Mari Lwyd: Llantrisant
Information about the origin and development of the Mari Lwyd tradition can be found on the Mari Lwyd page on this site. This page lists the songs usually associated with the Llantrisant Mari Lwyd party.
CAN Y FARI:
In Llantrisant, this is the form of the Mari Lwyd's arrival in the chosen venue, be it a house or a pub. There is no pwnco, the questioning and answering before the entry of the Mari; instead, the Mari enters and announces her presence with this song. Only once in the past 20 years has she been challenged with a pwnco, from an elderly native of Brynsadler, Pontyclun.
The tune used in Llantrisant differs significantly from the Llangynwyd one; and there is no repeat of the first two lines of the verse in Llantrisant, unlike the longer verse structure used in Llangynwyd.
Wel dyma ni'n diwad
Gyfeillion diniwed
I ofyn cawn gennad
I ofyn cawn gennad
I ofyn cawn gennad i ganu.
Mae Mari Lwyd yma
A sêr a ribanau
Yn werth i rhoi goleu
Yn werth i rhoi goleu
Yn werth i rhoi goleu nos heno.
Mae Mari Lwyd lawen
Yn dod yn y dafarn
I ofyn am arian
I ofyn am arian
I ofyn am arian a chwrw.
Wel, tapwch y faril
Gyllongwch yn rhugl
A rhenwch e'n gynil
A rhenwch e'n gynil
A rhenwch e'n gynil Y Gwyliau.
Y WASHAEL:
This is the Mari's farewell to her current hosts. The form is largely unchanged from that known in Llangynwyd and elsewhere.
Wel dyma'r enw feinwen
Sy'n codi gyda'r seren
Wel dyma'r enw feinwen
Sy'n codi gyda'r seren
A hon yw'r washael fawr ei chlod
Sy'n caru bod yn llawen.
A hon yw'r washael fawr ei chlod
Sy'n caru bod yn llawen.
Dymunwn i'ch lawenydd
I gynal blwyddyn newydd
Tra paro'r gwr i dincian cloch
Well, well yn boch chwi beunydd.
Ffarweliwch, foneddigion,
Ni gawsom croeso digon.
Bendith Duw f'o ar eich tai
A phob rhyw rhai o'ch dynion.
The following songs are those which are commonly used by the Llantrisant Mari Lwyd party to entertain the listeners in the pub or house while the party is being offered food or drink. The songs are a motley collection of seasonal pieces, and quite how or why they attached themselves to the Mari Lwyd party has not been satisfactorily explained.
SANS DAY CAROL
This appears to have originated in Cornwall and could have arrived in Llantrisant with Cornishmen arriving to work in the mining industry, although there is no record of the carol being used by the Pen Gwyn midwinter horse's head party in that area.
The holly she bears a berry, as white as the milk,
And Mary she bore Jesus, who was wrapped up in silk.
CHORUS: And Mary she bore Jesus, our Saviour to be
And the first tree that's in the greenwood, it was the holly.
Holly, holly;
And the first tree that's in the greenwood, it was the holly.
The holly bears a berry, as green as the grass,
And Mary she bore Jesus, who died on the Cross.
The holly bears a berry, as black as the coal,
And Mary she bore Jesus, who died for us all.
The holly bears a berry, as blood it is red,
Now trust we our Saviour, who rose from the dead.
BOAR'S HEAD CAROL
This 17th century carol, with its Latin chorus referring to Oxford University, was widely known across the south of Britain until the 19th century.
The boar's head in hand bear I, bedecked with bay and rosemary;
And I bid you, my masters, be merry,
Quot estis in convivio.
CHORUS: Caput apre defero
Redens laudes Domino.
Caput apre defero
Redens laudes Domino.
The boar's head, as I understand,
Is the rarest dish in all the land;
Which thus bedecked with a gay garland...
Let us servire cantico.
Our steward hath provided this
In honour of the King of Bliss;
Which on this day to be served is
In reginensi atrio.
AR GYFER HEDDIW'R BORE
This beautiful carol has arrived in Llantrisant from the plygain tradition of Mid Wales. We can only assume that it was brought here by families arriving to work in the coal and iron mining industries during the 19th century.
Ar gyfer heddiw'r bore, 'n Faban bach, 'n Faban bach;
Y ganwyd gwreiddyn Jesse, 'n Faban bach.
Y Cadarn daeth o Bosra, Y Deddfwr gynt ar Seina;
Yr iawn gaed ar Galfaria, 'n Faban bach, 'n Faban bach;
Yn sugno bron Mareia, 'n Faban bach.
Caed bywiol ddwfr Eseciel, ar lin Mair, ar lin Mair;
A gwir Feseia Daniel, ar lin Mair.
Caed bachgen doedd Eseia, 'r aweddid roed i Adda;
Yr Alffa a'r Omega, ar lin Mair, ar lin Mair;
Mewn côr yn Methlem Jiwda, ar lin Mair.
Am hyn, bechadur brysiau, fel yr wyt, fel yr wyt;
I 'mofyn am y noddfa, fel yr wyt.
I ti'r agorwyd ffynnon, a ylch dy glwyfau duon;
Fel eira gwyn yn Salmon, fel yr wyt, fel yr wyt;
Gan gynny tyrd yn brydlon, fel yr wyt.
(Repeat first verse)
THE JOYS OF MARY
The first good joy that Mary had, it was the joy of one,
To see the good Lord Jesus Christ when he was first her son.
When he was first her son, good man, and blessed may he be
Praise Father. Son and Holy Ghost throughout eternity.
The second good joy that Mary had, it was the joy of two,
To see the good Lord Jesus Christ to make the lame to go.
The third good joy that Mary had, it was the joy of three,
To see the good Lord Jesus Christ to make the blind to see.
The next good joy that Mary had, it was the joy of four,
To see the good Lord Jesus Christ to raed the Bible o'er.
The next good joy that Mary had, it was the joy of five,
To see the good Lord Jesus Christ to bring the dead alive.
The next good joy that Mary had, it was the joy of six,
To see the good Lord Jesus Christ upon the crucifix.
The last good joy that Mary had, it was the joy of seven,
To see the good Lord Jesus Christ to wear the crown of heaven.
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