2025 Day 159

2025 Dedh Cans Nawnjek ha Dogens 

De Sül, ethves mis Efen

Sunday, 8th June 

Ma story en rîm rag flehes!

Bryv, bryv, davas dû. Eus dhis gwlân?

Ea, sara; ea, sara, trei sagh leun.

Onan rag an mester, onan dh' y wreg,

Hag onan dhe vos degys hons dhe'n meppik wheg.

There's history in a rhyme for children!

Baa, baa, black sheep. Have you any wool?

Yes, sir; yes, sir, three bags full.

One for the master, one for the dame,

And one for the little boy, who lives down the lane.

E'n Oos Cres, deves, gwlân ha padn gwlân o an brâssa venten a rychys. An kensa sagh eth dhe'n "mester". Thera toll ûhel war wlân, etho an Metêrn a dreylyas moy rych. An nessa sagh o rag an "vestres". E'n system fewdal, an eglos a recevas dega a bub tra, rag hedna a eglos o rych ewedh. Nag eus bes an tryja sagh gerys rag an tiek trûan. Nag o gwlân dhort deves en Kernow pur dha. "Blew" Kernow henwys o ev. Tho hedna heb toll. Moy diwedhes thera deves gwell, ha nena an gwlân o muyglenys rag goheles an toll!

In the Middle Ages, sheep, wool and woollen cloth were the major source of wealth. The first bag went to the "master". There was a high tax on wool, so the King became richer. The second bag was for the "dame". In the feudal system, the church received a tithe of everything, so the church was rich too. There was only the third bag left for the poor farmer. Wool from sheep in Cornwall was not very good. It was called Cornish "hair". That was tax-free. Later there were better sheep, and then the wool was smuggled to avoid the tax.