For the people wondering what language this is, it's Swedish but from a couple hundred years ago. Unless you live as high up as I do ( a couple km outside Kurravaara ) then alot of people still talk like this. I'm one of them.
Richard Irminsul Yes you can tell really fast that they are from the Swede parts of Finland. Hard to explain but it sounds like a mix of finnish and northern Swedish accent combined. The way she sings is old/northern Swedish but the accent is clearly Swe/Finn.
+Viking88 Amazing. Kurravaara is quite far north! What are the differences from more southern Swedish, would you say? Do they seem grammatical, like in the Elfdalian/Övdalsk of Dalarna, or is it more just a matter of style and vocabulary?
+AnthroRambles Both. We have our own way of speaking. While we can use normal Swedish like any other ( with heavy dialect) , we also have our own "language" with completely different sentence build up and grammar we normally use. Our way is more traditional with longer rolling R's and we use old words long forgotten in the south. For example lets have a sentence in both - Normal/South Swedish = Jag ska gå ut en liten stund. Our way = Jag skaller utåt gånga en kort tid. We use different words with the same meaning but different sound. Much older words. If you come across a person who speaks without regards of outsiders you probably won't understand more than a few words. ( if you speak Swedish) My mother for example almost sings out the words in one solid sentence that I understand perfectly but a person from Stockholm? No way they are gonna understand.
gurgblurg burglor Har jag inte på något sätt antytt heller. Och jag pratar inte Norrländska utan Norrbottniska. Stor skillnad. Men dom södra dialekterna skiljer sig mycket mot dom norra.
A Silibrand körde uppå höga loftessvala O Silibrand hurried to the top of the mound Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green Där fick han se sin dotter i lunden fara then he saw his daughter wander in the grove I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her A välest mej, välest mej, vad jag nu ser O woe is me, woe is me, what do I behold Allt under den linden så gröna all beneath the linden so green Jag ser min dotter hon kommer til mej I see my daughter, she is coming to me I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her A Silibrand fämnar ut kappan så blå O Silibrand spread out his cape so blue Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green Där föder hon två karska svenbarnen på Upon it she gives birth to twin sons I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her Min fader skall jag giva min gångare grå ” I shall give to my father my grey horse Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green Som han skall rida till kyrkan uppa Upon it he shall ride to the church I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the sacred grove with her Min syster skall jag giva mina guld-ringar sju I shall give to my sister my seven gold rings Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green Som jag ej haft sen jag stod brud That I have not worn since I was a bride I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her Min broder skall jag giva mina handskar små I shall give to my brother my tiny gloves Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green Som han skall ha likvart han gar that he shall carry everywhere he goes” I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne ride gently through the grove with her Den ene sa för dom till Freyjas dop The one son they took to Freyia s baptism Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green Den andre så för dom till Vallhalla sal the other son they took to Valhalls court I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne ride gently through the grove with her. Performed by Gjallarhorn on this link:
This old folk song was performed by Gjallarhorn. Here translated from Swedish. The song is full of old Pagan symbols: the grove was a natural temple to the Pagans. The grey horse is a metaphor for death. There is talk about riding (from the grove) to the Church, and to baptize Freyia. The transition between the old and the new religion was slow and often confusing, and clearly left its mark in folklore and folk tunes for centuries after.
It's sad how the freedom of that people was taken and their beliefs deleted. If respect had been maintained the planet today would be much more beautiful and diverse. I'm here, I'm a pagan. Unfortunately, I will not know half of the practices that these people performed. But I am here, and as long as I am alive our gods will be remembered. Your energies will be alive and your names will be spoken. Long live the pagan rituals, long live paganism, long live freedom! HAIL ODIN AND ALL THE GODS IN THE UNIVERSE!
@@maaferreirahd I agree with everything you've said. I'm also Pagan. I have strong Scandinavian roots and wish I knew all they knew and practiced before most was wiped away.
The pagan references was added by Gjallarhorn. The traditional versions are very much Christian. Openly pagan stuff like this could never have survived the very religiously repressive middle age Sweden.
@@rockenrollern There were people still using Runes in the 19th century so no, you are wrong. The culture of Svea will never die, the thousand year sleep is nearing it's end.
This is probably the most beautiful folk song I've ever heard. The instrumentals, the voice, and the meaning behind the lyrics fit together perfectly, it's magical.
English translation "O Silibrand hurried to the top of the mound all under the linden so green then he saw his daughter wander in the grove Ride gently through the grove with her O woe is me, woe is me, what do I behold all beneath the linden so green I see my daughter, she is coming to me Ride gently through the grove with her O Silibrand spread out his cape so blue all under the linden so green Upon it she gives birth to twin sons Ride gently through the grove with her I shall give to my father my grey horse all under the linden so green Upon it he shall ride to the church Ride gently through the sacred grove with her I shall give to my sister my seven gold rings all under the linden so green That I have not worn since I was a bride Ride gently through the grove with her I shall give to my brother my tiny gloves all under the linden so green that he shall carry everywhere he goes ride gently through the grove with her The one son they took to Freyia's baptism all under the linden so green the other son they took to Valhalls court ride gently through the grove with her."
@Romero Jolabero German and Swedish vocabulary have about 80% similar if not the same etymological roots. So.... Yeah. Germans can read quite a bit of Swedish and it should work the other way around, too. Swedish, Icelandic, Danish and Norwegian are North-Germanic languages, German, Dutch and Flemish are West-Germanic, so obviously it's not impossible to understand one another with a few tricks and some aids
Monika Turunen Since your a girl I have a question. Is the hair style in the picture above considered way out of style? Also is it considered formal or informal?
Silibrand climbed up high and saw his daughter hurrying to the grove where he followed her and helped her birth twins, she gave her father her horse "gångare grå" that he rode up to the church so carefully with her. the mother gives her sister 7 rings and her brother a pair of gloves. One child they take to get baptised by Freja because it lived and the other was taken to the halls of Valhalla because it died during the careful horseride with its mother. Sad lullaby about twins.
Actually I thought both children died, as Freyja gets the half of the death, the other half go to Odin. I am also pretty curious why she gave away all her stuff.
Schimmelreiterin If that is the case, the implication would be that the mother died also. In another version of the song, while most of the gift-giving is missing, the singer gives her mother-in law a knife as a symbol of betrayal - as she was married off to a strange man. In both songs, it is stated that someone is sad to see their daughter come to them. That would suggest that she died in childbirth and her children soon followed. It would also explain why Silibrand drove his horse so solemly. It might also be worth considering that Silibrand is already dead, allowing his wife to marry off his daughter wrongly, and so births his grandchildren from the afterlife.
***** Thanks for the additional information! And yes, I also read a interpretation where Silibrand picks up his dead daughter and her twins in the afterlife.
***** Oh, and now I recall my first understanding of the song. I first thought she had illegitimate and hence killed herself after giving up all her belongings followed by her twins who also died. But I have to say this interpretation somehow occurred from my mistranslation of the text, I think.
It's a common theme in Scandinavian folk songs, but ofc. there will be no mention of Valhal or Freja, since they have all been sung and written down in Christian times. You will also normally hear what happened before. Giving birth alone in the forest was = death, so the story usually is that the girl is in love with an usuitable young man, she gets pregnant, he is hung or something similar, and she escapes and gives birth alone. Sometimes he escapes with her, but she sends him away for water or something similar, because birth was a female matter, and it was a great taboo for men to be present. When he comes back she and the children are dead. It's can be interpreted as a warning to do something foolish like not following your parents advise. I've never seen a real folk song where it's her father that is present. I can't claim I know all, but I know enough to say it would be unusual if it exists.
SnizekSnow We did not only do that!!! We was also peaceful. We was good tradesfolk! We was just as peaceful as the celtic,German and even egyptians!! And relax. The vikings was not two meters, they had an normal heigh like you maybe have.
SnizekSnow 1. The very Word "elf" derives from the Norse Language (alfr) and the concept of "elves" and an elfworld ("Alfheimr", "Gandalfr", the lord of elves, etc) IS Norse. It has blended with your Celtic-originated "fairie" but is not the same. In Iceland the belief in elves is still thriving. 2. Just as most English People did not actually participate in the Africa-America slave trade or in the colonization of countless other lands, so the Norse People of the Viking Age were not all killers and rapists and invaders. 3, As to human sacrifice in the Viking Age, it was hardly to be noted next to the sadistic torture shows that Christian medievals had on their markets every weekend. PS! Your statements comes across as extremely ignorant to everyone who actually studied a little world history, so maybe you need to investigate a little more.
The very Word "elf" derives from the Norse Language (alfr) and the concept of "elves" and an elfworld ("Alfheimr", "Gandalfr", the lord of elves, etc) IS Norse. It has blended with your Celtic-originated "fairie" but is not the same. In Iceland the belief in elves is still thriving
cecilie meier olsen truth is that, average european male heigt at this time was around 155 cm whereas vikings were around 170 so thats why those guys were called giants by some.
This song takes me to a place heretofore unbeknownst. A place deep in my cerebral past. Perhaps in another life. With my mother singing this song in Swedish to me as a baby in a cradle, An awakening to a distant genetic memory.
For some reason, this song makes me take pride in myself. To be strong and yet feminine. I love it. I listened to it when I was a little girl living in Kenya and now again much older.
Not really sure why. Ja it is a good song but it is sad. It tells of two kids born. One gets baptized, the other dies. The song is about riding to get the alive kid baptized.
I mean, that's great, but the song is about a mother dying in childbirth. I don't know if that'd necessarily make me proud to be myself, but hey it's great it makes you feel that way!
Despite the sad meaning I think it is wonderful her singing makes you feel pride. Think of it this way, the singer is carrying on the traditions by signing a traditional folk song in this ancient dialect. Yes, there is definitely pride in that! I think you heard that in her voice. It is a beautiful thing to be a woman and carry on the traditions of your people, perhaps that is what you sensed? 😊
In the 50s there was only one person in the world who knew "I Riden Så", an old lady living on an island in the SW of Finland. She had learned it from her grandmother who in turn had learned it from her grandmother who were born in the mid 1700s (Finland was part of Sweden until 1809 which is why it's in Swedish). The lady recorded over 1000 songs, some of which would have been forgotten otherwise, one believed to be dating back to the 13th century.
Ahh... it's so big treasury, when I find some folklorologist, they can show such worlds, like we will never see again (except in the eyes of children, who need & 've got real sense)
Yeah but is a sad song... I assume you are not Swedish. It tells of one baby being born and being baptized but the other one dies and goes to Valhalla.
Holy moly as german, I can understand some words and meaning of this kind of swedish language. Greetings to our brothers and sisters at the northern tribes :)
@Stmsyndro I'm not trying to say that they are the same. More pointing to how they have similar proto germanic origins and thus have recognizable similarities. i.e. why some words today are similar or recognizable. Old High German being the language out of the two that I'm most familiar with and why I specifically referenced it
Well.... a germanic language is a germanic language. If from the north or west. Vikings is the collect-term for northern germanic tribes, beside, that most tribes in today central, east or west Europe are coming from this area.
I'm Norwegian, and to me this sound just like Swedish. I realise it's an old form, but it is still similar enough for me to understand most of it and to me it just sounds like slightly weird Swedish. Great music whatever language. Love it
It does sound similar to old english as someone said earlier. I live in the north east of england and we still use a few viking and anglo-saxon words for things and I hope it stays that way. we call children "bairns" here and a stream or river a "burn"
I'm german and I can understand it a little. our languages are really closely related. I wish more people would make traditional music in Europe, we have so much to offer.
It wants me to go to the nearest forest and just hike. Should be easy to find one. South Sweden has a lot of forests. I hope you guys are okay during this time! Greetings from your neighbor, Sweden.
This old folk song was performed by Gjallarhorn (see video link below). Here translated from Swedish. The song is full of old Pagan symbols: the grove was a natural temple to the Pagans. The grey horse is a metaphor for death. There is talk about riding (from the grove) to the Church, and to baptise Freyia. The transition between the old and the new religion was slow and often confusing, and left its mark in folklore and folk tunes for centuries after. A Silibrand körde uppå höga loftessvala O Silibrand hurried to the top of the mound Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green Där fick han se sin dotter i lunden fara then he saw his daughter wander in the grove I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her A välest mej, välest mej, vad jag nu ser O woe is me, woe is me, what do I behold Allt under den linden så gröna all beneath the linden so green Jag ser min dotter hon kommer til mej I see my daughter, she is coming to me I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her A Silibrand fämnar ut kappan så blå O Silibrand spread out his cape so blue Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green Där föder hon två karska svenbarnen på Upon it she gives birth to twin sons I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her Min fader skall jag giva min gångare grå ” I shall give to my father my grey horse Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green Som han skall rida till kyrkan uppa Upon it he shall ride to the church I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the sacred grove with her Min syster skall jag giva mina guld-ringar sju I shall give to my sister my seven gold rings Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green Som jag ej haft sen jag stod brud That I have not worn since I was a bride I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her Min broder skall jag giva mina handskar små I shall give to my brother my tiny gloves Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green Som han skall ha likvart han gar that he shall carry everywhere he goes” I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne ride gently through the grove with her Den ene sa för dom till Freyjas dop The one son they took to Freyia s baptism Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green Den andre så för dom till Vallhalla sal the other son they took to Valhalls court I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne ride gently through the grove with her. Performed by Gjallarhorn on this link: freya.theladyofthelabyrinth.com/?page_id=295
Epona is one of the few - if not the only - Celtic deities to be assimilated with roman culture later on and with time also seized an important role in roman religion, being ultimately worshipped in Rome itself. he originally did not inhabit impressive temples or similar, but was rather revered in the great outdoors and stables. And while gods of similar importance received animals as sacrifices in other cultures, the Celtic Epona was rather offered fresh cut roses and rose petals which might have had some influence in that..
I have Scandinavian heritage, but I was born and raised in the Indian subcontinent, and still am stuck here, I hope to reach Norway for eternity, the Homeland.
this kind of reminds me of old- and middle-high-german, basically ancient german. Just shows how related we are. Especially as (family wise) north-german I sometimes almost feel closer related to scandinavians than to bavarians or austrians lol Love you scandinavian brothers and sisters~
I'm sorry for my bible here.. but i have to say it. I'm a mum of two, i work 40 hours week, neither my husband or my co-workers understand my love to the nordic people and culture... I love the viking life, i woulded died for listening to freya histories, embrace the nature like jord, see the future like gefjun, be able to cure like Eira, or always young like Idun.. i would go hunting with my bow like skade , or be the goddess of death like hella... Thank you for this marvellous music. U brighted my day. #Nótt
@@hugofranca8568 bullshit, we are Celts,the Vikings never settled on mainland Scotland, just a few islands, we finally beat them and they got on their boats and fkd off back to norway
I came here because I'm a proud Heathen and to learn of my ancestors ... But I'm loving the fights down below. Who doesn't love to watch a good fight? Haha Skal!
I'm Russian but I'm deeply in love with Germanic/Nordic languages and cultures, they're amazing. And this song in paticular gives me goosebumps every time
@@sarahrobertson634 The Rus isn't Russian. The Rus are part of the Ukrainian family today. You're excused to believe otherwise, the soviets tried hard for decades to erase other slavic heritages and claiming them for their own.
This song and the picture reminds me of Gyda, the little girl of Ragnar Lothbrok and Lagertha in Vikings, the serie. This song is so beautiful, I will push the replay button again & again.
As an Irish man, I'd love to hear a group perform with a mixture of both Gaelic music and Scandinavian music. North and North Western Europe will always fascinate me with it's folk music.
I discovered this band in Scotland when the previous album came out - looking at their lyrics translated I was struck at how closely the grammar is to old english. It seemed to me they could have translated it literally word for word and it would still have made sense in a folksy sort of way: "Allt under den linden så gröna" reads to me as "all? under the linden so green" however on the sleeve notes this was actually translated/rearranged to "Under the green linden tree". I felt that if each of the words were just swapped directly to English we'd be left with a perfectly comprehensible medieval sounding tale, which is just what it is, is it not?!
All under the linden so green. Of course. You have to be an idiot to not understand. What differs is basically a word order switch in subclauses where Swedish has VSO, like, saw I. Another thing is the the strong adjective. We say, a red car, but, the reda caren, in definite. Basically we duplicate the articles. En is one, and that is how it became the definite article. Danes don't, and say the rede car. Apart from that it is mostly about propositions, is something on the table, på bordet, or something else? On, over under, will always be difficult to translate. But basically English is very close and speakers can find the same word from northern Sweden to the UK.
I love these songs! I'm a Finn myself, and I find it wonderful to listen to these songs with long roots, from my homecountry and neightbour countries. We're like one family, when you listen to the music :) Anyway, I'd like to ask, does anybody know if it's possible to add a whole YT playlist to favourites? I'd like to have this Nordic folk music playlist on my playlists gallery :)
What a beautiful language and amazing culture/History with a great H. Best regards from Frankish lands to our scandinavian brothers. A jamais avec vous, Ô Grand Nord.
Every several years we get a blip somewhere on social media about a Gjallarhorn show or music. But for the most part it's been silence for ten+ years. I wish they had an active social media page or members with an active presence in social media at the very least. I would love to see Gjallarhorn make music again someday. The time seems right for it.
