The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #159833   Message #3788221
Posted By: Joe Offer
02-May-16 - 01:18 AM
Thread Name: Origins: Per Spelmann (Norwegian)
Subject: RE: Origins: Per Spellmann (Norwegian)
And another:

"PER SPELMANN" (Per the Musician) is the story of a musician who trades his only cow to get back his good, old violin. He plays that instrument until the fiddle laughs, the boys dance, and the girls cry!

Lyrics (same as above, but maybe more readable):

Per spelmann, han hadde ei einaste ku,
Han bytta bort kua, fekk fela igjen,
"Du gamle go'e fiolin, du fiolin,
Du fela mi!"

Per spelmann, han spelta,
Aa fela hu laat!
Saa gutterne dansa',
Aa jenterne graat.
"Du gamle go'e fiolin, du fiolin,
Du fela mi!"

Aa um eg vert gammal
Som mose paa tre,
Saa aldrig eg bytta burt
Fela i fe.
"Du gamle go'e fiolin, du fiolin,
Du fela mi!"

English translation:

Per, the musician, had only one cow,
He traded the cow, got his fiddle back,
"You old, good violin, you violin,
You fiddle mine!"

Per, the musician, he played,
And the fiddle, she laughed!
'Til the boys were dancing,
And the girls cried.
"You old, good violin, you violin,
You fiddle mine!"

And if I become old
As moss on a tree,
Then never would I trade away
Fiddle again.
"You old, good violin, you violin,
You fiddle mine!"