Henhwedhlow - Ideal Stocking Filler

[Marhak]

I'm not decrying the book. Hell, I haven't even seen it. But there are other bilingual books (Cornish-English). Alan M. Kent's "The Cult of Relics", for example. No one sought an endorsement from anyone, in Cornwall, England or anywhere else. Ah, but Evertype published it, therefore it's an immediate thumbs-down, or so some people on here would have it. Remember Brian Young's book - that was based on legends, too, and written in Cornish, Welsh and Breton. No one endorsed that. My novel "The Lyonesse Stone" first appeared in English (and is still available), but now also available in Cornish (hopefully the other two of the trilogy will be translated as well). No one was asked to endorse those.

[Ellery]

Ah I think what you are missing here is that Stevyn Colgan is friends with Fry.
To be honest I never knew that Colgan was part Cornish.

[Anselm]

Good idea to get a mate to endorse a book. Think I'll give it a go from time to time.
Can't see why Craig and his associates didn't do likewise. Nothing to stop them - marnas nag eus kowetha dhedha!

[Tennven]

As I said earlier, is Dot Cotton to endorse the next one? Or - God forbid - Jonathan Woss? Or the Beeb's anti-Celtic bitch Anne Robinson? Why not a well-known Cornishman? Phil Vickery, perhaps. Charles Thomas? Jethro? Philip Schofield?

I'm sure any of these suggestions would be suitable, anything to advance the cause!

I'm sure you can think of several more. On the other hand, why does any book need to be endorsed? If it's good, then it's good.

To attract different people, Stephen Fry is known outside of the Cornish circle... people will see his name and pick a book up out of interest, regardless of topic. It's called marketing. It will hopefully introduce more people to Cornish.

All for the good, please stop being so negative!!!

[Marhak]

I'll look forward to seeing the book, even though I still can't see the point of endorsement. Apparently Stevyn's taken a comedy approach to it which might be fun. I'd also like to see more support for the titles published by Evertype, Spyrys a Gernow and Gwask an Orlewen. They're all for the good, too. And Cornish needs more writers, too - we know they're out there.

[Karesk]

It would be very good to see reviews and comments on any Cornish books by people (from anywhere) who have read them, have something positive to say, and are not solely concerned with undermining anything written in what they see as a rival orthography. I might have a go at writing some myself, but it's hard to imagine any thread you start here not becoming a battleground. Maybe An Gernewegva would be a better place but not maby people seem to go there.

[pietercharles]

Ellery clearly did some research, unlike some:
Ah I think what you are missing here is that Stevyn Colgan is friends with Fry.

Thank you for that, Ellery. It explains everything really. There was bound to be a simple explanation, even if it was way beyond both Marhak and his horse.

So the Kowethas didn't "seek out" endorsement for their book. They didn't send begging letters to Stephen Fry, Dot Cotton, Jonathan Woss or Anne Robinson.
Well, who'd have thought it? Turns out it was just another Marhak fantasy, spread all over C24 in order to achieve maximum negativity.

Perhaps we can all now just look forward to getting a copy of the book and reading it.

[Marhak]

I've had a go - GanO's publication of Whedhlow Dama Goodh (SWF/T edition) is my translation of it into SWF. Although I don't expect it to be perfect, no one's yet ripped it to pieces, so maybe I'm getting there, in spite of claims made by some who "dunnaw an' won't be tawld". If so, it can only encourage me to do more - and I will very soon have more time on my hands to tackle it. Any way, don't for Heaven's sake take my questioning of Stephen Fry's involvement as me having a go at Stevyn Colgan or his book - that wasn't the intention at all.

I admit to holding some pretty strong views, and voicing them, too. That's really what forums like this are for, in the hope that those opinions will spark (constructive) debate. Sadly, any forum concerning any aspect of Cornwall seems to attract the flakes and the lunatics and it does get all too easy to be drawn into their nastiness. I'm as guilty of allowing that to happen as anyone else. Perhaps they're best ignored - but that is often hard to achieve.

[Marhak]

See what I mean?

[realstevyncolgan]

Hello all - Stevyn Colgan here and I'm the author of Henwedhlow. I realise that this thread is now some 12 months old but I'd just like to set some things straight.

Firstly, I'm a Cornishman and I grew up with these stories. It was my frustration in realising that they were not being passed on to younger generations that prompted me to write the book. I grew up in Penzance and Helston. My school teachers included such Cornish language luminaries as Richard Gendall - to this day a friend - and the late grand bard Richard Jenkins. Bard and storyteller Howard Curnow was also one of my teachers and he endorsed the book. The translation was done by Tony Hak, also a bard. I think I can safely say that the book has a decent enough pedigree.

As for the Stephen Fry endorsement, let me point out that (a) he did read the book and enjoyed it - he would not have endorsed it if he hadn't; (b) he is quite knowledgeable about Cornish culture and folkore - I have had occasions to discuss it with him as I am involved with QI; (c) anyone will tell you that a celebrity endorsement, shame though it has come to this, helps to sell books. Stephen's name is respected and he is well-loved. I have no doubt that his kind words have helped to shift a damned sight more books than would otherwise have shifted. I could have peppered the cover with quotes from wonderful Cornish poets, writers and raconteurs like Pol Hodge and les Merton but that would have meant little (sadly) to the wider reading public. Stephen's endoresement, incidentally, reads like this:

‘All power to Stevyn Colgan and his project to preserve Cornish myth, legend and song. Who knows; as a result some Penzance Wagner may write the Cornish Ring Cycle and won’t the world be pleased? There’s more to Cornwall than Padstow, pasties and ‘Piss off you grockles’ and Colgan is doing the ancient kingdom a great service.’

What possible harm is there in that? Finally, in case you think this is all some huge sales pitch, I will also point out that I gave this book to Kowethas for free and get no fee or royalties from it. Stephen was happy to do the same.

So why be so bitchy and bitter about it?

All I tried to do was produce a book that would get Cornish folktales back into the minds f Cornish kids. And if, in doing so, parents and kids can learn a little of the language too, that's great. If Stephen's heartfelt and genuine endoresement has helped to get the book into a few dozen more households then what possible objection can you have?

Gans gorhemynadow a'n gwella

Stevyn

[capten]

Stevyn, there's no need to explain yourself, the majority here think the book is fantastic and a real asset to the language, well done!

[Ellery]

Meur ras Stevyn. An lyver yw pur dha.

[Kevrenor]

Stevyn, there's no need to explain yourself, the majority here think the book is fantastic and a real asset to the language, well done!

I bought it for my daughter Lowenna (she is a infants/primary school teacher) last Christmas - she enjoyed it and her non-Cornish husband was interested in the side-by-side translation. Meuras.

[pietercharles]

Stevyn wrote:
So why be so bitchy and bitter about it?

It was only one person, Stevyn. The rest of us, I think, would like to thank you for making such a huge contribution to
the language and to awareness of Cornish culture.

The stories are easy to read, hilariously funny, and great for both adults and children. I'm sure we'd all agree with everything you say in the foreward to the book about how little our kids know about our legends and heritage generally, and the stories are a fantastic introduction to them. Everyone I know that has read the book has nothing but praise for it.

It's unfortunate that you've seen what was written here, but it's in no way representative (let's hope Stephen Fry doesn't
read Cornwall 24!), and at least it gives us the opportunity to offer you a massive vote of thanks for all the effort you put into this and for such a brilliant, readable and entertaining result.

Look forward to reading the next volume!

Nadelik Lowen Dhis ha Meur Ras arta.

[Marhak]

This year, buy Alan Kent's "Beast of Bodmin Moor". Great book for children, lovely artwork, bilingually presented (transation by Neil Kennedy). It's on Amazon.