Dedicated to friends.
To Philip, Martin, Andreas, Kevin
and to the daughter of Fridrik.
I’m back in school. Might be a hectic term. And then because of the most recent headline-grabbing virus, no exchange students are coming in.
I do not know Swedish. Much of the translation is simply derived from the video above, and from lyricstranslate.com, although I have made minor edits where the online sources have strange grammar (and also to use ‘thee’ instead of ‘you’ where necessary, heh heh).
But I can still comment on the song’s story itself.
First comment: WHERE’S THE NORTHWIND?
Both ‘North’ and ‘Wind’ don’t show up here. The Dutch version at least has ‘North’ if no wind.
The image of North is important guys. I want it to be important T_T
Next comment: rhyme scheme.
I get the feeling that the rhyme scheme is trying to be AAAA BBCC DEDE AAAA. However, the first stanza rhymes on klar/minnena/barn/svar, which…looks like something I’d do in my Saga. It’s not a full rhyme, unlike in stanzas 2 and 3. And this irks me mildly – though I can’t say I would have a better idea on how to rhyme it.
I’d say this sounds more like AXYA BBCC DEDE AXAA, which is still cool.
Next-er comment: storyline.
I’d say the song is pretty standard, as far as the other versions go. There’s a token lullaby line Sov så tryggt, mitt lilla barn… (Sleep so safely, my little child), and then 3 stanzas of pure prophecy. It’s not the most subtle prophecy either, because Iðunn literally tells Elsa that they will meet again in the last stanza – again, how did Iðunn know?? Is she some sort of spirit??? I also don’t quite get the line about how what the river knows is great…
But even with all that said, I still love the second stanza; and more so the last stanza. Perhaps it’s because I’ve written a similar line in the Saga, about how Iðunn will meet her children again. But there’s something oddly mesmerising, and prophetic, in the way the singer sings the lines Och när vi möts får du ditt svar (And when we meet, thou [shalt] get thine answer).
So here are the song and lyrics! Tell me what’s wrong with my translation friends~
Uti Älven (In the River)
Written by: Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez
Composed by: Christophe Beck
Performed by: Linda Olsson
Uti älven, kall och klar / Ahtohallan vaktar minnena
In the river, cold and clear / Ahtohallan guards memories
Sov så tryggt, mitt lilla barn / För den som söker där får svar
Sleep so safely, my little child / For those who search there get answers
Hennes källa, djup och sann / Ger dig svaren som hon en gång fann
Her source, deep and true / Gives thee the answers that she once found
Ner i djupet hon dig drar / Gå ej för långt – då blir du kvar
Down into the depth(s) she thee draws / Go not too far – then(or) thou shalt be left there
Hon sjunger högt för dem som hör / I varje ton, en hemlighet
She sings high(loud) for them who hear / In every tone, a secret
Men faran lurar, se dig för / Det är stort, det som älven vet
But danger lurks, watch out / It is great(important?), that which the river knows
Uti älven, kall och klar / Finns en mor som värnar minnena
In the river, cold and clear / There’s a mother who guards memories
Kom, min skatt, jag väntar kvar / Och när vi möts får du ditt svar
Come, my treasure, I wait here(?) / And when we meet, thou shalt get thine answer
Queendom of the Crocus 