Ha me a moaz

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Original

A Mi a moaz, a mi a moaz in Goon Glaze,
Mi a clouaz, a clouaz, a clouaz, a troz, a troz, a troz, an pysgaz miniz.
Bez mi a trouviaz un pysg brawze, Naw Losia,
Olla Boble en Porthia ha Marazjowan
Ne mi ôr Dho Gan Zingy.
(Bor.MS: Nevra ni ôr dho ganzingy.)

SWF

Ha my ow mos, ha my ow mos yn Karn Glas,
My a glowas, a glowas, a glowas, an tros, an tros, an tros a'n puskes munys.
Bus my a drovyas unn pysk bras, naw y lostyow,
Oll an bobel yn Porthia ha Marghasyow
Na my a wor dh'aga synsi. (Nevra ny wor dh'aga synsi.)

Translation

As I was going, as I was going in Carn Glaze,
I heard, I heard, I heard, the sound, the sound, the sound of little fish.
But I found one big fish, with nine tails,
All the people in St Ives and Marazion
Nor I know how to keep hold of them. (Never know how to hold them.)

Notes

  • (in Borlase & Tonkin) 1698 OC Vol I (Tonkin MS)
  • Capt. Noel Carter of St.Agnes 1698
  • This riddle, sometimes referred to as 'The Fisherman's Catch", has been set to music and arranged by several musicians, including Richard Gendall. A version was recorded by the group Sowena.
  • John Hobson Matthews in A History of the Parishes of St. Ives, Lelant, Towednack and Zennor:
    • On a careful study of this late Cornish fragment I feel certain that it is a Saint Ives ditty and would be fully appreciated only in that neighbourhood. Both the original and the translation above cited contain errors. Thus goon glaze which is rightly translated green downs is I feel sure a mistake for Garn Glaze the feminine mutation of Carn Glaze ('the Grey Rock heap') which is the name of a spot in the old part of that town overlooking the harbour. 'Troz an Puscaz miniz' should be rendered not 'the noise of little fishes' but 'the feet of the fishes walking', I think. True, the sentence is curiously ambiguous, and the other version is possibly correct, but my amendment makes the humours of the ditty hang together better. 'Naw losia' should be 'naw lostia' which means not 'nine yards' but 'nine tails'. I would suggest the following rendering: 'A me a moaz a me a moaz a me a moaz en Garn Gleaz, Me a clowas a clowas a clowas a troz a troz a troz an puscas mynez; Mez me a welys un pysg braz, naw lostya, Oll a' pobl en Porth la ha Maradzhawan, Nevra ni or dho gan zingy.' To be translated thus: 'As I was going, was going, was going, on Carn Glaze, I heard, I heard, I heard, the feet, the feet, the feet of fishes walking; but I saw one big fish (with) nine tails - all the people of Saint Ives and Marazion were not able to pull it (ashore)'.

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