Submitted for your approval...

[Padraic Brown <pbrown@nova.umuc.edu>]

Hi all,

Having dredged deeply into Comroig musicology, I've found this little
ditty: the Riddle Song.  (I can't do the notes in ASCII satisfactorily, so
must leave them off.) It's a rather popular song throughout Europe, and
this is a Cambrian version from Dr. Widgery's Collection of Kemper the
Rover's Repertoire.

Kemper was a wandering bard who travelled Britain, Ireland and France; 
stopping off at cottage and castle alike to play for his bread and
frequently composed tunes inspired by members of the household ("Sal
Smith's Lament", "The Governess' Peculiar Twitch", "Mrs. Widgery's
Border", "Jocko's Hapenny Nag", etc.).  In such situations, the fiddle was
his instrument of preference; but he was also quite handy with the harp,
and took away more than one prize from local contests and fairs.  Dr. 
Widgery credits Kemper with composing this version of the song; but it's
likely that he simply adapted it to the Brithenig language from French. 
In any event, it's the oldest extant version in Cambria, being of the late
16th century, while the others date from the early 17th century on.


Eo ai yn afan noig subr lla mor; mari mari dictum domini.

Ys dunaf mi ystyn drui gos; quanto quanto dixit domino.
Mi dunaf yn ceres, calgul n'a rhen; mari &c.
Mi dunaf yn coluf, os n'a rhen; quanto &c.
Mi dunaf yn ffuidin, ngarmen rhen; mari &c.

Eo rhuaf-lle ystyn drui gos: quanto &c.
Co sa si poth yn ceres, calgul n'a rhen? mari &c.
Co sa si poth yn coluf, os n'a rhen? quanto &c.
Co sa si poth yn ffuidin, ngarmen rhen? mari &c.

Mew afan mui llo rhesponnef: quanto &c.
Yn ceres in ill fflor sa n'a calgul rhen; mari &c.
Yn coluf in lla ew sa n'a os rhen; quanto &c.
Yn ffuid in ill gwenter sa ngarmen rhen; mari &c.

Padraic.