| English | Manx | |
|---|---|---|
| The Manks Oiel-Verree, or Christmas Eve Customs. | Prose Translation into the Manks Tongue, | |
| The Notes (a) — (j) are those in the 1844 edition. | ||
| By Mr Robt. E. Christian.[2] | ||
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[2] Robert E.
Christian of Cleveland, Ohio, who translated into English most of the carvals that were published in Mona’s Herald between 1886 and 1891, and collected in A. W. Moore’s Carvallyn Gailckagh.
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| By Wm. Kerruish, R.N.[1] | ||
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[1] Error for William Kennish.
The poem was published in his collection Mona’s Isle, and Other Poems (London: J. Bradley & Simpkin, Marshall & Co., 1844) xv. See Stephen Miller, Manx Notes 36 (2005) https://chiollaghbooks.com/manxnotes/MN036.pdf
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| When dark December's dismal gloom | Tra t’an gourey grow cheet orrin | |
| Came louring o'er the sky, | Lesh cowraghyn syn aer, | |
| And snow-storms gather'd drear around, | As sterymyn-sniaghtey chaglum mygeart, | |
| And Christmas feast was nigh, | As giens yn Ollick va faggys ; | |
| With all its merry-making time | Lesh ooilley ny traaghyn dy yinnalys | |
| Of festival and glee, | Jeh laa feailley as gien, | |
| Beginning with the good old rule, | Goaill-toshiaght lesh yn chenn cliaghtey — | |
| The Parish Oiel-verree[3] ; (a) | Ec yn Oiel-verree skeery. | |
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[3] Spelt Ilvary here and below in the 1844 publication.
(a) The service performed in the Church on Christmas Eve in the Island.
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| When each young rustic with his lass, | Ta dagh scollag aeg as y graie ven-aeg. | |
| Dress'd in their best attire, | Combryt ayn's nyn eddagh shair, | |
| Trudged onwards to the Parish Church, | Joggall er gys yn keeyl skeery, | |
| Oft o'er their shoes in mire; | Mennick harrish nyn ’mragyn ayns laagh | |
| But it was good old Christmas Eve, | As veh ec shen oie yn Ollick vie— | |
| At which time of the year | Ec leid y tra jeh'n ’vlein | |
| They pass'd each glen and haunted road | Rogh ad shaghey dagh gloan as raadyn oal | |
| Without a spark of fear, | Fegoish breeneen dy aggle. | |
| For many a merry-making laugh | Shon shemmey gerraghty dy yennalys | |
| Was heard along the moor, | Va ’er chlashtyn er yn asagh, | |
| Where meet in groups the neighb'ring swains | Raad veet ayns sheshagh ny nabooyn aeg | |
| Around some cottage door, | Mygeart dorrys part jeh ny thine, | |
| Selected by majority | Reight lorish yn cheshaght oc hene | |
| To be the starting post, | Son boayl daue dy goll veih. | |
| Through the good nature of the dame, | Troid aigney mie vosh ben-y-thie, | |
| And drollery of the host; | As raghyn aitt far-thie : | |
| And daughters smart perchance they had, | As ennenyn aghtal oddagh ve oc, | |
| Attractive too and fair, | Graihagh neesht as aalin, | |
| While none seem'd happier than the dame | Choud’s veg ha row ny ’smanrey ny ben-y- thie | |
| To see them, pair and pair, | Dy akin ad piyr as piyr, | |
| Start off in all the pride of youth, | Goll jeh uns ooilley moarn nyn aegid, | |
| As she had done before, | Myr veih hene er nenew roie, | |
| On many a merry Christmas Eve, | Er ymmyddy dy oiaghyn Ollick riagh, | |
| From the same cottage door. | Vosh dorrys yn thie cheddyn. | |
| The parish bell rung merrily, | Kiauline y skeerey bingys riagh, | |
| Indeed as well it might, | Dy jarroo s'mie oddagh eh, | |
| For through the year, save at that time, | Son car ny bleaney, saue yn tra shen, | |
| It never rung at night. | Cha woal ah rieu s'yn oie, | |
| Group after group now fast arrived | Sheshaght lurg sheshaght va chaglym choan | |
| From all the parish round, | Vosh ooilley yn skeerey mygeart, | |
| While mirth and rural jollity | Choud's gerraghty as spoart cheerey | |
| Did 'mongst the whole abound. | Ren fud yn slane bishaghey. | |
| Some came across the mountain's side. | Paart chyt tessen lhiattee yn shlu, | |
| Some many weary miles | Paart ymmydy meelaghyn skee | |
| O'er hills, and lowland marshy fields, | Harrish crink as cawnyn as magheryn flught, | |
| O'er hedges, gates, and stiles ; | Harrish cleigh, dorlishyn, as cheamryn; | |
| But it was good old Christmas Eve, | Agh ve oie vie yn chenn Ollick, | |
| Which comes but once a year, | Ta cheet agh ceart sy vlean— | |
| Hail, rain, or snow, could not detain | Flaghey ny sniaghtey cha jynnagh lettall | |
| Them from th' Oiel-verree cheer. | Ad vieh boggey yn Oie'l-verree. | |
| The lasses with their gowns tuck'd up, | Ny innenny lesh ny oanrey chemmit seose, | |
| And strongly pinn'd behind, | As lajyr freenyt chew choolow, | |
| Were led by lads along the aisle, | Va'd leedyd lorrish ny gyllyn troid yn ahlley, | |
| Their landlord's seat to find, (b) | Seatyn ny mansteryn dy geddyn, | |
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(b) As but few of the better-thinking sort of the community visited the church on this night, the rustics had free access to each of their landlord's seats.
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| With candles formed in many a branch, (c) | Lesh cylyn jeant ayns muraan banglane, | |
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(c) It was customary for the females to manufacture candles formed into branches for this occasion.
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| The pew t' illuminate, | Yn soiagan-keeyllagh dy soilshagey, | |
| Fused in the crescit (d) by young Peg, | Leiyt ayns y crescit liorish Peg aeg, | |
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(d) A piece of a broken iron pot, commonly made use of for the purpose of dipping half-peeled rushes in the grease, and so making '' rush-lights" of them.
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| And dipp'd by thrifty Kate. | As tummyt liorish Kate tarroogh. | |
| Along the gallery and nave | Er lurid yn lout-hooyllee as yn nave | |
| Of the old church were seen | Jeh'n chenn kiell va ry akyn | |
| Festoons of many a holly-branch, | Ymmydy festoonyn dy vanglanyn hollyn, | |
| Relieved with heben (e) green. | Coonitt lesh hybbyn glass. | |
|
(e) Ivy.
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| When in full light the sacred pile | Tra ayns slane soiljey yn aglish casherick | |
| Of many a year appear'd, | Jeh ymmydy bleantyn ry akyn, | |
| And the selected prayers were read, | As ny padjeryn reiyght va leight. | |
| The pastor homeward steer'd, | Yn saggyrt sturey gour-y thie, | |
| Leaving the delegated clerk | Fagaile yn cleragh va treshtyt ayn | |
| To rule the rustic train, | Dy reilly sheshagh cheerey, | |
| While each in turn his carol (f) sang | Choud's dagh er uns caa arranys carval, | |
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(f) The custom was for one or two men to stand up at a time, and sing their carols to the audience, after the church service was over; and the church door was kept open until a late hour for that purpose.
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| Celebrity to gain. | Ennym mooar dy cosney. | |
| A veteran old, of many years' | Va shenn yoinney jeh ymmydy bleantyn | |
| Experience in song, | Jesh ayns arranys, | |
| Was still the first each Oiel-verree | Va still yn ched ec dagh Oie'l-verree | |
| Amongst the rustic throng, | Fud yn cheshagh cruinnagh, | |
| To draw the time-worn sheet from out | Dy hayrn yn tra ceaut lioar magh ass | |
| His leathern breeches' fob, | Poggad y’ vreechyn lhiare, | |
| In creases deep by dint of years, | Ayns craplagyn diun liorish bleantyn liour, | |
| But plain enough for Rob, | Baghtal dy liour da Rob, | |
| For he had learnt it all by heart, | Son ve er' nensagh eh ooilley as y chione, | |
| As the old saying goes, | Myr ta ny chenn raaghyn graa, | |
| But to be thought he could not read | Agh dy ve smooinyt nagh voddagh eh lieh | |
| In writing, rhyme or prose, | Ayns scrunyn, rhyme ny raa. | |
| Was a dishonour to his fame, | Cre'n neera mooar vegh eh da y ennym, | |
| Such as he could not brook. | Leid as nagh voddagh eh surrance, | |
| Tho' he had never learn'd the use | Gah na ren eh rieu gynsagh yn ymmyd | |
| Of letters or a book; | Jeh scrunyn ny jeh lioar ; | |
| But, to be candid, perhaps he might, | Agh dy ve oneragh, oddagh eh taghert, | |
| If educated well, | Dy beagh eh ynsyt mie, | |
| Have been a Milton, or a Pope, | Er ve ny Mylton ny ve Pope, | |
| A Johnson, or Boswell; | Ny Johnson ny Boswell; | |
| But here we had him as he was, | Agh un-sho the ayn myr ve, | |
| An honest Manxman bred, | Manninaght onneraght troggyt, | |
| With all the marvels yet extant | Lesh ooilley ny yindysyn ta ain | |
| Well hammer' d in his head; | Mie obberyt ayns eh chione ; | |
| And with self-consequential air | As lesh staid moyrnagh | |
| He'd lean out o'er the pew, | Ynnagh eh lhie magh soiagan-chillagh | |
| And tune his quav'ring annual note | As arranys yn carval bleanagh. | |
| As if each year 't were new ; | As myr dagh blean ve noa ; | |
| While at the end of every verse | Choud's ec kioan dy choolley vardoon | |
| The wags around the door | Ny craidey mygeart y dorrys | |
| Would loudly cry, with mock applause, | Yinnagh geam dy ard, lesh gamman molly, | |
| “Well done, Rob-Jack !—encore!" | “ Mie jeant, Rob Juan !—ceart ella !” | |
| But he was proof alike to scorn, | Agh ve prowal co laike gys craid | |
| And flattery's magic spell, | As folsagh pisaghyn myrgeddin ; | |
| His own so oft-tried power of song | Yn pooar ec y hene va ha mennick prowt ayns arrane | |
| He knew himself full well, | Va fys ec eh hene feer vie , | |
| And that he could his voice command | As dy row ec eh y corraa foe harrey | |
| O'er all their “hems” and “haws,” | Herrish ooilley ny "hymyn" as "hawyn" oc, | |
| Knew where to lay the emphasis | Mie boun da cre'n boal dy cur stress | |
| On words, and where to pause ; | Er focklyn as cre'n boal dy arragh; | |
| Yet notwithstanding all his powers, | Ny yei lurg ooilley ny pooaraghyn ecca, | |
| Few did appreciate | Cha nemmey va coontey ad fiu | |
| His music or his eloquence, | Eh kiauldyagh y loaryn tallys, | |
| Saving his old wife, Kate, | Sauayl eh shenn ven Kate, | |
| Who would, with great pretension too | Qui yinnagh lesh moad's chachaslys neesht | |
| To St. Cecelia's art, | Gys schlei Noo Cecelia, | |
| Chime in to help him through each verse | Chymal un dy coonney lesh trooid dagh bardoon | |
| Towards the latter part. | Ny-chour yn arn sgerry. | |
| The next whose customary turn | Yn nah er myr claghtey cheet | |
| Was to perform, stood up,— | Va dy colleen hass seose— | |
| And being stimulated well | As eshyn steblyt mie | |
| By famed old Nelly's cup,— | Lorish cabban foady-mollyt shenn Nelly. | |
| Commenced his diatribe against | Goayl toshagh lesh goltoan noi | |
| The cassock and the gown— | Yn garmad-chioun as yn gown— | |
| Each bishoprick and vicarage | Dagh aspickagh as saggyrtagh | |
| He would that night cry down;(g) | Yinnagh eh yn oie shen geam sheesh; | |
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(g) This person, whose farm lay next to the glebeland of the parsonage, conceiving that the parson had encroached on his forefather's land-mark, or boundary, composed a Christmas carol from that part of the Apocrypha which treats on the priests of Baal, who robbed the Temple each night of the food that was supposed to be devoured by the Idol, and thus he gave vent to his supposed injured feelings each Christmas eve in song.
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| The curate too came 'neath his lash | Yn shirveishagh neesh chyt foe eh kip | |
| As did the easy clerk. | Myrgeddyn neesh yn cleragh. | |
| Whom he would view with look askance | Er yinnagh eh jeaghin lesh shilley slydagh | |
| At every shrewd remark : | Ec dy chulley geill croutagh ; | |
| For many a home-directed stroke | As shemmey flout va curryt thie | |
| Was drawn in metaphor, | Va tayrnit ayns cosoylagh, | |
| In this his yearly tilt against | Ec yn caggey sho bleantagh noi’n | |
| The Episcopal lore. | Yn ynsagh keeillagh ock. | |
| When those two yearly champions | Tra va'n jeese brane bleanagh sho | |
| Had finish'd each his song, | Er scuir dagh jeh nyn arrane, | |
| The one so fraught with satire keen, | Va fer cha lhaine ronniaght, | |
| The other dry and long, | Yn fer elley chyrrym as lour. | |
| The youthful band the moment hail'd | Yn cheshagh aeg yn 'vennit yllit | |
| With many a smiling face, | Lesh whillyn eddyn ginnal | |
| For now the time for shutting up | Son nish yn tra son dy yeigh seose | |
| Was drawing on apace, | Va taryn dy syragh err, | |
| Now went each joke, and shrewd remark, | Nish hie dagh ommyjys, as cowrey kiart | |
| Around from pew to pew, | Mygeart vei seate gys seate. | |
| And maids their stock of parched pease | As inneenyn ny stockyn dy phijer bolgyd | |
| Amongst the rustics threw : | Fud ny scollagyn chew: | |
| By custom taught for ages back, | Liorish claghtey ynsit son eashyn ersool, | |
| The lasses brought their pease. | Ny inneenyn hug lesh nyn phijer, | |
| In pockets full each Oiel-verree. | Ayns poggadyn laane dagh Oie'l-verree, | |
| The bachelors to tease, | Ny shenn yeaney aeggey dy vrasnaghey, | |
| By taking opportunity | Liorish goall caachyn | |
| When they were least aware, | Tra veagh ad coid-sloo er arry, | |
| To throw their pulse artillery | Dy cheau nyn wappinyn caggy grynagh | |
| And make the rustics stare. | As cur err ny scollagyn yindys. | |
| Now when each chanting candidate | Nish tra veagh dagh fer-sherry arranys | |
| Had done his best to please, (h) | Er 'nennoo yn coid share dy cur taitnys, | |
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(h) There was considerable rivalship on these occasions, in displaying their vocal abilities.
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| And lasses tired of the sport | As inneenyn skee jeh'n spoyrt | |
| Created by the pease, | Crooit liorish yn phijyr, | |
| They'd all agree with one accord | Ynnagh ad ooilley cordail lesh un aidney | |
| To take the dreary road, | Dy yoall yn raad skeeagh, | |
| Re-passing through each haunted glen | Goll shaghey reisht throoid dagh gloan oal | |
| Ere all reached their abode : | Roish roshagh ad ooilley nyn thie. | |
| But on that merry-making eve | Agh er yn n'astyr-shen-janoo riagh | |
| There is no cause to fear | Cha row ore dy goall aggle | |
| Nor ghosts, nor witches, for 'tis said | Son scaanyn, ny butchyn, son te reit | |
| They dare not then appear: | Cha loast daue cheet ayns shilley: | |
| Upon each road a half-way house | Er dagh raad ta thie leah raaid | |
| Was ready to receive | Veagh arloo dy goall stiagh | |
| Each courting pair, on their return | Dagh piyr veagh sooree, er nyn jyndaa | |
| From church on Christmas Eve: | Veih'n keihll fastyr yn Ollick : | |
| A noted one amongst the rest, | Nane va cronnal fud yn cuid-elley, | |
| The far-famed Brumish Veg, (i) | Va foadey ardgooagh " Brumish Veg," | |
|
(i) A well-known public-house, situate on the banks of the river Corna, in Kirk Maughold.
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| Well stock'd with home-brew'd beverage | Stockyt mie lesh lhune imbylyt ec y thie | |
| Fresh frothing from the keg ; | Oor keshall vosh yn vullag ; | |
| And blithely on that jovial night | As riagh er yn oie stoamey | |
| Each toast and jest went round, | Dagh slaynt as craid hie mygeart, | |
| And with their rustic merriment | As lesh nyn riaghid cheerey | |
| Did Brumish Veg resound ! | Ren Brumish Veg gerveyagh ! | |
| The ale was season'd to the taste | Yn lhune va blastynid gys y vlass | |
| In each full foaming pot, | Ayns dagh caart keshall laane, | |
| Not with ground ginger mix'd with spice, | Cha nee lesh ginshar belt seiyt lesh spice. | |
| But good black-pepper hot; | Agh lesh pebber doo mie chuyt; | |
| And junks of wheaten-flour bread . | As peechyn dy arran flooar-curnagh, | |
| So seldom used in Man, | Cha new-vennick ayns ymmid ayns Mannin— | |
| After being toasted on the turf, | Lurg ve chouit er y fadd, | |
| Would hiss within the can. | Yinnagh bizzall ayns y curn. | |
| Such was the fare at Brumish Veg | Leid v'an farrall ayn's Brumish Veg | |
| As flow'd the mirthful tide. | Myr lhieeney yn tidey boggasagh. | |
| And many a youthful pair, whose home | As shymmey dy piyryn aeggey, ny thine oc | |
| Was on the mountain's side, | Va er liattie yn clieu, | |
| Sat down to quaff the barleycorn's | Soie sheesh dy iue soo yn arroo-oarn's | |
| Most stimulating juice, | Smoo dy ghreesaghey'n soo | |
| And in their turn another sort | As ayn's nyn caa soarch elley | |
| Of songs would introduce | Dy arranyn horragh stiagh. | |
| From those which they had sung at church | Vosh yn soarch v'ad arranys ec y keeyl | |
| An hour or two before, | Oor ny jeese er sooyl shaghey, | |
| While they would pass the jug about, | Choud's v'ad cur yn caart mygeart, | |
| Regardless of the score, | Gyn cur geille d'an tailley, | |
| Until each lass, persuasively, | Er derry dagh ineen, coarlaghey, | |
| Would hint the way was long | Yinnagh graa dy row yn raad liour | |
| They had to go, which would give rise | Veh oc dy gholl, coin yinnagh cur troggall | |
| Unto the parting song. | Er-gys yn arrane payrdail. | |
| The parting verse they sang that night | Yn bardoon pardail va arranitt yn oie shen | |
| I well remember yet. | Cooinaghtyn mie t'aim er foast, | |
| It aye reminds me of those scenes | Teh sthill cur ayn's cooinaghtyn mee jeh ny giensyn shen | |
| I never can forget; | Nagh jin ym dy bragh jarrood ; | |
| Though many years have pass'd away | Gah ta ymmydy bleantyn er-noll shaghey | |
| Since last I heard that strain, | Nyrys cheal mee yn arrane shen, | |
| Its tones oft o'er my memory steal, | Y' vingys mennic geid er my cooinaghtyn | |
| And bring home back again. (j) | As cur lesh thie hum reesht. * | |
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*
[See below]
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| After the parting verse was sung, | Lurg d'an arrane pardail veh arranyt, | |
| And jough ey dorrys (k) drank. | As " jough yn dorrys" iu't, | |
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(k) The stirrup-cup.
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| And the large Christmas candle had | As yn caidle mooar yn Ollick va | |
| Within the socket sank. | Heesht sy cainlair losht, | |
| They of the host of Brumish Veg | Ad jeh far-thie jeh Brumish Veg | |
| Then took a parting leave, | Esht ghow ad kead pardayle ; | |
| And thus the merry rustics all | Myr shoh ren ny scollagyn rieagh ooilley | |
| Closed that auspicious eve. | Gendall yn fastyr chronnal shen. | |
| Each lad would see his lass safe home, | Dagh dooinney-aeg heeagh y ineen sauchey thie, | |
| Whose parents would invite | Yn ayr as yn moir dy yinnagh churrey | |
| Him in, and sanction his request | Eh stiagh, as lowall da y'ennagh | |
| To stop with her the night, | Dy urragh marey yn oie, | |
| While they would go unto their bed | Choud's rogh ad hene gys nyn lhiabbee | |
| And leave them by themselves, | As fagaile ad lioroo hene, | |
| With a good fire on the hearth | Lesh aile mie er y chollagh | |
| And plenty on the shelves. | As pailtey er ny skellooyn. | |
| Thus they would pass the happy night, | Sho myr v'ad cur shaghey yn oie gerjoil, | |
| Still daring not to stride | Sthill cha bloase daue goll | |
| O'er Hymen's bound'ry, or attempt | Harris caigglagh poosey, jennoo translase | |
| What virtue has denied, | Noie ny ren dooghys gobbal, | |
| Observing the old adage still | Goall tastey jeh'n chenn raghyn sthill | |
| Which they were wont to say,— | Leid as v'ad claghtey graa— | |
| " To keep the feast strictly preserved | " Dy real yn giense ayn's mydenys | |
| Until the festal day." | Er dys laa ny banjey." | |
| (j) The "Parting Verse"— | ||
| Now we’ll to our homes, lads, | *Te traa goll thie dy goll dy lhie, | |
| ’Tis time to go to bed ; | Te tarn dys traa ny lhiabagh ; | |
| Each rocking-stool a warning gives— | Ta'n stoyl ta foin grainagh shin roin, | |
| The fire's flame hath fled! | T'eh baghtal[4] dooin dy gleashagh. | |
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[4] baghtal] signal in the 1844 original.
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| [5] The notes are those in the 1844 publication. | ||