MARGED FERCH IFAN (1696 - 1788 or 1801)

Hen Benillion

Mae gan Marged fwyn ach Ifan
Glocsen fawr a chlocsen fechan,
Un i gicio'r cwn o’r gornel,
A’r llall i gicio'r gwr i gythrel.

Iron Marged daughter of Ifan
Has a big clog and a little clog,
One to kick the dogs by the corner
Another to kick her hubby to the devil.


Mae gan Marged fwyn ach Ifan
Grafanc fawr a chrafanc fechan,
Un i dynnu’r cwn o’r gongl,
A’r llall i dorri esgyrn pobol.

Gentle Marged daughter of Ifan
Has a big clutch and a little clutch,
One to drag the dogs from the corner
Another to break people's bones.


Mae gan Marged fwyn ach Ifan
Delyn fawr a thelyn fechan;
Un i ganu yng Nghaernarfon,
A’r llall i gadw'r gwr yn fodlon.

Dear Margaret daughter of Ifan
Has a big harp and a small harp,
One to play within Carnarvon
Another to keep her hubby fond.


Ac mae ganddi, heblaw corlan,
Geffyl mawr a cheffyl bychan;
Un i gario'r gwr o'r dafarn,
A’r llall i gario'r god o arian.

And she has, besides a sheepfold,
A big horse and a small horse
One to carry hubby from the tavern,
Another to carry the pouch of money.


All verses written in green are my translation
from the Welsh © Cary B 2007

There are 2 other verses existing.
The first goes at the beginning
of the poem and the other at the end,
but I haven't seen the Welsh verses for these:

Marged fwyn 'ach Ifan has
a big tub and a small tub
One to wash shirts and bedclothes
Another just for porridge.

She bides in Bala
Her breasts like driven snow
Send my regards to her
She is Marged fwyn 'ach Ifan


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