An Introduction to Wales

Wales is a magical place. It looks like home in the spring. Green and wet and jungle-like with weeds and ferns and trees. But more moss than at home. And the rivers are brown because of the water running through peat. And the people seem very familiar…fiercely independent and unwilling to bend to rule or judgment by outsiders. They have their own language and prefer to use it over English. For example, these are the words to their national anthem (translated into English)…

1. This land of my fathers is dear to me
Land of poets and singers, and people of stature
Her brave warriors, fine patriots
Shed their blood for freedom

Chorus:
Land! Land! I am true to my land!
As long as the sea serves as a wall
For this pure, dear land
May the language endure for ever.

2. Old land of the mountains, paradise of the poets,
Every valley, every cliff a beauty guards;
Through love of my country, enchanting voices will be
Her streams and rivers to me.

3. Though the enemy have trampled my country underfoot,
The old language of the Welsh knows no retreat,
The spirit is not hindered by the treacherous hand
Nor silenced the sweet harp of my land

Most of the English aren’t that fond of Wales. When we told one of the people at the B & B in Hawes that we were going to Wales, he said, “Wales is nice—the only problem is that it’s full of Welshmen.” Well, David and I love is here. These are definitely people we to whom we can relate. They have been so happy to teach us Welsh words and give us directions. The roads are slightly better than in the Dales but not much!

And the reason we know the Welsh national anthem? We got to sing it! We went to a Welsh male choir concert and they had a few audience participant parts. First we sang Guide Me, Oh Thou Great Jehovah (Cwm Rhondda) in English, then Calon Lân in Welsh, then the Welsh national anthem.