‘MA GREUN WAR AN KELYNN

Kernewek gans Tony Snell

 
 THERE'S A BERRY ON THE HOLLY

Literal translation
 
1) ‘Ma greun war an kelynn mar wynn ‘vel an leth,

Ha Maria ‘dhineythis Jesu ha'n maylyas yn kweth.

CHO Ha Maria ‘dhineythis Jesu agan Selwyas dhe vos,

Ha'n kelynn yw an kynsa a'n gwydh oll y'n koes,

Kelynn, kelynn!

Ha'n kelynn yw an kynsa a'n gwydh oll y'n koes,

2) ‘Ma greun war an kelynn mar wyrdh ‘vel an pras,

Ha Maria ‘dhineythis Jesu rag ri dhynn Y ras.

3) ‘Ma greun war an kelynn mar dhu ‘vel an pyg,

Ha Jesu a veu krowsys, agan Selwyas mar hweg.

4) ‘Ma greun war an kelynn mar rudh ‘vel an goes,

Ha Jesu a dhasserghis hag a reyn yn pub oes.
 1) There's a berry on the holly as white as milk,

And Mary bore Jesus and wrapped him in a cloth.

CHO And Mary bore Jesus our Saviour to be,

And the holly is the first of all trees in the wood.

Holly, holly!

And the holly is the first of all trees in the wood.

2) There's a berry on the holly as green as the meadow,

And Mary bore Jesus to give us his grace.

3) There's a berry on the holly as black as pitch,

And Jesus was crucified, our Saviour so sweet.

4) There's a berry on the holly as red as blood,

And Mary bore Jesus who reigns in every age.
 

NOTE There is already more than one version in Kernewek, but I cannot recall where they may be found. In the Oxford Book of Carols, pub. OUP (1928), the Sans Day Carol is No. 35, with footnote: “We owe the carol to the kindness of the Rev. G.H. Doble, to whom, Mr W.D. Watson sang it after hearing an old man, Mr Thomas Beard, sing it at St Day. A version in Cornish was subsequently published (‘Ma gron war'n gelinen') …”   Tony Snell