Sissel Kyrkjebø - Denti,du Astri

[jwilliam2255]

To be clear, Mikael is the expert on Scandinavian languages and his English is also very good. My part in this exercise is to make small changes to the English and mainly to function as a scribe.

[schmued]

A very big thank you to John ( jwilliam2255 ) and to his associate Mikael Manoe Bjerregaard who have provided me with the translation of this folksong. The song is a dialogue between a man, Sveinung and a girl called Astri whom he is trying to win back. Verses 1 and 2 are Sveinung and verse 3 is Astri's reply.

[schmued]

Verse 1

Back then Astri when you loved me so much,

Back then when you lay so softly in my lap,

Back then when you cried every time I left you,

Back then when you were so happy to see me every Saturday night:

I was the happiest boy in the village then,

I wouldn’t swap with the priest or the official.

I was the happiest boy in the village then,

I wouldn’t swap with the priest or the official.

[schmued]

Verse 2

But what would you say if I left Svanoug,

If I forgot all about her:

If I came back to you,

If I cared for you again ?

What if I swore to be faithful to you:

What would your answer be, my Astri?

What if I swore to be faithful to you:

What would your answer be, my Astri?

[schmued]

Verse 3

Torgrim, he is more beautiful than the bright sun

Behind the mountains, I say this to you;

And you are as foul as the wildest troll,

You are as deceitful towards me as the foam on the water:

But still I am your loyal maid,

I want to live and die with nobody but you.

But still I am your loyal maid,

I want to live and die with nobody but you.