"Llangollen Market" is a song from early 19th-century

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

. It is known to have been performed at an eisteddfod at

Llangollen Llangollen () is a town and community (Wales), community, situated on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, in Denbighshire, Wales. Its riverside location forms the edge of the Berwyn range, and the Dee Valley section of the Clwydian Range and Dee Val ...

in 1858. The text of the song survives in a manuscript held by the

National Museum of Wales National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

, which came into the possession of singer Mary Davies, a co-founder of the Welsh Folk-Song Society. The song tells the tale of a young man from the

area going off to war and leaving behind his broken-hearted girlfriend. Originally written in English, the song has been translated into

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...

and recorded by several artists such as Siân James, Siobhan Owen, Calennig and Siwsann George.

Lyrics

:It’s far beyond the mountains that look so distant here, :To fight his country’s battles, last Mayday went my dear; :Ah, well shall I remember with bitter sighs the day, :Why, Owen, did you leave me? At home why did I stay? :Ah, cruel was my father that did my flight restrain, :And I was cruel-hearted that did at home remain, :With you, my love, contented, I’d journey far away; :Why, Owen, did you leave me? At home why did I stay? :While thinking of my Owen, my eyes with tears do fill, :And then my mother chides me because my wheel stands still, :But how can I think of spinning when my Owen’s far away; :Why, Owen, did you leave me? At home why did I stay? :To market at Llangollen each morning do I go, :But how to strike a bargain no longer do I know; :My father chides at evening, my mother all the day; :Why, Owen, did you leave me, at home why did I stay? :Oh, would it please kind heaven to shield my love from harm, :To clasp him to my bosom would every care disarm, :But alas, I fear, 'tis distant - that happy, happy day; :Why, Owen, did you leave me, at home why did stay?

References

Welsh folk songs {{Folk-song-stub