Journey for Love
Did anyone ever walk for a lover
what I walked, love's hardship,
in ice and snow, such passion,
4 rain and wind for the bright-faced one?
All I got was a fit of pining.
Feet never had greater vexation
going to Gellïau'r Meirch,
8 loss of the fair one's favour,
straight across the desolate land of Eleirch
by night and day, and reward was no closer.
Oh God! loud was this man's
12 shout in Celli Fleddyn:
crying out for her sake,
I proclaimed my love for her.
Bysaleg with its low hoarse sound,
16 hollow bubbling torrent of a short narrow river,
very often for her sake
would I cross it daily.
I would go fine and free,
20 my deep pain, to Bwlch Meibion Dafydd,
and off over to Y Gamallt
and to Y Rhiw for the girl with fine hair.
Swiftly would I press on
24 to the narrow gap between the cliffs of Bwlch y Maen
to take a look at the fine valley
for the sake of a fur-clad maiden.
She cannot slip furtively
28 past me either here or there.
I was intent and speedy
along Pont Cwcwll in summer
and around Castell Gwgawn
32 bent forward like a goose chick after stalks.
I ran past Heilin's house,
the run of a fierce panting bloodhound.
I stood below Ifor's court
36 like a monk in the corner of a chancel
to try to meet with fair Morfudd
although no favour was promised.
There is no hill or steep slope
40 on either side of the valley of Nant-y-glo
that I don't know off by heart,
Ovid's fine sense, because of my passion and twisting.
It's easy for me as I shout through my fist
44 to reach my true goal at Gwernytalwrn
where I got to see, sweet favour,
a pretty girl beneath a deep black cloak,
where the shape of our lair under good branches
48 is visible evermore,
without growth of grass or trees,
place of broken leaves, like Adam's path.
Woe the soul without reward
52 or any payment at all for its pains
if it must journey the whole way
that the wretched body did.