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« on: December 19, 2006, 05:40:44 PM » |
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Of all the carols of Christmas, "Welcome Christmas" is one of the most joyful. This hymn inspires the most Grinch-like among us to welcome the Holidays with jubilant hearts.
Yet few know the history behind this song. It became widely known only in the mid 1960s, when Dr. Seuss and Albert Hague penned the popular partial-English translation. However, "Welcome Christmas" has existed for many hundreds of years as the beloved hymn of a tiny, forgotten village in northern Norway, the village of Hu (Whoville).
The inhabitants of this isolated community, nestled in a deep glacial valley of a tributary of the Tana river, call themselves the Hu. Their language, Huvian, has an unknown origin. It is certainly unrelated to the Norse languages of the region, and, like the Huvians themselves, seems to have developed in extreme isolation.
Hu was not entirely without visitors. Sometime during the Roman Pax, early Christian missionaries located the village and converted its inhabitants. Then war and pestilence came to the rest of the world, and the Hus were mercifully left alone throughout the dark ages, the renaissance and much of the modern age -- it wasn't until the late 1800s when the village was rediscovered.
When Norwegian officials found themselves unable to communicate with the Hus, they sent for famed linguist and anthropologist Allistair McGuinn of Scotland. After many years of living with and studying the Hus, McGuinn translated many of their myths, legends and hymns. Yet, after a few years of worldwide curiosity in this inexplicable community, the Hus were soon all but forgotten as the Industrial age forged on.
Except, that is, for the Hu's lasting legacy. The hymn "Welcome Christmas" is presented here in three versions. First is the partial translation by Seuss and Hague, then the original Hu language transcription, then the complete English translation by McGuinn.
The partial translation of Dores Kris Mas (Welcome Christmas) by Dr. Seuss and Albert Hague interspersed Huvian phrases (written in anglicized form) with English translations:
Fah who foraze, dah who doraze
Welcome Christmas, bring your light
Fah who foraze, dah who doraze
Welcome in the cold dark night
Welcome Christmas, fah who rahmus
Welcome Christmas, dah who dahmus
Welcome Christmas, while we stand
heart to heart and hand in hand
Fah who foraze, dah who doraze
Welcome Christmas, come this way
Fah who foraze, dah who doraze
Welcome Christmas, Christmas Day
Welcome, welcome, fah who rahmus
Welcome, welcome, dah who dahmus
Christmas Day is in our grasp
So long as we have hands to clasp
Fah who foraze, dah who doraze
Welcome Christmas, bring your cheer
Fah who foraze, dah who doraze
Cheer to all whos far and near
Welcome Christmas, fah who rahmus
Welcome Christmas, dah who dahmus
Welcome Christmas, while we stand
heart to heart and hand in hand
Fah who foraze, dah who doraze
Welcome Christmas, come this way
Fah who foraze, dah who doraze
Welcome Christmas, Christmas Day
Welcome, Christmas, fah who rahmus
Welcome, Christmas, dah who dahmus
Christmas Day will always be
Just as long as we have we
Fah who foraze, dah who doraze
Welcome Christmas, Bring your cheer
Fah who foraze, dah who doraze
Cheer to all whos far and near
The original language version, as transcribed by McGuinn, illustrates the uniqueness of the Hu tongue:
Fa Hu fores, da'u dores
Dores Kris mas, ane den sus
Fa Hu fores, da'u dores
Dores am lus lak ni nius
Dores Kris mas, fa Hu ramus
Dores Kris mas, da'u damus
Dores Kris mas, nure 'u mun
mas ein mas un paun am paun
Fa Hu fores, da'u dores
Dores Kris mas, don ida
Fa Hu fores, da'u dores
Dores Kris mas, Kris mas tha
Dores, dores, fa Hu ramus
Dores, dores, da'u damus
Kris mas tha se am 'ur yus
Wedur 'i 'u reus paune ein lius
Fa Hu fores, da'u dores
Dores Kris mas, ane den kiur
Fa Hu fores, da'u dores
Kiur ein ve Hu los un lur
Dores Kris mas, fa Hu ramus
Dores Kris mas, da'u damus
Dores Kris mas, nure 'u mun
mas ein mas un paun am paun
Fa Hu fores, da'u dores
Dores Kris mas, don ida
Fa Hu fores, da'u dores
Dores Kris mas, Kris mas tha
Dores, Kris mas, fa Hu ramus
Dores, Kris mas, da'u damus
Kris mas tha denian du
Par 'i waan 'i 'u reus 'u
Fa Hu fores, da'u dores
Dores Kris mas, ane den kiur
Fa Hu fores, da'u dores
Kiur ein ve Hu los un lur
The full English translation by McGuinn:
All Hus faithful, we welcome you
Welcome Christmas, bring your light
All Hus faithful, we welcome you
Welcome in the cold dark night
Welcome Christmas, all Hus gather
Welcome Christmas, all together
Welcome Christmas, while we stand
heart to heart and hand in hand
All Hus faithful, we welcome you
Welcome Christmas, come this way
All Hus faithful, we welcome you
Welcome Christmas, Christmas Day
Welcome, welcome, all Hus gather
Welcome, welcome, all together
Christmas Day is in our grasp
So long as we have hands to clasp
All Hus faithful, we welcome you
Welcome Christmas, bring your cheer
All Hus faithful, we welcome you
Cheer to all Hus far and near
Welcome Christmas, all Hus gather
Welcome Christmas, all together
Welcome Christmas, while we stand
heart to heart and hand in hand
All Hus faithful, we welcome you
Welcome Christmas, come this way
All Hus faithful, we welcome you
Welcome Christmas, Christmas Day
Welcome, Christmas, all Hus gather
Welcome, Christmas, all together
Christmas Day will always be
Just as long as we have we
All Hus faithful, we welcome you
Welcome Christmas, Bring your cheer
All Hus faithful, we welcome you
Cheer to all Hus far and near
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