Toc daw'r stemar bach i douio
Golau gwyrdd ar waliau wrth fynd heibio.

Pedair llong wrth angor yn yr afon
Aros teit i fynd tan Gastell C'narfon
Dacw bedwar goleu melyn
A rhyw gwch ar gychwyn
Clywed swn y rhwyfau wedyn

Toc daw'r stemar bach i douo
Goleu coch ar waliau wrth fynd heibio.

Llongau'n hwylio draw a llongau'n calyn
Heddyw fory ac yfory wedyn
Mynd a'u llwyth o lechi gleision
Dan eu hwyliau gwynion
Rhai i Ffrainc a rhai i'r Werddon

O na chown i fynd ar f'union
Dros y môr a hwylion ôl i G'narfon.

Holaf ym mhob llong ar hyd yr harbwr
Oes 'na le i hogyn fynd yn llongwr
A chael spleinsio rhaff a rhiffio
A chael dysgu llywio
A chael mynd mewn cwch i sgwlio

O na chawn i fynd yn llongwr
A'r holl longau'n llwytho yn yr harbwr.

Literal Translation

(This is a story about a young boy standing
at the quayside with his mother and he is
asking her why he can't join the adventure
of sailing.)

'All the ships are loading at the harbour
Why can't I go sailing like the others?
There are three-ships raising anchor
And will sail tonight
To Birkinhead,Bordeaux and Wicklow.

There's the tug boat, come to tow them
green lights on the walls as they are passing.

Four ships at anchor in the river
Keeping close to past Caernarfon castle
There are four yellow lights
And a boat is starting
Hear the sound of oars in water.

There's the tug boat, come to tow them
red lights on the walls as they are passing.

Ships are sailing out, the ships are leaving
Now, tomorrow and the days thereafter
Taking loads of the blue slate
Under their white sails
Some to France and some to Ireland.

Why can't I go, with the others
Sailing over seas, and back to C'narfon.

I ask at every ship down in the harbour
Can they take a boy to be a sailor?
And to tie the ropes and knot them?
And stand at the helm?
And to go out on a ship to scoon?