- Jan 2023
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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This seems to have an interesting relation to the tradition of wassailers and "luck visitors" traditions or The Christmas Mummers (1858). The song We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Roud Folk Song Index #230 and #9681) from the English West Country (Cornwall) was popularized by Arthur Warrell (1883-1939) in 1935. It contains lyrics "We won't go until we get some" in relation to figgy pudding and seems very similar in form to Mari Lwyd songs used to gain access to people's homes and hospitality. An 1830's version of the song had a "cellar full of beer" within the lyrics.
I'm curious if the Roud Folk Song Index includes any Welsh songs or translations that have similar links? Perhaps other folk song indices (Child Ballads?) may provide clues as well?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU5pk-Hc758
Dr. Gwilym Morus-Baird
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- Aug 2022
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"My grandfather used to always say when we got to customs we only had hard work, tiredness and dust to declare."
—Patrick Mevel
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- May 2022
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forum.saysomethingin.com forum.saysomethingin.com
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https://forum.saysomethingin.com/t/could-we-have-a-thread-on-welsh-customs/4068
- robingoch
- hawthorn
- The Hamish Macbeth series By M.C.Beaton has superstitions of highlanders
- Mari Lwyd
- Siôn Corn
- Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru (1923) by J. Glyn Davies
- Folklore of West and Mid Wales by John Ceredig Davies
- Welsh Folk Customs by Trefor Owen
- Welsh Folklore and Folk-Custom by T Gwynn Jones
- Wirt Sykes including a volume on British Goblins
- John Rhys
- Welsh Folklore: Folktales & Legends of North Wales (1896) by Elias Owen
- Calan Mai
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJyuBioq33I
Recorded in Tregaron(?) on Christmas Eve 1964, a wonderful example of the Welsh Midwinter Tradition of The Mari Lwyd. Usually performed around Christmas and New Year, this luck-bringing ritual has recently been enjoying a revival in some parts of Wales after becoming virtually extinct during the first part of the Twentieth Century.
The Mari Lwyd, an adorned horse's skull, is accompanied by several participants, who go from door to door, engaging in a light hearted 'battle of wits' through song with the occupant of the house, in the hope of gaining admittance and being rewarded with cake and ale!
Reminiscent of the idea of battle rap, but in a different cultural tradition.
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forum.saysomethingin.com forum.saysomethingin.com
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in the first public appearance of Siôn Corn (in Glyn Davies’ 'Cerddi Huw Puw"), he is described as a “rather benevolent spook”) himself! His basis seems to be a possibly family tradition concerning a pleasant bogeyman living up their family chimney, whose main interest seemed to be getting children to go to bed early, til he was introduced to a wider public.
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