SYLVI, SYLVI

Kernewek gans Tony Snell

 
 SYLVIE, SYLVIE

Literal translation
 
O Sylvi, Sylvi, y'n hwedhel hen,

unn dydh hi a wiskas dillas den

gans pistol ha kledha, ha hardh hy mir,

hi a varogas dh'y heryas gwir.

Y'n tiredh ughel hi eth a-dre

erbynn hy heryas hi a dheuth y'n vre.

“Sav ha delirv dhymm, a Syrra ker,

po ti a verow kettoeth ha'n ger!”

Hag ev ow hepkorr y bythow da

yn medh hi, “Syrr, ‘ma hwath unn dra:

dha vysow owrek, nag eus y bar,

O, ro dhymm henna, ha my a'th spar!”

“An bysow owrek yw tokyn drudh:

mar koedh dhymm merwel, hogen my a'n kudh.”

Ha kuv hy holonn ‘vel turenn hwar,

hi eth yn-kerdh a-dhiworth hy har.

Ha ternos vyttin y'n lowarth teg

y teuthons I warbarth yn kerens hweg.

Hi a dhug y euryor ha hi ow tos,

hag ev a rudhas kepar ha ros.

“Ti gokki, prag yw dha vogh mar rudh?

Y yeunis meur dha vysow drudh:

ha my a veu a'th ladras war an vre,

Ytho y rov dhis dha bythow tre.

Ha my a'th ladras may fe hewel

yn hwir mars es ta keryas lel.

A kwruss'ta ri dhymm an bysow na

my a dennsa'n pistol gans pellenn dha!”

 
 O Sylvie, Sylvie, in the old tale,

one day she dressed in man's clothes

with a pistol and a sword, looking bold,

she rode to her true love.

Into the high country she went out:

she met her lover on the hill.

“Stand and deliver to me, dear Sir,

or else you'll die instantly!”

As he gave over his good things

she said, “Sir, there's still one thing:

your golden ring, which has no equal,

O, give me that, and I'll spare you!”

“The golden ring is a precious token:

if I must die , yet I'll keep it hidden.”

With a loving heart like a turtle-dove

she went away from her friend.

And the next day in the lovely garden

they came together as sweet lovers.

She carried his watch as she came,

and he blushed like a rose.

“You silly thing, why is your cheek so red?

I greatly longed for your precious ring:

and it was I who robbed you on the hill,

so I'll give you back your things.

And I robbed you so that it would be clear

if truly you were a loyal lover.

If you had given me that ring

I'd have fired the pistol with a good bullet!”
 

NOTE ‘The Robber' was collected by Cecil Sharp, and published in English Folk Songs Vol 2, pub. Novello (1920), No.33. In his notes he does not state the source, but he refers to the tune as “…this remarkably fine Dorian air…”. A variant of the tune, with altered rhythmic structure, became very popular in the folk revival, as the song ‘Sovay, Sovay', sung by Martin Carthy, and many others.

My words in Kernewek are close to a version collected by Sabine Baring-Gould.

With the tune above, there is scope for the singer to vary the underlaying of the words to the notes, altering the rhythm between 6/4 and 3/2 occasionally. This makes for greater rhythmic interest, just as it does if one uses the English words of the song “Sylvie, Sylvie”   Tony Snell