Sospan Fach

From Welshpedia

Sosban Fach (Welsh for "Little Saucepan") is a traditional Welsh folk song. It is one of the best-known and most often sung songs in the Welsh language.

Sospan Fach MP3 (http://astore.amazon.co.uk/welshped-21/detail/B002A2GUY6)

The song catalogues the troubles of a harassed housewife. The song is mostly associated with the rugby union club Llanelli RFC and, more recently, the Scarlets regional rugby side. The association derives from Llanelli's tin plating industry, which used to tin-plate steel saucepans and other kitchen utensils as a cheap supply to the British public. During the final years of Stradey Park, the former ground of Llanelli RFC and the Scarlets, the goalposts were adorned with Scarlet saucepans as a tribute to the town's history; the utensils have been transferred to the clubs' new ground, Parc y Scarlets. Also, the Scarlets' official magazine is titled Sosban.

This song is alluded to in the book Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. It is also used as background music in The Goon Show episode The Mighty Wurlitzer, with one character telling another, "I've come to bring your saucepan back." The Welsh rock band Man during the 1970s sometimes brought the Gwalia Male Voice Choir on stage to sing the song during shows.

Sospan Fach (trad. Welsh folksong)	Little Saucepan (approximate translation)
Mae bys Mari Ann wedi gwywo, A Dafydd y gwas ddim yn iach; Mae'r Baban yn y crud yn crio, A'r gath wedi scrapo Johnny bach Sospan fach yn berwi ar y tân Sosban fawr yn berwi ar y llawr A'r gath wedi scrapo Johnny bach. Dai bach yn sowldiwr, Dai bach yn sowldiwr, Dai bach yn sowldiwr, A chwt i grys e' mas.	My sweet Mary Ann's hurt her finger, And David the servant's feeling weak; And the baby's crying now in its cradle, The cat's scratching Johnny on the cheek Little saucepan is boiling on the fire, Big saucepan boils over on the floor, The cat's scratching Johnny on the cheek. David the soldier, David the soldier, David the soldier, His shirttail's hanging out.
Mae bys Mari Ann wedi gwella, A Dafydd y gwas yn ei fedd; Mae'r baban yn y crud wedi tyfu, A'r gath wedi huno mewn hedd. Sospan fach yn berwi ar y tân Sosban fawr yn berwi ar y llawr A'r gath wedi huno mewn hedd. Dai bach yn sowldiwr, Dai bach yn sowldiwr, Dai bach yn sowldiwr, A chwt i grys e' mas.	My sweet Mary Ann's feeling better, And David the servant's in his grave; And the baby's sleeping now in his cradle, The cat has decided to behave. Little saucepan is boiling on the fire, Big saucepan boils over on the floor, The cat has decided to behave. David the soldier, David the soldier, David the soldier, His shirttail's hanging out.

Sospan Fach (trad. Welsh folksong)

Little Saucepan (approximate translation)

Mae bys Mari Ann wedi gwywo,

A Dafydd y gwas ddim yn iach;
Mae'r Baban yn y crud yn crio,
A'r gath wedi scrapo Johnny bach
Sospan fach yn berwi ar y tân
Sosban fawr yn berwi ar y llawr
A'r gath wedi scrapo Johnny bach.
Dai bach yn sowldiwr,
Dai bach yn sowldiwr,
Dai bach yn sowldiwr,
A chwt i grys e' mas.

My sweet Mary Ann's hurt her finger,

And David the servant's feeling weak;
And the baby's crying now in its cradle,
The cat's scratching Johnny on the cheek
Little saucepan is boiling on the fire,
Big saucepan boils over on the floor,
The cat's scratching Johnny on the cheek.
David the soldier,
David the soldier,
David the soldier,
His shirttail's hanging out.

Mae bys Mari Ann wedi gwella,

A Dafydd y gwas yn ei fedd;
Mae'r baban yn y crud wedi tyfu,
A'r gath wedi huno mewn hedd.
Sospan fach yn berwi ar y tân
Sosban fawr yn berwi ar y llawr
A'r gath wedi huno mewn hedd.
Dai bach yn sowldiwr,
Dai bach yn sowldiwr,
Dai bach yn sowldiwr,
A chwt i grys e' mas.

My sweet Mary Ann's feeling better,

And David the servant's in his grave;
And the baby's sleeping now in his cradle,
The cat has decided to behave.
Little saucepan is boiling on the fire,
Big saucepan boils over on the floor,
The cat has decided to behave.
David the soldier,
David the soldier,
David the soldier,
His shirttail's hanging out.

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