An Invitation for Dyddgu

         Radiant girl of a gifted nature,
         Dyddgu with the smooth black hair,
         I invite you – hidden desire is anger’s refuge –
4       to the vale of Minafon.
         No feeble invitation would suit you.
         No greedy man’s invitation to his shack will it be.
         No provisions for the benefit of a young reaper,
8       no corn, bright green mixed corn,
         no bit of a ploughman’s dinner,
         and no meaty feast of a serf,
         no Englishman’s visit with his friend,
12     no razor celebration of a bondman.
         No promise will I make – a good ending –
         to my golden one but a nightingale and mead,
         a light-voiced brown-backed nightingale
16     and a thrush with hearty, pleasant speech,
         shaded growth, and a chamber
         of verdant birch. Was there ever a better house?
         While we are out under the leaves
20     our fine strong birch will guard us.
         A loft for the birds to play in,
         a pleasant grove – that’s the way it is.
         Nine trees of fair appearance
24     are in the wood altogether:
         at the bottom, a rounded circumference;
         at the top, a green bell tower.
         And beneath them – desirable dwelling –
28     verdant clover – manna from heaven –
         a place where two – a crowd worries them –
         or three can spend an hour or so,
         a place where noble roebucks come from the hill,
32     a place where birds sing – it is a fine place –
         a place of dense blackbird dwellings,
         a place of splendid trees, a place hawks are reared,
         a place of good new building-trees,
36     a place of great desire, a place of heaven on earth,
         a place with a green mansion, a place frowns are mild,
         a place near water, a cool smoke-free place,
         a place not well-known – thickly wooded land –
40     to flour merchants and long-legged cheese makers.
         There tonight, wave’s brightness,
         let us go, the two of us, my fair girl,
         let us go, if we go anywhere, lively one fair of face,
44     my girl with eyes bright as coals.