“Nighean Dubh, Nighean Donn” (“Black-haired Girl, Brown -haired Girl”) is a waulking song in which a sailor in love with a beautiful girl with black hair, hopes that she will not be courted by anyone else, because he wants to marry her as soon as he returns from the sea.
Although the verses in these working songs are mostly extemporaneous, the textual version examined lends itself to two interpretations: they met each other while they went to work as agricultural workers, and the boy to make some money, takes the sea and then he is desperate because he fears that his beauty in the meantime will marry another. In the second interpretation (which does not exclude the first) the sailor promises (if the girl will wait for him) to leave the sea and go back to being a farmer to stay close to her.
Hò ra hù a nighean dubh, nighean donn…
Hì rì ri ò nighean donn bhòidheach…
Hò ra hù a nighean dubh, nighean donn..
Nighean donn a’bhroillich glé-ghil…
As do dhéidh tha mise brònach…
Nighean donn a’ bhroillich shoilleir…
Dheannain coinneamh riut Di-Dòmhnaich…
Dheannain coinneamh riut ‘s an t-fhoghar…
Ám an t-sabhail a bhi ‘ga bhòrdadh…
Dheannain coinneamh riut ‘s an anmoch…
Ged ‘bhiodh càch a seanachas oirnn…
Anns a’ mhadainn shéid an dùdach…
Bha’gar dùsgadh an taigh Seònaid…
Mise seo a’ dol a Ghriannaig…
‘S mi gam riasladh aig na ròpan…
Thusa bruidhinn ris a’ gruagaich…
Mis’ air bhàrr a’ chuain a’ seòladh…
Thusa bruidhinn ris an nighean…
A thug gaol a cridhe dhomhsa…
Ach ma dh’fhanas tu gu Bealltainn…
Chan fhaigh Caimbeulach tha beò thu…
Chan fhaigh Caimbeulach fon ghréin thu…
Chan fhaigh Mac ‘Illean nas mòth’, thu…
Chan fhaigh Mac ‘Illean nas mòth’, thu…
‘S ann a ní mi fhín do phòsadh…
English translation Tom Thomson
Hò ra hù o black-haired girl, brown-haired girl…
Hì rì ri ò beautiful brown-haired girl…
Hò ra hù o black-haired girl, brown-haired girl..
Brown-haired girl with the very white bosom…
After you I am so sorrowful…
Brown-haired girl with the fair bosom…
I would meet you on Sunday…
I would meet you in the autumn…
the time when the barn is being filled…
I will meet you in the evening…
Though the rest will talk about us…
In the morning the horn was blown…
waking us up in Seònad’s house…
Here I am, going to Greenock…
And struggling with the rigging…
You talking with the maiden…
Me sailing over the sea…
You talking with the girl…
who gave her heart’s love to me…
But if you wait until Mayday…
No living Campbell will get you…
No Campbell under the sun will get you…
nor will any MacLean…
No more will a MacLean get you…
indeed I myself will wed you…
FOOTNOTES
(1) it describes the activity of the seasonal laborer who was going to harvest for the big farmers. See The Band o’ shearers
(2) In the eighteenth century Greenock became the main port on the west coast of Scotland and prospered through trade with the Americas, importing sugar from the Caribbean.
(3) the Celtic festival of the May
A Nighean Donn
A nigh’n donn ‘s toigh leam thu
‘S ho ro ‘s e mo roghainn thu
‘S a nigh’n donn ‘s toigh leam thu
Thaghainn thu air bhoichead
Nuair sheasadh tu air urlar
dhannsadh to gu luth-mhor
‘S ged bhithinn anns a’ chuil
Bhiodh mo shuil or a bhoichead
Brown-haired girl, I like you
Ho ro you are my choice
Brown-haired girl, I like you
I would choose your beauty
When you stand on the floor
You would dance so gracefully
And although I would be in the background
My eye would be on your beauty
OUTLANDER LESSON
How to pronounce Mo nighean donn?
LINKS
http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/lamond/nighean.htm
http://www.celticartscenter.com/Songs/Scottish/Orain_Luaidh/NigheanDubhNigheanDonn.html
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/2032/4
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/2032/4
