This is a Welsh folk song collected in 1908 in Whitchurch, Cardiff by Mrs. Mary Davies. It is a standard in the repertoire of Welsh male voice choirs and mixed choirs across the country. Because of its lively, lilting melody and the playful rhythm of its "nonsense" chorus, it is frequently performed at local Eisteddfodau and concerts. For many people growing up in Wales, it is a piece of childhood. The song is frequently taught in Welsh-medium primary schools because the first verse is excellent for teaching basic vocabulary.
Lyrics
1. Dacw 'nghariad i lawr yn y berllan, There is my sweetheart down in the orchard.
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal
O na bawn i yno fy hunan, Oh how I wish I were there myself.
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal
Dacw'r tŷ a dacw'r 'sgubor; There is the house and there is the barn;
Dacw ddrws y beudy'n agor. There is the door of the cow house open.
Ffaldi radl didl dal, ffaldi radl didl dal,
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal.
2. Dacw'r dderwen wych ganghennog, There is the gallant, branching oak.
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal
Golwg arni sydd dra serchog. It looks exceedingly lovely.
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal
Mi arhosaf yn ei chysgod I will wait in its shade
Nes daw 'nghariad i 'ngyfarfod. Until my love comes to meet me.
Ffaldi radl didl dal, ffaldi radl didl dal,
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal.
3. Dacw'r delyn, dacw'r tannau; There is the harp, there are the strings;
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal
Beth wyf gwell, heb neb i'w chwarae? What use is it to me, without anyone to play her for?
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal
Dacw'r feinwen hoenus fanwl; There’s the delicate fair one, exquisite and full of life;
Beth wyf well heb gael ei meddwl? What use is it to me, without having her attention?
Ffaldi radl didl dal, ffaldi radl didl dal,
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal.
Some performers sing "Beth wyf nes heb gael ei meddwl?" in Verse 3, meaning 'What closer am I ...'.
Recordings
Eve Goodman sang the song to guitar accompaniment in 2012.
Rhys Morgan sang it with a backing group at a Noson Llawen in 2025.
Notes for Welsh learners
"Dacw 'nghariad i" is a contraction of 'dacw fy nghariad i' to save a syllbae: it is clear from the mutation that 'fy' is intended.
"O na bawn i" means 'Oh if only I were'; "bawn" is the imperfect subjunctive of 'bod' (to be).
"Golwg arni sydd dra serchog" means literally 'A look upon it is very affectionate/loving', (referring to the oak, which is feminine), in other words 'It looks exceedingly lovely'.
"Nes daw 'nghariad i 'ngyfarfod" is a contraction of 'Nes daw fy nghariad i fy ngyfarfod i", which is again grammatically clear because of ther mutation.
"Beth wyf gwell ... Beth wyf well" apparently is intended as a softening of the second use of 'gwell' (better), using the fact that in literary Welsh there is no mutation after 'wyf' ( literary form of 'bod' meaning 'I am') but in spoken Welsh there is. The literal meaning is 'what am I better", but this is an idiom with the intended meaning 'what use is it to me' or 'what is the point'.
Vocabulary
Perllan Orchard (f, perllannau)
Ysgubor Barn (f, ysguboriau)
Beudy Cowshed (m, beudai)
Canghennog Branching
Meinwen Slender and beautiful girl (f, meinwennod)
