Pwnco'r Fari · Win the Door
Play the Mari Lwyd verse battle
The Mari Lwyd is a midwinter tradition, strongest in South Wales — Llangynwyd near Maesteg keeps it still — where a party carries a decorated horse's skull door to door over Christmas and New Year. At each door the party and the household trade sung verses — the pwnco — and if the household runs out of answers, the Mari comes in for food and drink.
Our verses are newly written in the old pattern; only the opening verse is traditional.
Yr agoriad traddodiadol · The traditional opening
“Wel dyma ni'n dwad, gyfeillion diniwad, i ofyn am gennad i ganu.” — “Well here we come, innocent friends, to ask leave to sing.”
Sut i chwarae · How to play
- The household sings a refusal verse — listen to their excuse.
- Pick one of three replies: a rhyme that answers the jibe wins the most Hwyl; a rhyme that misses earns a little; no rhyme loses the round.
- Five rounds per door. Lose two and the door stays shut — dewch nôl fory · come back tomorrow.
- Play today's door (the same for everyone each UK day) or free play, in Cymraeg, English or both.