I riden så
Gjallarhorn Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Å Silibrand körde uppå höga loftessvala
Allt under den linden så gröna
Där fick han se sin dotter i lunden fara
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne

Å välest mej välest mig vad jag nu ser
Allt under den linden så gröna
Jag ser min dotter hon kommer till mig
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne

Å Silibrand fämnar ut kap-pan så blå
Allt under den linden så gröna
Där föder hon två karska svenbarnen på
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne

Min fader skall jag giva min gån-gare grå
Allt under den linden så gröna
Som han skall rida till kyrkan uppå
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne

Min syster skall jag giva mina guld-ringar sju
Allt under den linden så gröna
Som jag ej haft sen jag stod brud
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne

Min broder skall jag giva mina hand-skar små
Allt under den linden så gröna
Som han skall ha lik-vart han går
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne

Den ene så för dom till Fre-jas dop
Allt under den linden så gröna




Den andre så för dom till Vallhalla sal
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne

Overall Meaning

The song "I riden så" by Gjallarhorn tells a story about a man named Silibrand who goes to a green linden tree and sees his daughter riding through the forest. He exclaims with surprise that his daughter is coming towards him, riding carefully through the forest on her horse. Silibrand is overjoyed to be reunited with his daughter and he bursts into tears. Eventually, the daughter gives away her prized possessions to her family members and two sons ride off in different directions towards different destinations. One son rides off towards the baptismal waters of the goddess Freya and the other rides towards the great hall in Valhalla.


The lyrics of the song are imbued with ancient Nordic folklore and draw on Scandinavian folk themes. It reflects the traditional story-telling ballad form found in Nordic countries.


Line by Line Meaning

Å Silibrand körde uppå höga loftessvala
Silibrand rode on a high-flying horse


Allt under den linden så gröna
Beneath the green linden tree


Där fick han se sin dotter i lunden fara
There he saw his daughter ride through the grove


I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne
In a careful ride through the grove with her


Å välest mej välest mig vad jag nu ser
Oh woe is me, oh woe is me, what I now see


Jag ser min dotter hon kommer till mig
I see my daughter, she's coming to me


Å Silibrand fämnar ut kap-pan så blå
Silibrand unties his blue cloak


Där föder hon två karska svenbarnen på
Where she gave birth to two strong baby boys


Min fader skall jag giva min gån-gare grå
I will give my gray steed to my father


Som han skall rida till kyrkan uppå
So he can ride to church on it


Min syster skall jag giva mina guld-ringar sju
I will give my sister my seven gold rings


Som jag ej haft sen jag stod brud
That I have not worn since my wedding day


Min broder skall jag giva mina hand-skar små
I will give my brother my small gloves


Som han skall ha lik-vart han går
That he shall have with him wherever he goes


Den ene så för dom till Fre-jas dop
One of them will take them to Freya's baptism


Den andre så för dom till Vallhalla sal
The other will take them to Valhalla's hall


I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne
In a careful ride through the grove with her




Contributed by Liam E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@hallhiireke

A Silibrand körde uppå höga loftessvala O Silibrand hurried to the top of the mound
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Där fick han se sin dotter i lunden fara then he saw his daughter wander in the grove
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her

A välest mej, välest mej, vad jag nu ser O woe is me, woe is me, what do I behold
Allt under den linden så gröna all beneath the linden so green
Jag ser min dotter hon kommer til mej I see my daughter, she is coming to me
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her

A Silibrand fämnar ut kappan så blå O Silibrand spread out his cape so blue
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Där föder hon två karska svenbarnen på Upon it she gives birth to twin sons
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her

Min fader skall jag giva min gångare grå ” I shall give to my father my grey horse
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Som han skall rida till kyrkan uppa Upon it he shall ride to the church
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the sacred grove with her

Min syster skall jag giva mina guld-ringar sju I shall give to my sister my seven gold rings
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Som jag ej haft sen jag stod brud That I have not worn since I was a bride
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her

Min broder skall jag giva mina handskar små I shall give to my brother my tiny gloves
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Som han skall ha likvart han gar that he shall carry everywhere he goes”
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne ride gently through the grove with her

Den ene sa för dom till Freyjas dop The one son they took to Freyia s baptism
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Den andre så för dom till Vallhalla sal the other son they took to Valhalls court
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne ride gently through the grove with her.
Performed by Gjallarhorn on this link:



@sassy7298

English translation

"O Silibrand hurried to the top of the mound 
all under the linden so green 
then he saw his daughter wander in the grove
Ride gently through the grove with her 
O woe is me, woe is me, what do I behold      
all beneath the linden so green
I see my daughter, she is coming to me
Ride gently through the grove with her 
O Silibrand spread out his cape so blue
all under the linden so green
Upon it she gives birth to twin sons
 Ride gently through the grove with her
I shall give to my father my grey horse
 all under the linden so green
Upon it he shall ride to the church
Ride gently through the sacred grove with her  
I shall give to my sister my seven gold rings
all under the linden so green
That I have not worn since I was a bride
Ride gently through the grove with her 
I shall give to my brother my tiny gloves
all under the linden so green
that he shall carry everywhere he goes
ride gently through the grove with her
The one son they took to Freyia's baptism    
all under the linden so green
the other son they took to Valhalls court
ride gently through the grove with her."



@Bark777

This old folk song was performed by Gjallarhorn (see video link below). Here translated from Swedish. The song is full of old Pagan symbols: the grove was a natural temple to the Pagans. The grey horse is a metaphor for death. There is talk about riding (from the grove) to the Church, and to baptise Freyia. The transition between the old and the new religion was slow and often confusing, and left its mark in folklore and folk tunes for centuries after.

A Silibrand körde uppå höga loftessvala O Silibrand hurried to the top of the mound
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Där fick han se sin dotter i lunden fara then he saw his daughter wander in the grove
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her

A välest mej, välest mej, vad jag nu ser O woe is me, woe is me, what do I behold
Allt under den linden så gröna all beneath the linden so green
Jag ser min dotter hon kommer til mej I see my daughter, she is coming to me
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her

A Silibrand fämnar ut kappan så blå O Silibrand spread out his cape so blue
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Där föder hon två karska svenbarnen på Upon it she gives birth to twin sons
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her

Min fader skall jag giva min gångare grå ” I shall give to my father my grey horse
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Som han skall rida till kyrkan uppa Upon it he shall ride to the church
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the sacred grove with her

Min syster skall jag giva mina guld-ringar sju I shall give to my sister my seven gold rings
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Som jag ej haft sen jag stod brud That I have not worn since I was a bride
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her

Min broder skall jag giva mina handskar små I shall give to my brother my tiny gloves
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Som han skall ha likvart han gar that he shall carry everywhere he goes”
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne ride gently through the grove with her

Den ene sa för dom till Freyjas dop The one son they took to Freyia s baptism
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Den andre så för dom till Vallhalla sal the other son they took to Valhalls court
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne ride gently through the grove with her.
Performed by Gjallarhorn on this link:

http://freya.theladyofthelabyrinth.com/?page_id=295



All comments from YouTube:

@fatfuckhatesyou

For the people wondering what language this is, it's Swedish but from a couple hundred years ago. Unless you live as high up as I do ( a couple km outside Kurravaara ) then alot of people still talk like this. I'm one of them.

@fatfuckhatesyou

Richard Irminsul Yes you can tell really fast that they are from the Swede parts of Finland.
Hard to explain but it sounds like a mix of finnish and northern Swedish accent combined.
The way she sings is old/northern Swedish but the accent is clearly Swe/Finn.

@anthrorambles6185

+Viking88 Amazing. Kurravaara is quite far north! What are the differences from more southern Swedish, would you say? Do they seem grammatical, like in the Elfdalian/Övdalsk of Dalarna, or is it more just a matter of style and vocabulary?

@fatfuckhatesyou

+AnthroRambles Both. We have our own way of speaking. While we can use normal Swedish like any other ( with heavy dialect) , we also have our own "language" with completely different sentence build up and grammar we normally use. Our way is more traditional with longer rolling R's and we use old words long forgotten in the south. For example lets have a sentence in both - Normal/South Swedish = Jag ska gå ut en liten stund. Our way = Jag skaller utåt gånga en kort tid. We use different words with the same meaning but different sound. Much older words. If you come across a person who speaks without regards of outsiders you probably won't understand more than a few words. ( if you speak Swedish) My mother for example almost sings out the words in one solid sentence that I understand perfectly but a person from Stockholm? No way they are gonna understand.

@fatfuckhatesyou

gurgblurg burglor Har jag inte på något sätt antytt heller. Och jag pratar inte Norrländska utan Norrbottniska.  Stor skillnad.
Men dom södra dialekterna skiljer sig mycket mot dom norra.

@tejavehov

+Viking88 teach me oh great sensei

150 More Replies...

@hallhiireke

A Silibrand körde uppå höga loftessvala O Silibrand hurried to the top of the mound
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Där fick han se sin dotter i lunden fara then he saw his daughter wander in the grove
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her

A välest mej, välest mej, vad jag nu ser O woe is me, woe is me, what do I behold
Allt under den linden så gröna all beneath the linden so green
Jag ser min dotter hon kommer til mej I see my daughter, she is coming to me
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her

A Silibrand fämnar ut kappan så blå O Silibrand spread out his cape so blue
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Där föder hon två karska svenbarnen på Upon it she gives birth to twin sons
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her

Min fader skall jag giva min gångare grå ” I shall give to my father my grey horse
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Som han skall rida till kyrkan uppa Upon it he shall ride to the church
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the sacred grove with her

Min syster skall jag giva mina guld-ringar sju I shall give to my sister my seven gold rings
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Som jag ej haft sen jag stod brud That I have not worn since I was a bride
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne Ride gently through the grove with her

Min broder skall jag giva mina handskar små I shall give to my brother my tiny gloves
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Som han skall ha likvart han gar that he shall carry everywhere he goes”
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne ride gently through the grove with her

Den ene sa för dom till Freyjas dop The one son they took to Freyia s baptism
Allt under den linden så gröna all under the linden so green
Den andre så för dom till Vallhalla sal the other son they took to Valhalls court
I riden så varliga genom lunden med henne ride gently through the grove with her.
Performed by Gjallarhorn on this link:

@itsfatum

Thank you !

@kitchendiary7593

hallhiireke, thank you so much, I tried to find a video with lyrics for this song but couldn't. Thanks again!

@basukitriarso9924

hallhiireke The song is peacefully beautiful. Now that you have given its translation, it has become meaningful. Thank you, thank you.

More Comments

More Versions