Birthplace of Poet János Arany and the Welsh town of Montgomery may sign a sister city agreement

Montgomery Mayor Eric Fairbrother supports institutional links between Hungarian Poet János Arany birthplace and the Welsh town of Montgomery.

Válasz.hu has made an exclusive interview with Mayor Eric Fairbrother in which the mayor said the Hungarian government preparing to donate a memorial plaque of János Arany to the town of Montgomery, which would be exhibited in a befitting location.

The mayor remarked that unlike at the time of King Edward today, Wales has no separatist aspirations – the province is a proud member of the United Kingdom.

The mayor has also noted that a sister city agreement between Nagyszalonta and the town of Montgomery was under consideration; currently, the decision is in the hands of the city council, he added.

The Bards of Wales is written by Hungarian Poet János Arany after the crushing of the 1849 revolution and war of independence by the Habsburgs. The narrative of the poem is based on the story of Welsh bards who refused to praise King Edward who conquered their country; but apparently, most of the citizens of Wales have never heard of the story. The poem was translated into English by Peter Zollman.

The bards of Wales’

Translated by Peter Zollman

King Edward scales the hills of Wales
Upon his stallion.
“Hear my decree! I want to see
My new dominion.

“Show me the yield of every field,
The grain, the grass, the wood!
Is all the land now moist and rich
With red rebellious blood?

“And are the Welsh, God’s gift, the Welsh,
A peaceful, happy folk?
I want them pleased, just like the beast
They harness in the yoke.”

“Sire, this jewel in your crown,
Your Wales, is fair and good:
Rich is the yield of every field
The grassland and the wood.

“And, Sire, the Welsh, God’s gift, the Welsh,
So pleased they all behave!
Dark every hut, fearfully shut
And silent as the grave.”

King Edward scales the hills of Wales
Upon his stallion.
And where he rides dead silence hides
In his dominion.

He calls at high Montgomery
To banquet and to rest;
It falls on Lord Montgomery
To entertain the guest:

With fish, the meat, and fruit so sweet,
To tease the tongue, the eyes,
A splendid spread for a king to be fed
A lordly enterprise.

The waiters file with the best this Isle
Can grow in drink and food,
And serve the fine Bordeaux and Rhine
In gracious plentitude.

“Now drink my health, you gentle sirs,
And you, my noble host! You Sirs…
Welsh Sirs… you filthy curs,
I want the loyal toast!

“The fish, the meat you served to eat
Was fine and ably done.
But deep inside it’s hate you hide:
You loathe me, every one!

“Well, then, you sirs, you filthy curs,
Who will now toast your king?
I want a bard to praise my deeds,
A bard of Wales to sing!”

They look askance with a furtive glance,
The noblemen of Wales;
Their cheeks turn white in deadly fright,
As crimson anger pales.

Deep silence falls upon the halls,
And lo, before their eyes
They see an old man, white as snow,
An ancient bard to rise: