The Dalesman's Litany
Tim Hart & Maddy Prior| Original | Traduzione inglese di Tim Hart. |
| THE DALESMAN'S LITANY | THE DALESMAN'S LITANY |
| It's hard when fowks can't finnd their wark Wheer they've bin bred an' born; I were young I awlus thowt I'd bide 'mong t' roots an' corn. I've bin forced to work i' towns, So here's my litany: Frae Hull, an' Halifax, an' Hell, Gooid Lord, deliver me! | It's hard when folks can't find their work Where they've been bred and born. When I was young I always thought I'd bide amidst fruits and corn. But I've been forced to work in town So here's my litany: From Hull and Halifax and Hell, Good Lord, deliver me! |
| When I were courtin' Mary Ann, T' owd squire, he says one day: “I've got no bield (1) for wedded fowks; Choose, wilt ta wed or stay?” I couldn't gie up t' lass I loved, To t' town we had to flee: Frae Hull, an' Halifax, an' Hell, Gooid Lord, deliver me! | When I was courting Mary Jane The old squire, he says to me, “I've got no rooms for wedded folk; Choose whether to go or to stay.” I could not give up the girl I loved So to town I was forced to flee: From Hull and Halifax and Hell, Good Lord, deliver me! |
| I've wrowt i' Leeds an' Huthersfel', An' addled (2) honest brass; I' Bradforth, Keighley, Rotherham, I've kept my barns an' lass. I've travelled all three Ridin's round, And once I went to sea: Frae forges, mills, an' coalin' boats, Gooid Lord, deliver me! | I've worked in Leeds and Huddersfield And I've earned some honest brass. In Bradford, Keighley, Rotherham I've kept my bairns and lass. I've travelled all three Ridings round And once I went to sea: From forges, mills and coaling boats, Good Lord, deliver me! |
| I've walked at neet through Sheffield loans (3), 'T were same as bein' i' Hell: Furnaces thrast out tongues o' fire, An' roared like t' wind on t' fell. I've sammed up coals i' Barnsley pits, Wi' muck up to my knee: Frae Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham, Gooid Lord, deliver me! | I've walked at night through Sheffield lanes T'was just like being in hell. Where furnaces thrust out tongues of fire And roared like the wind on the fell. I've sammed up coals in Barnsley pit With muck up to my knee: From Barnsley, Sheffield, Rotherham, Good Lord, deliver me! |
| I've seen grey fog creep ower Leeds Brig As thick as bastile (4) soup; I've lived wheer fowks were stowed away Like rabbits in a coop. I've watched snow float down Bradforth Beck As black as ebiny: Frae Hunslet, Holbeck, Wibsey Slack, Gooid Lord, deliver me! | I've seen fog creep across Leeds bridge As thick as the bastile soup. I've lived where folks were stowed away Like rabbits in a coop. I've seen snow float down Bradford Beck As black as ebony: From Hunslet, Holbeck, Wibsey Stack, Good Lord, deliver me! |
| But now, when all wer childer's fligged, (5) To t' coontry we've coom back. There's fotty mile o' heathery moor Twix' us an' t' coal-pit slack. And when I sit ower t' fire at neet, I laugh an' shout wi' glee: Frae Bradforth, Leeds, an Huthersfel', Frae Hull, an' Halifax, an' Hell, T' gooid Lord's delivered me! | But now that all our children have gone To the country we've come back. There's forty miles of heathery moor 'Twixt us and the coal-pit stack. And as I sit by the fire at night I laugh and shout with glee: From Hull and Halifax and Hell, The Good Lord delivered me. |
(1) shelter = qui nel senso di posto per ospitare i novelli sposi
(2) earned = nel senso di guadagnarsi il pane
(3) lanes = strade
(4) workhouse = nel senso di mensa dei poveri
(5) fledged = volati via, nel seseo che il protagonista è ormai vecchio, i figli sono cresciuti e se ne sono andati, come lui a suo tempo, in cerca di lavoro e di fortuna.