Canu Heledd

Cynddylan

Come outside, maidens, and look at the land of Cynddylan.
The court of Pengwern is a raging fire:
woe to the young who long for their brothers!

A single tree in a forest in hardship,
if it escapes it is a rare thing.
Let what God wills come to pass.

Cynddylan, with a cold heart like winter,
stabbed a boar through its head;
you paid dearly for the sake of Tern's beer.

Cynddylan with a heart like spring heath-fire
because of the enemy's gift,
defending Tern, a desolate town.

Cynddylan, fiery supporter of the marches,
mail-wearing, stubborn in battle,
defending Tern, his patrimony.

Cynddylan, wise, of fiery spirit,
the mail-wearing, unyielding leader of the troop,
defended Tern as long as he lived.

Cynddylan ,with the heart of a hunting hound,
when he descended into the tumult
of battle, he used to slay.

Cynddylan, with the heart of a hawk,
kite, savage and ravening,
the unyielding whelp of Cyndrwyn.

Cynddylan, with the heart of a wild boar,
when he descended in the main attack
of battle, there were two layers of corpses.

Cynddylan, a warrior like Culhwch, a lion,
a wolf-pursuing attacker,
the boar will not return to his father's town.

Cynddylan, as long as it was allowed was spared
his heart was so merry
...... like to beer to battle.

Cynddylan Powys, you had a splendid purple cloak,
a storehouse to feed guests, like a lord;
the whelp of Cyndrwyn is mourned.

Cynddylan the Fair, son of Cyndrwyn.
not well does a man sport a beard around his nose
who is no better than a maiden.

Cynddylan, you are an harasser,
you intend that you will not be gray-haired,
round Trebwll your shield is shattered.

Cynddylan, block the slope
where the English come through Tern.
Anxiety for one man does not avail.

Cynddylan, block the place
where the English come through Tern
A single tree is not called a forest.

How grievous does my heart find
the joining to black planks of the white flesh
of Cynddylan of the hundred troops.

Cynddylan's Hall

Cynddylan's hall is dark tonight,
without a fire, without a bed.
I will weep for a while; afterwards I will fall silent.

Cynddylan's hall is dark tonight
without a fire, without a candle.
Except for God, who will give me sanity?

Cynddylan's hall is dark tonight,
without a fire, without a light.
Grief comes to me because of you.

Cynddylan's hall is black of roof
after having a fine company.
Sorrow that it is not good which befalls it.

Cynddylan's hall, you have become formless.
Your shield is in the grave.
While he was alive, there was not a broached gate.

Cynddylan's hall is loveless tonight
after he who owned it.
Oh death, why does it leave me behind?

Cynddylan's hall, not comfortable tonight,
on the top of a chief crag,
without a lord, without company, without soldiers.

Cynddylan's hall is dark tonight,
without a fire, without songs.
Tears wear away the cheeks.

Cynddylan's hall is dark tonight,
without a fire, without a warband.
Abundant [my tears] where it falls.

Cynddylan's hall: the sight of it pierces me,
without roofs, without a fire.
My lord is dead, but I am alive.

Cynddylan's hall is destroyed tonight,
after having ready warriors:
Elfan and gold-wearing Cynddylan.

Cynddylan's hall is harsh tonight
after the respect that was mine,
without warriors, without the women who kept them.

Cynddylan's hall is slow tonight
after losing its lord.
Great merciful God, what shall I do?

Cynddylan's hall is dark of roof,
after the English brought down
Cynddylan and Elfan Powys.

Cynddylan's hall is dark tonight,
from the children of the Cyndrwynin:
Cynon and Gwion and Gwyn.

Cynddylan's hall pierces me constantly
after the great celebrations
I saw by your hearths.

The Eagle of River Eli

The eagle of Eli, his cry is piercing [tonight],
he has drunk [from] a stream of blood:
the heart blood of Cynddylan the Fair.

The eagle of Eli was crying out loudly tonight,
it was wallowing in the blood of warriors.
He is in the wood; heavy sorrow overwhelms me.

The eagle of Eli I hear tonight,
he is gory; I shall not defy him.
He is in the wood; heavy sorrow overwhelms me.

The eagle of Eli, most grievous tonight
in the beautiful valley of Meisir!
The land of Brochfael, deeply afflicted.

The eagle of Eli, watches over the seas,
does not pierce the fish in the estuaries.
He calls for the blood of warriors.

The eagle of Eli travels over the woods [tonight],
his feasting is to his fill.
The violence of he who indulges him succeeds.

The Eagle of Pengwern

The eagle of Pengwern, grey-taloned [tonight]
his screech is piercing,
greedy for the flesh [I loved].

The eagle of Pengwern, grey-taloned [tonight]
his shriek is shrill
greedy for the flesh of Cynddylan.

The eagle of Pengwern, grey-taloned [tonight]
his claw is raised,
greedy for flesh I love.

The eagle of Pengwern will call afar tonight,
he will wait for the blood of warriors.
Tern is called a desolate town.

The eagle of Pengwern calls afar tonight,
he waits for the blood of warriors
Tern is called a dead town.

Baschurch

Baschurch is his resting place tonight.,
his final abode,
the support in battle, the heart of the people of Argoed.

Baschurch is crumbling tonight.
My tongue caused it.
It is red; my grief is too great.

Baschurch is confined tonight;
for the heir of the Cyndrwynin:
the land of the grave of Cynddylan the Fair.

Baschurch is fallow land tonight,
its clover is bloody.
It is red; my heart is too full.

Baschurch has lost its privilege,
after the English warriors slew
Cynddylan and Elfan Powys.

Baschurch is ruined tonight;
its warriors have not survived.
Men and warriors know me here.

Baschurch is glowing embers tonight
and I am sorrowful.
It is red; my grief is too full.

The Fair Town

The fair town on the slope of the woods,
this was always its fate:
on the surface of its grass, its blood.

The fair town in its lands,
its fate, green mementoes:
its blood under the feet of its warriors.

The fair town in its valley,
happy kites at the confusion of battle:
Its people have perished.

The fair town between Tern and Trodwydd,
more usual was a broken shield coming from battle
than oxen going to the noon-time resting place.

The fair town between Tern and Trafal,
more usual was its blood on the surface [of its] grass
than ploughing fallow land.

Ffreuer

Blessed is Ffreuer; how painful it is tonight,
after the loss of family.
Because of the misfortune of my tongue they have been slain.

Blessed is Ffreuer; how sad it is tonight,
after the death of Elfan,
and the eagle of the Cyndrwynin, Cynddylan.

It is not the death of Ffreuer which torments me tonight.
Because of the slaughter of my valiant brothers,
I wake, I weep at morning.

It is not the death of Ffreuer which causes me grief,
from the beginning of night till the dead of night,
I wake, I weep at daybreak.

It is not the death of Ffreuer which causes me grief,
and causes me to have yellow cheeks,
and shed tears of blood over the bedside.

It is not the death of Ffreuer which I grieve for tonight.
but rather for myself, weak and ill,
I mourn for my brothers and my land.

Ffreuer the Fair, brothers nurtured you;
they did not spring from among the wicked,
warriors who did not nurse fear.

Ffreuer the Fair, you had brothers;
when they heard of a powerful host,
faith did not leave them.

Myself and Ffreuer and Meddlan,
though there might be battle everywhere,
it does not worry us: our side will not be killed.

Herding

Although the mountain may be high,
I will not suffer its bearing my cow.
Some consider my burden light.

Rivers

Just as on the border,
Tern goes into Roden,
so Twrch into Marchnwy.

Just as on the land,
Roden goes into Tren,
so Geirw into Alwen.

Newid Byd

Before my blanket was the hard skin of a goat,
greedy for holly,
the mead of Bryn made me drunk.

Before my blanket was the hard skin of a goat,
the kid fond of holly,
The mead of Tern made me drunk.

After my brothers, from the region of the Severn,
and on the banks of the two Rhiws,
alas, God, that I am alive!

After broken horses with red trappings
and [great] yellow plumes,
my leg is thin, I do not have a mantle.

Gorwynion

The cattle of Edeirnion were not wandering;
they did not go on anyone's journey
in the lifetime of Gorwynion, a fine warrior.

The cattle of Edeirnion were not wandering;
they did not go with anyone's troop
in the lifetime of Gorwynion, a wise warrior.

The shame of a cattle reiver, because of a refusal.
Dishonour will come to he who has oppression.
I knew what was good:
blood for his companions, nobleman!

Gyrthmwl

If Gyrthmwl were a woman, she would be weak today,
her wail would be loud:
she is whole, but her warriors are destroyed.

Ercal

The sod of Ercal is on brave men,
the descendants of Morial:
having nourished them, it grinds them to dust.

Heledd

I am called wandering Heledd.
Oh God, to whom are given
my brothers' horses and their land?

Wandering Heledd greets me:
"Oh God, to whom are given the dark trappings
of Cynddylan and his fourteen steeds?"

The mound of Gowrwynion

I have gazed on uncultivated land
from the mound of Gorwynion.
Long is the course of the sun; longer my remembrances.

The city of Wroxeter

I have gazed from Wroxeter,
the country of Ffreuer.
There is sorrow for the slaughter of my valiant brothers.

A horseman from Chester under him
was not ......
......

Heledd

My brothers were slain at one time,
Cynan, Cynddylan, Cynwraith,
defending Tern, a desolate town.

Princes did not trample on Cynddylan's nest:
he never retreated a foot.
His mother did not raise a feeble son.

I had brothers, not ......
who grew like hazel saplings.
One by one they all went.

I had brothers whom God took from me.
My misfortune caused it.
They did not gain fame by deception.

Hedyn

Thin is the breeze: thick depression.
The furrows remain;
those who made them do not.
It is wretched that those who were are no more!

Let both God and man hear it,
let both the young and older ones hear:
shame on their manhood for failing Hedyn.

In the lifetime of Hedyn he used to shoot forth
enduring on the battlefield.
With the grey spears of a lord he incited.

Caranfael

I wonder, ...... not back.
Able companion, listen!
In the boars' den, piglets are cracking nuts.

I do not know if it is mist or smoke,
or warriors in contention:
on the hayfield battle is grievous.

I have left the hayfield of battle.
A broad shield, a fortress for strong men,
the best warrior is Caranfael.

Caranfael, you are in tribulation.
I know your nature from battle:
frequent on the cheek of a warrior is a scar.

Mirth-provoking, generous handed,
fame-seizing son of Cynddylan; the rear guard
of the Cyndrwynin was Caranfael.

They were wretched and were disinherited
and were deprived of patrimony who sought
Caranfael as a judge.

Caranfael, mirth-provoking,
praise-distributing son of Cynddylan, was not a judge,
although it was desired of him.

When Caranfael wore the battle cloak of Cynddylan
and shook his ash spear,
the Frank did not get peace from his lips.

Heledd and the scabby Brawd

When I was well fed,
I would not raise my thigh
for a man who complained, scabby one.

I had brothers, too:
the sickness of boils did not afflict them.
One, Elfan, two, Cynddylan.

Not well does he dress his hair like a warrior,
he does not deserve to.
My brothers were not wailers.

Were it not for death and great pain,
and the wound of grey spears,
I too would not be a wailer.

The graves of Maes Maoddyn

Ice covers Maes Maoddyn:
because of the destruction of the well-nurtured one,
there is thick snow on the grave of Erinfedd.

Rain soaks the barrow of Elwyddan:
Maes Maoddyn lies beneath it.
Cynon deserves to be lamented.

Tern

I had four noble brothers,
and each one had a chief host.
Tern does not know a black owner.

I had four lordly brothers
and each one ......
Tern does not know a true owner.

Four ardent, fine, lordly brothers
I had from Cyndrwyn.
Tern does not have a gentle owner.

Heledd's Sisters

In the time when they were fair,
the daughters of Cyndrwyn were loved:
Heledd, Gwladus and Gwenddwyn.

I had pleasant sisters.
I lost them all totally:
Ffreuer, Meddwyl and Meddlan.

I had sisters also,
I lost them all together:
Gwledyr, Meisir and Ceinfryd.

Cynddylan and Cynwraith

Cynddylan was slain, Cynwraith was slain,
defending Tern, a desolate town.
Woe is me, long enduring their death!

Maes Cogwy

On the ground of Maes [C]ogwy, I saw
armies, battle affliction:
Cynddylan was an ally.