Help! (Traditional Welsh or Celtic Christmas folk song)

[Layne Gneiting]

Dear friends,

I'm begging your assistance this holiday season. My old mission president has commissioned a tale for his family Christmas morn, and I've pinned down the tale, but want to lace an old Christmas folk tune with it, preferably from England or Wales (where the dear fellow served as a missionary decades ago). Ideally, the tune would carry its own lyrics--something about giving, feeding the hungry, helping the homeless, or akin to it, but the lyrics aren't essential. It IS essential that the tune be authentic, a true folk tune. And preferably Welsh or English (though Scottish or Irish would do in a pinch).

A thousand thanks, and Joy to you all.

Layne

[Reisa Stone]

Head to your hymnal? Nah. It's way more fun to post questions to a forum. You learn more and connect with people :-D

I belong to another forum where one of the moderators is in love with the Forum Manual. Most times when someone posts a technical question, he suggests they go to the rule book. I tease him that The Manual is like Windex in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It works for everything.

The point of sites like this is learning things you never would have otherwise, and making cool friends doing groovy things.

Reisa

[Layne Gneiting]

You're a gem! I'm grinning from ear to ear, Reisa. THANK YOU!

[Marilyn McPhie]

Hi, Layne,
I've always loved the way "All Through the Night" is woven through the wonderful Denholm Elliott version of "A Child's Christmas in Wales." It's a beautiful song--not necessarily Christmas, but appropriate. Another idea is "Suo Gan"--a gorgeous traditional Welsh tune with lullaby-type lyrics, which could work well for Christmas. Good luck with your project. I'm sure it will be lovely.

Marilyn McPhie

[Bill and Kath Worsfold]

Hee-hee! I had also thought of Good King Wenceslas, but didn't mention it for the same reason as Reisa - I thought it was too obvious. BTW, I LOVE Reisa's whole attitude and way of looking at life. It's because of her that I'm now a member of WSPA (World Society For the Protection of Animals), and I even applied for a job with them (which I didn't get).

Here's another carol that I thought of right away, but didn't put on yet because I only just found a sound file for it. It's a great one, and our band sang it a cappella in four part harmony - yummy! I couldn't find this version on Youtube - there's another, inferior version cropping up everywhere, but this one is better. Today I found a midi file and downloaded it, but I can't listen to midi files on this computer, so I need to check it before I will upload it here. Here are the lyrics, anyway.

HERE WE COME A WASSAILING

Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green,
Here we come a-wandering so fairly to be seen,
Now is winter-time; strangers travel far and near,
And we wish you, send you a happy New Year.

Bud and blossom, bud and blossom, bud and bloom and bear,
So we may have plenty of cider all next year;
Hatfuls and in capfuls and in bushel bags all,
And cider running out of every gutter hole.

Down in yonder muddy lane there sits and old red fox,
Starving and a-shivering and licking his old chops;
Bring us out your table and spread it if you please,
And give us hungry wassailers a bit of bread and cheese.

I've got a little purse and it's made of leather skin,
A little silver sixpence would line it well within;
Now is winter-time; strangers travel far and near,
And we wish you, send you a happy New Year.


Notes: The custom of "wassailing" (going from house to house, usually on January 5, begging food, drink and hospitality) is mentioned as far back as the 12th century in England; similar rituals are found across the continent of Europe and in the United States. - (PJS)
"Wassail," incidentally, is from Old English "Wes hael," "Be hale/whole," i.e. "Be in good health."

Cheers,
Kathy Lamb Worsfold

**************************************************
Bill & Kath - Kiwi Entertainers!
www.billkath.co.nz
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[Reisa Stone]

Awww Kathy, you really joined WSPA because of me? That is so cool to hear. Hey, guess what? I'm doing horse rescue work. I just put up a basic blog for the Horse Protection Society of BC at www.horseprotectionsocietyofbc.blogspot.com Make sure you click on the link for the story of Noel, the Christmas pony. I'm going out to give the little tyke a massage this week. HPS' rescue farm is fostering him for the SPCA; we are eagerly awaiting news of his owners' criminal convictions.

And I've just started a nonprofit society, Horse Protection Canada. The blog is in the works. Take a look at the bare bones starting page: www.horseprotection.blogspot.com We're going to use a combo of media storytelling and hardcore government lobbying to organize folks to stop horse slaughter. I'm looking forward to organizing a Horse Protection benefit incorporating tellers & musicians.

Sorry for hijacking your thread, Layne. Can you write it off to "being kind to animals (& their people) at Xmas"?

Reisa

[Layne Gneiting]

Fair rescuers,

A thousand thanks for rushing to my aid. In the end, I adapted Good King Wenceslas (thanks for the tip!), converting it to a minor key and altering the lyrics. I'll let you know how it goes.

Yours Thankfully,
Layne

[Reisa Stone]

Have fun!

[Granny Sue]

So what did you decide to do, Layne? and how did it go over?

[Layne Gneiting]

Glad you asked, Granny Sue. With the luxury of holidays I've neglected this forum of late. Sorry!

Fairly interesting how it played out. Not quite certain if I handled all aspects well, but here's what transpired. My former mission president (I was a missionary eons ago in the UK) invited me to tell a "good Christmas tale, something about the Savior, and I'd even pay you." He apologized for asking to take me from family Christmas morning, but he'd sure appreciate it.

So I set to work. It offered an excuse to craft a Christmas tale--something I've always neglected. Over and over I created and discarded lyrics, usually while cycling so my mind could freely roam, and finally landed on Good King Wenceslas in a minor key to these lyrics:

Look ye to the homeless souls
On this holy even
Warm the hungered and the cold
for 'tis the night of Stephen

In your arms lovingly
to your heart bind them
For dear shepherd 'tis through you
Our Savior's love will find them.

I wanted to use the keyboard, and recalled seeing a piano in his home years ago. The Monday prior I double-checked and . . . no piano at his home. Sigh. Should I tug along my keyboard and set up the sound system? Heavens no. Too bulky. Plus the setup and dismantling would disrupt their gathering, so I figured I'd just sing.

Christmas Eve I gave the inaugural telling to my family, and found it warmly received by in-laws and all. Christmas morning, clad in my telling attire I arrived and found the place vacant save for the hosts! Soon the guests trickled in, and on the heels of a glowing welcome, out came the tale. Naturally I tied it back to our mission, to the good people of Wales, and offered a 2-sentence history lesson about Boxing Day--celebrated in antiquity as St. Stephen's Day. Aside from a few minor distractions (a 2-year-old came crawling by my chair during the tale) the tale gave a pleasing account of itself. And the teller didn't get in the way too much either. Several audience members plied me with questions about storytelling (always a good sign!), and my host handed me a box of chocolates whispering "I'll settle up with you later." Good.

Next day he called a bit embarrassed. "We didn't make any financial arrangements," he began. "And I'd thought to just give you the chocolates, but you spent time working on that tale, and I took you from your family . . ." Uh oh. Generally I'm a stickler on paid work, but I'm a sucker for friends and family. "I'll be straight up," I told him. "When I work in schools, libraries and such, I get paid and paid well for this work." After all, I'm an ambassador for this art. I detest freebies, for they lure audiences into discounting the art of telling. "But you're a friend. Glad to do it."

Was I wrong? Not sure. For others I'd insist on payment. For him I couldn't. You see, perhaps it's karma, or whatever label we want to give it. But years ago, at Christmas, when we wondered how we'd even have a Christmas, he slipped me a check worth several hundred dollars. I remember falling on his neck, weeping.

Guess it was my turn to offer a favor. And you know what? I've a new tale in my repertoire! A Merry Christmas indeed.

Thanks for asking, Granny Sue. And thanks again to all your good souls who offered tips, ideas, and suggestions. I love this community.

Happy New Year all!

Layne

[Granny Sue]

What a great tale of the tale itself, and its development. It takes a lot of time and thought to develop a new story, so I do hope you have the opportunity to tell your new story many times. At least get it on tape so you'll have it to practice with. Holiday stories carry the additional challenge of usually being told only once a year so polishing them up take more time than other stories we tell.

[Reisa Stone]

That sounds lovely, Layne. I'm glad it worked out. And yes, this is one of those occasions you don't ask for money. You did good.