2020 Day 295

 2020 Dedh Dew Cans Pajar Ügens ha Pemdhek

De Merher, kensa warn ügens mis Hedra

Wednesday, 21st October

Pan vaner o an bestes en Kernow e’n termyn eus passyes? Dres lycklod tho an deves ha’n gwarrak oll bian ha dû, pecar’a ehenow menedh a Gembra. Deves pajar-cornek a Gernow o “maga wels avel cathes!” ha garow ew aga gwlân. "Blew a Gernow" o mar dhrog thera cübmyas dh’y wharra dres mor heb toll. Ehenow gwell a veu dres a-bera dhort Pow Densher ha pelha. Na ell gwlân dû bos liwys – bes possybyl ew dhe ûsya y liw natural. Gwlân gwydn ell kemeres  oll sortow liwyow, dhort kewny rag sampel.

What were the animals like in Cornwall in past times? Probably, the sheep and cattle were all small and black, like Welsh mountain breeds. Cornish four-horned sheep were “as wild as cats!” and their wool was rough. “Cornish hair” was so bad that there was permission to export it freely without tax. Better breeds were introduced from Devon and beyond. Black wool can’t be dyed – but it’s possible to use its natural colour. White wool can take all sorts of colours, for example from lichens.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

cornek horned

cübmyas (m) leave, permission

deves (plural) sheep < (singular) davas (f)

drei a-bera to introduce, bring in

dres lycklod probably

ehen (f) breed, type, sort, etc. >(plural) ehenow

gwarthak ~ gwarrak (collective) cattle

pan vaner? what type, what like?

toll (f) duty, tax

wharra ~ gwertha dres mor to export

2020 Day 294

 2020 Dedh Dew Cans Pajar Ügens ha Peswardhek

De Meurth, ügensves mis Hedra

Tuesday, 20th October

 Ha my ow kerdhes adro dhe’n pow, my a welas taclow nag ew da genam. Nag üjy oll an bobel ow kemeres with. Pe carr po trònk carr a gemeras darn brâs mes a’n ke? Piw a wrüg kelly mask? Ma va reb an vorr, bes nag eus chei en ogas. Rag fra eus kisten voos plastyk en gwel? A veu va whethys gans an gwens po wrüg nebonan a’s gara dhe godha?  Pandr’ew an sawarn na – pecar’a pêk glow? Ah, my a wôr! Tüs whel a bayntyas neb lin dû war lies gwern telegraff. Res veu dhodhans degea vorrow (fordhow) dhort termyn dhe dermyn. Otta an sîn: vorr degëys. 

  

As I was walking around the country, I saw things I don’t like. Not all the people are taking care. Which car or lorry took a big chunk out of the hedge? Who lost a mask? It is beside the road, but there’s no house nearby. Why is there a plastic food box in a field? Was it blown by the wind or did somebody drop it? What is that smell – like tar? Ah, I know! Workmen painted some black liquid on lots of telegraph poles. They had to close roads from time to time. See the sign: road closed.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

bayntyas (preterite) painted < (verb) payntya

darn (m) chunk, hunk, bit

degëys closed

gara dhe godha to drop, allow to fall

gwern telegraff (f) telegraph pole

kisten (f) box

lin (m) liquid

pêk glow (m) tar

trònk carr (m) lorry

whethys blown 

2020 Day 293

 2020 Dedh Dew Cans Pajar Ügens ha Terdhek 

De Lün, nawnjegves mis Hedra

Monday, 19th October

Ma’n keyn vy ort ow grevya hedhyw. Na whath, my a gerdhas warlergh ow ûsadow e’n gwelyow. De my a verkyas cappa enk blewek (na worama an hanow gwir en Kernôwek). Hedhyw my a’n gwelas arta – saw behatna ewa. Kellys ew nebes enk! Ma spôrow e’n enk. Ma’n cappa ow tyjestya y hònan terebo oll ew gellys et tien. An scavellow cronek yonk nowydh cuntellys ell bos debrys. Bes anjei ell bos ûsyes ewedh dhe liwya gwlân. Res ew anjei bos tòbmys en dowr en padel dhorn po câwdarn gwres a horn. Ma hedna ow rei liw gwernyk. Ma stòff natural aral ew vas rag liwya – rag sampel, bleus predn, kewny, kenednow onyon, mor scaw. Terweythyow ma othom a holan ewedh.

My back is bothering me today. However, I walked as I usually do in the fields. Yesterday I noticed a shaggy inkcap (I don’t know the true name in Cornish). I saw it again today – but it is smaller. Some ink is lost! There are spores in the ink. The cap digests itself until it is all completely gone. The freshly picked young toadstools are edible. But they can also be used to dye wool. They must be heated in water in a saucepan or cauldron made of iron. That gives a greenish colour. There is other natural material useful for dying – for example, sawdust, lichens, onion skins, elderberries. Sometimes salt is needed as well.  

 

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

behatna smaller (comparative of bian)

blewek shaggy, hairy, etc.

cappa (m) cap

câwdarn (m) cauldron, boiler

dyjestya to digest

et tien ~ en tien wholly, completely, entirely, etc.

grevya to bother, grieve, afflict, etc.

gwernyk greenish

padel dhorn (f) saucepan

spôrow (plural) spores (can also use spôrys)

warlergh ûsadow as usual, according to habit, etc.

2020 Day 292

  2020 Dedh Dew Cans Pajar Ügens ha Dewdhek

De Sül, etegves mis Hedra

Sunday, 18th October

 My a bernas sagh a has rag an edhyn, bes nag ew da ganjans pub ehen a has. Na vedn anjei debry has lin. Etho, otta flourys lin wheg reb an vos – gonys gans an edhyn! Has lin a gar dor ydnyal. Nag eus plansow lowr dhe wül paper po nedha lin. Story a lin ew pur hir, saw na veu herlys lin dres rag en Kernow. Gwlân deves a brovias dhe bobel a Gernow herlys dhe wül aga dilhas ha lednow. Piw a wrüg knevya an knewyow? O va ober rag den gen gweljow? An benenys yonk a wrüg nedha an gwlân gen rosellen po kygel ha ros nedha. Ha nena - pandra nessa?   

I bought a bag of seeds for the birds, but they don’t like every variety of seed. They won’t eat flax seed. So, behold sweet flax flowers by the wall – sown by the birds! Flax seeds love barren ground. There aren’t enough plants to make paper or linen yarn. The history of linen is very long, but linen fibres were not produced in Cornwall. Sheep’s wool provided Cornish people with fibres to make their clothes and blankets. Who sheared the fleeces? Was it a job for a man with shears? The young women spun the wool with a spindle or distaff and spinning wheel. And then - what next?

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

gweljow (plural) shears

has lin (plural) flax seed, linseed

herlys (plural) fibres < herl (m)

knevya ~ knivya to shear

knewyow (plural) fleeces < knew (m)

kygel (f) distaff

lednow (plural) blankets < ledn (m)

nedha to make thread, spin

rosellen (f) spindle

ros nedha (f) spinning wheel

ydnyal barren, waste

 

 

2020 Day 291

 2020 Dedh Dew Cans Pajar Ügens hag Üdnek 

De Sadorn, seytegves mis Hedra

Saturday, 17th October

Ma cân wheg nowydh gen Gwenno: “Eus Keus?” Rîm pur goth ew hebma (Wella Pryce).

Eus keus? Eus po nag eus?

Mars eus keus, dro keus.

Po nag eus keus, dro peth eus.

Ma Gwenno ow tisqwedhes benyn a Oos an Tewdars avel Pagan (martesen Drewydh) gens offryn a geus dhe’n duwyow.  Saw pandr’ew les keus dhe Gernow? Ma gwreoryon keus en Kernow lebmyn. Ew da genowgh an keus ma – maylys en delkyow linas? Meurgerys ewa. Bes nanj ew lies bledhen thera othom a wil keus en hav drefen nag era yeyners. Rag fra nag o an leth er gwerrys (gwerthys)? An rêson o an patron gonisegeth. An bûhes o kemerys en aga havregow dres an misyow tòbm. Mosy an dre a drigas en crowyow ha gwitha an bestes, godra an bûhes ha deves, ha gwil keus (ha obery gen gwlân). An gwels e’n prasow ogas dhe’n dre alja bos ûsyes rag gwil gora rag gwav. “En hav per co gwav.” Ha’n düs alja gonis trevajow erel. Movyans an bestes o caws rag an degolyow Keltek (Beltane ha Samhain) Cala Me ha Du Halan Gwav.

There is a sweet new song by Gwenno: “Is there any cheese?” This is a very old rhyme (William Pryce).

Is there any cheese? Is there or isn’t there?

If there is cheese, bring cheese.

If there isn’t any cheese, bring what there is.

Gwenno shows a Tudor woman as a Pagan (perhaps a Druid) with a sacrifice of cheese to the gods. But what is the importance of cheese to Cornwall? There are cheese-makers in Cornwall now. Do you like this cheese – wrapped in nettle leaves. It is popular. But many years ago it was necessary to make cheese in summer because there weren’t any refrigerators. Why wasn’t the fresh milk sold? The reason was the pattern of agriculture. The cows were taken into their summer pastures through the hot months. The village girls stayed in huts, looked after the animals, milked the cows and ewes and made cheese.  The grass in the fields near the village could be used to make hay for the winter. “In summer remember winter.” And the men could grow other crops. The movement of the animals was a cause for the Celtic festivals (Beltane and Samhain), May Day and Allantide.

 

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

crow (m) hut

drewydh (m) druid  

godra to milk

gwlân (m) wool

gwreoryon (pl.) makers < gwrear (m)

havregow (pl.) summer pastures, shielings < havrak (m)

leth er (m) fresh milk

linas (collective) nettles

offryn (m) offering, sacrifice

Oos an Tewdars Tudor, age of the Tudors

yeyners (m) fridge, refrigerator

2020 Day 290

  2020 Dedh Dew Cans Pajar Ügens ha Deg

De Gwener, whetegves mis Hedra

Friday, 16th October

Paper ew peth marthys da. Ma dhodho lies ûs. Whei ell gwil taclow ganjo. Whei alja y blegya dhe formys deffrans ha y drehy dhe wül las po flourys po patronyow. Whei ell scrifa warnodho ha tedna po liwya warnodho. Seher paper ew perfydh rag senjy agas hogednow. (Saw na wrewgh aga thowla dhe ves en agan keow, my a pjyy.) Kensa paper an bes o papyrus Ejyptek (gwres a blans dowr môy es peder mil bledhen alebma). An Grekyans ha’n Romans a’n ûsyas rag scrolys. Gallos redya o ûhel e’n bes ancient. An Chinogyon a wras paper a rüsk an wedhen mor paper (Morus papyrifera) ha taclow erel. Secret o dres lies bledhen. Hedhyw e’n jedh paper ell bos gwres gen oll sortow herlys. Radn anodho ew pur deg. Whei alja gwil paper agas hònan.

Paper is a wonderful thing. It has many uses. You can make things with it. You could fold it to different forms and cut it to make lace or flowers or stencils. You can write on it and draw or paint on it. Paper bags are perfect for holding your pasties. (But do not throw them away in our hedges, I pray.) The world’s first paper was Egyptian papyrus (made with the water plant more than 4000 years ago). The Greeks and Romans used it for scrolls. Literacy was high in the ancient world. The Chinese made paper of bark of the paper mulberry tree (Morus papyrifera) and other things. It was a secret for many years. Nowadays paper can be made from all sorts of fibres. Some of it is very beautiful. You could make paper yourself. 

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

gallos redya (m) literacy  

herl (m) fibre

hogednow pasties, pastries < (singular) hogen (f)

patron (m) pattern, stencil, template, model, etc.

pyjy ~ pejy ~ pysy ~ pesy to pray 

plans (an) dowr (m) water plant

plegya to fold, bend, pleat

rüsk (m) bark

seher (plural) bags < (singular) sagh (m)

towla ~ towlel dhe ves to throw away

2020 Day 289

 2020 Dedh Dew Cans Pajar Ügens ha Naw

De Yow, pemdhegves mis Hedra

Thursday, 15th October

Da ew genam taclow coth, preiweyth dres ehen. My a drouvyas lehen amal a Oos an Vetêrnes Victoria nanj ew môy es hanter cans bledhen. Coth o hei solabres e’n bledhednyow trei ügens. Ma merk dhe’n gorthenep, henn ew glôb gans an ger “Minton”, etho an lehen a veu gwres tredh mil eth cans trei ügens ha trei ha mil eth cans trei ügens ha dewdhek. My a welas an kethsam patron en liwyow deffrans – gorliwys – bes gwell ew genam ow lehen fin vy. Ma’n patron war enep ow tisqwedhes hesken po corsen papyrus – en gis Ejyptek. A wrüg an prei dos dhort Kernow? William Cookworthy a dhiskevras prei gwydn (growan boder) ogas dhe Austol en mil seyth cans dogens ha pemp. Gelwys o va “Owr Gwydn”.  Meur a brei eth dhe’n weythva Minton. E’n bledhednyow trei ügens nei a welas crigow atal avel pyramids gwydn – An Menow a Gernow

 .  

I like old things, especially pottery. I found a Victorian border tile more than fifty years ago. It was already old in the sixties. The reverse side has a mark, that is a globe and the word “Minton”, so the tile was made between 1863 and 1872. I saw the self-same pattern in different colours – garish – but I prefer my elegant tile. The pattern on the face shows papyrus sedge or reed – in Egyptian fashion. Did the clay come from Cornwall? William Cookworthy discovered kaolin (decomposed granite) near St Austell in 1745. It was called “White Gold”. A lot of clay went to the Minton factory. In the sixties we saw waste heaps like white pyramids – the Cornish Alps.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

an bledhednyow trei ügens the sixties

dres ehen especially

enep (m) face

fin elegant

gorliwys garish

gorthenep (m) reverse side

growan (f) granite

gweythva (f) factory

lehen amal (f) border tile

poder decayed, decomposed

preiweyth (m) pottery