A playlet for use with Skeul an Tavas Lesson 1
© 2019 Ray Chubb and Ian Jackson
2nd edition July 2020
Three passengers are sitting on a bench seat in a railway carriage. On the bench seat facing them is a mother and her twin toddlers Jenefer and Josua. Josua is holding a fairly large box with a closed lid.
JENEFER
(Pointing to man opposite:) Mabm, pyw yw hebma?
MABM
Hèm yw den.
JENEFER
(In loud whisper:) Den coth yw!
(Mother embarrassed.)
JOSUA
(Pointing to woman opposite:) Mabm, pyw yw hobma?
MABM
Hòm yw benyn.
JOSUA
Gwragh goth yw!
(Mother more embarrassed.)
JENEFER
(Pointing out of the window:) Pëth yw hedna, Mabm?
MABM
Hòn yw bugh dhu.
JOSUA
Bugh dhu, bugh dew! Mabm, pëth yw hedna?
MABM
Hòn yw davas.
JOSUA
Glëb yw an dhavas, glëb an vugh!
JENEFER
Hèn yw an glaw.
TREMENYAS 1
Pyw o’why, maw bian, mowes vian?
JOSUA
(Shy:) Josua o’vy.
JENEFER
(Not shy at all:) Jenefer Lowda Trelawny o’vy.
TREMENYAS 2
(Looking at the box Josua is holding:) Pëth yw hodna?
JOSUA
Kyst yw.
TREMENYAS 3
Yw an gyst poos?
JENEFER
(Sarcastic:) Kyst wag yw hodna.
JOSUA
(Indignant:) Nag yw! (He opens the box and strokes something inside.)
TREMENYSY 1, 2, 3:
(Together, unable to see exactly what is in the box:) Pëth yw hedna?
JOSUA
Pëth yw hobma? Hòm yw sarf!
(He pulls a large plastic or soft-toy snake from the box and throws it at the three passengers opposite, who promptly have hysterics – Cornish, ‘sterycks’.)
MABM
(Beside herself:) Ogh Josua!
JENEFER
(Triumphantly:) Kyst wag yw hodna lebmyn!
Extra vocabulary
tremenyas passenger