CANWR GWERIN CYMRAEG
WELSH FOLK SINGER
Hen Ffon Fy Nain / My Grandmother’s Old Stick
Alaw/Melody: Tradd./Trad.
Geiriau/Lyrics: Thomas David Thomas ‘Glan Padarn’ (1848–1888)
A welsoch chi hen ffon fy nain
Sy'n union fel y saeth?
Mae'n hynach heddiw nag erioed
Ond nid yw lawer gwaeth;
Roedd hon mewn bri cyn bod run tren
Yn cario nain trwy'i hoes,
A'i chario wnaeth i byrth y bedd
Heb unwaith gweryl croes.
Pan oeddwn gynt yn blentyn bach
Yn dechrau troedio cam,
I dy fy nain y rhoddwn dro
Heb wybod i fy mam;
Fe wyddwn hyn yn eitha da,
Er maint fy ofn a'm braw,
Na chawswn gam gan undyn byw
Os byddai'r ffon gerllaw
Ond erbyn hyn mae nain mewn hedd,
Yn ifanc ac yn llon,
Heb arwydd henaint ar ei gwedd
Yn rhodio heb ei ffon;
A'r ffon yn gorffwys ddydd a nos
Mewn cornel dawel, gain,
O na chawn innau fynd i'r bedd
Ar bwys "Hen ffon fy Nain".
Have you seen my grandmother’s old stick
it’s as true as an arrow
it’s older today than ever
but it isn’t any worse
this was in it’s prime before any train existed
carrying grandmother through her days
and it did carry her to the gates of the grave
without ever a cross word
When I was a small child
treading my first steps,
I would go visit my grandmother’s house
unbeknownst to my mother
and I knew this very well,
despite my fear and fright,
that I wouldn’t have to face injustice by anyone alive
as long as the stick was at hand
But now grandmother is at peace,
young and joyful,
without a mark of old age on her face,
strolling without her stick,
and now the stick rests day and night
in a quiet and lovely corner.
Oh can I not go to the grave
with my weight on my grandmother’s old stick.