MYRKGRAV LYRICS

1. Gygra & St. Olav

På gyrihaugen bodde gygra
Hu var så arg på'n st. olav
For han skulle bygge ei kjerke på stein
Mens hu ville laga ei bru over steinsfjorden

No kjerke over fjor'n ville a ikke veta ta
Så vart dem førlikte om en kamp
Den fyste som va ferdig hadde vønni
Den andre sku rive sitt bygg

Etter altfor kort tid kunne kjerkeklokka høres
Gygra måtte gi tapt
Hu vart så sinna at a kasta to kampestein
Men med ingen av dem traff a kjerka

Da vart a så sinna at a braut ta seg lårbeinet
Og jaggu så kasta a ikke det au
Men det datt ned på sletta nordafor kjerka
Det søkk ned i jorda og låg der og røtne

Og da var det gygerputten blei tel
Om vintern frøys ikke vatnet tel is
Det stinker som røti egg
Og rundt kanta ligger ei grå fale

St. olav rei sørover i bærja
Der møtte han gygra, som bar på sine traur

"olav, du med ditt store skjegg, hvi rider du så nær min berjvegg?"

Sola rann... st. olav svingte med værjet og svara:

"statt der i stokk og stein, heilt til eg kjem att!"

Der står a gygra den dag i dag, med traura på ryggen.

St. olav vant kampen mot gygra...

[English translation:]

The Ogress And St. Olav

On Gyrihaugen lived the Ogress
She was so angry with St. Olav
For he would have built a church in Stein
While she wanted to lay a bridge over the Steinfjord

Now a church over the fjord was out of question
So they agreed for a challenge
The first who was faster to build would win
The other had to tear down his own building

Shortly after you could already hear the church bell
The Ogress had lost
She was so furious that cast two boulders
But with none of them hit the church

So she got so mad that she pulled her femur off
And gosh she cast that too
But it landed on the plain to the north of the church
It sank down in the earth and laid there to rot

And there it formed the Ogress-pond
In wintertime when water doesn't freeze to ice
It stinks like rotten eggs
And all around lies a grey putrefaction

St. Olav rode southwards in the mountains
There he met the Ogress, she carried on herself a trough

"Olav, you with your big beard, why do you ride so near my mountain-walls"

The sun set...St Olav swung the sword answered:

"Stay there among stones and trunks, until I come back!"

There the Ogress stands since that day, with the trough on her shoulder

St. Olav won the challenge with the Ogress...

2. Fela Etter'n Far

Det var i gamle dager
Han far hadde fått seg lønn
Nå skulle'n dra til byen
Og kjøpe seg ei fele

Han dro tel musikkhandler'n
Plukka ut den gjeveste
Penga var det dårlig med
Men femogtjue kroner hadde'n med

Han øvde lenge, lengre og hardt
Med felespell og dans skulle'n komma langt
Ja han øvde lenge, lengre og hardt
Med felespell og dans kunne'n få betalt

På bydgefest han spelte
Det brygga opp tel dans
Men hva han ikke visste
Var at presten var til gards

Prestejævelen ropte stopp
Men far lot fela gå
Da blei'n høgd av øret
Og slåtten den nå utdøde

Det vakke siste gangen
Han spelte opp til dans
Men prestejævelen høgde
Og alltid slåtten døde

Men den ene gangen
Da fela sang så fint
Da reiv'n tjukkeste strengen ta
Og kvælte presten kald

Det var gamle fela
Som sang så fint og freskt
Til mangt den kunne brukes
Gjerne kvæla prest

Om du hører slåtten gå
Og presten er til gards
Så slutt du ei å spelle
Men vis ham felas kraft

Det var i gamle dager
Ja fela etter'n far
Hadde vønni kampen
Mellom prestesvin og kar

Den gamle fela speller
Like godt den dag i dag
Freske toner troner
Ut ta spellemannens gard

[English translation:]

Play The Fiddle Dad

It was in the old days
Dad had received his salary
So he wanted to go to the town
And buy a fiddle

He went to the music instrument's
Chose the most expensive
Money weren't that much
But he had twenty-five crowns

He practised long and hardly
Playing the fiddle and with the dance he could live on
Yes, he practised long and hardly
Playing the fiddle and with the dance he could make out a living

At the town fest he played
Dances begun
But what he didn't know
Was that the priest was at home

That bloody priest shouted stop
But dad kept on playing
So he hit him right on the ear
And the music silenced dead

It wasn't the last time
That he played for dance
But the bloody priest hit
And the music always died

But one time
When the fiddle played really well
He pulled off the thickest string
And strangled to death the priest

It was the old fiddle
That played freshly and nicely
It could be used for many things
Overall to choke the priest

If you hear the music go
And the priest is at home
Don't stop playing
But show him the fiddle's power

It was in the old days
Yes, play the fiddle dad
He had won the challenge
Between the pig-priest and the boy

The old fiddle plays
Likewise good still today
Fresh tunes reign
In the musician's farm

3. Om Å Danse Bekhette

Det var mye som var vondt, og mye som var gæli
Men en gang i tia, så dansa dem bekhette
Var dem plaga grådig av skurv, og ikke orka å leva...

Det var en liten legdegutt
Og alt dem skrubba
Så vart'n ikke rein
Dem bekabredde heile huet på'n
Og han fikk slik ei lue
Som skulle sitta heilt tel'n hadde vøksi fast

Dem hadde en tom i taket
Og en i lua au
Dem stelte gutten oppå en stol
Men den sparka dem vekk under beina på'n

Da vart både hår og hud rivi tor skallen på'n
Og bare raude kjøttet var att
Dem måtte gjøra det sånn sies det
For hadde dem drii smått, hadde'n ikke tålt det

Å'n budde, og å'n hette, det var glemt for lenge sia
Dem brydde seg ikke om å husse legdegutt, kan du veta
Men håret og huden, det fekk'n att

[English translation:]

To Dance With The Pitch-Hood

Many things were bad and many others were crazy
But once they make them dance with the pitch-hood
They were fiercely tormented by the ringworm, and didn't desire to live on

There was a harvest-boy
And however they scrubbed him
They didn't manage to clean him
They smeared the whole head with pitch
And put a cap on him
That should stay until all firmly overgrown

They had a hook on the ceiling
And one on the cap too
They fixed the boy on a chair
But kicked it away from below his legs

Both hair and skin were torn off the boy's skull
And only red flesh was left
They said they had to do like this
Because if they had to do it meticulously, he would have never tolerated it

Where he lived, what was his name, this was forgotten time ago
They didn't care to remember a harvest-boy, you know
But hair and skin, they grew again

4. Oppbrennerbønn

Borti Toverudmarka, sørom Buråsplassa
Ligger bønnen der ilden lurer
En kølabrenner og en medligger
I kveldinga slår mila ut i toppen

Brenner'n skrider til verks
Men ilden er for snar
Inn i bønnens indre faller han
Et fandensbesatt skrik slepper ut

En grepa brenner den tok
Ilden er sulten i dag

Medligger'n skrider til verks
Men ilden er for slu
Mila slo ut enda en gang
Oppå milekøllen faller han og svartner

Ei arm og skallen den tok
Ilden er grådig i dag

Folk kjem hastende tel
Kølabrennern Burås skrider til verks
Inn i milekøllen kaster han medligger'n
Så brenner han mila ferdig

Ta Sagåsmannen er det ingenting att
Ilden krevde sitt i natt

Aldri fekk dem som gikk i mila fred
Aldri stilt for han på bønn
Aldri ro om natta der var
Aldri fekk dem døra te å slå

Døra blei så slått ut
Og banka nedi ei bønn
En appell blei gitt:
Hvil i fred, fall til ro

Seia har det vært stilt
Bønnen kaller man nå for
Oppbrennerbønn

[English translation:]

The Charcoal Kiln Of The Fire

Far away in the Toverud forest, southern Buråsplassa
There's a place where fire deceives
A charcoal burner and a companion
In the evening were putting off a stack of woods on the top

The burner starts to work
But fire is too fast
He falls in the charcoal kiln
A bestial scream came out

An excellent burner it took
The fire is hungry today

The companion starts to work
But fire is too sly
He tries to put off the stack once again
On the stack of woods he falls and toasts himself

An arm and the skull it took
The fire is voracious today

People came hasty
Burås charcoal burner starts to work
In the stack of woods he casts the companion
The pyre burns him rapidly

According to the men of Sagås there's nothing that
The fire didn't claim for itself that night

Those that went to the charcoal kiln never had peace
Never silence for those in that place
Never rest there was at night
They could never close the door

The door was pulled off
And knocked down on the charcoal kiln
An appeal was given:
Rest in peace, fall in rest

Since then it has quieted
The charcoal kiln is now called
The charcoal kiln of the fire

5. Olav Tryggvason

I fordums tid de norske menn
Sloss for vår frihet, sloss for vårt land
Den kristne fiende skulle ei vinne
Vårt kongerike Norge

De tapre menn fra kysten i vest
Kjempa med stolthet i blodige slag
Ingen Kristus skulle på dem tvinges
Ingen Gud, bare Odin og Tor

Hvem trudde du du var Olav Tryggvason
Som kom til Moster med dine kristne skip?
Du var en konge, men sveik ditt folk
En bitter strid skulle nå finne sted

Ryktet spredte seg som ild i tørt gras
Krigere fra vest, nord og sør på Bømlo
Gikk sammen for å stoppe Tryggvason
Med løfta sverd marsjerte de til Moster

Hvem trudde du du var Olav Tryggvason
Som kom til Moster med dine kristne skip?
Du var en konge, men sveik ditt land
En bitter strid skulle nå finne sted

Nå måtte de kristnes, kristnes eller dø
Ikke mer bloting
Et bittert hat, en smertefull sorg
Var att etter Tryggvason...

[English translation:]

Olav Tryggvason

In the ancient times the Norwegians
Fought for our freedom, fought for our land
The Christian enemies had not to conquer
Our Norwegian kingdom

The brave men from the western coast
Fought with pride in a bloody battle
No Christ had to be forced to them
No God, only Odin and Thor

Who did you believe to be, you were Olav Tryggvason
Who came to Monster with his Christian ship?
You were a king, but you deceived your folk
A bitter battle will take place

The voice spread like fire on dry grass
Warriors from west, north and south to Bømlo
Went together to stop Tryggvason
With upraised sword they marched towards Monster

Who did you believe to be, you were Olav Tryggvason
Who came to Monster with his Christian ship?
You were a king, but you deceived your folk
A bitter battle will take place

They had to be Christianized, Christianized or death
No more sacrifices
A bitter hate, a sorrowful pain
Returned after Tryggvason...

6. Mellomspell

[Instrumental]

7. Tre Skygger Tel Kølabrenner'n Kom

Et sted uti skauen her
Et sted ute av manns minne
For lenge sia brant ei mil
For lenge sia fretta kølabrenner'n

Tre skygger ut av natta en gang kom
Tre karer tynne som stælker
Bleike som skrømt dem var
Bli med vårs, dem lokka

Kølabrenner hør på vårs
Krass som du enn er
Fri deg sjøl fra en hastig død
Følg vårs inn i skauen

Ingen med vett i behold
Ingen anna enn dåra
Følger skrømta inn i skauen
Enda færre kjem att med livet kjært

Lei av brennern's motvilje
Lokka tebakat av skauen
Atter inn i mørket forsvann dem
Aldri såg han dem igjen

Sola gjekk atter over fjellet opp
Snart var vinteren til endes
Så kom da'n sønnen hass
Sku smis i hymens lenker

Kort om spellemenn varre heme
Karre seg over Steinsfjorden han måtte
Aldri sku han komma igjen
Aldri finni blei hass legeme

Grein det gjorde de nærmaste
Gjennom isen han måtte ha gått
Hastig kom endelektet tel
Han som skrømta ikke lokka hem

[English translation:]

Three Shadows Came To The Charcoal Burner

A place in the wood
A place out of man's memory
Since a long time a charcoal kiln burns
Since a long time the charcoal burner knows it

Three shadows once came at night
Three persons as thin as a flower stalk
They were as pale as ghost
Come with us, they allure

Charcoal burner listen to us
However loathsome you are
Free your soul from a rapid death
Follow us in the wood

Nobody with a little sense in his head
Nobody else than a fool
Would have followed the ghosts in the wood
Few came back alive

Tired of the charcoal burner's reluctance
They came back in the wood
They disappeared again in the dark
He saw them never more

The sun goes up again over the mountains
Winter was coming to an end
His son arrived
He had to get married

Shortly the musician was at home
He had to come across the Steinfjord
He would never come back again
His body never to be found

His closest relatives wept
He possibly fell through the ice
He came rapidly to his end
He who the ghosts didn't invite home

8. Tjernet

Skjenda av mørkets tunge hånd
I en djup dal i frostbitt kulde
Fortapt og svøpt inn i ondskapen

Tjernet er porten ned i djupet
Der drømmer knuses av en kald neve
I Draugamyr-tjernet, hvor du ender ditt liv

Livet tar slutt
I djupet
Kroppen blir kald og slokner
I Draugamyr-tjernet
Gløden svinner
I mørket
Øynene lukkes
I din siste time

Øyne som aldri vil se dagens lys
Blikka er kalde, uten liv
Ned i djupet, du svinner hen
Et evig liv, i mørket...

[English translation:]

The Tarn

Desecrated by the heavy hand of darkness
In a deep vale in frostbitten cold
Lost and wrapped in evil

The tarn is the gate towards the depth
There dreams are broken by a cold fist
In the tarn of the draug-marsh, where you end your life

Life finishes in the depth
Body gets cold and stifles
In the tarn of the draug-marsh
The glows vanishes in the darkness
Eyes close for the last time

Eyes that will never see the daylight again
Glance is cold, lifeless
Down in the depth, you disappear
An eternal life, in the dark...

9. De To Spellemenn

Det bodde en frue ved Kjerraten
"Fattera sommersvane"
To deilige døtre hadde hun
"De vente, de vente, vær velkommen hjem"

Til den yngste gikk beilere hver dag
Det kunne ei den eldste fordra

Den yngste trådte ut på bred ei bro
Den eldste kom etter i falske sko

Søster søster hjelp meg i land
Så skal du få min gullspenne

Nei jeg vil ikke redde deg i land
Før du gir meg din festemann

Nei før du skulle min festemann få
Før vil jeg synke under bøljan blå

Og der kom vær og vestavind
Og førte liket på stranden inn

Der kom to spillemenn gående frem
De så liket der det lå på strand

Kom la oss gå opp på den store gård
Der hvor det store bryllup skal stå

De spilte for det første
Vår brud har druknet sin søster

Bruden hun tok en gullring av sin arm
Den ga hun til de spillemenn

Vi står her et par fulle menn
Slett ingen må tro våre ord er sanne

Da de spilte for det tredje
Begynte bruden å gråte

Om aftenen satt hun på brudebenk
Om morgenen lå hun på bålet brent

[English translation:]

The Two Musicians

It lived a maiden by Kjerraten
"faralalà summer swan"
Two delicious daughters she had
"They awaited, they awaited, be welcomed home"

Every day suitors went to the youngest
The eldest could not take it anymore

The youngest was walking on a broad bridge
The eldest came after with false step

Sister, sister help me to reach the bank
So you shall have my golden buckle

No, I won't save you reaching the bank
Before you give me your betrothed

No, before you shall have my betrothed
I will sink under the blue waves

There came the storm and the western wind
And led the corpse ashore

Two musicians were coming along
They saw the corpse lying on the shore

Come one let's go to the big farm
Where the big marriage shall take place

They played first
Our bride has drowned her sister

The bride took a golden ring from her arm
She gave it to the two musicians

We stay here a couple of drunken men
Right never you have to believe our words are true

Then they play third
The bride began to cry

In the evening she was sitting on the bride bench
In the morning she was burnt on the stake

10. Finnkjerringa

En gang sku hu Anne tel kjerka
En unge sku bli døft

Hu gjekk på ski ner Mannaskaret
Ei rett så fæl og stri ei løype

Langt om lenge kom a seg ned
Men da mangla brått ungen hue

I skinnpåsa på ryggen hadde ungen vøri
Kanskje deist borti ei gran eller i berja

"Som om han hadde hue da je drog hjemmantefrå - men je veit å det ligger hen".

Hennes ektemann
Døktig klein mot slutten
Bare låg der

"Men tel slutt sette je kneet i prøsten på'n og finga i hølamotet, så kom den hellige Kuds fader og slokte pina".

Samuel, salig han var
Da'n fôr satt tre svarte Kuds engler og gol
Som korper

Heller ville'n ikke i jorda
Kista vart børi fra skauen ned
Men da dem kom tel kjerka nær
Nekta hesta plent å gå

Det var nok'n Hønn-Erik som var på ferde ja.

[English translation:]

The Finn Hag

Once Anne had to go to the church
A child had to be baptized

She descended Mannaskaret on skis
A downhill run so dreadful and rapid

Finally she came down
But the child's head was missing

The child was in the skin-bag on her shoulders
Maybe it had hit a spruce or a rock

"As if he had the head from home - but I know where it is"

Her husband
Really sick at the end
Laid there

"But at the end I have put a knee on his breast and fingers around the throat, so came Holy God Father and extinguished the pain"

Samuel, he was happy
When he saw three black angels of God crow
Like ravens

And he wanted neither to be interred
The coffin was carried through the forest down
But when it came nearby the church
The horses refused absolutely to go on

It was for sure Old Nick in action

11. Endetoner

[Instrumental]








MYRKGRAV LYRICS