Ushag veg ruy

Ushag veg ruy

Wed, 15 Apr 2020

A traditional Manxsong printed in many collections, including A. W. Moore's Manx Ballads and Music (1896):

Ushag Veg Ruy

Ushag veg ruy ny moanee doo,
Ny moanee doo, ny moanee doo,
Ushag veg ruy ny moanee doo,
C'raad chaddil oo riyr 'syn oie?

Chaddil mish riyr er baare y dress,
Er baare y dress, er baare y dress,
Chaddil mish riyr er baare y dress,
As ugh! my cadley cha treih!

Chaddil mish riyr er baare y crouw,
Er baare y crouw, er baare y crouw,
Chaddil mish riyr er baare y crouw,
As ugh! my cadley cha treih!

Chaddil mish riyr er baare y thooane,
Er baare y thooane, er baare y thooane,
Chaddil mish riyr er baare y thooane,
As ugh! my cadley cha treih!

Chaddil mish riyr eddyr daa guillag,
Eddyr daa guillag, eddyr daa guillag,
Chaddil mish riyr eddyr daa guillag,
Myr yinnagh yn oikan eddyr daa lhuishag,
As O! my cadley cha kiune!

English translation:

Little Red Bird

Little red bird of the black turf ground,
Of the black turf ground, of the black turf ground,
Little red bird of the black turf ground,
Where did you sleep last night?

I slept last night on the top of the briar,
On the top of the briar, on the top of the briar,
I slept last night on the top of the briar,
And oh! what a wretched sleep!

Little red bird of the black turf ground,
Of the black turf ground, of the black turf ground,
Little red bird of the black turf ground,
Where did you sleep last night?

I slept last night on the top of the bush,
On the top of the bush, on the top of the bush,
I slept last night on the top of the bush,
And oh! what a wretched sleep!

Little red bird of the black turf ground,
Of the black turf ground, of the black turf ground,
Little red bird of the black turf ground,
Where did you sleep last night?

I slept last night on the ridge of the roof,
On the ridge of the roof, on the ridge of the roof,
I slept last night on the ridge of the roof,
And oh! what a wretched sleep!

Little red bird of the black turf ground,
Of the black turf ground, of the black turf ground,
Little red bird of the black turf ground,
Where did you sleep last night?

I slept last night between two leaves,
Between two leaves, between two leaves,
I slept last night between two leaves,
As a babe 'twixt two blankets quite at ease,
And oh! what a peaceful sleep!

The sheet music is freely available from the Manx Music & Dance website here: www.manxmusic.com/learn_page_131921.html

This song connects to an image in the project, Whispering in the trees: Images of Manx folklore by Mark Kinrade.