A Suite o' Bairnsangs

Song Cycle by Thea Musgrave (b. 1928)

1. The Man‑in‑the‑Mune
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
The man-in-the-mune's got cleik-i-the-back
 [ ... ]

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

This text may be copyright, so we will not display it until we obtain permission to do so or discover it is public-domain.

Note: "shimmer" = "crossbar"

Modern English translation (The man in the moon), also by the author: 
The man in the moon's got a crick in his back
So he will not come out to play.
He sits by himself on a shimmer of heaven
And hears what the stars say
But his cheeks go black
He furls his brow
And his old head shakes with rage,
Through the bustling clouds that jostle the earth,
When God's on the rampage.
The man in the moon's got a crick in his back
So he will not come out to play.

2. Daffins
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
The wind that blew yestreen
 [ ... ]

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

This text may be copyright, so we will not display it until we obtain permission to do so or discover it is public-domain.
Modern English translation (Daffodils), also by the author: 
The wind that blew last night,
Made trees rear up their heads,
And wrestle as it tried
To steal the clothes from off their beds.
It must have shaken the sun
Whirling around the world
For off his flaming fiery ball
A few bright sparks it hurled
And dropped them round the roots
Of every breathless tree.
Cool laughing pools of yellow light
Daffodils, most fair to see.

3. Willie Wabster
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Hae ye seen Willie Wabster?
 [ ... ]

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

This text may be copyright, so we will not display it until we obtain permission to do so or discover it is public-domain.
Modern English translation (Willie Webster), also by the author:
Have you seen Willie Webster?
He's well known from Scrabster
South to the silver Tweed.
He runs his fingers through the sky
To keep the stars a moving:
When thunder clouds go slowly by,
He gives them each a shoving.
And when the moon offends his sight,
He casts it o'er his shoulder;
So as to snuff the sun's bright light
His winds go swaggering bolder.
Have you seen Willie Webster?
He's well known from Scrabster
South to the silver Tweed.
He makes the raindrops out of heav'n
Come driving on the town
In ribbons all the colours seven,
He drops and dangles down.
Small wonder that I'm often scared,
For I'm not certain whether
He's God himself, the Lord of the world
Or just his clerk of weather.

4. A Bairn's Prayer at Nicht 
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
The starns crack the lift tae let licht in
 [ ... ]

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

This text may be copyright, so we will not display it until we obtain permission to do so or discover it is public-domain.
Modern English translation (A child's prayer at night), also by the author: 
The stars crack the sky to let light in.
So please may the holes let out my sin.

5. The Gean
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Aa the trees are dansan wi the winds of Spring
 [ ... ]

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

This text may be copyright, so we will not display it until we obtain permission to do so or discover it is public-domain.
Modern English translation (The cherry tree), also by the author: 
All the trees are dancing with the winds of spring
Every green leaf glancing in a highland fling.
Except for yonder cherry tree so ladylike and proud
Dressed up for all the rest to see with tassels of a cloud.

Total word count: 312