Melinor Ha’y Vebyon – The Miller’s Three Sons (see footnote)
Tony Snell
| MELINOR HA’Y VEBYON Kernewek gans Tony Snell 2005 | A MILLER AND HIS SONS Literal translation |
| Neb unn melinor koth ha klav yn chi A’n jeva mebyon ganso: unn, dew, tri; Ha res o dewis an moyha gwiw Dhe’n velin, rag ny via pell yn fyw. CHO Ha dha rey-fol-dyddel, ha dha rey-fol-de! An kynsa mab a alwas ev y’n chi: “A vab, ow merwel awotta vy! Mar mynn’ta dendil an velin ma Deriv dhymm fatell wre’ta negys da!” “A dasik ker, ot dha vab Jowann! A gettep sagh y latsen degves rann: Dre ladra ‘n degves a gettep sagh Yndellma my a with an velin yagh!” “A vab,” yn medh an tas, “Ellas, govy! Ny dhyssys mann a’gan myster ny. Neb toll a’n par na yw oll diles, Ha’n velin dhiso jy ny’s rov vy nes!” An nessa mab a alwas ev y’n chi: “A vab, ow merwel awotta vy! Mar mynn’ta dendil an velin ma Deriv dhymm fatell wre’ta negys da!” “A dasik ker, my yw hynwys Hew. An seghyer oll, my a’s res yn rew Ha ladra hanter ‘mes a gettep sagh: Yndellma my a with an velin yagh!” “A vab,” yn medh an tas, “Ellas, govy! Ny dhyssys mann a’gan myster ny. Neb toll a’n par na yw oll diles, Ha’n velin dhiso jy ny’s rov vy nes!” An tressa mab a alwas ev y’n chi: “A vab, ow merwel awotta vy! Mar mynn’ta dendil an velin ma Deriv dhymm fatell wre’ta negys da!” “Dha vab yowynka Wella, ‘wotta dhis! Lowena bykken dhymm yw ladra ‘n ys. Ow thowl rag gwitha agan melin yagh Yw ladra ‘n ys oll, ha daskorr an sagh!” “A vaw meurgerys, ty yw polat len! Dha vreder wokki, bydh ny wodhons ken. Ytho an velin, my a’s re dhe jy!” Hag ev a verwis, kothwas meur y vri. | A certain miller, old and ill at home Had sons with him: one, two, three; And needs must choose the most worthy of the mill, for he would not live long. CHO With your ri-fol-diddle, and your ri-fol-day! The first son he called into the house: “O son, look, I am dying! If you want to deserve this mill Tell me how you’ll do good business!” “O daddy dear, here’s your son John! From every sack I’d steal a tenth part: By stealing a tenth of every sack Thus I’ll keep the mill healthy!” “O son,” said the father, “Alas, woe is me! You haven’t learned anything of our trade. Any tax like that is totally useless, And the mill to you I’ll never give!” The second son he called into the house: “O son, look, I am dying: If you want to deserve this mill Tell me how you’ll do good business!” “O daddy dear, I am called Hugh. All the sacks, I’ll line them up in a row And steal a half out of each sack: Thus I’ll keep the mill healthy!” “O son,” said the father, “Alas, woe is me! You haven’t learned anything of our trade. Any tax like that is totally useless, And the mill to you I’ll never give!” The third he called into the house: “O son, look, I am dying! If you want to deserve this mill Tell me how you’ll do good business!” “Your youngest son William, see here for you! A pleasure always for me is stealing corn. My plan for keeping our mill healthy Is to steal all the corn, and give back the sack!” “O beloved son, you are a trusty lad! Your stupid brothers, they’ll never know otherwise. Therefore the mill, I give it to you!” And he died, old fellow of great repute. |
Note – Tony Snell: “Tune much the same as that of ‘The Miller’s Three Sons’, from the Hammond & Gardiner collection H 258. Collected in Hampshire in 1906 by a Dr Graham. See: Marrow Bones, ed Frank Purslow, pub. EFDS Publications Ltd (1965), p 56. Time signature altered from C to ¾ : result is tune very similar to that of the song ‘Doffing Mistress’ as sung by June Tabor and on the record Silly Sisters, Chrysalis Records` CHR 1101-B (1976). The singer might choose to compress the tune, by shortening the final note of each line, so that each line has 5 metrical ‘feet’ instead of 6 (and get through the song quicker that way!) “