Original Text
'Trafferth Mewn Tafarn'
Deuthum i ddinas dethol,
A’m hardd wreangyn i’m hôl.
Cain howydraul, lle cwyn hydrum,
Cymryd, balch o febyd fum,
Llety urddedig ddigawn
Cyffredin, a gwin a gawn.
Canfod rhiain addfeindeg
Yn y ty, mau enaid teg.
Bwrw yn llwyr, liw haul dwyrain,
Fy mryd ar wyn fy myd main.
Prynu rhost, nid er bostiaw,
A gwin drud, mi a gwen draw.
Gwarwy a gâr gwyr ieuainc –
Galw ar fun, ddyn gwyl, i’r fainc.
Hustyng, bum wr hy astud,
Dioer yw hyn, deuair o hud;
Gwneuthur, ni bu segur serch,
Amod dyfod at howyferch
Pan elai y minteioedd
I gysgu; bun aelddu oedd.
Wedi cysgu, tru tremyn,
O bawb eithr myfi a bun,
Profais yn hyfedr fedru
Ar wely’r ferch; alar fu.
Cefais, pan soniais yna,
Gwymp dig, nid oedd gampau da;
Haws codi, drygioni drud,
Yn drwsgl nog yn dra esgud.
Trewais, ni neidiais yn iach,
Y grimog, a gwae’r omach,
Wrth ystlys, ar waith ostler,
Ystôl groch ffôl, goruwch ffêr.
Dyfod, bu chwedl edifar,
I fyny, Cymry a’m câr,
Trewais, drwg fydd tra awydd,
Lle y’m rhoed, heb un llam rhwydd,
Mynych dwyll amwyll ymwrdd,
Fy nhalcen wrth ben y bwrdd,
Lle’dd oedd gawg yrhawg yn rhydd
A llafar badell efydd.
Syrthio o’r bwrdd, gragwrdd drefn,
A’r ddeudrestl a’r holl ddodrefn’
Rhoi diasbad o’r badell
I’m hôl, fo’i clywid ymhell;
Gweiddi, gwr gorwag oeddwn,
O’r cawg, a’m cyfarth o’r cwn.
Yr oedd gerllaw muroedd
mawr
Drisais mewn gwely drewsawr,
Yn trafferth am eu triphac –
Hicin a Siencin a Siac.
Syganai’r gwas seog enau,
Araith oedd ddig, wrth y ddau:
‘Mae Cymro,
taer gyffro twyll,
Yn rhodio yma’n rhydwyll;
Lleidr yw ef, os goddefwn,
‘Mogelwch, cedwch rhag hwn.’
Codi o’r ostler
niferoedd
I gyd, a chwedl dybryd oedd.
Gygus oeddynt i’m gogylch
Yn chwilio i’m ceisio i’m cylch;
A minnau, hagr wyniau hyll,
Yn tewi yn y tywyll.
Gweddiais, nid gwedd eofn,
Dan gêl, megis dyn ag ofn;
Ac o nerth gweddi gerth gu,
Ac o ras y gwir Iesu,
Cael i minnau, cwlm anhun,
Heb sâl, fy henwal fy hun.
Dihengais i, da wng saint,
I Dduw’r archaf ffaddeuaint.
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'Tale of a Wayside
Inn'
With one servant,
I went down
To a sportive sort of town
Where a Welshman might secure
Comely welcome, and pleasure.
There we found the book to sign
In the inn, and ordered wine.
But whatever did I
see
But the loveliest lady
Blooming beautiful and bright,
Blossom stemming from sunlight,
Graceful as the gossamer.
I said, 'Let me banquet her!'
Feasting's a fine way, it seems,
For fulfilling young men's dreams.
So, unshy, she took
her seat
At my side, and we did eat,
Sipped our wine, and smiled and dallied
Like a man and maid, new-married.
Bold I was, but whispering,
And the others heard nothing.
Troth and tryst we
pledged, to keep
When the others were asleep.
I should find my way, and come
Through the darkness to her room.
Love would haul my steps aright
Down the hallways of the night;
Love would steer my steps, - alas,
This was not what came to pass.
For, by some outrageous
miss,
what I got was not a kiss,
But a stubble-whiskered cheek
And a triple whiskey-reek,
Not one Englishman, but three,
(What a Holy Trinity!)
Diccon, 'Enry, Jerk-off Jack,
Each one pillowed on his pack.
One of them let out
a yell,
'What's that thing I think I smell?
there's a Welshman must have hid
In the closet or under t'bed,
Come to cut our throats with knive,
Guard your wallets and your lives,
They're all thieves, beyond all doubt,
Throw the bloody bugger out!'
None too nimble for
my need,
First I found how shins will bleed
When you bark them in your haste
On a stool that's been misplaced
By some ostler-stupid fool,
Then the sawney of a stool
Squealed its pig-stuck tattle-tale
After my departing trail.
By good luck, I never
got
Wet-foot from the chamber-pot.
That was all I saved myself,
Knocked my noggin on a shelf,
Overturned the table-trestles,
Down came all the pans and kettles.
As I dove to outer dark,
All the dogs began to bark.
Asses bray, and scullions
rouse
Every sleeper in the house.
I could hear the hunt come round me,
Scowl-faced scoundrels, till they found me.
I could feel their stones and sticks,
So I clasped my crucifix,
Jesu, Jesu, Jesu dear,
Don't let people catch me here!
Since my prayer was
strong, I came
Through the mercy of His name
Safely to my room at last,
All my perils over-passed.
No girl's love to ease my plight,
Only God's that dreadful night,
To the saints be brought the praise,
And the Good Lord mend my wicked ways.
- Translated by Rolfe
Humphreys
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'Bother
in a Tavern'
I came to a choice
city
With my comely squire with me.
Fine, lively spending - [I chose]
A place for a good meal (from my youth
I have been proud), a fine
Enough lodging: and I would have wine.In that house I espied
A fair, slim girl - my lovely maid!
I put my mind (colour of the eastern sun)
Entirely on that slender, blessed one.
I bought a roast ([and] not for boasting!)
And costly wine, I and my darling.
Young men love to gad about -
I called this girl, a pure maid, out
To my bench; and then I whispered
Gallantly, boldly (this is true!) two words
Of magic; made ( I did not hang about)
A tryst, to find her out
When the crowd would at that inn
(A black-browed girl!) be sleeping.And after all, except we two (ah, trip
of woe!),
Had slept, I had a go
At finding this girl's bed
Most cleverly - there's grief [ahead]!
I had, when I was muttering, on the spot
A nasty fall - it's none too hot!
It's easier to get up (the cost of any evil deed!)
In an awkward way than with great speed.
I hit ( I did not jump unscathed)
My shin (and woe my leg) against
The side (this was the ostler’s work)
Of a shrill foolish stool, above my ankle;
I got (a sorry story)
Up (may Welshmen love me!),
I struck (too great ardour’s not too bright)
Where I was put, with no move right
(The frequent deceit of crazy banging),
My forehead on this table’s edging
Where, in the meantime, a jug was loose
And a loquacious bowl of brass.
The table fell (a sturdy piece)
The trestles, furniture, all these;
That bowl of brass, it gave a shout
Behind me, it was heard a long way out,
(I was very foolish!) the jug gave a bawl
And the dogs barked at me [last of all].Beside the great walls sleeping
Were three English men in a stinking
Bed; worried they were about their three packs –
Hickin and Jenkin and Jack.
The chop-slobber lad [among them]
Whispered in anger to the other two men:‘There’s a Welshman
– great commotion of deceit! –
Walking about this place replete
With trickery; a thief – if we allow him –
Take care, keep clear of him.’ The ostler roused all [at the inn]
–
And [now] the tale was very grim!
They frowned their way around me,
Searching and seeking about me;
And I (ugly [and] unsightly urges!)
Kept [very] silent in the dark.
Not in brave fashion there I prayed
In hiding, like a man afraid.
And by the power of prayer [for us]
And by the grace of faithful Jesus
I got myself (a sleepless huddle there),
Without reward, to my own lair.
I got away – thanks to the nearness
Of saints! Of God I plead forgiveness.
- Translated by Gwyn
Thomas
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