2026 Day 68

2026 Dedh Trei Ügens hag Eth

De Lün, nawes mis Meurh

Monday, 9th March

E'n vledhen mil whegh cans pajar ügens hag etek Capten Noel Carter dhort Breanek a scrifas dysmyk ow tòchya peskecha. En a'n lavaras dhe Thomas Tonkin. Pehen ew an pesk? Naw lost? Nag ew hedna pesk gwir, theram ow pedery. Martesen eth esel po eth bregh ha pedn. Terweythyow tüs an puskes a gachas padelenken, stifek po collel lesa et aga roos emesk aga hern.

In the year 1698 Captain Noel Carter of St Agnes wrote a riddle about fishing. He told it to Thomas Tonkin. What was the fish like? Nine tails? That is not a true fish, I think. Perhaps eight members (tentacles) or eight arms and a head. Sometimes fishermen caught a cuttlefish, or a squid or an octopus in their net among their pilchards.

Otta an rim en spellyans arnowydh, gen treylyans.

Here's the rhyme in modern spelling, with a translation.

Ha my ow mos en goon las,

As I was going in the 'blue down' (poetic for the sea),

My a glowas tros an puskes münys.

I heard the sound of the tiny fishes.

Bes my a drouvyas üdn pesk brâs, naw y losyow,

But I found one big fish, with nine tails (nine its tails),

Oll an bobel en Porth Ia ha Marhas Vian (or Marhas Yow)

All the people in St Ives and Marazion (Little Market or Thursday Market)

Na my a wör dh'y gensynjy. (Nevra na wör  dh'y gensynjy.) 

Nor me didn't (never) know how to get hold of it.

Otta an mûsek. Here's the music.

https://cornishnationalmusicarchive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/CMA-2-1-33-Ha_My_Ow_Mos.pdf

A Mi a moaz, a mi a moaz in Goon Glaze,
Mi a clouaz, a clouaz, a clouaz, a troz, a troz, a troz, an pysgaz miniz.
Bez mi a trouviaz un pysg brawze, Naw Losia,
Olla Boble en Porthia ha Marazjowan
Ne mi ôr Dho Gan Zingy.
(Bor.MS: Nevra ni ôr dho ganzingy.

(in Borlase & Tonkin) 1698 OC Vol I (Tonkin MS)