Llangollen Market is a song from early 19th century Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

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The song tells the tale of a young man from the Llangollen

Llangollen

Llangollen is a small town and community in Denbighshire, north-east Wales, situated on the River Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn mountains. It has a population of 3,412.-History:...

 area going off to war and leaving behind his broken-hearted

Broken heart

A broken heart is a common metaphor used to describe the intense emotional pain or suffering one feels after losing a loved one, whether through death, divorce, breakup, physical separation or romantic rejection....

 girlfriend. Originally written in English, the song has been translated into Welsh

Welsh language

Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...

 and recorded by several artists such as Siân James, 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?