Feira de Scarborough

— Traditional English ballad, freely translated by Oliver Simões

Scarborough Fair is an English folk song about a possible visit by a third party to a once popular fair taking place in the Yorkshire town of Scarborough, in which the visitor is relayed impossible tasks to be performed by a couple of sweethearts in love. The song, often sung as a duet, is believed to have originated during the Middle Ages. The fair no longer exists, but the song survived with multiple versions over time. The one below dates back 1946 – 1968. The song was recorded by Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel, and was on the soundtrack of Lord of the Rings, performed by Sarah Brightman (see video at the bottom).

Ele:
Vais à Feira de Scarborough?
Salsa, sálvia, alecrim e margarida;
Dá lembranças a alguém que vive lá,
Que outrora foi o amor da minha vida.

Diz-lhe que me faça uma veste de cambraia,
Salsa, sálvia, alecrim e margarida;
Sem nenhuma costura, sem tocar em agulha,
Então ela será o amor da minha vida.

Diz-lhe que a lave num riacho mais além,
Salsa, sálvia, alecrim e margarida;
Onde nunca jorrou água, nem choveu também,
Então ela será o amor da minha vida.

Diz-lhe que a seque num espinheiro mais além,
Salsa, sálvia, alecrim e margarida;
Que nunca floresceu desde o Jardim do Éden,
Então ela será o amor da minha vida.

Ela:
Já que ele me fez pedidos três,
Salsa, sálvia, alecrim e margarida;
Espero que também atenda aos meus,
Antes de ser o amor da minha vida.

Diz-lhe que me compre um acre de terra,
Salsa, sálvia, alecrim e margarida;
Entre a água salgada e a beira-mar,
Então ele será o amor da minha vida.

Diz-lhe que a lavre com chifres de rena,
Salsa, sálvia, alecrim e margarida;
E a semeie toda com pimenta-do-reino,
Então ele será o amor da minha vida.

Diz-lhe que a decepe com foice de papelão,
Salsa, sálvia, alecrim e margarida;
E a amarre com as plumas de um pavão,
Então ele será o amor da minha vida.

Diz-lhe que a surre num paredão mais além,
Salsa, sálvia, alecrim e margarida;
E nunca deixe um único grão cair também,
Então ele será o amor da minha vida.

E quando ele tiver terminado sua lide.
Salsa, sálvia, alecrim e margarida;
Ah, diz-lhe que venha pegar sua veste,
Então ele será o amor da minha vida.

Scarborough Fair

He:
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
Remember me to one who lives there,
For she was once a true love of mine.

Tell her to make me a cambric shirt,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
Without any seams or needlework,
Then she shall be a true love of mine.

Tell her to wash it in yonder well,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
Where never sprung water or rain ever fell,
And she shall be a true lover of mine.

Tell her to dry it on yonder thorn,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
Which never bore blossom since Adam was born,
Then she shall be a true lover of mine.

She:
Now he has asked me questions three,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
I hope he’ll answer as many for me,
Before he shall be a true lover of mine.

Tell him to buy me an acre of land,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
Between the salt water and the sea strands,
Then he shall be a true lover of mine.

Tell him to plough it with a ram’s horn,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
And sow it all over with one peppercorn,
And he shall be a true lover of mine.

Tell him to shear’t with a sickle of leather,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
And bind it up with a peacock’s feather,
And he shall be a true lover of mine.

Tell him to thrash it on yonder wall,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
And never let one corn of it fall,
Then he shall be a true lover of mine.

When he has done and finished his work.
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme:
Oh, tell him to come and he’ll have his shirt,
And he shall be a true lover of mine.