Hi, I have a hyper eclectic music taste so it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that I would find my way to 1970s Norwegian folk rock which seems to be in the style of Fairport Convention or steel eye span with a local twist. I just found this song and it sounds like she sings about 2 crows or ravens in this case. I wonder if the theme of the song is the same as the one I know, the melody is more or less the same.? What happens in this telling of the story?

In the Scottish version the author can see two Crows who talk about what they will do in order to get food today. They see the body of a knight which has been slain and noticing that his hound and Hawk are out hunting and is fair lady has already taken up with someone new so their free to do as they wish with his body.

Here it is for those of you who can understand it.

The Twa Corbies

by HalfBlindAndCurious

3 comments

  1. Yes, it’s the same song. It was translated to Danish by Svend Grundtvig and to Norwegian-ish by Folque:

    >*Der jeg meg så ene i vang monne gå,*
    *jeg hørte to ravner at holde råd.*
    *Den ene seg til den annen vendte:*
    *Hvor skal i dag vi vår føde hente?*
    *Hvor skal i dag vi vår føde hente?*
    >
    >*Bak gresstorv-diket det gamle hist*
    *der ligger en nyslagen ridder forvisst,*
    *og ingen annen vet at han ligger der*
    *enn hans høk,hans hund og hans hjertens kjær*
    >
    >*høk, hans hund og hans hjertens kjær.*
    *Hans hund den jager i vilden skov,*
    *hans høk den søker bak sky sitt rov.*
    *Hans frue har givet en annen sin tro*
    >
    >*så vi kan ete vår mat i ro*
    *så vi kan ete vår mat i ro.*
    *Hans hvite halsben kan du sitte på*
    *så hogger jeg ut hans øyne blå.*
    *Og med en lokk av hans gule hår*
    *vi dekker vårt rede neste vår*
    *vi dekker vårt rede neste vår*

    The lyrics tell the story of a lone individual strolling through a field and unintentionally eavesdropping on a conversation between two ravens. These birds are discussing their plans to locate sustenance for the day. Their scheme involves discovering the lifeless body of a recently slain knight, hidden behind a ditch. Only the knight’s hawk, dog, and lover are aware of his whereabouts. Currently, the dog is out hunting in the wilderness, the hawk is out foraging for food and his love has found someone new; allowing them to enjoy their meal without interruption. One raven proposes using the knight’s bones as a resting place and even suggests removing his eyes. The other raven concurs and adds the idea of employing the knight’s hair to cover their nest.

  3. It seems you are correct – I’ve pasted the norwegian lyrics with translation below:

    Ravnene
    Sang av Folque
    Der jeg meg så ene i vang monne gå
    Jeg hørte to ravner at holde råd
    Den ene seg til den annen vendte
    Hvor skal i dag vi vår føde hente
    Hvor skal i dag vi vår føde hente
    Bak gresstorv diket det gamle hist
    Der ligger en nyslagen ridder forvisst
    Og ingen annen vet at han ligger der
    Enn hans høk hans hund og hans hjertens kjær
    Høk hans hund og hans hjertens kjær
    Hans hund den jager i vilden skov
    Hans høk den søker bak sky sitt rov
    Hans frue har givet en annen sin tro
    Så vi kan ete vår mat i ro
    Så vi kan ete vår mat i ro
    Hans hvite halsben kan du sitte på
    Så hogger jeg ut hans øyne blå
    Og med en lokk av hans gule hår
    Vi dekker vårt rede neste vår
    Vi dekker vårt rede neste vår

    Google translate to english:

    The ravens
    Song by Folke
    Where I saw myself alone in vang monne go
    I heard two ravens taking counsel
    One turned to the other
    Where are we going to get our food today?
    Where are we going to get our food today?
    Behind the turf, the old historic dyke
    There lies a freshly minted knight for sure
    And no one else knows he is there
    Than his hawk, his dog and the love of his heart
    Hawk his dog and the love of his heart
    His dog it hunts in the wild forest
    His hawk it seeks behind cloud its prey
    His wife has given her faith to another
    So we can eat our food in peace
    So we can eat our food in peace
    You can sit on his white collar bone
    Then I cut out his blue eyes
    And with a lock of his yellow hair
    We cover our nest next spring
    We cover our nest next spring

    The seventies were a great time for music like this. Today one of the legends of that time, Lillebjørn Nilsen passed away, here is his Norwegian rendition of whiskey in the jar called Svikefulle Mari (deceitful Mari): https://open.spotify.com/track/7rt02dmVuTvEgnElnmu7I1?si=rgFnlHOLSCyuIZXX3hnIzg

    If you want to get REALLY eclectic, be sure to check out the LP “fridomsharpa”, Norwegian translations of rebel songs from Ireland, Scotland and England, published by Mai forlag, a leftist publisher: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCt4aw8GiSjctJbzlpjs2yj8RSXhZVlSx&si=G34d8vFy4-NJWtvI

    Edit: apologies for the fucked formatting of the lyrics, I’m on my phone and can’t be bothered to fix it 😥

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