Songs of Merlin: Marzin - Divinour

'Merlin - Soothsayer'


Here follows a Breton song of Merlin seeking serpent eggs and magic plants.

It was collected by Hensart de la Villemarque and appeared in his book of Breton folk literature, the Barzaz-Breiz. Translation, however rough, is by D. Johnston.]


Marzin - Divinour

- Marzin, Marzin, pelec'h it hu,
Ken beure ze, gand ho ki du!
Iou! Iou! Ou! Iou! Iou! Ou! Iou! Ou!
Iou! Ou! Iou! Iou! Ou! Iou! Ou!

- Bet onn bet kas kaout ann tu
Da gaout dreman ann ui ru,
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

Ann ui ru euz ann aer vorek,
War lez ann od, 'toull ar garrek.
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

Mont a rann da glask d'ar flouren
Beier glaz, hag aour-ieoten,
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

Kouls hag huel-var ann derven
Ekreiz ar c'hoad'iez ar feunten.
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

- Marzin! Marzin! Distroet endro
Losket ar var gant ann dero,
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

Hag ar beler gand ar flouren
Kerkouls hag ann aour-ioten.
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

Kerkouls hag ui ann aer vorek
Etouez ann eon, 'toull ar garrek.
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

- Marzin! Marzin! Distroet endrou
Ne deuz divinour nemet Dou.
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

 

Merlin - Soothsayer

- Merlin, Merlin, where are you going
This morning with your black dog?
Iou! Iou! Ou! Iou! Iou! Ou! Iou! Ou!
Iou! Ou! Iou! Iou! Ou! Iou! Ou!

- I was just looking for a way to find,
Along here, the red egg.
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

The red egg of the sea serpent,
On the riverbank, in the hollows of the rocks.
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

I am going to search in the meadows,
For green cress and goldengrass.
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

And for the mistletoe of the oak,
In the wood, beside the spring.
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

- Merlin! Merlin! Convert yourself,
Leave the mistletoe with the oak.
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

And the cress in the meadow,
and the goldengrass as well.
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

Likewise the egg of the sea serpent,
Among the foam in the rocky hollows.
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]

- Merlin! Merlin! Convert yourself,
There is no soothsayer but God.
Iou! Iou! Ou! [Etc.]


See also
- Merlins origin
- Merlin, Uther Pendragon and Arthur's birth
- Merlin's Entertainments
- Merlin - the Necromancer
- The real Merlin?
- Tomb of Merlin
- Literary origins
- The name Merlin