From: Malcolm Douglas
Subject: Lyr Add: Laddie With The Golden Hair
Date: 11 Mar 01
 
Another spin-off from the search for tunes missing from the DT.

LADDIE WITH THE GOLDEN HAIR

 
is an incomplete set of Henry Whyte ("Fionn")'s English version of the Scottish Gaelic song Oigfear A' Chùil-Dualaich.
Below is the full text in both languages; Whyte's version is for singing, and is not a precise translation.
 

 

 

OIGFHEAR A' CHUIL-DUALAICH	LADDIE WITH THE GOLDEN HAIR
(Gaelic Words from the Oranaiche)	(Translation by Henry Whyte ["Fionn"])
A fhleasgaich an fhuilt chraobhaich chais, Oigfhir a' chùil dualach; A fhleasgaich òig an òirfhuilt chais, Gur i do mhais' a bhuair mi.	Oh! laddie with the golden hair, In wavy ringlets flowing; Oh! laddie with the golden hair, Thy looks were my undoing.
Mheall thu, mheall thu, mheall thu mi; Do bhòidhichead a bhuair mi; 'Us gheall thu dhòmhs' air iomadh dòigh Gu'm biodh do stòras buan domh.	Thy beauty drew my heart to thee, But now I am deceivèd; The promises you gave to me My too fond heart believèd.
Is truagh nach robh mi 'us mo ghaol An lagan an fhraoich uaine, 'S ged laighinn tinn, gu'n éirinn slàn, 'S mo làmh 'bhi fo d'chùl dualach.	Oh! would I were in yonder glen, Now roaming with my deary; My heart would wake to joy again, Though now 'tis sad and dreary.
O, gur mise 'tha gu tinn, 'Us falt mo chinn air fuasgladh, 'S gun fhios a'm fhein ciod e'n cion-fàth 'Thug dhuits', a'ghràidh, bhi'n gruaim rium.	My locks untended loosely flow, My spirits are dejected; In vain I try the cause to know Why thou hast me neglected.
Na'm biodh agam boineid dhù-ghorm 'S ite mholach uaine, 'S mi gu'n rachadh leat, a ghaoil, Do sheòmar nan daoin'-uaisle.	If dressed in silks or satins rare, Although of lowly station, I'd to thy stately halls repair, And face each proud relation.
Bith'dh tu aig banais agus "bàl", A' mànran ris gach gruagaich, 'S bith'dh mise'n sin air chùl gach màis 'S do chàirdean ann an gruaim rium.	At balls or weddings thou art prone To flirt with many a maiden, While I, despised, must sit alone, My heart with sorrow laden.
B'òg a thug mi dhuit mo ghaol, Ged nach d'rinn mi 'bhuannachd, 'S an t-snaoim a cheangail sinn gu tearnn, I air gach ceann air fuasgladh.	The love we plighted in the glade I thought would fail us never; The knot we tied, the vows we made, I fear are loosed for ever.

 
 

Texts taken from Alfred Moffat's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Highlands. A midi made from the notation in that book goes to the Mudcat Midi Pages, but may take a while to appear; until then, it may be heard courtesy of the South Riding Folk Network site: Click to play.

Malcolm ^^