Hjaðningaríma
Gjallarhorn Lyrics


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The grim giants are frightening
The ancients frost giants
And dwarfs, elves, ghosts
Demigoddesses, enchantresses, Norns

I was tired and had a hard journey,
I had bad premonitions,
Finally I sat down
Under an oak tree in the forest

The tree stood leaning on a slope
At a large river's side
Its branches shadowed the entire land
And its leaves hung down low

The grim giants are frightening
The ancients frost giants
And dwarfs, elves, ghosts
Demigoddesses, enchantresses, Norns

The forest giant uttered mighty bellows
Through the field of winds




Enormous floods of water
Cascaded from the castle of storms (= sky)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gjallarhorn's song Hjaðningaríma are a reflection of the vast and mystical world of Norse mythology, where an array of mythical beings coexist, including the Grim Giants, Ancient Frost Giants, Dwarfs, Elves, Ghosts, Demigoddesses, Enchantresses and Norns. The singer, who is exhausted and plagued by bad premonitions from his journey, rests under an oak tree in the forest. This tree is depicted as a significant presence, standing tall and dominant on a slope at the edge of a large river, its branches casting a shadow that stretched across the land.


The composer of the lyrics is weaving a portrayal of the sheer scale and power of the mystical world of Norse mythology. Despite the singer's unease and exhaustion from his journey, he finds himself in the midst of formidable and ancient giants, sorceresses, and other entities that rule the cosmos. The line "The forest giant uttered mighty bellows" is evocative, conjuring up images of a colossal being's deep screams echoing through the winds. The imagery in the lyrics is vivid and awe-inspiring, evoking elements of fear and wonder at the same time.


Overall, Hjaðningaríma is a powerful expression of the rich cultural heritage of Nordic mythology. It is a reflection of the sense of awe and wonder that the Norse people had of their world, which was full of dangerous and wondrous creatures, and where heroes journeyed and struggled against unimaginable odds.


Line by Line Meaning

The grim giants are frightening
Awe-inspiring fear is generated by the appearance of the powerful giants


The ancients frost giants
The ancient giants with a frigid nature, known for their power and might


And dwarfs, elves, ghosts
The dwarfs, elves, and ghosts, supernatural creatures that are part of the Norse mythology


Demigoddesses, enchantresses, Norns
The demigoddesses, enchantresses, and Norns, the female characters of the Norse mythology who possess magical abilities


I was tired and had a hard journey,
The artist was exhausted and had a difficult journey


I had bad premonitions,
The singer had disturbing feelings about what was to come


Finally I sat down
After a long time, the singer decided to take some rest


Under an oak tree in the forest
The artist found a place to rest under an oak tree in the forest


The tree stood leaning on a slope
The oak tree was leaning on a slope, giving an impression of being unsteady


At a large river's side
The oak tree was growing beside a large river


Its branches shadowed the entire land
The branches of the oak tree cast a shadow over the surrounding land


And its leaves hung down low
The leaves of the oak tree were hanging low, almost touching the ground


The forest giant uttered mighty bellows
A giant of the forest made loud and powerful roars


Through the field of winds
The giant's voice traveled across the blowing winds


Enormous floods of water
A huge amount of water was released


Cascaded from the castle of storms (= sky)
The sky seemed to pour out with excessive rain in the form of a cascading flood




Contributed by Sebastian C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@Hlnodovik

The grim giants are frightening
The ancients frost giants
And dwarfs, elves, ghosts
Demigoddesses, enchantresses, Norns

I was tired and had a hard journey,
I had bad premonitions,
Finally I sat down
Under an oak tree in the forest
The tree stood leaning on a slope
At a large river's side
Its branches shadowed the entire land
And its leaves hung down low

The grim giants are frightening
The ancients frost giants
And dwarfs, elves, ghosts
Demigoddesses, enchantresses, Norns

The forest giant uttered mighty bellows
Through the field of winds
Enormous floods of water
Cascaded from the castle of storms.

@Hlnodovik

Hörkkutröllin hraeða geð
rimþursarnir fornir
dvergar álvar draugar með
dísir völvur nornir
Átti eg þrættur erfitt kreik
illu þankinn spáudi
skógar loksins undir eik
eina setjast náði

Stód I brekku stofninn hallt
stórfljót nokkurt viður
limar huldu landið allt
aufin héngu niður

Hörkkutöllin hræða geð
rimþursarnir fornir
dvergar álvar draugar með
dísir völvur nornir

Skógatröll um vindavoll
vakti sköll hin mestu
straumaföll úr stormahöll
steyptust öll hin verstu