Pleasure and innocence hand in hand went, My deeds ever blameless, my heart e’er content, Unknown to ambition, and free from all care, A stranger to sorrow, remorse, or despair; Oh bless’d were those days! long departed from me, Far, far’s my loved Cambria! far, far is Brandee!
This did not take so well as the first, but Twm, now thoroughly interested in his new vocation, commenced a fresh ditty, which he announced as a sequel to the last.
Rosy Gwen, Rosy Gwen, Beloved of maids, beloved of men: Aye, dearly loved of grave and gay, In youth’s early day—ah, what cheer’d me then? ’Twas her voice so sweet, Her person neat, Her form so sleek, Her spirit meek, And the cherry-merry cheek of Rosy Gwen.
Gentle girl, gentle girl, Coral lipp’d, with teeth of pearl, On either cheek a vivid rose, And raven tresses graced thy brows! Ah, thou wert my love and playmate then! Happy lass of smiles, Unvers’d in wiles, Of guileless breast— Of minds the best. Oh my merry-cheek’d young Rosy Gwen!
Years have flown, years have flown, And Gwenny thour’t a woman grown, While Time, that bears for most a sting, Has fann’d thy beauties with his wing; Yet brighter thou canst not be than when O’er the mountain steep Thou drov’st thy sheep, And sang in glee A child with me, Oh my cheery-merry-cheek’d young Rosy Gwen.
As the last was but tolerated, the singer soon found that a merry strain was most congenial to their fancies. He therefore gave them the old and popular duet of “Hob y deri dando,” rendered more comical by his singing alternately shrill and gruff, for male and female’s parts.
_Ivor_. The summer storm is on the mountain, Hob y deri dando, my sweet maid!
_Gweno_. And foul the stream, though bright the fountain, Hob y deri dando for the shade.
_Ivor_. Let my mantle love protect thee, Gentle Gweno dear;
_Gweno_. Ivor kind will ne’er neglect me Faithful far and near;
_Both_. Through life the hue of first love true, Will never never fade.
_Ivor_. Thus may the frowns of life pass over, Happy then our lot,
_Gweno_. And the smile of peace be bright as ever In our humble cot!
_Both_. Through life the hue of first love true Will never never fade!
_Ivor_. The rain is past, the clouds are gone too, Hob y deri dando, far they spread;