same time a plea to Morag to return to them, both he and the child needed her.
Of this lament we know several textual versions handed down to today in the Hebrides. The melodies revolve around an old Scottish aria entitled “Crodh Chailein” (in English “Colin’s cattle) evidently considered a melody of the fairies.
Another song, sweet and melancholic at the same time, is entitled Song of the Kelpie or even ARRANE GHELBY

Dh’èirich mi moch, b’ fheàrr nach do dh’èirich

So translates from Scottish Gaelic Tom Thomson “I got up early, it would have been better not to” (see)

Julie Fowlis in Alterum 2017

Scottish gaelic
Dh’èirich mi moch, dh’èirich mi moch, B’fheàrr nach d’ dh’èirich
Mo chreach lèir na chuir a-mach mi.
Hill ò bha hò, Hill ò bha hò.
Bha ceò sa bheinn, Bha ceò sa bheinn, is uisge frasach
’s thachair orms’ a’ ghruagach thlachdmhor.
Hill ò bha hò, Hill ò bha hò
Bheir mi dhut fìon, Bheir mi dhut fìon, ‘S gach nì a b’ ait leat,
Ach nach èirinn leat sa mhadainn,
Hill ò bha hò, Hill ò bha hò.
’Nighean nan gamhna, ’Nighean nan gamhna, Bha mi ma’ riut,
Anns a’ chrò is càch nan cadal
Hill ò bha hò, Hill ò bha hò.
An daoidh gheal donn, An daoidh gheal donn, Rug i mac dhomh.
Ged is fuar a rinn i altram,
Hill ò bha hò, Hill ò bha hò.
[instrumental]
Bha laogh mo laoidh, Bha laogh mo laoidh, ri taobh cnocan
gun teine, gun sgàth, gun fhasgadh.
Hill ò bha hò, Hill ò bha hò.
A Mhòr a ghaoil, A Mhòr, a ghaoil, Till ri d’ mhacan,
’S bheir mi goidean breagha breac dhut.
Hill ò bha hò, Hill ò bha hò.
English translation *
I arose early
I arose early –
would that I hadn’t.
I was distressed by what sent me out (1).
Hill ò bha hò, Hill ò bha hò.
There was mist on the hill
There was mist on the hill
and showers of rain
and I came across a pleasant maiden
Hill ò bha hò, Hill ò bha hò.
I’ll give you wine
I’ll give you wine
and all that will please you
but I won’t arise with you in the morning (2).
Hill ò bha hò, Hill ò bha hò.
Girl of the calves (3)
Girl of the calves
I was with you in the cattle-fold (4)
and the rest were asleep.
Hill ò bha hò, Hill ò bha hò.
The fine brown wicked one (5)
The fine brown wicked one
bore me a son
although coldly did she nurse him
Hill ò bha hò, Hill ò bha hò.
The calf (6) of my song
The calf of my song
was beside a hillock
without fire, protection or shelter (7).
Hill ò bha hò, Hill ò bha hò.
Mòr, my love
Mòr, my love, return to your little son
and I’ll give you a beautiful speckled withes (8).
Hill ò bha hò, Hill ò bha hò.
 NOTE
English translation also here
1)  the kelpie, suffering from loneliness, leaves the lake early in the morning and takes on human form
2) the shapeshifter promises food and comfort to the girl to convince her to follow him, but he warns her, he is a nocturnal creature and will not wake up with her in the morning!
3) gamhna = cattle between 1 year and 2 years translates Tom Thomson stitks; that is heifer, the cow that has not yet given birth, the verse in addition to qualifying the work of the girl (herdswoman) also wants to be a compliment, in Italian “bella manza” as a busty woman, with abundant and seductive shapes
4) the kelpie remembers the night meeting when they had sex (and obviously nine months later their son was born)
5) after the good memories of the past it comes the present, the woman has discovered the true nature of her companion and she dislikes their child
6) continuing in the comparison the kelpie calls “calf” its baby, that is “small child”
7) A typical “exposition” of fairy children is described. A practice of “birth control” widespread in the countryside of Europe, was the abandonment of newborns in the forest, so that fairies would take care of them; once the practice was widespread both against illegitimate people, and newborns with obvious physical deformations or ill-looking. The custom of “exposing” the baby was connected with the belief that he was “swapped” or kidnapped by the fairies and replaced with a changeling, a shapeshifter who for a while resembles the human child, but ultimately always takes its true appearance.
8) breagha breac dhut. Tom Thomson translates = speckled band (of withy). I searched the dictionary: it is a crown made by intertwining the branches of willow; it reminds me of the Celtic crowns of flowers and leaves

 

Margaret Stewart & Allan MacDonald recorded it under the title “Òran Tàlaidh An Eich-Uisge” in 2001 (from Colla Mo Rùn) following the collection of Frances Tolmie (‘Cumha an EichUisge’ vol I)

english translation *
I and III
Sleep my child, Sleep my child
Sleep my child, Sleep my child
Chorus
Hì hó, hó bha hó, Hì hó, hao i hà
Fast of foot you are
Great as a horse you are
II and IV
My darling son
Oh my lovely little horse
You are far from the township
You will be sought after (1)
 scottish gaelic
I
O hó bà a leinibh hó, O hó bà a leinibh hà
Bà a leinibh hó bha hó, Hó bà a leinibh hao i hà
(chorus)
Hì hó, hó bha hó, Hì hó, hao i hà
‘S luath dha d’ chois thu, hó bha hó
‘S mór nad each thu, hao i hà
II
O hó m’eudail a mac hó
O hó m’eachan sgèimheach hà
‘S fhad ‘n ‘n bhail’ thu, hò bha hò
Nìtear d’iarraidh, hao i hà

NOTE
1) The kelpie sings the lullaby to its child abandoned by the human mother and comforts him by telling him that when he grows up he’ll be a little heartbreaker

With the title of ‘A Mhór, a Mhór, till ri d’ mhacan’ the same story is present in the archives of Tobar an Dualchais, from the voice of three witnesses of the Isle of Skye
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/99707/1
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/99703/1
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/99714/1

A similar story is told in the island of Benbecula with the title of Bheirinn Dhut Iasg, Bheirinn Dhut Iasg see


Caera in Suantraighe, A Collection of Celtic Lullabies 2006 sings another fragment with the title “The Skye Water Kelpie’s lullaby” (see the version of Marjory Kennedy-Fraser below)

English translation *
Mór (1), my love! Mór, my treasure!
Come back to your little son
and you will get a speckled trout from the lake.
Mór, my darling! Tonight the night
Is wetly showering my son
on the shelter of a knoll.
Mór, my love! Mór, my treasure!
Lacking fire, lacking food, lacking shelter,
and you continually lamenting (2).
Mór, my love! Mór, my darling!
My gray, old, toothless mouth
to your silly little mouth,
and me singing  tunes by Ben Frochkie. (3)		 Scottish gaelic
A Mhór a ghaoil! A Mhór a shògh!
Till gu d’mhacan is gheabh
thu’m bradan breac o’n loch.
A Mhór a shògh! Tha’n oiche nochd
Gu fliuch frasach aig mo mhacsa
ri sgath chnocain.
A Mhór a ghaoil! A Mhór a shògh!
Gun teine, gun tuar, gun fhasgadh,
is tu sìor chòineadh.
A Mhór a ghaoil! A Mhór a shògh!
Mo sheana-chab liath ri
do bheul beag baoth
is mi seinn phort dhuit am Beinn Frochdaidh.

NOTE
1) Mhórag or Mór is the name of the maiden loved by the kelpie
2) it is the incessant cry of the child abandoned by his human mother in the cold and without food
3) mountain between Gesture and Portree on the Isle of Skye

Skye Water Kelpie’s Lullaby

With the title “Cronan na Eich-mhara”, the same fragment sung by Caera is also reported in the book of Marjory Kennedy-Fraser and Kenneth MacLeod “Songs of the Hebrides” 1909 (page 94)

♪

Kenneth MacLeod
I
Avore, my love, my joy
To thy baby come
And troutlings you’ll get out of the loch
Avore, my heart, the night is dark,
wet and dreary.
Here’s your bairnie neath the rock
II
Avore, my love, my joy,
wanting fire here,
wanting shelter, wanting comfort
our babe is crying by the loch
III
Avore, my heart, my bridet
My gray old mouth
touching thy sweet lips,
and me singing Old songs to thee,
by Ben Frochkie (1)
NOTE
1) between Gesto and Portree in Skye		 Scottish gaelic
A Mhór a ghaoil! A Mhór a shògh!
Till gu d’mhacan is gheabh
thu’m bradan breac o’n loch.
A Mhór a shògh! Tha’n oiche nochd
Gu fliuch frasach aig mo mhacsa
ri sgath chnocain.
II
A Mhór a ghaoil! A Mhór a shògh!
Gun teine, gun tuar, gun fhasgadh,
is tu sìor chòineadh.
III
A Mhór a ghaoil! A Mhór a shògh!
Mo sheana-chab liath ri
do bheul beag baoth
is mi seinn phort dhuit am Beinn Frochdaidh.
Theodor_Kittelsen_-_Nøkken_som_hvit_hestARCHIVE
Skye Water Kelpie’s Lullaby
Dh’èirich mi moch, b’ fheàrr nach do dh’èirich
Òran Tàlaidh An Eich-Uisge
A Mhór, a Mhór, till ri d’ mhacan
Cronan na Eich-mhara
Song of the Kelpie
Up, ride with the kelpie

Sources
http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4374 http://mudcat.org/detail_pf.cfm?messages__Message_ID=48242 http://www.kidssongsmp3.twinkletrax.com/kids-song.php?c=C02T12&kids-song=O,%20Can%20Ye%20Sew%20Cushions http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/stewart/orantalaidh.htm
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stromkarlen_1884.jpg

Tha Mo Ghaol Air Àird A’ Chuain vs Jamie’s on the stormy sea

We find ourselves in the umpteenth case of similarity between Gaelic song and English song in which (wrongly) it is assumed that the first one is older than the second one.
So “Tha Mo Ghaol Air Àird A ‘Chuain” and “Jamie’s on the stormy sea” are the same song but the version in Gaelic is later than the English one that takes as a model. The author of the English version is of the American Bernard Covert who composed it for the Hutchinsons (of which he was also their agent) in 1847.
[Ci troviamo nell’ennesimo caso di somiglianza tra canzone gaelica e canzone inglese in cui si presuppone (erroneamente) che la prima sia più vecchia della seconda.
Così “Tha Mo Ghaol Air Àird A’ Chuain” e “Jamie’s on the stormy sea” sono la stessa canzone ma  la versione in gaelico è successiva a quella inglese che prende come modello. L’autore della versione inglese è dell’americano Bernard Covert che la compose per gli Hutchinsons (di cui era anche l’agente) nel 1847.]

Controversial still the opinion that the song had some Scottish origins for example Aindrias Hirt in applying his theory on the natural scale of the traditional European song does not find correspondence for this melody (see)
[Controverso ancora il parere che il canto avesse avuto delle origini scozzesi ad esempio Aindrias Hirt nell’applicare la sua teoria sulla scala naturale del canto tradizionale europeo non trova corrispondenza per questa melodia  (vedi) ]

Dr Emily McEwen-Fujita quotes “This song is thought to have originally been a Scottish pipe tune and the tune was used for an English song composed in the United States by Bernard Covert. One version of it, called, Jamie’s on the Stormy Sea, appeared in the journal of the whaling ship Euphrasia in 1849. The song crossed the Atlantic and was set to Gaelic words by Henry Whyte, who wrote under the pen-name Fionn. The Gaelic version came to Cape Breton in the St. Columba collection of Gaelic songs and used to be sung by Tommy MacDonald of the North Shore Singers. It was from Tommy’s singing that Julie Fowlis learned the song.” (from here)
[La dottoressa Emily McEwen-Fujita annota “si crede che questa canzone sia stata in origine una melodia scozzese per cornamusa, e la melodia fu utilizzata per una canzone inglese composta negli States da Bernard Covert [ndt: nel 1847]. Una sua versione, intitolata Jamie’s on the Stormy Sea, comparve nel giornale di bordo della baleniera Euphrasia nel 1849. La canzone attraversò l’Atlantico e venne trasposta in gaelico da  Henry Whyte, che scriveva con lo pseudonimo di Fionn. La versione gaelica finì a Capo Bretone nella collezione di canti gaelici di St. Columba e venne cantata da Tommy MacDonald dei North Shore Singers. E’ stato dalla versione di Tommy che Julie Fowlis imparò la canzone”]

Henry Whyte (1832–1915) known under the pseudonym Fionn was a fervent supporter of Gaelic traditions.
The pen-name of ” Fionn ” has been for many years recognised as authoritative on all subjects connected with the language, history, poetry, folk-lore, and music
of the Highlands, and the popularity which his various publications have enjoyed is best evidenced by the fact that they have either passed through more than one edition or are entirely out of print. His ” Celtic Lyre ” is, without doubt, the most popular collection of Gaelic song and music ever published, and his ” Martial Music of the Clans ” dealt exhaustively with a subject which has not hitherto been adequately treated by any previous writer. As a translator of Gaelic poetry he has few equals, and in his ” Celtic Lyre ” and ” Celtic Garland ” he has given to English literature translations from the Gaelic, not only beautiful and faithful to the original, but with the additional merit of being singable to their native Gaelic airs. (from here)
[“Henry Whyte(1832–1915) conosciuto con lo pseudonimo di Fionn era un fervido sostenitore delle tradizioni gaeliche.
Il nome di penna Fionn è stato per molti anni riconosciuto come autorevole su tutti gli argomenti connessi con il linguaggio, la storia, poesia, folklore e musica delle Highland, e la popolarità che le sue varie pubblicazioni hanno goduto è meglio evidenziata dal fatto che sono passate per più di una edizione o sono completamente esaurite. ” Celtic Lyre ” è, senza dubbio, la più popolare collezione di canti in gaelico e musica mai pubblicati, e  ” Martial Music of the Clans ” tratta esaustivamente un argomento che non è mai stato adeguatamente trattato da un altro studioso precedente. Come traduttore di poesia in gaelico non ha eguali e in  ” Celtic Lyre ” e ” Celtic Garland ” ha dato alla letterature inglese traduzioni dal gaelico, non solo belle e aderenti all’originale, ma con il merito aggiuntivo di essere cantabili sulle rispettive melodie nate in gaelico.”

Tha Mo Ghaol Air Àird A’ Chuain

Courtney O ‘Connell Carlson

It is a song of the sea in which a girl on the evening, complains and cries for the fiance away on the sea, her song has the beauty of twilight (it seems that the girl seeks comfort in the peace and quiet of nature , while on the contrary his heart is devastated), so the melody of his song is sweet and sad at the same time. The last stanza brings joy: the man has returned to her safe and sound!
[E’ una canzone del mare in cui una fanciulla sul farsi della sera, si lamenta e piange per il fidanzato lontano sul mare, il suo canto sommesso e dolce ha la bellezza del crepuscolo (sembra che la ragazza cerchi conforto nella pace e quiete della natura, mentre al contrario il suo cuore è devastato), così la melodia del suo canto è dolce e triste nello stesso tempo. L’ultima strofa porta la gioia: l’uomo è ritornato da lei sano e salvo!]

Julie Fowlis  in “Mar a Tha Mo Chridhe” 2005
In 2012 the song was included by Disney / Pixar in the trailer of the movie “Brave” decreeing a wide popularity
In 2017 Courtney O’Connell Carlson illustrated the whole song, here is the video
[Nel 2012 il brano è stato incluso dalla Disney/Pixar nel trailer del film Ribelle- The Brave ( in inglese Brave) decretandone una vasta popolarità.
Nel 2017 Courtney O ‘Connell Carlson ha illustrato tutta la canzone ecco il video]

I
Feasgar ciùin an tus a’chèitein
nuair bha ‘n ialtag anns na speuran
chualaim rìbhinn òg ‘s i deurach
seinn fo sgàil nan geugan uain’.
II
Bha a’ghrian ‘sa chuan gu sìoladh
‘s reult cha d’éirich anns an iarmailt
nuair a sheinn an òigh gu cianail
“Tha mo ghaol air àird a’chuain”.
III
Thòisich dealt na h-oidhch’ ri tùirling
‘s lùb am braon gu caoin na flùrain
Shèid a’ghaoth ‘na h-oiteag chùbhraidh
beatha ‘s ùrachd do gach cluan.
IV
Ghleus an nighneag fonn a h-òrain
sèimh is ciùin mar dhriùchd an Òg-mhìos
‘a bha an t-sèisd seo ‘g éirigh ‘n còmhnaidh
“Tha mo ghaol air àird a’chuain”.
V
Chiar an latha is dheàrrs ‘na reultan,
sheòl an rè measg neul nan speuran.
Shuidh an òigh, ‘bròn ga lèireadh,
‘s cha robh dèigh air tàmh no suain.
VI
Theann mi faisg air reult nan òg-bhean
sheinn mu ‘gaol air chuan ‘bha seòladh.
O bu bhinn a caoidhrean brònach
“Tha mo ghaol air àird a’chuain”.
VII
Rinn an ceòl le deòin mo thàladh
dlùth do rìbhinn donn nam blàth-shùil
‘s i ag ùrnaigh ris an Àrd-Rìgh
“Bìon mo ghràdh ‘th’ air àird a’chuain”.
VIII
Bha a cridh’ le gaol gu sgàineadh
nuair a ghlac me fhèin air làimh i.
“Siab o dheòir, do ghaol tha sàbhailt,
thill mi slàn bhàrr àird a’chuain”.

English translation *
I
On a quiet evening at the beginning of May
When the bat was in the skies
I heard a tearful young maiden
Singing beneath the shadow of the green branches
II
The sun was setting in the sea
And no stars yet graced the sky
When the young girl sang sorrowfully
“My love is on the high seas”
III
The night’s dew began to fall
Each bloom yielding softly to the droplets
The wind blew in a fragrant breeze
Bringing life and renewal to each field
IV
The girl tunefully sang her song
Quiet and peaceful like the June dew
And this chorus constantly repeated
“My love is on the high seas”
V
Day darkened and the stars shone
Setting their course amongst the clouds
The maiden sat, burdened by her sadness
Her singing could not have been more soothing
VI
I moved closer to the young woman
Singing of her love sailing on the sea
Oh sweet was her sad lament
“My love is on the high seas”
VII
The music enticed me
Nearer to the brown-haired maiden of the warm eyes
And she prayed to the King of Heaven
“Protect my love on the high seas”
VIII
Her heart was breaking with love
When I took her by the hand
“Wipe your eyes, your love is safe
I have returned to you from the high seas”
 Traduzione italiano Cattia Salto
I
In una bella sera all’inizio di Maggio
quando il pipistrello vola nei cieli
ho udito una giovane fanciulla in lacrime
cantare all’ombra delle verdi fronde
II
Il sole stava tramontando sul mare
e ancora nessuna stella ingentiliva il cielo
mentre la giovane fanciulla cantava tristemente:
“Il mio amore è in alto mare”
III
L’umidità della notte iniziava a cadere
ogni bocciolo si piegava delicatamente sotto le gocce
il vento soffiava una profumata brezza
portando vita e rinnovamento in ogni campo
IV
La ragazza cantava la sua canzone melodiosamente
quieta  e placida come la rugiada di Giugno
il cui coro ripeteva costantemente
“Il mio amore è in alto mare”
V
Il giorno si fece buio e le stelle splendevano
seguendo il loro cammino tra le nuvole
la fanciulla sedeva, oppressa dal dolore
il suo canto non poteva essere più dolce
VI
Mi sono avvicinato alla giovane
che cantava dell’amore che navigava in mare,
oh dolce era il suo triste lamento
“Il mio amore è in alto mare”
VII
La musica mi richiamava
più vicino alla morettina dagli occhi caldi
e lei pregava al Signore del Cielo
“Proteggi il mio amore in alto mare”
VIII
Il suo cuore si stava spezzando per amore
mentre la prendevo per mano
“Asciugati gli occhi, il tuo amore è al sicuro
sono ritornato da te dall’alto mare”

NOTE

 

Jamie’s on the stormy sea (Bernard Covert)

Bernard Covert (1805-1885)  American singer and songwriter. His career in music flourished during the 1840s and 50s, when he published many of his songs in a variety of magazines. Early in his life he lived in Franklin, New York, but later frequently worked in Albany, New York. He was best known for his temperance songs, which he sang as part of a duo with Ossian Dodge (from here)
Not only did Bernard Covert write a number of songs that the Hutchinsons performed, he also served as their advance agent in 1863 and sang with them in 1876 and probably at other times, as well. (from here)
[Bernard Covert (1805-1885) era un cantante e cantautore americano. La sua carriera nella musica fiorì negli anni ’40 e ’50, quando pubblicò molte delle sue canzoni in una varietà di riviste. All’inizio della sua vita visse a Franklin, New York, ma in seguito lavorò spesso ad Albany, New York. Era meglio conosciuto per le sue canzoni di temperanza, che cantava come parte di un duo con Ossian Dodge (tradotto da qui)
Bernard Covert non solo ha scritto un certo numero di canzoni eseguite dagli Hutchinson, ha anche prestato servizio come loro agente nel 1863 e ha cantato con loro nel 1876 e probabilmente anche in altre occasioni. (tradotto da qui)]
“Jamie’s on the stormy sea!” it was his most famous song
[“Jamie’s on the stormy sea!” fu il suo brano più famoso]
Jane Cassidy

English translation *
I
Ere the twilight bat was flitting,
In the sunset, at her knitting,
Sang a lonely maiden, sitting
Underneath her threshold tree;
And, ere daylight died before us,
And the vesper stars shone o’er us,
Fitful rose her tender chorus
“Jamie’s on the stormy sea!”
II
Warmly shone the sunset glowing;
Sweetly breath’d the young flow’rs blowing;
Earth, with beauty overflowing,
Seem’d the home of love to be;
As those angel tones ascending,
With the scene and season blending,
Ever had the same low ending
“Jamie’s on the stormy sea!”
III
Curfew bells remotely ringing,
Mingled with that sweet voice singing
And the last red ray seemed clinging
Lingeringly to tower and tree;
Nearer as I came, and nearer,
Finer rose the notes, and clearer;
Oh! ‘twas heaven itself to hear her
“Jamie’s on the stormy sea!”
IV
“Blow, ye west winds! blandly hover
O’er the bark that bears my lover;
Gently blow, and bear him over
To his own dear home and me;
For, when night winds bend the willow,
Sleep forsakes my lonely pillow,
Thinking of the foaming billow
Jamie’s on the stormy sea!”
V
How could I but list, but linger,
To the song, and near the singer,
Sweetly wooing heaven to bring her
Jamie from the stormy sea;
And while yet her lips did name me,
Forth I sprang – my heart o’ercame me
“Grieve no more, sweet, I am Jamie,
Home returned to love and thee!”
 Traduzione italiano Cattia Salto
I
Il pipistrello volava nel crepuscolo
al tramonto, lavorando a maglia
cantava una fanciulla solitaria seduta
sotto al pergolato (1)
e prima che morisse la luce del giorno dietro a noi, e le stelle della sera brillassero su di noi,
a tratti si alzava il suo canto delicato
“Jamie è sul mare in tempesta!”
II
Splendeva caldo il raggiante tramonto
soavemente respiravano i giovani fiori in boccio,
la terra di una bellezza traboccante
sembrava essere la casa di Amore;
mentre quelle note angeliche salivano
mescolandosi con l’atmosfera della stagione
tuttavia avevano lo stesso finale basso
“Jamie è sul mare in tempesta!”
III
Le campane del coprifuoco suonavano in lontananza, mescolandosi con quel dolce canto
e l’ultimo raggio rosso sembrava aggrapparsi a lungo alla torre e all’albero
mentre mi avvicinavo sempre più
belle salivano le note e più chiare,
oh era il cielo stesso ad ascoltarla
“Jamie è sul mare in tempesta!”
IV
“Oh soffia vento dell’ovest! Librati gentile
sul legno che porta il mio amore;
soffia dolcemente e portalo
alla sua cara casa e a me;
perchè quando i venti della notte piegano il salice,
il sonno abbandona il mio cuscino
al pensiero dei marosi schiumanti
Jamie è sul mare in tempesta!”
V
Come potevo tuttavia elencare la canzone,
ma indugiare vicino alla cantante,
dolcemente corteggiava il paradiso per portarle
Jamie dal mare in tempesta;
E mentre ancora le sue labbra mi chiamavano,
in avanti scattai , sopraffatto dal sentimento
“Non piangere più, amore, io sono Jamie,
ritornato a casa  per amarti ”

NOTE
1) ho preferito tradurre con pergolato ma threshold tree è letteralmente l’albero davanti all’uscio, in genere nelle case di campagna si stratta di un rampicante che dona ombra alla facciata e sparge il suo soave profumo.

LINK
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=163391
https://www.siliconglen.scot/Scotland/9_3_22.html
http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/fowlis/tha.htm
https://followingthegoldenthread.com/category/celtic-folk-music-folk-music-illustration/
https://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/collection/020/002
http://www.oocities.org/unclesamsfarm/songs/jamie.htm
https://www.itma.ie/digital-library/sound/jamies_on_the_stormy_sea_jane_cassidy

 

A ghaoil, leig dhachaigh gum mhàthair mi (O love, let me home to my mother)

Warwick Gobe

A ghaoil, leig dhachaigh gum mhathair mi (O love, let me home to my mother) is a Scottish Gaelic song from the Hebrides: it is the plea of a girl kidnapped by the kelpie to be allowed to return home. It was customary for the Kelpie to take a human bride to feel less alone, but the brides were not always happy to live on the bottom of the lake, to take care of the kelpie’s house! Although the Scottish maidens are dissuaded by many folk tales to walk alone on the moors and on the banks of the loch, there is always the most innocent or adventurous, which inevitably ends up making bad encounters.
[A ghaoil, leig dhachaigh gum mhàthair mi (O love, let me home to my mother) è un canto in gaelico scozzese proveniente dalle Isole Ebridi: è la supplica di una fanciulla rapita dal kelpie affinchè le sia concesso di ritornare a casa. Era consuetudine per il Kelpie prendersi una sposa umana per sentirsi meno solo, ma non sempre le spose erano felici di vivere sul fondo del lago ad accudire alla casetta del kelpie! Sebbene le fanciulle scozzesi siano dissuase da molti racconti popolari ad andarsene sole solette per la brughiera e sulle rive dei loch, c’è sempre quella più ingenua o avventurosa, la quale immancabilmente finisce per fare brutti incontri..]

At the moment the only sources of the song on the net are filed on Tobar an dualchais
[Al momento le uniche fonti in rete della canzone sono archiviate su Tobar an dualchais]
‘A Ghaoil Leig Dhachaigh gu Mo Mhàthair Mi’- Kate Nicolson (dall’isola di South Uist)
Julie Fowlis in ‘Gach Sgeul / Every Story’ 2014

Ulli Boegershausen guitar arrangiament [arrangiamento per chitarra]

Scottish Gaelic
I
A ghaoil, leig dhachaigh gum mhàthair mi;
A ghràidh, leig dhachaigh gum mhàthair mi;
A ghaoil, leig dhachaigh gum mhàthair mi –
An tòir chrodh-laoigh a thàine mi.
II
Gur ann a-raoir a chuala mi
Mo ghaol a bhith ri buachailleachd,
’S ged fhuair thu ’n iomall na buaile mi,
A ghaoil, leig dhachaigh mar fhuair thu mi.
III
‘S mi dìreadh ris na gàrraidhean,
’S a’ teàrnadh ris na fàirichean,
Gun d’ thachair fleasgach bàigheil rium,
’S cha d’ dh’ fheuch e bonn ga chàirdeis rium.
IV
Ged bheireadh tu crodh agus caoraich dhomh,
Ged bheireadh tu eachaibh air thaodaibh dhomh,
Ged bheireadh tu sin agus daoine dhomh,
A ghaoil, leig dhachaigh mar fhuair thu mi.
V
Trodaidh m’ athair ’s mo mhàthair riut,
Trodaidh mo chinneadh ’s mo chàirdean riut,
Ach marbhaidh mo thriùir bhràithrean thu
Mura tèid mi dhachaigh mar thàine mi.
VI
Gheall mo mhàthair gùn thoirt dhomh,
Gheall i ribean a b’ ùire dhomh,
Is gheall i breacan ùr thoirt dhomh
Ma thèid mi dhachaigh mar fhuair thu mi.

English translation *
I
Love, let me home to my mother
Darling, let me home to my mother
Love, let me home to my mother
I only came for the cattle.
II
It was only last night
That I heard that my love was herding
And though you found me at the brim of the  fold
Love, let me home as you found me.
III
I was clambering up the dykes
And descending the ridges
When a friendly lad met me
And he did not enforce his friendship on me.
IV
Though you were to give me cattle and sheep
Though you were to give me tethered horses
Though you were to give me that and men
Love, let me home as you found me.
V
My mother and father will chastise you
My clan and my relatives will chastise you
But my three brothers will kill you
If I don’t return home as I came.
VI
My mother promised me a gown
Decorated with the newest of ribbons
And she promised me a new plaid
If I return home the way you found me. 		 traduzione italiano Cattia Salto
I
Mio caro, fammi tornare a casa da mia madre
Fammi tornare a casa da mia madre
Amore (1), fammi tornare a casa da mia madre
Sono arrivata qui solo per il bestiame (2).
II
E ‘ stato solo la scorsa notte
Ho sentito che il mio amore era al pascolo
E anche se mi hai trovata ai bordi del pascolo
Fammi tornare a casa come mi hai trovata.
III
Mi arrampicavo sulle erte
E scendevo dalle creste,
Quando un giovanotto cordiale mi ha incontrato
E non mi ha imposto la sua amicizia.
IV
Anche se tu potessi darmi bestiame e pecore,
Anche se tu potessi darmi dei cavalli impastoiati,
Anche se tu potessi darmi questo e dei servitori,
Fammi tornare a casa come mi hai trovata.
V
Mia madre e mio padre ti puniranno
Il mio clan e i miei parenti ti puniranno
Ma i miei tre fratelli ti uccideranno
Se non tornassi a casa come sono venuta.
VI
Mia madre mi ha promesso un abito
Decorato con i nastri più nuovi
E lei mi ha promesso un nuovo mantello
Se tornassi a casa come mi hai trovata.

NOTE
1) the girl coaxes the kelpie, but to call him “my love” it is a bit out of the context of a fleeting encounter, maybe they have lived together and now she feels homesick . Yet that of the girl is clearly a plea of not being violated to return home with her virginity intact [la fanciulla blandisce il kelpie, ma chiamarlo amore mio è un po’ fuori dal contesto di un fugace incontro, forse i due hanno vissuto insieme per un po’ di tempo e adesso lei sente la nostalgia di casa. Eppure quella della fanciulla è chiaramente una supplica di non essere violata per ritornare a casa con la sua verginità intatta]
2) the girl justifies her curiosity by explaining that she had gone to those solitary places for her job as guardian of the family’s cattle; in the next stanza she even explains that she hoped to meet another herdsman / shepherd boy; that is she is there for the cattle, not for sex [la fanciulla giustifica la sua curiosità spiegando di essersi spinta verso quei luoghi solitari nella sua mansione di guardiana del bestiame della famiglia; nella strofa successiva addirittura spiega che sperava d’incontrare un altro mandriano/pastorello; lei è li per il bestiame, non per fare sesso]

“Up, ride with the kelpie” by Ian Anderson

LINK
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/104490/4
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/36511/4
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/85703/4
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/26812/4

Dream Angus the scottish Sandy (l’omino dei sogni scozzese)

“Dream Angus” is the Scottish version of Sandman (affectionately called Sandy) a mythical character of Northern Europe folklore, the sandy wizard, who brings happy dreams sprinkling magic sand into the eyes of sleeping children. In the animated movie by Dreamworks “Rise of the Guardians” he is a mute character who communicates through images formed with his magic golden dust; always cheerful, provides children with beautiful dreams and unleashes their imagination.
[“Dream Angus” è la versione scozzese dell’Omino dei Sogni (in inglese Sandman chiamato affettuosamente Sandy) un personaggio mitico del folklore del Nord Europa, il mago sabbiolino, che porta sogni felici cospargendo di sabbia magica gli occhi dei bambini addormentati. Nella versione animata della Dreamworks “Le 5 Leggende” (in inglese “Rise of the Guardians”) è un personaggio muto che comunica attraverso immagini formate con la sua dorata polvere magica; sempre allegro, fornisce ai bambini dei bei sogni e sbriglia la loro immaginazione.]

 OleLukoie By Fagilewhispers.jpg

In the fairy tale of Andersen, Ole Lukøje (in English Ole-Luk-Oie) tells the sleeping children fantastic stories opening up an umbrella full of drawings on their heads (but only good children can make happy dreams, the disobedient ones sleep without dreams and the little man opens an umbrella without drawings on their heads). The italian Gianni Rodari has undergone the charm of this character dedicating him a nursery rhyme in which he outlined a mischievous but good-natured spirit.
[Nella fiaba di Andersen Ole Chiudigliocchi (Ole Lukøje in inglese Ole-Luk-Oie) racconta ai bambini addormentati delle storie fantastiche aprendo sopra alla loro testa un ombrello pieno di disegni (ma solo i bambini buoni possono essere felici nel sogni, quelli disobbedenti dormono senza sogni e l’omino apre sulle loro teste un ombrello senza disegni). Il nostro Gianni Rodari ha subito il fascino del personaggio dedicandogli una filastrocca in cui l’onimo dispettoso ma bonario dorme sotto il nostro comò di giorno.]

And yet Hoffmann recounts about Der Sandmann who is a dark version of the boogeyman: he snatch the eyes of the children who does not want to sleep to feed his ravenous offspring.
E tuttavia Hoffmann racconta dell’uomo della sabbia (Der Sandmann) che è una cupa versione dell’uomo nero: ai bambini che non volevano dormire strappava gli occhi per darli in pasto alla sua è famelica prole dal becco ricurvo come i rapaci della notte.]

Angus

In the Celtic mythology Angus (Aengus) is the god of youth, of poetic inspiration and love, son of the Nymph Boann and of the Dagda of the Tuatha Dé Danann. In a scottish goodnight song he is called “Dream Angus“, the god of dreams and by night he carries a bag full of dreams. His wife is Caer Ibormeith and their love story is the meeting of the twin souls that can not be separated.
[Nella mitologia celtica Angus (Aengus) è il dio della giovinezza, dell’ispirazione poetica e dell’amore, figlio della Ninfa Boann e del Dagda dei Tuatha Dé Danann. In una canzone della buonanotte è chiamato “Dream Angus”, il dio dei sogni e la notte porta una sacca piena di sogni in vendita. Sua moglie è Caer Ibormeith (Bacca di Tasso) la loro storia  è l’incontro delle anime gemelle che non possono essere separate. ]

Twin souls

Illustration from The Dream of Aengus, by Ted Nasmith

 According to the myth, Angus fell in love with a maiden he saw in his dreams.
But she was under a spell and to be able to free her, Angus had to recognize her while she was living in the form of a swan. After much research he knew he would have to waited till Samain for going to Lake Dragon’s Mouth (Loch Bel Dracon), where he found 150 swans tied to couples with silver chains.
[Secondo il mito, Angus si innamorò della fanciulla che vedeva nei suoi sogni. Ma la fanciulla era sotto un sortilegio e per poterla liberare Angus doveva riconoscerla mentre viveva nella forma di cigno. Dopo molte ricerche seppe di doverla aspettare per la festa di Samain al lago di Dragon’s Mouth (Loch Bel Dracon in italiano Bocca del Drago) dove trovò 150 cigni legati a coppie con catene d’argento.]

Aengus sings in front of the lake during his transformation into a swan [Aengus canta davanti al lago nella sua trasformazione in cigno]- John Duncan 1908
Angus turned into a swan to call Caer, so they flew together over the lake three times singing a sweet melody that fell asleep all Ireland for three days and three nights; now they live in Brugh Na Boinne (Newgrange).
[Angus si trasformò in cigno per poter chiamare la sua Caer, così volarono insieme sorvolando il lago per tre volte cantavano una dolce melodia che addormentò l’Irlanda per tre giorni e tre notti; ora dimorano nel Brugh Na Boinne (Newgrange).]

Yeats dedicates a poem to him The song of wandering Aengus published in 1899, in the collection of poems “The Wind among the reeds”.
The first to put the poem into music was the same Yeats who composed or adapted a traditional Irish melody: in 1907 he published his essay ‘Speaking to the Psaltery’ in which the poem is recited bardically, sung with the accompaniment of the psaltery; but many other artists were inspired by the text and composed further melodies. (see more)

Yeats gli dedica una poesia The song of wandering Aengus (La canzone di Aengus l’errante) pubblicata nel 1899, nella raccolta di poesie “The Wind among the reeds” (Il vento fra le canne). Il primo a mettere in musica la poesia è stato lo stesso Yeats che la compose o che vi adattò una melodia tradizionale irlandese : nel 1907 diede alle stampe il suo saggio ‘Speaking to the Psaltery’ in cui la poesia viene recitata alla maniera bardica ovvero cantata con l’accompagnamento del salterio; ma molti altri artisti furono ispirati dal testo e composero ulteriori melodie. continua

Dream Angus

Dream Angus is a legendary character in Scottish folklore that brings beautiful dreams to sleeping children.
“From the moment Angus is born it is obvious that he is a gentle spirit and will be universally loved. Songbirds circle his head to serenade him to sleep as he rocks in his cradle, and the wildest hunting dog calms when in his presence.” (from qui)
Angus dei Sogni è un personaggio leggendario nel folklore scozzese che porta bei sogni ai bambini addormentati “Subito dalla sua nascita Angus è uno spirito gentile e sarà universalmente amato: gli uccelli canterini gli girano intorno alla testa per farlo addormentare, mentre si dondola nella culla, e il cane da caccia più selvaggio si calma quando è in sua presenza“.

Jackie Oates

Jean-Luc Lenoir in Old Celtic & Nordic Lullabies” 2016

Lynn Morrison


I
Can ye no hush your weepin’?
All the wee lambs are sleepin’
Birdies are nestlin’ nestlin’ together
Dream Angus is hirplin’ oer the heather
Chorus
Dreams to sell, fine dreams to sell
Angus is here wi’ dreams to sell
Hush my wee bairnie and sleep without fear
Dream Angus has brought you a dream my dear.
II
List’ to the curlew cryin’
Faintly the echos dyin’
Even the birdies and the beasties are sleepin’
But my bonny bairn is weepin’ weepin’
III (1)
Soon the lavrock sings his song
Welcoming the coming dawn
Lambies coorie doon the gither
Wi’ the yowies in the heather
 Traduzione italiano Cattia Salto
I
Perchè non smetti di piangere?
Tutti gli agnellini sono addormentati,
gli uccellini si stanno accoccolando insieme
Angus dei Sogni si aggira per la brughiera
Coro
Sogni da vendere, bei sogni da vendere
Angus è qui con i sogni da vendere
shhh mio piccolino, dormi senza paura
Angus dei Sogni ti ha portato un sogno mio caro
II
Ascolta il chiurlo che grida
piano si smorza l’eco
anche gli uccellini e le bestie dormono
ma il mio piccolino piange, piange
III
Presto l’allodola leverà il suo canto
per salutare l’arrivo dell’alba
gli agnelli si rannicchiano assieme
con le pecorelle nell’erica

NOTE
1) or
Sweet the lavrock sings at morn,
Heraldin’ in a bright new dawn.
Wee lambs, they coorie doon taegether
Alang with their ewies in the heather.

The musical arrangements are however for everyone.
[Gli arrangiamenti sono però per tutti i gusti]
Debra Fotheringham

The Corries

Annie Lennox

Nam bu leam fhin thu thaladhainn thu

The melody of Dream Angus is very similar to a Gaelic lullaby “Nam bu leam fhin thu thaladhainn thu“, which is believed to have been sung by a fairy to an abandoned human child in the forest. On the Isle of Skye (Hebrides) it is associated with MacLeods clan of Dunvegan, who took enchanted creatures as nurses for their children.
Christina Stewart reports a couple of legends associated with this song:
In an alternative story, the wife of the chief of the MacLeods gives birth to a baby, much to the joy of the family.  However, the mother is a fairy woman and while the child is still a baby, she is forced to return to her own people.  One night, there is a great feast going on in Dunvegan Castle and the nursemaid who is supposed to be caring for the child is so attracted by the colour and festivity that she leaves the baby sleeping and goes to watch.  While she is away, the baby wakens and begins to cry.  When she hears it, she comes back and finds a woman cradling the baby, singing this song to him.  She has wrapped the child in an embroidered, yellow covering.  As the child calms, the woman hands the child back to the nursemaid and leaves.  The story goes that the woman was the baby’s mother, returned to see that her child was kept from harm and the yellow cover was the so-called Fairy Flag of Dunvegan, a banner which the clan should wave at times of dire need.  Legend has it that this otherworldly banner has miraculous powers and when unfurled in battle, the clan MacLeod would invariably defeat their enemies.  It can only be waved 3 times, though, after which it will fall into dust.  The flag has been waved twice so far – in 1480 at Blàr Bàgh na Fala and ten years later at the Battle of Glendale.  The flag itself certainly exists and is a popular attraction at Dunvegan Castle.  There are many stories associated with it and it’s origins and this is not the only lullaby said to have been sung by the baby’s mother. (from here)
La melodia di Dream Angus è molto simile a una ninna nanna gaelica “Nam bu leam fhin thu thaladhainn thu”, che si ritiene sia stata cantata da una fata a un bambino umano abbandonato nella foresta. Sull’isola di Skye (Isole Ebridi) è associata al clan MacLeods di Dunvegan che prendeva delle creature fatate come balia per i figli.
Christina Stewart riporta un paio di leggende associate a questo canto “In una storia alternativa, la moglie del capo dei MacLeod da alla luce un bambino, tutto per la gioia della famiglia. Tuttavia, la madre è una fata e quando il bambino è ancora piccolo, è costretta a tornare dalla sua stessa gente. Una notte, c’è una grande festa in corso nel Castello di Dunvegan e la bambinaia che doveva prendersi cura del bambino è così distratta dalla festa che lascia il bambino addormentato e va a vedere. Mentre lei è via, il bambino si sveglia e comincia a piangere. Quando lo sente, torna e trova una donna che culla il bambino, cantando questa canzone per lui. Aveva avvolto il bambino in una coperta gialla ricamata. Mentre il bambino si calma, la donna restituisce il bambino alla balia e se ne va. La storia racconta che la donna era la madre del bambino, tornata a vedere che il suo bambino fosse al sicuro e la copertina gialla era la cosiddetta “Fairy Flag of Dunvegan”, uno stendardo che il clan avrebbe dovuto agitare nei momenti di estremo bisogno. La leggenda narra che questo vessillo ultraterreno abbia poteri miracolosi e quando dispiegato in battaglia, il clan MacLeod avrebbe invariabilmente sconfitto i loro nemici. Può essere sventolato solo 3 volte, dopo di che cadrà nella polvere. La bandiera è stata sventolata due volte finora – nel 1480 a Blàr Bàgh na Fala e dieci anni dopo nella Battaglia di Glendale. La bandiera di per sé certamente esiste ed è un’attrazione popolare al Castello di Dunvegan. Ci sono molte storie associate ad esso e alle sue origini e questa non è l’unica ninnananna che si dice sia stata cantata dalla madre del bambino.”

Christina Stewart in Bairn’s Kist 2011

Scottish gaelic
Thàladhainn, thàladhainn, thàladhainn thu
Nam bu leam fhìn thu, leanabh mo chìche
Nam bu leam fhìn thu, thàladhainn thu
Thàladhainn, thàladhainn, thàladhainn thu
English translation:
If you were mine, I would lull you
Lull, lull, lull you
If you were mine, child of my breast
If you were mine, I would lull you
Lull, lull, lull you		 traduzione italiano Cattia Salto
Se tu fossi mio, ti cullerei
cullerei, cullerei
se tu fossi mio, bimbo del mio seno
se tu fossi mio, ti cullerei
cullerei, cullerei

LINK
http://www.rampantscotland.com/songs/blsongs_dream.htm
http://bardmythologies.com/aengus-og/
http://www.kistodreams.org/dreamangus.asp
https://thesession.org/tunes/16464
http://www.ericdentinger.com/dream-angus_en.html
http://www.kistodreams.org/index.asp?pageid=652608

Crònan Cuallaich a herding croon

Leggi in italiano

“Crònan Cuallaich” is a Scottish Gaelic song collected on the island of Benbecula (Hebrides) and also transcribed by Alexander Carmicheal in his “Carmina Gadelica” Vol I # 105.
In English “herding croon” is a prayer of protection, sung to the grazing cattle to keep it quiet. The structure, however, is that of the waulking song and as such handed down in the Hebrides.

Russet Highland Cattle, Uig Beach, Isle of Lewis. © J. Lynn Stapleton, 1st August 2013

The Highland cow looks very funny, it almost seems like a Himalayan jak, it is a bovine breed originally from Scotland, also known as Hebridean breed, Hairy Coo, Heilan Coo or Kyloe. With a long, thick and bristly fur and horns of up to one and a half meters it is docile in character, lives outdoors all year round and rarely gets sick. Its particular physical constitution is due to the adaptation to cold and even glacial climates. As far as one single race is concerned, there are two ancestors: one of black color and of smaller size, the other one of reddish color and of bigger size. The breed is very appreciated for its meat (lean and without cholesterol), and has been exported to various parts of the world in America, Australia and Europe, in Italy we find it in South Tyrol, Veneto, Liguria and Lombardy.

Distant Oaks in “Gach Là agus Oidhche: Music of Carmina Gadelica” 2003

An crodh an diugh a dol imirig,
Hill-i-ruin is o h-ug o,
Ho ro la ill o,
Hill-i-ruin is o h-ug o,
Dol a dh’ itheadh feur na cille,
Hill-i-ruin is o h-ug o,
Am buachaille fein ann ’g an iomain,
Ho ro la ill o,
Hill-i-ruin is o h-ug o,
’G an cuallach, ’g an cuart, ’g an tilleadh,
Hill-i-ruin is o h-ug o,
Bride bhith-gheal bhi ’g am blighinn,
Hill-i-ruin is o h-ug o,
Muire mhin-gheal bhi ’g an glidheadh,
Hill-i-ruin is o h-ug o,
’S Iosa Criosda air chinn an slighe,
Iosa Criosda air chinn an slighe.
Hill-i-ruin is o h-ug o.

english translation
The cattle are today going a-flitting(1),
Going to eat the grass of the burial place,(2)
Their own herdsman there to tend them,
Tending them, fending them, turning them,
Be the gentle Bride(3) milking them,
Be the lovely Mary keeping them,
And Jesu Christ at the end of their journey.
 NOTE
1) escaping on the sly
2) according to the testimony of Marjory Kennedy-Fraser the locality of reference is Grimnis (Griminish) in particular a fairy hill (a burial mound)
3) the goddess Bride is syncretically approached to Jesus Christ and to the Virgin Mary. The invocation to the Gruagach, the sea maid, a sort of guardian spirit of the house and of the cattle, is inevitable

UIST CATTLE CROON

The song is among those collected by Marjory Kennedy-Fraser in his trip to the Hebrides and merged in her book “Songs of the Hebrides“. The melody is also reported by Frances Tolmie who collected it at Kilmaluagon on the Isle of Skye.
Alison Pearce in Land of Hearts Desire – Songs of the Hebrides. A classical version (soprano and harp) with the arrangement of Kennedy-Fraser


I
Today the kye win to hill pasture,
Hill-i-ruin is o h-ug o,
Sweet the grass of cool hill pastures
Hill-i-ruin is o h-ug o,
Breedja(3) fair white be at their milking,
Hill-i-ruin is o h-ug o,
Lead the kye to the hill pastures
Hill-i-ruin is o h-ug o,
II
Today the kye “flit”(1) to hill pastures
There to graze on sweet hill grasses
Mary(1), gentle be at their keeping,
Keeping all out on hill pastures
 NOTE
1)Bride and the virgin Mary are confused in a single protective deity, or in this version of the rev Kenneth Macleod Mary is more prosaically a beautiful herdswiman. The task of watching cattle in the pastures was once reserved for boys and girls.

the kulning of Jonna Jinton

A pretty girl milking her cow

Sources
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cg1/cg1114.htm
http://ontanomagico.altervista.org/imbolc.htm
https://terreceltiche.altervista.org/gruagach-mhara-a-gruagach-or-a-selkie/
https://jlstapletonphotography.me/2013/08/

Crodh Chailein (Colin’s cattle) a highlands milking song

Leggi in italiano

In the rural economy of the past milking the cows (as well as the preparation of butter and cheese) was a task performed by women. Thus the wisdom of the Celtic women has given rise to a whole series of work songs, which are also spells to ward off the evil eye and to calm the cows, so that the milk production is abundant and blessed. It is well known that goblins are fond of butter and milk, and folklore includes witches and disturbing animals like milk suckers with hostile intentions, or determined to make the milk sour, or to prevent the transformation of the cream into butter!

THE SYMBOLS OF THE GODDESS

A maiden milking a cow is a figure found carved on the walls of many medieval churches, and is a very old presence in the land of Ireland, or more generally along the coasts of Europe: already in the megalithism there are names like The Cow and Calf attributed to particular rocks.. see more

MILKING SONG: Colin’s cattle

In the peasant world there existed a whole series of prayers and invocations, often in the form of songs, which were part of the cultural baggage dating back to the time of the Druids; these Ortha nan Gaidheal in Scottish Gaelic, come from the bardic tradition that survived in the folklore, through the centuries of Christianity and despite the English cultural hegemony, and were collected and translated at the end of 1800 by Alexander Carmichael (1832-1912), who published them in his book “Carmina Gadelica”.

Adriaen_van_de_Velde“Crodh Chailein” ( “Colin’s cattle”) is classified as a “milking song” and recorded on the field by Alan Lomax (South Uist) in the 1950s: it is a lullaby whispered to the cows to keep them quiet during milking, and to stimulate them magically in the production of a lot of milk. Scottish cows are so used to this treatment that they do not give milk without a song !!
Listen these three milking songs in sequence:: “Crodh Chailein”, “Chiùinan Ghràidh” e “a’ Bhanarach Chiùin”

Ethel Bassin in her “The Old Songs of Skye: Frances Tolmie and her Circle” (1997) shows two verses of the song collected by Isabel Cameron of the Isle of Mull (internal Hebrides) along with the legend of its origin reported by Niall MacLeòid , “the Skye bard.”
Who sings is the woman kidnapped by the fairies on her wedding day and yet she gets permission to go every day to milk the cows of her husband named Colin: the husband can hear her singing but he can not see her. The bard assures us that the woman will return after one year and a day to her human husband! The abduction of the bride on wedding day was not so remote a possibility according to the beliefs of the time and there were many tricks to keep the fairies away in that occasion! (see more).
According to another legend, Colin’s wife dies at a young age and comes back a few months after her burial for the evening milking of the cows singing this song

Mary Cameron Mackellar writes in her essay ‘The Shieling: Its Traditions and Songs’ (Gaelic Society of Inverness 1889 from here) “Weird women of the fairy race were said to milk the deer on the mountain tops, charming them with songs composed to a fairy melody or “fonn-sith.”  One of these songs is said to be the famous “Crodh Chailein.”  I give the version I heard of it, and all the old people said the deer were the cows referred to as giving their milk so freely under the spell of enchantment. .. Highland cows are considered to have more character than the Lowland breeds, and when they get irritated or disappointed, they retain their milk for days.  This sweet melody sung – not by a stranger, but by the loving lips of her usual milkmaid – often soothes her into yielding her precious addition to the family supply.”
Mary Mackellar lyrics
Seist (chorus)
Chrodh Chailein, mo chridhe,
Crodh Iain, mo ghaoil,
Gun tugadh crodh Chailein,
Am bainn’ air an fhraoch.
I
Gun chuman, gun bhuarach,
Gun lao’-cionn, gun laogh,
Gun ni air an domhan,
Ach monadh fodh fhraoch.
II
Crodh riabhach breac ballach,
Air dhath nan cearc-fraoicb,
Crodh ‘lionadh nan gogan
‘S a thogail nan laogh.
III
Fo ‘n dluth-bharrach uaine,
‘S mu fhuarain an raoin,
Gun tugadh crodh Chailein
Dhomh ‘m bainn’ air an fhraoch.
IV
Crodh Chailein, mo chridhe,
‘S crodh Iain, mo ghaoil,
Gu h-uallach ‘s an eadar-thrath,
A beadradh ri ‘n laoigh

The melody (see) also called Crochallan is also known as My Heart’s In The Highlands . The oldest version in print (text and score) is in “The Elizabeth Ross Manuscript” (1812)

Donald Sinclair from Tiree 1968
♪

Between the Times

Scots Gaelic (from here)
Seist (chorus)
Crodh Chailein mo chridhe
Crodh chailein mo ghaoil
Gu’n tugadh crodh Chailein
Dhomh bainn’ air an fhraoch
I
Gu’n tugadh crodh Chailein
Dhomh bainn’ air an raon
Gun chuman(1), gun bhuarach
Gun luaircean(2), gun laugh.
II
Gu’n tugadh crodh Chailein
Dhomh bainne gu leoir
Air mullach a’ mhonaidh
Gun duine ‘nar coir
III
Gu bheil sac air mo chridhe
’S tric snidh air mo ghruaidh
agus smuairean air m’aligne
Chum an cadal so bhuam
IV
Cha chaidil, cha chaidil
cha chaidil mi uair
cha chaidil mi idir
gus an tig na bheil uam.		 The cattle of Colin my dearest,
The cattle of Colin my love,
Colin’s cattle would give me milk
Upon the heather
I
Colin’s cattle would give me milk
Upon the field,
without a cogue(1), without a shackle,
without a luaircean(2), without a calf.
II
Colin’s cattle would give
plenty of milk to me,
on top of the moor
without anyone near us.
III
There is a weigh on my dart,
and often tears on my cheek,
And sorrow on my mind
That has kept sleep from me.
IV
I will not sleep, I will not sleep,
I will not sleep an hour,
I will not sleep at all
until what I long for returns.

NOTE
1) cogue = wooden vessel used for milking cows
2) luaircean = a substitute calf, an inanimate prop over which the skin of a milk cow’s deceased calf was draped, in order to console her with it’s scent, thus encouraging her to continue to produce milk

Morvyn Menzies


English translation Charles Stewart*
I
I won’t sleep, I won’t sleep
I won’t sleep one hour,
I won’t sleep at all
Until what was taken returns.
II
May Colin’s cattle give me
Milk for their love of me,
At the top of the hill
With no one nearby.
Chorus
Cows of my beloved Colin
Iain’s cows, my dear;
Cows that would fill up the milking bucket,
Cows that rear the calves
III
My heart is heavy,
Tears frequently on my cheeks,
My mind is dejected,
And this stops me sleeping.
IV
I won’t go to the birch wood
Or gathering nuts;
On a brown, ragged plaid
I wait for the cows.
 Scots Gaelic (from here)
I
Cha chaidil, cha chaidil,
Cha chaidil mi uair,
Cha chaidil mi idir
Gus an tig na bheil bhuam.
II
Gun toireadh crodh Chailein,
Dhomh bainn’ air mo ghaol,
Air mullach a’ mhonaidh,
Gun duine nar taobh.
Seist (chorus)
Crodh Chailein mo chridhe,
Crodh Iain, mo ghaoil;
Crodh lìonadh nan gogan,
Crodh togail nan laogh.
III
Gu bheil sac air mo chridhe,
’S tric snigh’ air mo ghruaidh,
Agus smuairean air m’ aigne,
Chùm an cadal seo bhuam.
IV
Cha tèid mi don bheithe,
No thional nan crò;
Air breacan donn ribeach
Tha mi feitheamh nam bò.

NOTE
* in “The Killin Collection of Gaelic Songs”


typical pipe band version

second part

SOURCE

http://www.skyelit.co.uk/poetry/collect21.html
http://www.lochiel.net/archives/arch116.html
http://scotsgaelicsong.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/scots-gaelic-song-crodh-chailein/ http://plover.net/~agarvin/faerie/Text/Music/54.html
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/57427/8;jsessionid=97E1C046ADC0124A757755FF5E401B2F
https://thesession.org/tunes/11647

Auld Lang Syne: melodies in search of an author

auld

Leggi in italiano

At New Year’s Eve the most widespread song in Scottish homes is Auld Lang Syne, a song sung all over the world on many occasions.
The song is accompanied by a collective ritual: in a circle we hold each other’s hands during the first verse. Then the arms must be crossed by grasping the hands of the neighbor during the last verse.

The title is composed of three terms in Scottish that mean old, long, since three words to indicate the past time, “the good old days”. This is an old song that Robert Burns says he heard from an elderly singer, Burns also states that the song had been passed down only orally. Here is the correspondence between Burns and the publisher George Thomson (1793): “The following song, an old song, of the olden times, and which has never been in print, nor even in manuscript until I took it down from an old man’s singing, is enough to recommend any air”

Similar rhymes and melodies date back to 1500: in particular two, the ballad Auld Kyndnes Foryett -in Bannatyne Manuscript 1568- and the ballad attributed to the court poet Sir Robert Ayton (1570-1638) published in 1711 by James Watson in “Choice Collection of Scots Poems” collection; for the latter some verses are the same that are found in the Burns’ ones.
Should auld Acquaintance be forgot,
and never thought upon,
The Flames of Love extinguished,
And freely past and gone?
Is thy kind Heart now grown so cold
In that Loving Breast of thine,
That thou canst never once reflect
On Old-long-syne?

In 1724 Allan Ramsay wrote in his “A Collection of Songs” the song entitled “Should auld acquaintance be forgot” (perhaps taken from the sixteenth-century ballad Auld Kyndnes Foryett) and the song was then published in Vol 1 of the “Scots Musical Museum” 1787, with the title “Auld Lang Syne” but the verses are light years away from those of Burns!

THE MELODIES 
"O Can Ye Labor Lea" ♪
"For old long Gine my jo" ♪ 
(from Playford in "Original Scotch Tunes" 1700)

Johnson publishes “Auld Lang Syne” from the first version of Burns in the Scots Musical Museum, vol 5, 1796; but Robert Burns sent his writings about this song even to the publisher George Thomson, and in particular his third version. Later, Thomson learns from Stephen Clarke that Johnson already had a copy of Burns’ song and that the melody was always transcribed by Johnson in the version of Ramsay. Burns, so he replies:‘The two songs you saw in Clarke’s are neither of them worth your attention. The words of ‘Auld lang syne are good, but the music is an old air, the rudiments of the modern tune of that name. The other tune you may hear as a common Scots country dance.’ Burns 1794.

So the first melody that Robbie calls “an old air” is that published by Johnson “O Can Ye Labor Lea“, while the second melody “For old long Gine my jo” is the one in Playford.

THE MARK OF A GENIUS

Burns’ merit was to write a couple of verses and to modify and arrange the others. A fragment written by Robert Burns in 1793 is kept at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum (see)

THE MERIT OF THE EDITOR

WhenGeorge Thomson published “Auld Lang Syne” in the “Select Collection of Original Scottish Airs”, 1799 replaced the first melody with the much more popular one in the eighteenth century called “The Miller’s Wedding” (formerly in “Scots Reels”, Bremner 1759) and commonly called ‘Sir Alexander Don’s Strathspey’ because also played by the famous violinist Niel Gow: a typically Scottish dance melody the strathspey!

THE EDITOR MELODY WITH BURNS’ VERSES


George Thomson republished “Auld Lang Syne” in 1817 with a new arrangement by the Czech composer Leopold Kozeluch


Burns had already reused the same melody in two songs: “O can ye labor lea” ( “I fee’d a man at Martinmas”) and “Coming thro ‘the rye.

THE LEGEND ON DAVID RICCIO

Lately on the web (of course only on Italian sites) in the wake of Jesse Blackadder’s novel “The Raven’s Heart”, 2011 they have spread the attribution of the melody to Davide Rizzo (or David Riccio as they called in Scotland ). The journalist and writer Renzo Rossotti (in “Assassinio in Scozia” da “Piemonte magico e misterioso”, Newton Compton Editori, 1994 see) in his “Assassinio in Scozia” reports an italian legend according to which David Riccio is the author of “Auld Lang Syne”, but this is indeed a legend.

Two old friends, meeting after many years of separation, remember the youth and toast to the old days!

AULD LANG SYNE
Robert Burns 1799 (George Thomson)

Dougie MacLean in Tribute– 1996
Velvety voice, pronounced seductively scottish, guitar background, a delicate arrangement

AULD LANG SYNE Robert Burns in SMM vol 5 1796 (James Johnson)

 Jim Malcolm  in Acquaintance
Velvety voice, pronounced seductively scottish, a splash of notes on the piano, guitar and violin background. The melody is slightly different as the sequence of strophes I, IV, II, III, V and the theme of the Waltz is recorded in the final played by the guitar alone

Paolo Nutini

Eddi Reader


I
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days auld lang syne?
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear(1),
For days auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For days auld lang syne!
II
We twa hae run about the braes(3)
And pou’d the gowans(4) fine,
But we’ve wander’d monie a weary fit(5),
Sin days auld lang syne.
III
We twa hae paidl’d in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid(6) hae roar’d,
Sin days auld lang syne.
IV
And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp(2)
And surely I’ll be mine,
And we’ll tak a cup o kindness(8) yet,
For days auld lang syne!
V
And there’s a hand my trusty fiere(7),
And gie’s a hand o thine,
And we’ll tak a right guid-willie waught(8),
For days auld lang syne
 NOTE
1) or “jo”
2) stowp= vessel, 
3) braes= hills,
4) gowans= daisies,
5) monie a weary fit= many a weary foot,
6) braid= broad
7) fiere= friend,
8) right guid-willie waught= “cup of kindness” good toast, friendly draught, 

 

brindisiPOPULARITY IN THE WORLD

The song has been translated all over the world (in at least forty languages). The popularity of “Auld Lang Syne” derives most probably from its inclusion with the title “Farewell Waltz” in the film “Waterloo bridge” (1940) directed by Mervyn LeRoy, with Vivien Leigh and Robert Taylor. This film was the prototype of the typical Hollywood melodrama.

The famous scene of the waltz.

The Farewell Waltz version was arranged by Cedric Dumont (1916-2007) Swiss composer, author and conductor and it was translated / arranged in Italian by the authors Larici & Mauri in 1943 like danceable. At the time, the Anglo-Saxon melodies were forbidden in Italy by the war censorship, but it was enough to change the title and arrangement and here is “Il valzer delle candele”!

IL VALZER DELLE CANDELE

Tati Casoni 

I
Domani tu mi lascerai
e più non tornerai,
domani tutti i sogni miei
li porterai con te.
II
La fiamma del tuo amor
che sol per me sognai invan
è luce di candela che
già si spegne piano pian.
III
Una parola ancor
e dopo svanirà
un breve istante di
felicità.		 IV
Ma come è triste il cuor
se nel pensare a te
ricorda i baci tuoi
che non son più per me.
V
Domani tu mi lascerai
e più non tornerai,
domani tutti i sogni miei
li porterai con te.
VI
La fiamma del tuo amor
che sol per me sognai invan
è luce di candela che
già si spegne piano pian.

Nini Rosso.

The melody has finally become a new song titled “Il Canto dell’Addio” well know by all those who have been scouts, or have spent their summer in the italian colonies, or at the shelters run by priests and the like.

I
È l’ora dell’addio, fratelli,
è l’ora di partir;
e il canto si fa triste; è ver:
partire è un po’ morir.
RITORNELLO
Ma noi ci rivedremo ancor
ci rivedremo un dì
arrivederci allor, fratelli,
arrivederci sì.
II
Formiamo una catena
con le mani nelle man,
stringiamoci l’un l’altro
prima di tornar lontan.
III
Perché lasciarci e non sperar
di rivederci ancor?
Perché lasciarci e non serbar
questa speranza in cuor?		 IV
Se attorno a questo fuoco qui,
l’addio ci dobbiam dar;
attorno ad un sol fuoco un dì
sapremo ritornar.
V
Iddio che tutto vede e sa
la speme di ogni cuor;
se un giorno ci ha riuniti qui,
saprà riunirci ancor.
VI
Ma non addio diciamo allor
che ancor ci rivedrem:
arrivederci allor, fratelli,
arrivederci insiem!
VII
Fratello non dolerti se
la fiamma langue già:
doman la stessa fiamma ancor
fra noi risplenderà.

second part

LINK
http://sarahannelawless.com/2009/12/31/happy-hogmanay/ http://www.electricscotland.com/HISTORY/articles/langsyne.htm http://www.electricscotland.com/history/articles/langsyne.htm http://www.robertburns.org/encyclopedia/AuldLangSyne.5.shtml http://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/ online/AuldLangSyne/default.asp?id=4 http://burnsc21.glasgow.ac.uk/online-exhibitions/auld-lang-syne/ http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=16346 http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=29124 http://www.kultunderground.org/art/305 http://www.kultunderground.org/art/395 http://www.renzorossotti.it/notetorinesi.htm#menestrello http://www.eddireader.net/tracks/erALS.htm

A guid new year to ane an’ a’

Hogmanay is the most popular revel in Scotland and the most common songs are Auld Lang Syne and “A New Year Year tae Ane an Aa“. The second song did not become as famous as the first, but still hansellings groups sing it just after midnight to wish a Happy New Year. [Capodanno è una festa molto sentita in Scozia e i canti più comuni sono Auld Lang Syne e A Guid New Year Year tae Ane an Aa. Il secondo canto non è diventato altrettanto famoso come il primo, ma ancora i gruppi di hansellings lo cantano appena dopo la mezzanotte per augurare un Buon Anno.]

Carl Peterson in We Wish You A Merry Christmas And A Guid New Year 2009


Chorus
A guid new year to ane an’ a’
An’ mony may ye see,
An’ during a’ the years to come,
O happy may ye be.
I
An’ may ye ne’er hae cause to mourn,
To sigh or shed a tear;
To ane an’a baith great an’ sma’
A hearty guid New year.
II
O time flies past, he winna wait,
My friend for you or me,
He works his wonders day by day,
And onward still doth flee.
O wha can tell when ilka ane,
I see sae happy here,
Will meet again and merry be
Anither guid New year.
III
We twa ha’e baith been happy lang.
We ran about the braes.
In yon wee cot beneath the tree,
We spent our early days.
We ran about the burnie’s side,
The spot will aye be dear,
An’those that used to meet us there,
We’ll think on mony a year.
IV
Noo let us hope our years may be
As guid as they ha’e been,
And trust we ne’er again may see,
The sorrows we ha’e seen.
And let us wish that ane an’a’
Our friends baith far an’ near,
May aye enjoy in times to come –
A hearty guid New year!
 Traduzione italiano Cattia Salto
Coro
Un buon anno nuovo a tutti
molti altri ne possiate vedere
e negli anni a venire
possiate essere felici
I
Che non abbiate più da lamentarvi,
sospirare o versare lacrime;
per tutti, grandi e piccini
un cordiale, buon anno nuovo
II
Il tempo vola e non aspetterà
amico mio per te o per me,
fa meraviglie giorno per giorno
e in avanti fugge.
Cosa posso dire quando vedo ognuno
così felice qui?
Ci rivedremo e saremo felici
un’altro buon anno nuovo!
III
Entrambi siamo stati a lungo felici
correndo nelle valli
in quel piccolo cottage sotto gli alberi,
abbiamo trascorso i giorni della nostra giovinezza, correndo sulle rive del ruscello,
quel posto sarà sempre caro
e coloro che là incontrammo
li ricorderemo per molti anni
IV
Ora speriamo che i nostri anni siano buoni
come lo sono stati,
e speriamo che non vedremo mai più
la tristezza che abbiamo visto.
Ci auguriamo che tutti
i nostri amici sia vicini che lontani
possano gioire nei tempi a venire
un cordiale buon nuovo anno!

NOTE
english translation Cattia Salto
Chorus
A good New Year to one and all,
And many may you see!
And during all the years to come,
O happy may you be!
I
And may you never have cause to grieve,
To sigh or shed a tear!
To one and all, both great and small,
A hearty, Good New Year!
II
O time flies past, he will not wait,
My friend for you or me,
He works his wonders day by day,
And onward still do flee.
O what can tell when ever one,
I see so happy here,
Will meet again and merry be
Another good New year.
III
We two have both been happy long.
We ran about the hillsides.
In that little cottage beneath the tree,
We spent our early days.
We ran about the small stream’s side,
The spot will ever be dear,
And those that used to meet us there,
We’ll think on many a year.
IV
Now let us hope our years may be
As good as they have been,
And trust we never again may see,
The sorrows we have seen.
And let us wish that one and all
Our friends both far and near,
May aye enjoy in times to come –
A hearty good New year!

LINK
https://terreceltiche.altervista.org/hogmanay-buon-anno-nuovo/
https://www.scotslanguage.com/Hogmanay_uid60
https://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/henderson/singalong/page59.htm
http://www.rampantscotland.com/songs/blsongs_guidnewyear.htm
https://digital.nls.uk/broadsides/view/?id=16033