Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau
Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,
Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;
Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mâd,
Dros ryddid collasant eu gwaed.
(Cytgan)
- Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad.
- Tra môr yn fur i'r bur hoff bau,
- O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau.
Hen Gymru fynyddig, paradwys y bardd,
Pob dyffryn, pob clogwyn, i'm golwg sydd hardd;
Trwy deimlad gwladgarol, mor swynol yw si
Ei nentydd, afonydd, i mi.
(Cytgan)
Os treisiodd y gelyn fy ngwlad tan ei droed,
Mae hen iaith y Cymry mor fyw ag erioed,
Ni luddiwyd yr awen gan erchyll law brad,
Na thelyn berseiniol fy ngwlad.
(Cytgan)
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Translations
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The following is a fairly free translation in verse. The land of my fathers is dear unto me,
O land of the mountains, the bard's paradise, For tho' the fierce foeman has ravaged your realm, |
A more literal translation is: The old land of my fathers is dear to me,
Old mountainous Wales, paradise of the bard, If the enemy oppresses my land under his foot, |
Other translations include: The land of my fathers is dear to me,
Old land of the mountains, the Eden of bards, Though foemen have trampled my land 'neath their feet, |
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and: The land of my fathers, the land of my choice,
Old mountainous Cambria, the Eden of bards, My country tho' crushed by a hostile array, |
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Cultural influence
The Welsh poet Dylan Thomas is on record as saying "The land of my fathers. My fathers can have it!", probably in reference to Wales itself, rather than the song.
Gwynfor Evans named his history of Wales Land of my fathers: 2,000 years of Welsh history. It was a translation of the Welsh original, Aros Mae.
The Welsh reverse £1 coins minted in 1985, 1990, 1995 and 2000 bear the edge inscription PLEIDIOL WYF I'M GWLAD ("true am I to my country"), from the refrain of "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau".
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Parodies
Swansea poet Nigel Jenkins wrote an English phonetic version of the first verse for the benefit of English speakers[1], said to be largely inconspicuous in chorus as long as one doesn't smile:
- My hen laid a haddock, one hand oiled a flea,
- Glad farts and centurions threw dogs in the sea,
- I could stew a hare here and brandish Dan's flan,
- Don's ruddy bog's blocked up with sand.
- Dad! Dad! Why don't you oil Auntie Glad?
- Can whores appear in beer bottle pies,
- O butter the hens as they fly!
Popular among fans of Bristol City Football Club and England Rugby fans is this parody[2]:
- Whales, Whales, bloody great fishes are Whales,
- They swim in the sea,
- We eat them for tea,
- Oh bloody great fishes are Whales.
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External links and References
- Real Audio sound file
- Midi sound file
- Cantorion - Various arrangements for free download, CC-BY-SA license
- Land of my Fathers, midi file and lyrics
- Madge Breese's 1899 recording (MP3) (National Library of Wales Digital Mirror)
- Spoken MP3 file of the first verse and chorus, from S4C
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