Morfudd's Hair
God has put (I am a good witness)
two plaits to enchant two parishes,
of love's blessings, they are gold,
4 fair torques on a girl's pate
from the fruit of a bright graceful head-load,
golden torques and dear produce,
a man's load, tress of love,
8 a shining rope above the pate's slope,
fully waxed, absolutely straight form,
golden-coloured grove, what a hen-beam (?),
a fair filling within a string,
12 loose growth burdening a girl,
flax of a gracious best-loving girl,
grove of pure gold, strings of praise.
The slender merry girl bears the sheaf of broom
16 proudly, pretty exquisite maid,
a rounded bush of hair, a fine crown,
graceful and pretty, pleated marigold colour,
a surcoat, a collar of fine hair,
20 branching tresses of gold,
beautiful gift, wearing burnished gold
on her head of golden ropes
to enchant master poets;
24 her existence was a joy to the world.
The girl received a noble gift;
the blessing of the fair bright head of hair
was far superior to that of Cynwrig Cinnin,
28 son of the curly-headed one, speckled grey misery,
monstrous creature with scabby nape,
his pate is bare where it is healthy,
half-abandoned, destitute, randy beggar,
32 jowl of a bitter-sweating blister.
Well-known as a jealous husband, silly and wild,
his scant hair was quite different
(hers was faultlessly and gracefully plaited)
36 to the grove on Morfudd Llwyd's head.