‘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
Merlin’s Songs | The Legend of King Arthur