CD 1
Sigrid Simonsen (1898-1978) from Kirkja:
Zacharias Jakobsen (1876-1968) from Hattarvík:
Kristina Bolstad (1903-1995) from Sandvík:
Jógvan (1889-1983) and Leifur Tróndarson (á Trřđ) (1901-1980) from Skálavík:
Jógvan Tróndarson (Jógvan á Trřđ) (1889-1983) from Skálavík:
Wilhelmina Larsen (b. 1935) from Dalur:
Pćtur Tróndarson (1879-1965) from Skálavík:
Anna Nielsen (Anna í Havursgarđi) (1886-1972) from Kvívík:
Maria Eide Petersen (1894-1994) from Nólsoy:
Jóhanna Maria Skylv Hansen (1877-1974) from Nólsoy:
Jakob Heinesen (1902-1981) from Tjřrnuvík:
Lena Dahl (b. 1921) from Toftir:
Poul Schrřter (1870-1938) from Hvalba:
Jacob Petur Symphor (Jákup Petur á Gřtuni) (1885-1963) from Sumba:
Albert Djurhuus (1912-1999) from Sumba:
Sigrid Simonsen (1898-1978) from Kirkja:
1. A crow sits on a
fence (0:33)
Recorded by Ólavur Hátún at Kirkja, 1961
A crow sits on a fence
pecking at its feathers.
Flea jumped into the fire,
the louse remains and cries.
The farmwife spilt the tub of cream,
so all the doors began to creak,
foxes to burrow,
churches to break,
so all the layabouts
to fall down the cliff.
2. The crow sits on
the well (0:42)
The crow sits on the well
holding a leaf in its mouth.
The crow’s chicks
ask the bird to sing.
Lend me wings to fly.
Where shall I fly?
Up to the beautiful mound;
where the nuns sit
and make golden barrels,
where journeymen sit
and forge golden swords,
where virgins sit
and sew golden jumpers,
with gilded needles
and green thread.
3. I sat on my
hirpin, tirpin, teia (0:28)
I sat on my hirpin, tirpin, teia,
talked to my kurin, lurin, leia.
Then I saw such a little child
playing far away on the moor.
Then a message came from “hálans fleyg”
the old nanny was dead.
So they dance along glory way.
Then I saw such a little child
playing far away on the moor.
4. Lying up in the
yard (0:33)
Lying up in the yard
oak stick hard.
Why is it lying there so long?
Because the farmer has lazy boys
Why are they so lazy?
Because they get such a thin soup from the bowl.
Why are the hearth seats so dirty here?
Because the housewife has such angry servant girls.
Why are they so angry?
Because they get such a thin soup from the tub.
5. Daddy owns a
little boat (0:16)
Daddy owns a little boat,
a pretty boat, a keel boat
to row south to Tórshavn
to get an oar.
Lying at Torvgarđstangi.
South of Lúni.
6. Restlessly walking
(0:37)
All day I have been
restlessly walking down from the mountain pass.
Let me into the boat
the little one shall sit in the back seat.
They have considered sailing
the sun shines on them
east from the sea
Out comes Luski
from under a seaweed bush,
the back works,
the nose wrinkles,
the rod bends,
the line stretches,
the thumb curves
the hook straightens,
up on shore to tow
for supper tonight.
7. Saint Martin gave me a starling (1:12)
Saint Martin gave me a starling
I did not know where to go with him.
He leapt into his hole.
The same starling I give you.
Saint Martin gave me a goose
I locked it up in a chest.
There the adventurous animal came,
stole my goose, because he was a thief.
Saint Martin gave me a calf.
He stood by the wall and trembled.
I asked my boys to put him in the byre.
They tore him to bits and pieces.
Saint Martin gave me a cow.
She jumped into another man’s home.
The first silly thing she did was that she jumped into the field.
The boy was pulling the heifer, such was not pretty.
Saint Martin, my good friend,
he invited me into his cellar.
Where he gave me both mead and wine.
Then he was my good friend Saint Martin.
8. Row out to crab shell (0:17)
Row out to crab shell.
How many fish did you get there?
One for father, one for mother,
one for sister, one for brother,
two for the one who fished.
Save it well for Christmas.
9. Row out to Balta (0:18)
Row out to Balta,
catch the salty fish.
Row out to the narrow spit of land,
Catch long fish.
Row south,
row north
to see what the Lord
will give us both.
10. Inside you lie,
Manx shearwater chick (0:18)
This verse, which is
known throughout the Faroes, was recited or sung when catching young Manx
shearwaters in their holes. 26 August is the first day when young Manx
shearwaters can be caught.
Inside you lie Manx shearwater chick
grey in down.
Often we talk about you
at home in the courtyard.
We have come to take
and not to buy.
You must not leap
away from us into the nook.
11. Nina, nina, nái (0:19)
Nina, nina, nái
mother is from Vágur
Father is from Gřta,
he catches snipes.
Shame on him how he lies.
He catches her while she flies.
12. Bless the child (0:11)
Bless the child,
given me to look after.
Father is away in the forest,
Mother is not at home.
Zacharias Jakobsen (1876-1968) from Hattarvík: 
13. Row out to crab
rock (0:28)
Recorded by Hakon Grüner-Nielsen in Hattarvík, 1927/28
Row out to crab rock
Why is the hag squatting there?
Lost the hook and stone,
we did not get a fishbone.
Now is the time to row
back to father and mother,
grandfather and grandmother,
sister and brother.
All our good friends
sit at home
and wipe of snuff
up in the nose.
14. Grandfather owns
a little boat (0:15)
Grandfather owns a little boat,
a keel boat,
to row south to Tórshavn
to get an oar
which floats out of Torgarđstangi,
south of Lúnum.
15. Mary sits on the
sand (0:55)
Mary sits on the sand
holding a book in her hand.
There came two of God’s angels:
“Why are you sitting here and looking?”
“I am looking for Christ.”
“Christ is on the mountain,
guarding the whole world.”
He stretches out His right hand,
God bless us, the Holy Ghost.
Mark, Luke, Saint Paul,
ought to be in the angels’ house.
Mary Magdalene sat on a rock,
The one with the other prayed
They prayed for God to stop the rain
The rain stopped, the sun shone
over mountains, over valleys, over all the land.
God give us good moments
good moments and long
to heaven to walk.
Brighten up, brighten up
all good God’s angels.
Kristina Bolstad (1903-1995) from Sandvík:
16. I went up to the
stream (1:30)
Recorded by Birgitta Hylin in Sandvík, 18 October 1973.
I went up to the stream
where I saw a foal shedding its coat,
it was shedding all over its body,
then it jumped up into the air.
Sit up, Svend Vensel
I went up to the bridge,
Where I saw a red cow,
She was red from head to foot
They gave her both potatoes and roots.
Sit up, Svend Vensel.
I went down to the shore
Where I heard two seals talking.
They went away playing
North to the bottom of Norđskála valley.
Sit up, Svend Vensel.
I went out below the wall
Where I saw a woman who had a beard.
Her beard reached to her knees,
So I just became very angry.
Sit up, Svend Vensel.
I went into the field
Where I saw a little bird, he carried two pieces of wood
They were both wide and long
He placed them under each of his wings.
Sit up, Svend Vensel.
17. Down from the
dykes comes the Grýla (0:17)
Down from the dykes comes the Grýla
With forty tails.
Sack on its back, short sword in its hand.
To cut out the tongues of children,
Who cry for meat in Lent.
Jógvan (1889-1983) and Leifur Tróndarson (á Trřđ)
(1901-1980) from Skálavík:
18. The witch lies
dead at the door (0:37)
Recorded by Denmark’s Broadcasting Corporation in Skálavík, 14 September 1956.
The witch lies dead at the door,
Cannot eat bread and butter.
She carries love
Cannot eat for sorrow.
Stand up and dance.
With what shall I dance?
With the tail and the rear,
with the bottom and the behind.
Spades and clubs, did you catch sight
Of Startureyv?
Starta went to the mill to grind
With grey rump and white tale.
Hoping something good,
The girls hang the pot up,
The boys come with the pail.
19. Down comes the
puffin from the cliff (0:32)
Down comes the puffin from the cliff
Walking quickly, stretches his neck.
Who is governing the country?
Assailants and Norwegians.
Little bird,
Lend me your ship.
My ship is small,
My legs are short,
Step on the boat.
Oars play in the tholepin.
Jógvan Tróndarson (Jógvan á Trřđ) (1889-1983) from
Skálavík:
20. Row home for them
(0:32)
Recorded by Ólavur Hátún in Skálavík, 1963.
Row home for them,
To buy wood.
What is the wood for?
To be made into a spade.
What is the spade for?
Cut the peat.
What is the peat for?
To light the fire.
What is the fire for?
To heat the water.
What is the water for?
For the cow to drink.
What is the cow for?
For the women to milk.
What are the women for?
To caress the children,
(Bíta í leiđi
Liggja á veggi.)*
What are the walls for?
To support the house
What is the house for?
For people to live in.
Live so long
as Jesus wills.
* Meaning obscure.
21. Kaiarmann (2:34)
The Dove was going off to war.
Kaiarmann should be at home.
So the Kaiarmann hops.
Kaiarmann hops in and out.
Doesn’t get his expected cake.
So the Kaiarmann hops.
Kaiarmann bakes a little cake,
Fifteen pounds it must take.
Kaiarmann bakes a little bread,
Fifteen pounds it took of dough.
Run and run and run, boy.
See if the Dove is coming home.
“Heard you, Kaiarmann, my lord,
now comes the Dove, your sweet.”
“Heard you, the Dove, my sweet,
the dogs have lapped all your cream.”
“You used to for a while,
to steal and blame the dogs”.
“Heard you, the Dove, my sweet,
the cock has pecked all your butter.”
“That used to be your habit,
to steal and blame the cock.”
She picked up a stick of oak,
And beat the man, so he did peep.
22. The crow sits and
crows (0:22)
The sits and crows,
Little does she know.
All her thieving young
Have flown up into a tree.
What a pity for the crow.
The crow sits and crows,
Little does she know.
All the thieving young
Have flown up into a tree top.
What a pity for the crow.
23. Hákun rides in
the forest (1:23)
Hákun rides in the forest.
- The bird sings in the forest.
He heard where the crow squalled.
- So funny Hákun dances for that crow.
Hákun cries and complains:
“The crow has pecked me.”
“Hákun don’t shame yourself.
The crow pecks no man”.
Hákun stretched his bow across his knee,
Shot that crow down from the tree.
Hákun stretched his bow across his chest.
Shot the crow down from the branch.
Hákun took the crow’s leg
He made it into a church wall.
Hákun took the crow’s body.
Made it into a board for the Bible to lie on.
24. Lay it on the
rock (0:21)
Lay it on the rock.
Let it dry when Jesus wants it to.
Gentle Mary,
Jesus lets the sun shine.
Some hold to the east,
Some hold to the west
I hold to the noon-time hour.
25. The ramshackle
church (0:19)
Recorded by Jóhan Hendrik Winther Poulsen in Skálavík, 19-20 May 1970.
This nursery rhyme was
sung while building a house of cards. You place the cards on end so they
support each other at the top. First
you make some upside down “V”s on the table, an “attic” is made by placing
cards on top of these “V”s, and then you continue with the second “floor” and
so on. When you find the house to be large enough, you sing this rhyme:
The ramshackle church
Stands up on a mound.
All those who come there,
Are both blind and deaf.
Some walk with crutches,
Some walk with sticks,
Back in pieces
And shin bones off.
26. Sjúrđur’s wife
stands beneath the wall (0:50)
Sjurđur’s wife stands beneath the wall,
Calls as if summoning to a whale hunt.
Speaks to her husband Sjúrđur,
Tie up the leather apron.
Leather apron between the thighs,
Collects manure and seaweed
Under the yellowed corn.
I sat down north of the bay
And I loosened limpets.
Mómi sat under the steep rocks,
Shouted “Toski!”
Toski shouted “Lómi”
Lómi shouted “Bumma”
I said “My little friend,
What help for me to walk?
Now they are already at the point of Saltnes.
Wilhelmina Larsen (b. 1935) from Dalur:
27. Tívil’s daughters
(0:41)
Recorded by Kári Sverrisson in Tórshavn, 4 November 1998.
Wilhelmina is the
daughter of Jógvan Tróndarson and grew up in Skálavík.
“Come and count our daughters “,
said Tívil,
“It is not difficult to count:
Two are in hell
And two are in pieces,
Two lie burnt on the fire,
Two lie dead on the sand,
Two at the mill to grind,
Two for the water to carry off,
Nine are at Nívilsnes,
Ten are at Tívilsnes,
Hundred and ten
At our home.”
28. I sat on a
hillock (0:19)
I sat on a hillock
I spun myself a hat.
Fine, fine as a hair.
Little was given to me yesterday.
Little shall I do,
In a friendly way it shall be.
29. I sat by the
Goose Rock (0:27)
I sat by the Goose Rock,
Where I heard the herd boy singing.
He sang all about his frozen feet.
Frozen feet he had,
Pretty and fine.
Round the courtyard
it is quiet.
We hope it will be a
Good summer this year.
30. I shall take the
grey cat (0:18)
I shall take the grey cat,
Cut my husband a hat.
So when my husband rides,
He will have a beautiful hat.
The others ride, they have none.
31. The giant in
Trřđum (1:00)
The giant in Trřđum
Went down the rocks in the stream
With full wooden creel of manure.
He owned a ewe,
Her tail no longer
Than a finger joint.
He owned a cow
And she went down to the bridge.
He owned a calf
And now the story is in half.
He owned a heifer
And now the story must proceed.
He owned a dog,
He went north to Sund.
He owned a bitch,
And she went north to Vík.
He owned an ass
And now the story is past.
He owned a stud
And now the story has run out.
32. Little, little
lamb
Recorded by Kári Sverrisson in Tórshavn, 4 November 1999
Little, little lamb
come and sit by my knee.
There is much snow outside.
It is cold outside,
but it is warm here.
I give you lukewarm milk to drink.
Drink it from the palms of my hands.
Then you shall grow fine and strong.
My little, beautiful lamb.
Pćtur Tróndarson (1879-1965) from Skálavík:
33. The cat sits on
the stove (0:10)
Recorded by Thorkild Knudsen in Skálavík, February 1959.
The cat sits on the stove
Home at the house.
In comes the little boy,
Carrying her a mouse.
The cat sits on the stove.
Anna Nielsen (Anna í Havursgarđi) (1886-1972) from
Kvívík:
34. Cold it is in the
mountains of the trolls (0:20)
Recorded by Ólavur Hátun in Kvívík in 1961.
Cold it is in the mountains of the trolls.
It is better to lie home in the halls of the shepherd
Trumm, trumm, tralalalaleia.
Therefore must I die now.
Trumm, trumm, tralalalaleia.
35. It was Jóannes
Patursarson (0:19)
It was Jóannes Patursarson,
Who sat out on the skerry every morning.
The crow’s tore his rass and bones,
They did not carry the body home.
Tar and butter.
Good weather tomorrow.
36. Out on a ship
(0:17)
Out on a ship
The Belus boy could have been killed,
Because he had stolen from a hole.
Shame on Belus, every piece of him.
37. The shag is
called tangaskrćpa (0:42)
The shag is called "tangaskrćpa"*
The merlin is called "starlings to hunt"
The starling is called "worms to take"
The duck is called "snitran snatran",
The goose is called "beaches to wash",
The child is called " twist it in the ashes",
The sheep is called "trip, trap",
The cow is called "milky, malky",
The hourse is called "hertin, pertin",
The farm is called "lirisanta, birisanta farm in the river".
* lit. "guano on
the tongue of land."
38. A man stands by
the wall of the house (0:30)
A man stands by the wall of the house
supporting himself with a golden staff.
What did the gentleman do yesterday?
Slaughtered his sheep.
What did he give me?
Liver and lung,
The tongue of Gabriel.
I went down to the seashore
to salt myself some suet.
There came the Tranatrýniđ with its long face.
39. The cat has
scratched me (0:10)
The cat has scratched me,
shame to tell about it.
The old doctor in the shop
did put some tallow on it.
40. Row out to Balta
(0:30)
Row out to Balta,
to catch the salty fish.
What shall the farmer get
for dinner tonight,
when he returns from the heath?
Cold cabbage and mutton,
cat tails and skate wings,
the head of a coalfish in a cup,
the backside and the bull’s neck.
We have to burn the crow's bones
in the fire tonight.
41. Herring gull
rises and falls (0:19)
The herring gull rises and falls
From here down to Niclas' foreshore.
The kittiwakes cry and the gulls cry,
expecting fish from Tummas' boat.
42. I sat on my
hirpin, tirpin, teia (0:22)
I sat on my hirpin, tirpin, teia.
called with me kuri, luri, leia.
There I saw such a little lamb
playing far away on the heath.
I saw the player but the player never saw me.
43. I sat under hási
(1:15)
Recorded by Birgitta Hylin in Kvívík, 2 February 1970.
I sat under hási*,
all doors were fastened with locks.
There came four witches
down from the deep valley,
thudding in horses,
creaking in the saddle.
Four ride for those eight.
Beautiful night was tonight,
night after Friday night.
There was so much damage
by my horses,
as all stood tethered.
Some were grey at the front,
gray were those with white tails,
marked at both ears,
they were so educated
as the bishop Torkil,
singing in his church.
Singing boastfully,
singing like a braggart,
singing in the ruskibalda.
Listen you now on this side,
while I chant on that side.
Chant in a ring, chant in a curve,
chant straight forward in speed.
Everybody chant with me
until everything goes awry.
*The meaning of "hási" is obscure. Some people explain it to be a tree top.
Axel Tórgarđ (b. 1923), Maria Eide Petersen
(1894-1994), Torkil Dam (b. 1958), and Margretha Tórgarđ (b.1925):
44. I knew a rich man
(Axel) (0:29)
Recorded by Birgitta Hylin in Kvívík, February 2 1970.
“I knew a rich man” is
a cumulative song similar to “I know an old lady who swallowed a fly”. This
song ("I knew a rich man") has been sung in Tjřrnuvík and perhaps
other places.
Here Axel sings the last verse, thus the
song begins: 'I knew a rich man, a rich man. He gave me a hen.
"Cluck", said the hen.'
The second verse is: 'I knew a rich man, a
rich man. He gave me a rooster. "Cock-a-doodle-doo", said the
rooster. "Cluck", said the hen.' And so on.
I knew a rich man,
a rich man.
He gave me a horse;
"Tummana, tummana", said my horse.
"Buks, buks", said my priest.
"Moo, Moo", said my cow.
"Baa, baa", said my ewe.
"Oink, oink", said my pig.
"Hiss, hiss", said my goose.
"Troo, troo", said the crane.
"Cock-a-doodle-doo", said the rooster.
"Cluck", said the hen.
45. Ten horses stood
in a stable (Torkil) (0:11)
These next seven
recordings are of various counting rhymes.
Ten horses stood in a stable
One got out and broke a pane.
46. A woman went out
with the ashes (Torkil) (0:09)
A woman went out with the ashes,
and found a bottle.
She thought it was juice,
but it was “Kraft”.
47. Inga, pinga
peberstinga (Maria) (0:19)
Inga, pinga, peberstinga.
Talja, nalja, luka, suka,
santa siva, hiva diva,
dobakres.
Annika, mannika,
dronninga dross,
skiden fiden foss.
Imm, bimm, bamm,
rottergang.
Ess pess aff.
You passed.
48. Arka, barka,
bunka (Maria) (0:13)
Arka, barka, bunka, rarka,
ella, mella, merinsjonn,
tonn, tonn, tollarabomm,
istra, bistra, topp!
You passed.
49. Pelya, nalya
(Margretha) (0:10)
Pelya, nalya,
luka, suka, satta, siva,
iva, diva, dobakress,
annika, mannika, dronninga drossj,
skittan fívil foss,
bimm, bamm, rotter gang,
ess pess aff.
50. Olditt, oldatt
(Margretha) (0:06)
Olditt, oldatt,
og speisildasatt
ot janverebukk
ot bismerekukk
ot bć.
51. Ulan, dulan, duff
(Margretha) (0:03)
Ulan, dulan, duff,
fingul, fangul, fuff,
come vipp hann, come vapp hann,
There he got away!
Maria Eide Petersen (1894-1994) from Nólsoy:
52. Ridey, ridey,
rankey (0:18)
Recorded by Birgitta Hylin in Tórshavn, 3 February 1970.
Ridey, ridey, rankey.
My horse is called Blankey.
Don't throw little Stoff
off the horse.
He is dead drunk
with alcohol.
Ooh, haa
Now he has fallen.
53. Row out to crab
rock (1:18)
Row out to crab rock.
Why is the hag squatting there?
Lost the hook and stone.
Did not get a fishbone to bite.
Now is the time to row
home to pappa and mamma,
grandfather and grandmother,
sister and brother.
All our good friends
sit at home
and wipe of snuff
up in the nose.
54. I sat in hási
(1:21)
Recorded by Birgitta Hylin in Tórshavn, 5 May 1969.
A skjaldur from
Funningur
I sat in hási*,
There were four doors
fastened with locks.
There came four witches
down from the deep valley.
Thudding in horses,
creaking in the saddles.
Some rode four,
until they rode eight.
A night of wake it was tonight,
the night after Friday night.
There was so much damage
by their horses,
as they stood tethered.
Twelve fathoms long,
long was it to lead.
Some were gray at the front,
gray were those with white tails,
marked at both ears.
They were so educated
as the bishop Torkil.
Singing in hór,
singing in choir,
singing in rutsjabalda.
Now you listen at this side,
while I sing on the other side.
Sing in a ring, sing in a corner.
Everyone help me singing.
Everything has gone awry.
*The meaning of
"hási" is obscure. See no. 43/CD 1.
Jóhanna Maria Skylv Hansen (1877-1974) from Nólsoy:
55. The layabout and
the woman who mucks out (1:41)
Recorded by Ólavur Hátún in Tórshavn, 1963. Jóhanna Maria sings together with Maria Eide Petersen (1894-1994).
The layabout and the woman who mucks out
had a good time:
"How shall we live,
when we get married?"
All the green blades of grass are no more
"We shall take tackle in hand
and walk down to the river
to fish small trout
and so feed us."
All the green blades of grass are no more
"What shall we do,
when there is no trout in the river?"
"We should go out to sea
larger fish to get."
All the green blades of grass are no more
"What shall we do,
when the fish won't bite?"
"We should go to the farmer's farm
and thresh the corn white."
All the green blades of grass are no more
"What shall we do
when the farmer doesn't have corn?"
"We should take the horn in hand
and blow hard in the horn."
All the green blades of grass are no more
"What shall we do
if the horn won't blow?"
"We should take the hammer and tongs
and build ships and boats."
All the green blades of grass are no more
"But what shall we do
when the boat won't move?"
"Go to hell
I will not deal with you!"
All the green blades of grass are no more
56. The inside out
rhyme (0:19)
In Nólsoy, according
to Maria Eide, the story behind “Rangvřrguvísa” ("The inside out
rhyme") is of a man who had committed some crime and was condemned to
death. Before he went up the stairs to the gallows, he was told that if he was
able to compose a contradictory nonsense verse for each step up to the gallows,
he would be pardoned. This he accomplished and thus escaped the gallows. There
are three recordings with people from Nólsoy singing or reciting
“Rangvřrguvísa”, as the rhyme is called in Nolsoy. Johanna Maria Skylv Hansen
sings one verse; Sigmundur í Búđ and Maria Eide each recite two verses.
I went into the priest,
I heard how the church played.
There were two monks burning,
there sung candles.
The horses crow, while the hens ride.
57. The crow at the
well (0:25)
The crow at the well
with a leaf in its mouth.
Lend me your wings to fly.
Where shall you fly?
Down to the beautiful mound,
Where the journeymen forge golden swords.
Where the maids sit sewing golden sweaters,
with green thread and guilded needles.
58. That was Jógvan the proud one (0:55)
The verses in this
little song, which is categorized as a skjaldur, are part of a longer ballad,
which goes under the title “The Wife and the Farmer” in Fřroya Kvćđi/Corpus
Carminum Fćroensis (CCF 189).
The verses of the skjaldur correspond to the
second, twelfth, fourteenth and fifteenth verses of the ballad “The Wife and
the Farmer”.
That was Jógvan the proud one,
he weeps and he cries
"Shame on these hens,
who crow in the middle of the night!"
Always he sleeps so little.
In comes the yellow crested hen,
she raises her tail feathers:
"Tenderly shall you eat the egg,
I laid for you today!"
Always he sleeps so little.
"Up in a calf stall
lie the seven eggs.
Sore shall you be,
if you take more than two."
Always he sleeps so little.
It was Jógvan the proud one,
who should take two.
When he started to shake,
he broke all seven to pieces.
Always he sleeps so little.
59. Blaze, blaze, my
fire (0:13)
Blaze, blaze, my fire,
which the children lit,
with small fingers
and able thumbs.
60. Tívil's daughters (0:35)
Recorded by Birgitta Hylin in Tórshavn, 22 April 1969.
Two in hell, two crushed,
two burned on a bonfire,
two in some other country,
two support their grandmother out and in.
Four grind the mill,
four draw water.
Nine at Nívil's spit,
ten at Tívil's spit,
Nine, nine, nine,
ten, ten, ten,
at our own home.
Jakob Heinesen (1902-1981) from Tjřrnuvík:
61. Lull, lull, the baby (0:40)
Recorded by Birgitta Hylin in Tjřrnuvík, 17 July 1973.
Lull, lull, the baby,
the "krýta"* is hanging in iron.
The mother threshes corn,
the father blows the horn,
the sister sews the gold on the baby.
Won't the baby be quiet,
Take by the leg,
hit against the wall.
So the baby shall be quiet.
*The meaning of
"krýta" is obscure.
62. They hung the
sheep's gut on a nail (0:13)
They hung the sheep's gut on a nail.
This should the children have to chew,
so peacefully, so peacefully.
63. Hulda, mulda,
tulda (0:12)
This verse was used if
you were looking for something you had lost. The verse is a plea to the
huldufolk* not to hide the lost object, which has no value compared to what the
huldufolk already own.
Hulda, mulda, tulda.
You have yours, give me mine.
Because yours is better than mine.
* hidden people.
Lena Dahl (b. 1921) from Toftir:
64. Mary went to the
"stćtt" (0:18)
Recorded by Kári Sverrisson at Toftir, 30 June 1997.
Mary went to the "stćtt"*
to wash her plaits.
She asked God, Father of Heaven,
to make the wind milder.
Milder wind, shining sun.
Clear on every peak.
*The meaning of "stćtt/stćttar" is obscure.
According to the Faroese dictionary it is some kind of ladder.
Poul Schrřter (1870-1938) from Hvalba:
65. Down from the
cliff comes the puffin chick (0:28)
Recorded by Hakon Grüner-Nielsen in 1927/28.
Down from the cliff comes the puffin chick,
with short steps she walks.
Who rules the country?
The sovereign, Norwegian.
Little bird,
lend me your ship.
My ship is small,
my legs are low.
Tread the deck of my boat.
Oars play in the tholepin.
That's what Bolli says.
Jacob Petur Symphor (Jákup Petur á Gřtuni)
(1885-1963) from Sumba:
66. Rakkur and Jógvan
the merry one (0:42)
Recorded by Mortan Nolsře in Sumba in August 1962.
Jacob Petur tells the
following about this rhyme: My grandfather from Famjin sang this verse for a
little boy who was at our house. He had come to us while his mother lay deathly
ill after childbirth. That was when my grandfather sang for the little boy, who
was then one or two years old. I was about fifteen years old at the time and asked
my grandfather what the song was about. And he said that once there were some
sheep thieves, who went out one night in the skor of Dalur to steal some sheep.
(ed. note: A skor is a special place where the sheep are put out to graze that
is almost inaccessible except by boat or by using ropes with which to climb.)
While they were there, the sea became so rough that they barely made it back
into the boat. They prayed to God to save them from the skor of Dalur,
promising to give alms to charity if their lives were spared.”
Rakkur and Jógvan the merry one,
they walked from the boat,
up to the skor in Dalur,
where the sheeps are plenty.
Some cooked,
some slaughtered
some remained laying in the boat,
some ate with a lot of stress.
But in the end
they promised to give alms to charity.
God save us from the skor in Dalur.
67. Grandfather owns
a ewe in the sheep farm (0:15)
In connection with
this skjaldur, Jacob Petur says: I'm reminded of what Billa's Dánjal Petur
talked about. He said that he had been out fishing with Johannes heiman av
Garđi as he was known. He married and moved to Trongisvágur, where they called
him Johannes Břnhus. And he could make up such verse, this Johannes. If they
asked him to sing about something that had happened on board a ship, he could
compose five or six verses at a time, right there as he lay on the bench. And
they had said to him, “You are awfully good at making up verses.” And he said
that that wasn't so strange, because he got it from his grandmother, Rakul
undir Hamri. She was from Sumba; she was also my great-grandmother. Johannes
also said: “When she dandled me on her knee - I remember so well many nursery
rhymes - I remember that she composed this verse when she dandled me:
Grandfather owns a ewe in the sheep garden,
she owns two lambs.
Grandmother shall with the son
take them.
Hey and hey and hey!"
68. Explanation of
“at nana uppi yvir seyđi” (dandling up over the sheep) (2:44)
Mortan Nolsře asks about the custom they had in Sumba and Famjin, of singing a
melody that sounded like a skjaldur over/to the sheep, when they had rounded
them up from the mountains and they were coming down towards the fold. In Sumba
they sang with the words “nani, áh nani, nani, áh nani” (lit. “Dandling,
dandling!”) . In Famjin the words were “Mćini míni, mćini míni!” (lit. “My
little sheep, my little sheep!”).
Albert Djurhuus (1912-1999) from Sumba:
69. The upside down
ballad (1:34)
Recorded by Birgitta Hylin in Akraberg, 21 October 1973.
In 1962 Albert
Djurhuus sang three verses of this ballad for Mortan Nolsře. The verses are the
same ones that Albert's father, Johan Djurhuus (1885-1960) sang in 1927-28 for
Hakon Grüner-Nielsen, and the verses that Albert said were from Sumba. In this
recording, eleven years later, Albert sings two more verses (third and fifth)
which he says he got from Eyđun Winther from Sandur. Eyđun got them from Jens
Pauli Strřm from Trongisvágur, who had heard the ballad sung in Faroese chain
dancing. Mortan Nolsře wrote an interesting article about this ballad (Bakvenda/Rangvřrgu/Řvugtu
vísu) in the Norwegian journal “Tradisjon og samfund” (Oslo-Bergen-Tromsř:
Universitetsforlaget, 1978.) This particular edition was entitled “Festskrift
til professor Olav Bř pĺ 60-ĺrs dagen 19. mai 1978.” The article, “Den bakvendte
vise i fćroysk tradisjon” (pp 197-207), deals with seven Faroese versions of
this ballad and links them with other Scandinavian ballads with the same
content.
I walked along the dalans brřvum
In funny stockings and homespun shoes.
- I crow, while the hens ride -
I walked in front of the window to stand,
There sat so young a woman.
She spins wine and drinks linen.
- and I crow, while the hens ride -
It is not day, without the moon he howls,
And the dogs shine so widely.
You grease our horses, you saddle our bows.
- You crow, while the hens ride –
I sit on my sword, I ride,
And the horse I bound to my side.
The more I ride, less I move
And the day would quickly pass away.
- I crow, while the hens lie –
I went into the priest,
I heard how the church taught.
There burnt two monks,
There sung candles.
- I crow, while the hens ride –
Albert went on to tell Birgitta that he didn't remember that many different skjaldur, although they were very often used when he was a little boy: “It was often good for the adults that the older children could take care of the little ones for a while. They had so much to do. There was carding and spinning and also the seasonal outdoor work - peat , hay and all sorts of things. Then it was good that things were made easier for the adults, when the youngsters rocked each other and sang songs or ballads, whatever the youngsters knew. Not necessarily skjaldur; there were so many things that people chanted for each other.” About how the adults could splice skjaldur together, Albert said this: “Often they would put skjaldur together in order to make it as long as possible. They did it as they wished and that was perhaps to get the child to fall asleep. In order to make it as monotonous as possible.”