Baptised in Fire and Ice
Bathory Lyrics

Born a son of Nordic tribe
I was born into a group of people who share the same cultural and ethnic background as me.

Early spring morning I arrived
I was born during the beginning of spring, a time of renewal and growth.

When sails were set, the ships all done
When it was time for my community to set sail from our homeland.

To sail with wind a waves for long
To embark on a journey across the sea, taking advantage of the natural elements to guide our way.

Down foreign shores across great waters
To journey to lands that were not familiar to us, in search of new experiences and opportunities.

Many hundred miles from home
To venture far from the place where I was born and raised.

This half year deep frozen land
The place I was born was a cold and harsh environment, where winter lasts six months out of the year.

Where I on this morning was born
The exact moment and place of my birth.

Proudly my father took me in
My father was proud to welcome me into the world.

His arms and walked outside
He carried me outside to let me experience the world for the first time.

Where for the first time, Light struck me newborn child
The moment when I first saw the light of day and became aware of my surroundings.

And even though told when older
Despite the fact that I was told about this scene later in life,

I can almost recall the scene
I can vividly imagine the moment as if I were actually there.

When he held me high up towards
When my father lifted me up towards the heavens.

The most beautiful sky ever seen
The sky on the day of my birth was breathtakingly beautiful.

Baptized in fire and ice baptized in fire and ice
I was initiated into a tradition that involves the use of both fire and ice.

Oh with gentle hands he did sway me
My father handled me with care and gentleness.

Over the flames to strengthen and purify
He took me over a fire to purify and strengthen me.

Oh, with loving words did he dab me
He spoke kindly to me as he dabbed me with snow.

With spring's last snow for cleansing me his child
Using the last bit of snow from the previous season, he cleansed me and welcomed me into his family.

I grew and learned respectfully
As I grew older, I learned to respect the natural world.

The earth, wind, water and the sky
I learned about and appreciated the elements of nature.

The powers that decided the weather
I understood that natural forces are responsible for the changes in weather.

And rules both the dark and light
I recognized that there is a balance between darkness and light.

I heard the voices of the spirits
I was attuned to the possible presence of spiritual entities.

Of the forest call my name
In particular, the woods had a certain allure for me.

I saw the hammer way up high
I witnessed the power of lightning, which reminded me of a mythological hammer.

Cause lightning in the rain
The thunder sounded like a hammer striking.

Watching crystal flakes
Observing snowflakes fall from the sky.

Of falling snow on winter nights
In the wintertime, I enjoyed watching snow fall from the sky at night.

Uniting with the pure white flames dance
The snow and the flames of a fire would come together and create a beautiful dance.

When reaching for the sky
As the flames and snow reached towards the sky, they seemed to be calling out to something higher.

Brings me back to the morning this world
This reminds me of the day I was born into the world.

First heard my battle cry
I can almost hear the cry that I made when I was first born.

Gently swayed above the flames
I was carefully held above a fire for a traditional baptism.

And cleansed with snow and ice
I was also purified using snow and ice.

Now I pass unto thee
I will now share with my child

My son what was given to me
The traditions and customs that were passed down to me by my own father.

Oh, always carrying them within me
These traditions are an innate part of who I am.

The powers of fire and ice
I have been shaped by the use of both fire and ice in my heritage.