I am packing my belongings
in the shawl my mother used to wear
when she went to the market,
and I am going from my valley,
and this time, I shall never return
I am leaving behind me my 50 years of memory
Memory
Strange that the mind will forget so much
of what only this moment has passed
and yet hold clear and bright
the memory of what happened years ago,
of men and women long since dead
Yet who shall say what is real
and what is not?
Can I believe my friends all gone
when their voices are still a glory in my ears?
No, and I will stand to say no and no again,
for they remain a living truth within my mind
There is no fence nor hedge 'round time that is gone
You can go back and have what you like of it
if you can remember
So I can close my eyes on my valley as it is today,
and it is gone,
and I see it as it was when I was a boy
green it was and possessed of the plenty of the earth
In all Wales, there was none so beautiful
Everything I ever learnt as a small boy
came from my father,
and I never found anything he ever told me
to be wrong or worthless
The simple lessons he taught me
are as sharp and clear in my mind
as if I had heard them only yesterday
In those days, the black slag, the waste of the coal pits,
had only begun to cover the side of our hill,
not yet enough to mar the countryside
nor blacken the beauty of our village
for the colliery had only begun
to poke its skinny black fingers
through the green
I can hear even now the voice of my sister Angharad
? Huw ?
? Angharad ??
Coal miners were my father and all my brothers,
and proud of their trade
Gwilym Morgan,
Thank you, sir
lanto Morgan,
Ivor Morgan,
Davy Morgan,
Owen Morgan,
Young Gwilym Morgan,
Someone would strike up a song,
and the valley would ring with the sound of many voices,
for singing is in my people as sight is in the eye
Then came the scrubbing out in the back yard
It was the duty of my sister Angharad
to bring the buckets of hot water and cold,
and I performed what little tasks I could,
as my father and brothers
scrubbed the coal dust from their backs
Most would come off them, but some would stay for life
This is the honorable badge of the coal miner,
and I envied it on my father and grown-up brothers
Scrub and scrub,
Mr. Coal would lie there and laugh at you
Aah!
Oh!
There was always a baron of beef
or a shoulder or leg of lamb before my father
There was never any talk while we were eating
I never met anybody whose talk was better than good food
My mother was always on the run,
always the last to start her dinner
and the first to finish,
for if my father was the head of our house,
my mother was its heart
After dinner, when dishes had been washed,
the box was brought to the table
for the spending money to be handed out
No one in our valley had ever seen a bank
We kept our savings on the mantelpiece
My father used to say that money was made to be spent,
just as men
spend their strength and brains in earning it...
and as willingly...
but always with a purpose
Thank you, Dada
Ha ha ha!
Out of the house and across the street,
as I had run a hundred times before
Softly now, for respect for chapel
was the first thing my father taught us
Then straight to Mrs. Tossall,
the shop for that toffee which you could chew for hours,
it seems to me now,
and even after it had gone down,
you could swallow and still find the taste of it
hiding behind your tongue
It is with me now, so many years later
It makes me think of so much that was good
that is gone
It was on this afternoon that I first saw Bron...
Bronwyn
She had come over from the next valley
for her first call on my father and mother
Is this Gwilym Morgan's house?
You must be Huw
Is that you, Bronwyn?
Yes
There is lovely you are
I think I fell in love with Bronwyn then
Perhaps it is foolish to think a child could fall in love,
but I am the child that was,
and nobody knows how I felt, except only me
I am so proud for Ivor
I'm the one to be proud
You think well of our Ivor?
Ha ha ha!
It seems only a few months
since he was scratching around here
like this one with his mouth open
This is Bronwyn, Huw,
who's to be your sister
We have met already
Be careful of the basket
There's shortcake in it
This is not for you, Huw
You will have your time to come Run along
Oh!
Bronwyn and Ivor were to be married
by the new preacher, Mr. Gruffydd,
who had come from the university at Cardiff
This was my first sight of him
- Yay! - Yay!
Oh!
? Now, here's a man won't get drunk ?
? Can't get drunk, shan't get drunk ?
? Here's a man won't get drunk ?
? Peter O'Pea ?
? From my heel to my toe, from my toe to my knee ?
? I'll walk the line, jog the line... ?
? Oh, P... ??
Ohh
Good evening, Mr. Morgan
Yes, indeed, sir
Oh, excuse me
Thank you
Ahh
Come now, boys Back to work
Ivor, find Dai Griffiths and Idris john
and bring them to Mr. Evans' office
will we come with you?
No This is for the older men
Home to your mother
But...
Leave it now, Davy
Well, come! Come!
Why aren't you washed?
We were waiting for you
The cut is only a few shillings
There will still be plenty for all of us
A bit of supper now, is it, girl?
It is because they are not getting the old price for coal
Come and wash now
May-May we speak first, sir?
Yes
They did not give the real reason for this cut
We've been expecting it
since the ironworks at Dowlais closed
What have the ironworks to do with us?
Their men came to the colliery
willing to work for any wage,
so our wages must come down
And this is only the beginning
Watch now,
they'll cut us again and still again,
until they have this...
as empty as their promises
Nonsense A good worker is worth good wages,
and he will get them
Not while there are three men for every job
Why should owners pay more if men are willing to work for less?
Because the owners are not savages
They are men, like us
Men, yes, but not like us
Would they deal with you when you went to them?
No
They have power,
and we have none
How will we get power... from the air?
No From a union of all the men
Union, is it?
I never thought I'd hear my own sons
talking socialist nonsense
But it's sense, good sense!
Unless we stand together...
I've had enough of this talk!
But, Father, it d...
Come and wash now
Your good mother will be waiting
Do you think I'll let them
make my father stand like a dog in the rain
and not raise my hands to stop it?
Hisht, Davy
Who gave you permission to speak?
This is too important for silence
They're trying to punish you...
It is not more important than good manners
What are we going to do?
You'll die of the cold when it comes to snow
Let us stand together
and see how they act then
Right The men will come if we say the word All the pits are ready
You will not make me a plank for your politics
I will not be the excuse for any strike
If they can do things like that to the spokesman,
what will they try and do to the men?
We will see Be silent now Finish your supper
But, father...
Enough now!
- But... - On with your work
It is not enough!
Owen!
Hold your tongue until you have permission to speak!
I will speak against injustice anywhere,
with permission or without it
Not in this house
In this house and outside, sir
Leave the table
I will leave the house
Gwil! Tell your father you're sorry
I'm not sorry
I am with you We can find lodgings in the village
Gwilym
All of you, then?
For the last time, sit down, finish your supper
I will say no more
We are not questioning your authority, sir,
but if manners prevent our speaking the truth,
we will be without manners
Get your clothes and go
I am going with them to look after them
Hold your tongue, girl! Get on with your dishes!
Ah-choo!
Yes, my son I know you are there
The men have struck
What does it mean, Mr. Gruffydd?
It means that
something has gone out of this valley
that may never be replaced
Home to your father and mother, boy
They'll need you today
22 weeks the men were out,
as the strike moved into winter
It was strange to go out into the street
and find the men there in the daytime
It had a feeling of fright in it,
and always the mood of the men grew uglier,
as empty bellies and desperation
began to conquer reason
Any man who was not their friend
became their enemy
They knew that my father had opposed the strike,
and now it was they who opposed him
Huw,
there's a meeting of the men
in the hills tonight, is it?
Yes, Mama
You will take me there
Oh, no, Mama It is no place for women
There's a place for this woman there tonight
upon my soul
Wait, wait till you hear me
I am Beth Morgan, as you damn well know
I have come to tell you what I think of you all
because you're talking against my husband!
You're a lot of cowards to go against him!
He would do nothing against you,
and you know it well!
How some of you, you smug-faced hypocrites,
can sit in the same chapel with him
I cannot tell
To say he's with the owners is not only nonsense,
but downright wickedness!
There's one thing more I've got to say,
and it is this...
if harm comes to my Gwilym, I'll find out the men,
and I will kill them with my two hands,
and this I will swear by God Almighty!
Lanto, help!
Help!
Help! Help!
Hold on, Mama! They've heard us!
They're coming!
Ahh
He was awake just now
Shh
He'll do, then
But it's beyond me to say why!
You're breeding horses in this family,
Mr. Morgan
Ha!
This boy should be in his coffin,
for my part
He's a Morgan, then, is it, sir?
Eh
He should be fed now, Mrs. Ivor...
a little soup and some warm smile
Ahhh
Yes
Ah!
Horse!
Well, good day Wait, wait, wait
Huw was awake He spoke to Bron
How long for the little one?
It's hard to tell
His legs were frozen to the bone
A year, two year like that
but I can't promise he'll ever walk again!
Nature must take her course!
Mind your tongue!
I think he heard you
Where is the light I thought to see in your eye?
Are you afraid, boy?
Hmm?
You heard what the doctor said?
Yes, sir
And you believed it?
Yes, sir
You want to walk again, don't you?
Yes, sir
Then you must have faith,
and if you have, you will walk again
no matter what all the doctors say
But he said nature must take her course
"Nature is the handmaiden of the Lord"
I remember one or two occasions
when she was given orders to change her course
You know your scriptures, boy
Yes, sir
Then you know that what's been done before
can be done again... for you
Do you believe me, Huw?
Yes, sir
Good
You will see the first daffodil
out on the mountain
Will you?
Indeed I will, sir
Then you will
I could almost wish
that I were lying there in your place,
if it meant reading this book again
for the first time
Treasure
Island
Mr. Gruffydd?
I couldn't let you go without thanking you
It was only my duty, girl
No It was more than duty
Yes, Huw's a fine boy,
and you're a fine family
Um, you'd better be going in now You'll catch your death
Yes
Will you be coming to supper soon?
Uh, yes, later,
when you're finished with doctors and such, huh?
I will hurry them away, then
Good
"Squire Trelawney, Dr Livesey,
and the rest of these gentlemen,
having asked me to write down
the whole particulars about Treasure Island
from the beginning to the end,
keeping nothing back but the bearings of the island,
and that only because
there is still treasure not yet lifted,
I take up my pen
in the year of grace 1785
and go back to the time
when my father kept the Admiral Benbow Inn"
All the noble books
which have lived in my mind ever since,
and always I hoped and kept my faith
For the first months,
my mother was still upstairs,
and we could talk to each other with tappings
Spring?
There you are, girl
Easy
There you are
Wait
Ah, it's the old snow got into it
Oh, Gwilym
There is a wife you have,
resting in her bed
and letting strangers care for her family
There is a wife I have, then
Go along with you, boy
Will you say something, Mother?
Go on Say something
But what... what'll I say?
You found plenty to say the last time you spoke
It should be easier now, with friends
Uh, well...
welcome and eat, everyone
Smoke is it, boys
lanto
I haven't seen you in chapel lately
I have been too busy
What business, may I ask?
Mine
Only asking a civil question, I was
And having a civil answer
I have been busy with the union
Unions are the work of the devil
You will come to no good end
At least I am not sitting on it,
talking rubbish in chapel
Look here...
Oh, leave it, or I'll say something to be sorry
This is a matter that requires airing
lanto, why do you think
we at the chapel talk rubbish?
My remark was not aimed at you
Then aim it
Very well
Because you make yourselves out
to be shepherds of the flock,
and yet you allow your sheep
to live in filth and poverty,
and if they try and raise their voices against it,
you calm them by telling them
their suffering is the will of God
Sheep, indeed
Are we sheep to be herded and sheared
by a handful of owners?
I was taught man was made
in the image of God, not a sheep
I haven't expressed my views around here
because I haven't had any wish
to interfere in a family disagreement
You have my permission to speak
Very well, then Here is what I think
First, have your union
You need it
Alone, you are weak Together, you're strong
But remember
that with strength goes responsibility,
to others and yourselves,
for you cannot conquer injustice with more injustice...
only with justice and the help of God
Are you coming outside your position in life,
Mr. Gruffydd?
Your business is spiritual
My business is anything that comes between man
and the spirit of God
The deacons shall hear
that you've been preaching socialism!
Mr. Parry!
Loose the old devil's teeth!
He is our guest!
Beth, a pint of home brew for Mr. Parry
I'll give him a clout with a frying pan!
Oh!
Miss Jenkins! A sweet song!
The harp, is it?
Come on, men Get in here
Now, look A little song
Angharad
Mr. Gruffydd, will we always be in your debt,
now you have made us a family again?
Here Let me
Oh, your hands
There's a pity
No matter
Have you ever been down the collieries?
10 years
10 years?
While I was studying
A bit of soap now
Oh, don't bother, please
There's a man for you...
spoiling his good handkerchief
Look, now... you are king in the chapel,
but I will be queen in my own kitchen
You will be queen wherever you walk
What does that mean?
I should not have said it
Why?
I have no right to speak to you so
Mr. Gruffydd?
If the right is mine to give,
you have it
Then the strike was settled,
with the help of Mr. Gruffydd and my father
Work again...
work to wipe out the memory of idleness and hardship
The men were happy going up the hill that morning
1 and 9
1 and 10!
But not all of them,
for there were too many now for the jobs open,
and some learned that never again
would there be work for them
in their own valley
It is the same
all over south Wales, it is
Father
In Cardiff, the men are standing in line
to have bread from the government
Not for us, eh, lad?
We will have our share of the box
and go, if you please, sir
Where will you go?
America
My share, too, Owen
And mine
No Our own
We will take no charity
Not charity, man... sense
No, only our own
Ahem
Say nothing of this to your mother
Let this day be over first
Never mind saying nothing
I heard
America?
My babies
Shall we have a chapter, my sons?
What shall we have, sir?
Isaiah 55
Those two gone...
this is only the beginning
Then all of you will go
One after the other, all of you
I will never leave you, Mama
Huw, boy, if you should ever leave me,
I'll be sorry I ever had babies
Why did you have them?
Indeed to goodness, boy, why?
To keep my hands in water
and my face to the fire, perhaps
Whoa!
For Mr. Ivor Morgan
From Windsor Castle it is
"Mr. Ivor Morgan is commanded
to appear before Her Majest..."
"Mr. Ivor Morgan is commanded
to appear before Her Majesty at Windsor Castle
with chosen members of his choir the 14th of May
between the hours of 3:00 and 5:00"
- Yay! - Yay!
God save the Queen!
To sing before the queen...
My son, I never thought to see this beautiful day
Idris, Owen, all of you...
fetch everyone from all the valleys 'round
Davy, over to the other collieries
Invite everyone It's a celebration, tell them
lanto, down to the Three Bells for beer
Open house tonight for all who will come
My sons
you shall have a sendoff worthy of the Morgans
Our heavenly Father,
I give thanks from the heart
to live this day
I give thanks for all I have,
and I do give thanks for this new blessing,
for you are our father,
but we look to our queen as our mother
Comfort her in her troubles, oh God,
and let her worries be not more
than she shall bear at her age,
and grant that sweetness and power and spirit
may be given to these voices
that shall sing at her command
Amen
- Amen - Amen
? God save our gracious queen ?
? Long live our noble queen ?
? God save our queen ?
? Send her victorious ?
? Happy and glorious ?
Gwilym! Owen!
? Long to reign over us ?
? God save our queen ??
Good morning, dear Mr. Gruffydd
There is good to see you
Angharad is at the market
Angharad? Oh, I've come for Huw
For Huw?
The daffodils are out, Mama
Where are your clothes, boy?
Under my pillow
Your pillow?
For these months, ready for today
Come then, and you shall
bring back a posy fit for a queen
for your brave mother
Indeed I will, sir
Almost there, Huw
Yes, sir
Low bridge there Watch out
It's fine
All right
Ha ha!
All right?
Yes, sir
Easy it is, now
There
Cwm Rhondda
But, Mr. Gruffydd...
You can walk, Huw,
if you try
Come, lad
You can walk
Huw! Walk!
There's a good lad
Come on
See? Ha ha!
There's a good old man
You've been lucky, Huw
Lucky to suffer
lucky to spend these weary months in bed
for so God has given you a chance
to make spirit within yourself,
and as your father cleans his lamp to have good light,
so keep clean your spirit, huh?
How, sir?
By prayer, Huw
And by prayer, I don't mean shouting and mumbling
and wallowing like a hog in religious sentiment
Prayer is only another name
for good, clean, direct thinking
When you pray, think
Think well what you're saying
Make your thoughts into things that are solid,
and that way, your prayer will have strength,
and that strength will become a part of you,
body, mind, and spirit
And the first duty of these new legs
is to get you to chapel on Sunday
Indeed they will, sir
There's a good old man again
Give me your hand
Come on now
Will you please remain in your places?
There's to be a meeting of the deacons
Ceinwen Lewis!
Step forward!
Your sins have found you out!
And now you must pay the price
of all women like you
You have brought a child into the world
against the Commandment!
Prayer is wasted on your sort!
You shall be cast out into the outer darkness
till you have learned your lesson!
Ceinwen Lewis
do you admit your sin?
Yes
Then prepare to suffer your punishment!
Stop it!
Angharad!
Leave her alone, you hypocrite!
Sit down, Mr. Morgan
You...
Sit down!
How could you stand there and watch them?
Cruel old men groaning and nodding to hurt her more
That is not the word of God
"Go thou, and sin no more," Jesus said!
Angharad!
You know your Bible too well, life too little
I know enough of life to know that Ceinwen Lewis
is no worse than I am
Angharad!
What do the deacons know?
What do you know
about what could happen to a poor girl
when she loves a man so much
that to lose sight of him for a moment is torture?
Does that hurt you, Huw?
Easy, now
Huw?
Angharad Angharad!
I am a man now!
Kindly leave the kitchen!
Oh, so you're a man now, is it?
Ow!
Ha ha ha!
Hey! Hey!
Blasphemy, sacrilege, and hypocrisy!
Can't a man smoke his pipe
and read his paper on the sabbath?
Oh, go and blow your nose!
Come in!
What under the blaz...
Good morning, Morgan
Good morning, Mr. Evans
Sit down, sir
Uh...
Sit down, sir
Oh Thank you
Mr. Evans
The mine owner himself
Angharad
Ahh
Now to business, Morgan
Yes, sir
Uh
I've come here on a very delicate mission, Morgan
No trouble, sir?
No, no, no
No trouble, but it worries me
Yes, sir
I'm here to get your permission
that my son lestyn
may have permission...
Ah-choo!
Bless you, Morgan
Thank you, sir
Now, where was I?
Permission
Oh, yes That my son lestyn may have permission,
with your daughter's permission,
to call upon her
There we are
We are a very proud family, Mr. Evans
Yes, yes, I know, I know, Morgan,
but this is not my doing, Morgan
It's that young boy...
Mr. Evans, your son has my permission
to speak to me
Thank you Thank you, Morgan
I'm very much obliged to you
Yes, sir Yes, sir
Good old Welsh blood, you know,
and all that sort of thing
I'm very much obliged, Morgan
Yes, sir Yes, sir
Good day, Morgan
Beth! Beth!
Come, come, come My shoes Get my shoes
You, girl, get up to your room
Have you no modesty left in you? Get up there
Take your hand out... My shoes! Find the shoes!
Why don't you get your jackets on? Get your...
Mr. Morgan
Sit down
This is my wife Mrs. Morgan
How do you do?
Mr. Morgan, I've come to ask your permission
to speak to your daughter Angharad
These are my sons
Yes I know them
Ah-choo!
- God bless you - God bless you
You shouldn't be here
I couldn't spend another night without knowing
What has happened?
Is anything wrong?
Wrong?
You know what I mean
Why have you changed towards me?
Why am I a stranger now?
Have I done anything?
No
The blame is mine
Your mother spoke to me after chapel
She's happy to think
you'll be having plenty all your days
lestyn Evans
You could do no better
I don't want him! I want you
Angharad
I have spent nights, too,
trying to think this out
When I took up this work,
I knew what it meant
It meant sacrifice and devotion
It meant making it my whole life
to the... to the exclusion of everything else
That I was perfectly willing to do
But to share it with another
Do you think I will have you going threadbare
all your life,
depending on the charity of others
for your good meals,
our children growing up in cast-off clothing,
and ourselves thanking God for parenthood
in a house full of bits?
No I can bear with such a life
for the sake of my work,
but I think I'd start to kill
if I saw the white come to your hair
20 years before its time
Why?
Why would you start to kill?
Are you a man or a saint?
I am no saint,
but I have a duty towards you
Let me do it
Is there to be no singing
for my daughter's wedding, Dai Bando?
Now, then, the bathtub
holds 100 gallons
"A" fills it at the rate
of 20 gallons a minute
and "B" at the rate
of 10 gallons a minute
Got that, Mr. Morgan?
20 and 10 gallons Yes, sir
Now, then,
"C" is a hole that empties it
at the rate
of 5 gallons a minute
How long, uh
to fill the tub?
Hmm
Ha ha ha!
They're silly
trying to fill a bathtub
full of holes, indeed
A sum it is, girl, a sum,
a problem for the mind,
for his examination into school next month
That old national school...
just silly they are with their sums
Who would pour water
in a bathtub full of holes?
Who would think of it? Only a madman
It is to see if the boy can calculate, girl
Figures... nothing else
How many gallons and how long?
In a bathtub full of holes
Now I know why I have such a tribe of sons
It is you, Beth Morgan, is the cause
Look you, Mr. Gruffydd,
have you something else?
The decimal point
The decimal point, then
And peace to my house!
Go and scratch
Uh, it's getting late
I've got to get along
We'll follow the decimal point tomorrow night
Yes, sir
Good night Good night, Mrs. Morgan
Good night, Mr. Gruffydd
Who is there that cannot look back
and remember his first day at a new school?
To go alone the long walk over the hills
to the next valley
the first of my family to have the privilege
of attending a national school
So you're the new boy?
Yes, sir
You're late
Yes, sir
What a dirty little sweep it is
Who are your people?
Where are you from?
Cwm Rhondda
Cwm Rhondda?
Oh, a little genius from the coal pits,
and they expect me to make a scholar of it
All right, come in
Were you brought up in stables?
Well, shut the door
Your boots are muddy
They were clean when I left home
You will address me as sir,
or I'll put a stick about your back
Now, sit down here
Yes, sir
Ha ha ha!
Come here, you dirty little sweep
What have we here?
A pencil box
Pretty, too
Hey, you broke my pencil box!
Mervyn, Mervyn, stop it! You'll hurt him!
Hit him! Hit him!
L... I fell on the mountain
Did you win, Huw?
No
lanto!
Fetch Dai Bando
Dai Bando, is it?
Are you willing to go to school tomorrow?
Yes, sir
Good
From tonight, you shall get a penny
for every mark on your face,
sixpence for a bloody nose,
a shilling for a black eye,
and two shillings for a broken nose
Gwilym, stop it
Fight again, and when you come home,
not another look will you get from me,
not another word
Break your own nose, then
Break your mother's heart
A boy must fight, Beth
Fight? Fight, is it?
Another beating like that
and he would walk home dead
Beating? He's had no beating
A hiding, yes, but no beating
Give the boy time, it will be he
that's giving the beating, is it?
Dai Bando, come into the house
Good evening, Mrs. Morgan
Good Evening, Mrs. Morgan
Leave off your hat
Dai Bando is going to teach you to box, Huw
To fight first
Too many call themselves boxers
who are not even fighters
Boxing is an art, is it?
It is It is
Go along with you, girl
A cup of tea for the men, is it?
Tea?
Tea? No tea, Mrs. Morgan
In training, he is
A glass of beer if you please
Baths full of holes
and now prizefighters
Get him!
Come on!
Get him!
Come on, get him, Mervyn!
Get up! Get up!
Hit him!
Knock him down, Mervyn!
Hit him, Mervyn!
Our wild little coal-mining friend has been indulging
in his favorite sport again, eh?
Mr. Phillips, make a back, please
I refuse, sir
Make a back, Mr. Phillips!
I refuse, sir!
Mr. Mills, make a back
Here
Put this in between your teeth
Bite it hard
Well, the scholar!
Huw!
Lad!
I'll go to my death
You got that in school?
He's cut you to the bone Who was it?
Mr. Jonas?
We'll have a word with him
No
Why not?
I broke the rule when I fought
There's no rule for that
But he warned me
Rubbish, boy!
Wait, Davy
This is Huw's affair
He shall decide
Say the word, lad, and we will have
the bones hot from his flesh
No Leave him alone
I think our baby brother
is becoming quite a man
These denominations
are used in measuring distances and...
Yes?
Right!
Good morning, Mister, uh
Jonas
- Mr. Jonas - Mr. Jonas
We have come to the right place, indeed
Ha ha ha!
What can I do for you?
A man is never too old to learn,
Is it, Mr. Jonas?
No
I was in school myself once,
but no great one for knowledge
Look here, what do you want?
Knowledge
How would you go about
taking the measurement
of a stick, Mr. Jonas?
By its length, of course
And how would you measure a man
who would use a stick on a boy 1/3 his size?
Tell us
Now, you are good in the use of a stick,
but boxing is my subject,
according to the rules laid down
by the good Marquis of Queensberry
God rest his soul
And happy I am
to pass on my knowledge to you
Mr. Motshill!
All right, get him into position, now
Now, look, to make a good boxer,
you must have a good right hand, you see?
Now, you see,
that is how you will punish your man...
with a right and a left
The gentleman is talking to you
Raise him
Come on, come on Up, up, up
Position again
Could I have your attention, boys and girls?
I am not accustomed to speaking in public
Only public houses
But this never use
It's against the rules
Break a man's nose
Now, then...
I'm afraid he will never make a boxer
No aptitude for knowledge
Mr. Gruffydd!
Ivor fell under a tram...
lower level
Ivor!
We have our first grandson, Gwil
Give one and take the other
Tell that to that girl up there!
She'll have an answer for you
Do not kindle the wrath
To hell with the wrath!
And I'm saying it plain to be heard
Ah, 'tis good
With honors, then
Our son is a scholar
What is it, Huw?
I can't make sense with it
Latin it is
Latin, is it?
Why not good Welsh or even English?
It is the fashion
Fashion Frenchies, decimal points,
and bathtubs full of holes
My poor Huw,
they've stuffed your head with Latin
Beth, my old beauty, you
a black eye, is it?
Go ahead, shout! Wake up the baby, then
There is beautiful
The image of my father, he is
What bloody nonsense
Now then, Huw, what will it be?
To Cardiff to school, then the university
to be a lawyer, is it, or a doctor?
Dr Huw Morgan
Well, Uncle Huw, that will be something special
Yes, indeed, with a lovely horse and trap
and a good black suit
and a shirt with starch
Oh, there is good, my little one
Now then, a glass of buttermilk for you
with all your knowledge
Yes, mother, and some of Bron's shortcake
Oh, and my shortcake is to be fed to the pigs, is it?
No, only I finished yours yesterday
Today is shortcake day with Bron
I'm sorry, Huw, only currant bread I made today
Nobody to eat it now
Oh, Mother, I'm lonely without him
I put his boots and clothes ready every night,
but they're there still in the morning
There is lonely I am
Gwil, I will have Bron here
to live if she will come
Not Bron
One mistress in the house
Now, Huw, what will it be?
I will go down the colliery with you, sir
Have sense, boy The colliery is no place for you
Why not try for a respectable job?
Respectable?
Are you and his brothers a lot of old jailbirds?
Aw, leave it now, Beth
I only want the best for the boy
If he is as good a man as you and his brothers,
I will rest happy
I'm thinking of the boy's future
It was different in our day...
there was good money and fair play for all
But Huw is a scholar
Why take brains down a coal mine?
I would rather, sir
All right
Decide for yourself,
but blame yourself if you are wrong
The colliery, sir
All right The colliery it is
Good
Where are you going?
To get drunk!
Bron?
I am going down the colliery
Oh, the colliery, is it?
The old coal will be shaking in its seam
Bron
Bro... Bron, would you have me to live in this house
and have my wages?
Your home is with your mother
It was she who sent me
From pity?
No, from sense
If you put clothes night and morning,
let them be my clothes
Good old man
Yes or no, Bron?
Yes
Goo... Good
Good I will get my bed
So it is a man now, is it?
And could I carry such a man?
Lanto!
Ha ha ha!
5 shillings
7 and tuppence
Move along!
Thanks
3 shillings
209
Move along
And so it came to lanto and Davy...
the best workers in the colliery
but too highly paid
to compete with poorer, more desperate men
Will you read us a chapter, Father?
Yes, my son
Ahem
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
He leadeth me beside the still waters
He restoreth my soul
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for his name's sake
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil
for thou art with me
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me
Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of mine enemies
Thou anointest my head with oil"
"My cup runneth over"
One line to Owen and Gwil,
down to Cape Town to Angharad,
over here to Canada to lanto,
and down here to Davy in New Zealand
And you are the star,
shining on them from this house
all the way across the continents and the oceans
All the way?
How far am I shining if you can put it all
on a little piece of paper?
Aw, now, a map it is, my old beauty
A picture of the world to show you where they are
I know where they are
without any old maps
or scratches or spiders or pencils
They are in the house
Then Angharad came back from Cape Town
without her husband
She did not come to us
but stayed at the big Evans house...
her house on top of the hill
To see Mrs. Evans, please
Who is it?
Huw Morgan
Her brother, is it?
Come in
Why, Huw
Mrs. Nicholas, will you bring some tea, please?
Sit down, Huw
There is grown you are
and changed
You, too
I look ill and ought to take care of myself
Everyone coming in the house says so,
so you say it, too, and let us finish with it
But tell me all the news
How is...
How are all the boys and girls we used to know?
Well
the Jenkins girls are married
Maldwyn Hughes has gone to be a doctor
Rhys Howell is in a solicitor's office,
and he's sending home 10 shillings a week
and Mr. Gruffydd
is still first up and last to bed
How is he, Huw?
Not as he was
Is he ill?
Inside... in his eyes
and in his voice
Like you
Please go home, Huw
I'm sorry
Now then, Mrs. Evans Tea, is it?
Leave it, Mrs. Nicholas
I will pour
Well!
I always did the pouring
for Mr. Lestyn's poor mother
I will pour
Yes, Mrs. Evans
A new mistress is like new sheets...
yes, a little bit stiff
but washings to come
Why do you have her here?
37 years with the family,
or so she tells me 60 times a day
Have some tea, Huw
You don't want me to go?
No No, Huw
I'm sorry for being nasty
Please stay
Oh, Huw!
I tried to tell mother, but, oh...
Not for me to say
Only the housekeeper I am
37 years in the family
and living to curse the day!
It will not surprise me any day
to see the old master rise white from his grave
'Tis only the gravestone is holding him down,
I will swear
Then what is it, Mrs. Nicholas?
Divorce
- Divorce! - Divorce!
Saying nothing I am,
but that is what is in her mind
She is here without her husband, is it?
And why?
'Tis because she is in love with this preacher
Preacher, I said! Mr. Gruffydd it is
But Mr. Gruffydd has not been near the house
What difference is that, girl?
Get on with your work!
We will not say a word, Mrs. Nicholas
- Oh, no! - No, no!
Liar! Liar!
You're a filthy liar!
- Come on! - Get him!
Come on, Roger!
Get him, Roger!
Let up!
Let me at him!
- Aw! - Aw!
Liar! Liar! Liar!
- Ha Ha! - Ha Ha!
As the slag had spread over my valley,
So now a blackness spread over the minds of its people
For the first time in my memory,
our front door was shut tight in the daytime
Dada?
Well, Huw,
trouble with the philistines, is it?
Huw, what is it now? Look at your hands
Evan john
He... He said things about Angharad and Mr. Gruffydd
The children, too
You were right, my son
I will be back for breakfast
You will not go to chapel?
No
And if they do this thing
I will never set foot in the chapel again
as long as I live
I will have the sheets warm on your bed
There is an old beauty you are
Go and scratch, boy
What is this about the chapel, mother?
Tonight after the service,
a deacons' meeting over Angharad
Angharad?
But she has done nothing
Nothing is enough
for people who have minds like cesspools
Oh, Huw, my little one,
I hope when you're grown
their tongues will be slower to hurt
But will Angharad have to be at the meeting?
No, none of us will be there
But the disgrace will not stay away
I will go, mother
This is the last time
I will talk in this chapel
I am leaving the valley
with regret
toward those who have helped me here
and who have let me help them
But
for the rest of you
those of you who have only proved
that I have wasted my time among you,
I have only this to say
There is not one among you
who has had the courage
to come to me
and accuse me of wrongdoing
And yet, by any standard,
if there has been a sin,
I am the one
who should be branded the sinner
Will anyone raise his voice here now
to accuse me?
No
You're cowards, too,
as well as hypocrites
but I don't blame you
The fault is mine as much as yours
The idle tongues
the poverty of mind which you have shown
mean that I have failed to reach most of you
with the lesson I was given to teach
Huw?
I thought, when I was a young man,
that I would conquer the world with truth
I thought I would lead an army
greater than Alexander ever dreamed of
not to conquer nations
but to liberate mankind
Yes, sir
with truth
and the golden sound of the word
But only a few of them heard
Only a few of you understood
The rest of you put on black and sat in chapel!
Why do you come here?
Why do you dress your hypocrisy in black
and parade before your God on Sunday?
From love?
No
For you've shown that your hearts are too withered
to receive the love of your Divine Father
I know why you've come
I've seen it in your faces Sunday after Sunday
as I've stood here before you
Fear has brought you here...
horrible, superstitious fear
Fear of divine retribution
A bolt of fire from the skies,
the vengeance of the Lord and the justice of God
But you have forgotten the love of Jesus
You disregard his sacrifice
Death, fear, flames, horror, and black clothes!
Hold your meeting, then
But know if you do this in the name of God
and in the house of God,
you blaspheme against Him and His word
Wait!
There is a meeting, Master Morgan
Well, Huw
I'm glad you've come
Thank you, sir
Is there anything I can do?
Indeed there is
You can do me a great service
This watch,
my father gave it to me
when I entered the ministry
It's marked time we both loved
Take it
Oh, no, sir
A service I said you'd be doing me
No need for us to shake hands
We will live in the minds of each other
Mr. Gruffydd,
won't you see Angharad before you go?
She wants you to
No
If I were to see her again,
I couldn't find the strength to leave her
Goodbye, Huw
And there's a good old man you are
What is it now?
Fire or flood or what?
Cave-in, they're saying
Take me up by there
What good in the darkness of a mine?
Your eyes are no longer good in the daylight
from the blows you have taken in the ring
I can still swing a pick
deeper than any man
Take me up there
- Aah! - Aah!
Aah!
Bron! Bron!
Gwilym!
Those of you with relatives
Let them to the pit
Gwilym Morgan?
Not yet, sir
Mr. Gruffydd,
on the lower level he was
My father?
Not yet, Mrs. Evans
Angharad
Who is for Gwilym Morgan
and the others?
I, for one
He is the blood of my heart
Come, Cyfartha
'Tis a coward I am,
but I will hold your coat
Dada!
Dada! Dada!
Dada!
Huw
Lad
Dada!
Huw
Dada
Mr. Gruffydd!
There's a good old man you are
He came to me just now
Ivor was with him
He spoke to me
and told me of the glory he had seen
Look
Men like my father cannot die
they are with me still,
real in memory as they were in flesh,
loving and beloved forever
How green was my valley then