1.Prästen ga jag itt får må ollen, tjo hej å faddira
Får han skolle kasta på den mollen, tjo hej å faddira
2. Klockaren ga jag en liden kage, tjo hej å faddira
Får han skolle stå å glo å gave, tjo hej å faddira
3. Tjartjegrimen ga jag en kringle, tjo hej å faddira
Får han skolle stå å grine ille, tjo hej å faddira
Excuse me. My name is Ken Rolston, from New Jersey, USA.
I have no Swedish. But I am a fan of Nordic folk music. I hope that you are comfortable in English… as are so many Scandinavians I meet.
I heard, and loved, a song I heard from Esbjörn Hazelius and Johan Hedin, which they call “Tjartegrimen”. I decided to learn it, found their lyrics, published on their website.
By good luck, I also discovered your version here. And was enchanted. Particularly by the wonderful ‘tra-la-las’ [‘trall’?]. And your introduction page. And the recordings and lyrics you share on your site.
I have guessed at the meaning in English as follows.
The priest I gave a sheep-wool fleece
There he casts it upon the earth
The sexton I gave a little cake
There he stands to peer and sneer
The church caretaker [Tjartegrimen] I gave a kringle
There he stands with a scornful grin
I am a folk singer and guitar player, and also in a choir, Village Harmony, which learns, sings, and performs South African, Georgian, Corsican, and other foreign-language harmony traditions in their local settings. [Below are links to a video example, and the Village Harmony website.] For that reason, it was a great pleasure to read in your introduction “… the African expression ngoma who sees song, dance, rhythm, language as a whole and is based on participation…”.
Thanks for your voice, your introduction to Swedish folk song, and your spirit. And please, if my idea of the meaning of “En pågevisa” is profoundly wrong, please help me. [I have found no clue as to what ‘pågevisa’ means, for example.]
your admirer,
Ken Rolston
https://villageharmonycamp.bandcamp.com/track/di-lla-kae-sotho-folk-song
This is a video of a charming Sotho folk song performed by Village Harmony in the Soweto Methodist Church.
https://villageharmony.org/who-we-are/
Sadly, because of COVID, we’ve cancelled all our camps and workshops. And it may be a long time before choral music can be learned and performed.
Ah. ‘glo’ from “{å glo å gave” is related to the English ‘glower’ – glare, stare, scowl. To replace ‘peer’.