Fhir An Bhata
as performed by Seelie Court
on Court Is Now In Session
Original gaelic lyrics and music by Jane Finlayson
English lyrics and current arrangement by Jon Baade


Fhir an bhata 'sna horo eile
Fhir an bhata 'sna horo eile
Fhir an bhata 'sna horo eile
O fare thee well, love, where'er ye be

How often hunting the highest hilltop,
I scan the ocean your boat to see
Will't come tonight love; will't come tomorrow
or never come, love, to comfort me

Broken-hearted, I droop and languish,
And frequent tears show my bosom's anguish;
Shall I expect thee tonight to cheer me?
Or close the door, sighing, sad and weary.

From passing boatmen I'll fain discover
If they have heard of, or seen my lover
They never tell me. I'm only chided
And told my heart has been sore misguided.

My friends oft tell me that I must sever
All thoughts of thee from my heart forever;
Their words are idle - my passions, swelling,
Untamed as ocean, can brook no quelling.

In the original scottish gaelic
From A Collection of Gaelic Poetry
by Alexander MacDonald Ridge:

Fhir a bhata no ho ro eile
Fhir a bhata no ho ro eile
Fhir a bhata no ho ro eile
Ciad soiridh slan dhut s gach aite an deid thu

S tric mi diradh a chnuic as aioda
Fiach a feic mi fear a bhata
An tig thu n diu no n tic thu mairach
S mar tig thu itir buragh a tha mi

Tha mo chridhe-asa brist bruite
S tric na deoir a ruith le m shuilean
An tig thu nochd no m bi mo dhuil riut
No n duin mi n dorus le osunn thursach

S tric mi fioneachd do luchd nam baotichan
Fac iad thu no bheil thu sabhailt
Se bhios gach aon diu ream ag ratha
Gur gorach mise mu thug mi gradh dhut

Ged a thuirt iad gu robh thu aotrom
Cha du lughdaich sid mo ghaol ort
Gur tu m aisling ann s an oidhche
S gle mhoch sa mhaduinn bidh mi ga'd fhoighneachd

Thug mi gaol dhut s cha n fhaod mi aichadh
Cha ghaol bliadha s cha ghaol raith e
Ach gaol a thug mi s mi og am phaisda
Nach treig a chaoidh gus an cheidh am bas mi

Bidh mo chairdean gu tric ag iaraidh orm
T-aogas a chuir air diachain
Ach tha chomhairle sin dhaibh cho diamhain
Ri tilladh mara s i tort a lionaidh

Chan n eil baille beag sa m bi thu
Nach doir thu greis ann a cuir a sgis dhiot
Bhead thu lamh air do leabhar riomhach
A ghabhail dhuanag s a bhuaradh nighnag

Gheall mo leannan dhomh gun de n t-sioda
Gheall e sid agus breacan riomhach
Fain oir ann sa feicinn m iamhaigh
S gur eagal leam gu n d rinn e dhiochain

Tha mo chrisan air dol an airdad
Cha n ann bho fhidhlair no bho chlarsair
Ach bho stiuradair a bhata
S mar tig thu an cluich gur bochd a tha mi

Bidh mi tuillidh gu tursach deirach
Mar eala bhan bhidh an deigh a reupadh
Guilag bais aic air lochan feura
S cach uile an deis a treigsinn

Background from Daniel Womack: As best I could learn, according to An Introduction to Gaelic Poetry by Derick Thompson, the song was composed in the late 18th century by Jane Finlayson for a young fisherman whom she would later marry. A course site from CSU Fresno notes that this song could be a "milling song" sung to accompany the work of shrinking homespun wool. The wet cloth would be kneaded and pounded on a large table by many workers. One would start a tune and the rest would join in on the chorus perhaps with others each taking turns singing a verse each.

If there is anything I've missed, any information that you know to be incorrect, or if there is a song you've heard on the podcast that you would like to see included, please do not hesitate to contact me at lyrics@renaissancefestivalmusic.com.