A favourite of my Nain's (Grandmother).
A sad story of a shepherd who has been deserted by his wife and is left on his farmstead on Aberdyfi mountain with his heart broken children.
Did she ever return I wonder?
English translation in the lyrics.
lyrics
Mi geisiaf eto ganu cân
I'th gael di'n ôl, fy ngeneth lan
I'r gadair siglo ger y tân
Ar fynydd Aberdyfi
Paham, fy ngeneth hoff, paham
Gadewaist fi a'th plant dinam
Mae Arthur bach yn galw'i fam
Ei galon bron a thorri
Mae dau oer lliwaeth yn y llwyn
A'r plant yn chwarae efo'r wyn
O tyrd yn ôl, fy ngeneth fwyn
I fynydd Aberdyfi.
2. Nosweithiau hirion, niwlog, ddu
Sydd ar fy mlaen, fy ngeneth gu
O agor eto drws y ty
Ar fynydd Aberdyfi
O na chael glywed gweddi dlos
Dy Arthur bach, cyn cysgi nos
Ei rhyddiau bychan fel y rhos
Yn wylo am ei fami.
Gormesaist lawer arnaf, Men;
Gormesais innau, dyna'r ben.
O tyrd yn ôl, fy ngeneth wen
I fynydd Aberdyfi.
3. Fel hyn y geisiaf ganu cân
I'th gael di'n ôl, fy ngeneth lan
I eistedd eto ger y tân
Ar fynydd Aberdyfi.
Rwy'n cofio'th lais yn canu'n iach
Ond fedri di, na nefoedd fach
Ddiystyru gweddi plentyn bach
Sydd eisiau gweld eu fami.
Rhyw chwarae plant oedd dweud ffarwel;
Cydhaddau wnawn, a dyna ddel.
Tyrd ithau'n ôl, fy ngeneth fel,
I fynydd Aberdyfi.
I will try again to sing a song
To get you back, my pur girl
To the rocking chair near the fire
On Aberdyfi mountain
Why, my favourite girl, why
Did you leave me and my nameless children
A little Arthur calls his mother
His heart almost broken
There are two slow lambs are in the hedge
And the children play with the lambs
Oh turn back, my dear girl
To Aberdyfi mountain.
2. Long, foggy, black evenings
On my front, my dear girl
oh, open again the door of the house
On Aberdyfi mountain
You can’t hear the beautiful prayer
Of small Arthur, before he sleeps the night
To free him into dreams filled with
Tears about his mother.
I opppressed you a lot, Men;
But now I’m oppressed, that's the end.
Oh turn back, my white girl
To Aberdyfi mountain.
3. It is in this way that I will try to sing a song
To get you back, my pure girl
To sit again near the fire
On Aberdyfi mountain.
I remember my voice singing healthily
But how ca you or any other
Disregard a toddler's prayer
Want to see their mother.
It was some child's play to say goodbye;
I’ll forgive you, all will be well.
Just come back, my beautiful girl,
To Aberdyfi mountain.
Catrin O'Neill grew up by the sea in Aberdyfi, in Snowdonia, surrounded by a wealth of traditional Welsh music and culture.
Her Nain, was one of the first to introduce her to the magic of traditional folk songs, often sung in the kitchen beside the warm Aga with a cup of tea in hand.
It is her humour and ability to tell a story, that really set her aside from other folk singers....more
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