learn the songs
Bodmin riding FESTIVAL
Helgh Penkarow - The Pencarrow Hunt
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Bodmin Riding's Rebel Voices sing the Beast's Lament from An Gwary Bosvena (the Bodmin Play) followed by Blewack Koynt, the Helliers chant.
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Many thanks to Lowender Peran for running the Rebel Voices Cornish Singing workshop at intoBodmin's The Old Library.
Helgh Penkarow: The Beast's Lament & blewake koynt
lyrics
The Beast's Lament:
Helgh Pencarrow (The Pencarrow Hunt)
Na wreugh ola rag an best gosek yn chaynys;
Ny glew ev ‘gas geryow na ‘gas paynys.
Ni a dregh ‘ves y lost ha pynna y groghen;
Dhe verkya le y vernans, plansyn eythinen.
Helgh Pencarrow
Dres efander meur a leysek Halgaver veur;
Ev a’gan ledyas bys pan dheuthen syger.
Ev a’n ledyas dres hwegh our yn kri ughel;
Mes ‘vel an howl gorthugher ‘th yw res merwel.
In English:
The Pencarrow Hunt
Do not weep for the beast who lies bleeding in chains;
He hears not your words and he knows not your pains.
We will cut off his brush and we’ll peg out his hide;
And we’ll plant us a furze bush to show where he died.
Beyond the wide reaches of Halgavor Mire;
He led us a chase ‘til the best of us tired.
He led us a chase for six hours at full cry;
But now like the evening sun he must die.
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Blewake Coynt (Hairy and Strange)
Blewake Coynt, aka 'Lodn Bosvenna' is taken from 'Creation of the World', a Cornish language mystery play written in Cornish by William Jordan in 1611.
Blewake coynt yw
Blewake coynt ha hager yw
Blewake coynt yw
Blewake coynt ha hager yw
Blewake coynt
Blewake coynt
Blewake coynt ha hager yw
Bucka noos, Ny won pane veast ylla boos
Bucka noos, Ny won pane veast ylla boos
Ny won pane veast ylla boos
Ny won pane veast ylla boos
Ny won pane veast ylla Bucka noos!
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English translation:
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Blewake coynt yw: Hairy and strange it is
Blewake coynt ha hager yw: Hairy and strange and ugly it is
Bucka noos: Spirit of the night
Ny won pane veast ylla boos: I don't know what sort of beast it is
Join in!
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Come and sing with the helliers and ragadaziow on riding day!
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