Sosban Fach

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Sosban Fach (Welsh for "Little Saucepan") is a traditional Welsh folk song that catalogues the troubles of an harassed housewife. The song is mostly associated with the rugby union club Llanelli RFC and, more recently, the Llanelli Scarlets regional rugby side. The association derives from Llanelli's tin plating industry, which used to tin-plate steel saucepans and other kitchen utensils as a cheap supply to the British public. The tops of each goalpost at Llanelli RFC's Stradey Park ground are now adorned with Scarlet saucepans as a tribute to the town's history. Also, the Scarlets' official magazine is titled Sosban.

[edit] Lyrics

Welsh Mae bys Meri-Ann wedi brifo, A Dafydd y gwas ddim yn iach. Mae'r baban yn y crud yn crio, A'r gath wedi scrafo Joni bach. Sosban fach yn berwi ar y tân, Sosban fawr yn berwi ar y llawr, A'r gath wedi scramo Joni bach. Dai bach y sowldiwr, Dai bach y sowldiwr, Dai bach y sowldiwr, A gwt ei grys e mas. Mae bys Meri-Ann wedi gwella, A Dafydd y gwas yn ei fedd; Mae'r baban yn y crud wedi tyfu, A'r gath wedi huno mewn hedd. Sosban fach yn berwi ar y tân Sosban fawr yn berwi ar y llawr A'r gath wedi huno mewn hedd.

English (literal translation) Mary-Ann has hurt her finger, And David the servant is not well. The baby in the cradle is crying, And the cat has scratched little Johnny. A little saucepan is boiling on the fire, A big saucepan is boiling on the floor, And the cat has scratched little Johnny. Little Dai the soldier, Little Dai the soldier, Little Dai the soldier, And his shirt tail is hanging out. Mary-Ann's finger has got better, And David the servant is in his grave; The baby in the cradle has grown up, And the cat is 'asleep in peace'. A little saucepan is boiling on the fire, A big saucepan is boiling on the floor, And the cat is 'asleep in peace'.

Sung slowly, the melody can deceive non-speakers of Welsh into thinking the song a hymn; it is alleged that at Liverpool station a group of Welsh rugby supporters by this method tricked a whole platformful of Englishmen into taking off their hats.

After Llanelli beat a touring New Zealand side in November 1972, a new English chorus could be heard:

Who beat the All Blacks, Who beat the All Blacks, Who beat the All Blacks? Good old Sosban fach.

This song is alluded to in the book Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

This song has been adopted by the fans of the rugby region, the Llanelli Scarlets. Many English variations can now be heard in the stands during rugby matches including; Who beat the All Blacks? Who beat the All Blacks? Who beat the Leicester Tigers? Who beat the Leicester Tigers? Good old Dafydd James (A player who scored the winning points in that game, now the top try scorer in Heineken Cup history)