Sung by Quylkyn Tew, recorded live at the Fal Folk Club in 1976
1/ Tus vas oll mar plek dhewgh goslowes
Un hwethel’ koynt yma genev vy
Istor maw yw gyllys gans mowes
Un vowes varthys bedhav y di
Gyllys eghan yw Mathi Trewhella,
A gana mar ughel yn eglos Senor,
Lemmyn yma ev ow kana isella,
Rag an vorvoren a woles dhe’n mor.
2/ Byth ni-ve klewis na wella lev tenor,
Es Mathi, ow kana pub Sylwyth y’n keur
Pobel a bell a-wre dos dhe blu Senor, A Vorva,
Towednek, a pup sorn an nor.
3/ Un venyn ankoth a wre dos. dhy’ glewes,
Mar splann hy dewlagas avel steren nos,
Ha Mathi Trewhella, pan welas an Vowes ,
Ny-ylly nahen es hy hara didross.
4/ Glas hy dewlagas, ha’y gols ytho melyn,
Ha hy owth esedha oll yn aga mysk,
Pyu bythweth a-alsa dismygi hy losten
Yn le hy diwwewen dhe gudha lost pysk.
5/ ‘A Vathy’ yn medh hy, “Dus genev ‘dhesempis”,
Ha dhiso y-rov pup tra-oll myns yw vas,
Arghans hag owr hag ow holon a vyth dhis,
Mar pydhyth-jy harth dhe dhos genev dhe’m gwlas.
6/ ‘A Varners, mar plek, agas ankor drehevewgh
Rak kodhys yma-va dres porth agan chi,
“Pyu eus Trigys a woles? Levereugh!”,
Mathi Trewhella ha’y wreg yth-on ni.
Literal Translation:
1 Good people all, if you’ll be pleased to listen, I have a strange tale ;The story of a boy who has gone with a girl, A marvellous girl, let me addl.
Chorus: Gone alas is Matthew Trewhella, Who sang so high in ZennorChurch Now his voice is lower, singing For the mermaid at the bottom of the sea !
2 Never was heard a better tenor Than Matthew singing each Sunday inthe choir :People came from afar to Zennor parish -From Morva and Towednack and every corner of the world.
3 One strange woman would come to hear him, Her eyes as bright as stars in the night; And Matthew Trewhella, when he saw the girl, Could do no else than love her at once .
4 Blue were her eyes and her hair was yellow ; While she was sitting there amongst them all, Whoever would have guessed that her skirt Hid not her heels but a fish tail !
5 “Ah Matthew”, said she, “come with me at once,And I’ll give you everything at all that’s good : Silver and gold and my heart wiII be yours If you wiII be so bold to come with me to my country .”
6 . “Oh sailors , if you please, raise your anchor For it’s fallen across the gate of our house.’ ‘ “Tell us who is I iving down b elow?” “It ‘s Matthew Trewhella and his wife!
Open Downloadable pdf of music and Lyrics
Note
1974 entry for Gorsedh Kernow Competitions,
Version given here as sung by Quylkyn Tew in 1976.
Lyrics are in Modern Cornish (Standard Written Form).