He Sleeps in a Grove

- tells the tragic story of a man, who faced his violent death alone in the forest. The winter came and the snow covered his lifeless body. In the spring the white wood anemonens turned to red to mark his lonely grave. He is doomed to wander alone in the grove, until someone finds his cold icy grave.

He sleeps in a grove

 

Cold breeze blows in a misty grove

Making dying leaves

fall on the Forgotten one.

Sleeping in a frost-covered ground

waiting for someone to find his lonely grave.

 

And so did winter come over the grove

with beautiful, pure white snow.

Covering all the tracks of struggle and fight

Of an ending life.

 

In a grove sleeping

Silently sighing

Lonely, forgotten this wandering soul.

Coldness is creeping

Only one sleeping

In the grove covered with cold winter snow.

 

Northern winter in darkness and cold

makes the icy tears spring in his lonely soul.

Sitting next to his own frozen corpse

he wishes he could rest and haunt no more.

 

After the winter came a blooming spring

White wood anemones within.

Where his body rested, flowers turned red

as if marking his bloodstained bed.

 

In a grove sleeping

Silently sighing

Lonely, forgotten this wandering soul.

Coldness is creeping

Only one sleeping

In the grove covered with cold winter snow.

 

Lyrics: Heidi Parviainen

 

Kokko-Eagle of Fire

Kokko is a firebird, which appears in in several different parts of Kalevala, the Finnish national epic. Louhi, a powerful witch, stole the light from the northland. Ukko, the supreme god, struck a spark from a Kokko..s feather to bring the light back into the dark North. However the spark escaped from it..s cradle and fell through the heaven decks all the way to the sea and ended up into a pike..s stomach. This story tells how the firebird Kokko floats across the decks to find the spark.

(The Finnish word ..kokko.. means also a large bonnfire, which if burned in the midsummer night to keep the evil spirits away.  )



Kokko - Eagle of Fire

Fire has left Väinölä's hearth stones
Light has gone
Dark nights no light under the sky
Hard to find the Fire-child

Eagle of fire with fiery feathers
Made a spark
Ukko made the Kokko’s spark
Kindle as a fire

Fly into the night bring back the light
That left the hearth stones
Find the light Eagle of fire
Fly through skies, let there be light!

Dark skies ablazed with fire when
Kokko flew across the heavens
After the child, the child of fire
floating through the vaults of ether.

Ether maidens cradled the fire child
In starry skies
Slipped through the hands of lady Ether
Escaped from silver cradle

Low descends the dome of heaven
Upon, under
On the edge of the ether
the clouds of Northland thunder

Fly into the night bring back the light
That left the hearth stones
Find the light Eagle of fire
Fly through skies, let there be light!

Dark skies ablazed with fire when
Kokko flew across the heavens
After the child, the child of fire
floating through the vaults of ether.

Lyrics: Heidi Parviainen

 

 

Sons of Seven Stars

The story linkes remotely to the book about Seven Brothers of Aleksis Kivi, a Finnish author. But in this story, the seven brothers were born in the ancient times from the alliance of a bear and a human. The bears left the world, left the land to their sons and  moved to the stars. The seven sons grew up under the constellation of Ursa Major and the North star. Persistantly and with vigor they plowed the fozen land and peopled the cold and dark North.  They could also be the forfathers for Finnish people... ;)

Sons of Seven stars

 

Before the Era of the human

the seven mighty bears

ruled the northern land with firm hands.

 

From the fellowship with human

were born the seven sons

who would people the cold Northland.

 

 “They fled this world to the stars leaving their lands to their newborn sons!”

 

Under seven stars,

seven stars of Great Bear,

grew the Seven Sons of

mighty bruin and man.

 

In stars the souls were raised,

souls were raised to our land.

Sons of Seven Stars -

mighty bruin and brave man!

 

In the veins of these young men

ran blood as thick as tar

fiery souls hungered to woodlands.

 

Through the dark backwoods they wandered

and with only bare hands

they ploughed the frozen, poor land.

 

 “Force of the claws in their hands, human hearts lived for their firtree lands!”

 

Under seven stars,

seven stars of Great Bear,

grew the Seven Sons of

mighty bruin and man.

 

In stars the souls were raised,

souls were raised to our land.

Sons of Seven Stars -

mighty bruin and brave man!

 

 

 

Lyrics of songs have always been a great interest for me, for me, they are even more important than the song itself. And I love explaining, or reading explanations about them. I think that "Birth of the Harp" is about Kalevala too? I searched on the net some precisions, but there weren't many explanations in french. So thanks a lot for sharing those explanations with us!

 

One of the best things about music is to be in touch with other views of the world, with other cultures and learn. I am interested in mythology, and your lyrics fuel my interest. Thanks for that, and greetings from Argentina.

 

Saga

The sagas are stories about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, about early Viking voyages, about migration to Iceland, and of feuds between Icelandic families. They were written in the Old Norse language, mainly in Iceland.

The texts are epic tales in prose, often with stanzas or whole poems in alliterative verse embedded in the text, of heroic deeds of days long gone, tales of worthy men, who were often Vikings, sometimes Pagan, sometimes Christian. The tales are usually realistic, except legendary sagas, sagas of saints, sagas of bishops and translated or recomposed romances. They are sometimes romanticised and fantastic, but always dealing with human beings one can understand.

Saga

When one must overcome
and one must fight for life and some
came across the power of the sea
or the blowing of the North- wind.
Then were the times ahead
for men in victory or death
still bravery of them is told in Saga!

These stories are about the
honour of the brave men
stories about ancient feuds,
tales of worthy men.

Heroic deeds are part of
history, then man’s worth was
determined by glory in battle
- in arms and war.

When one must overcome
and one must fight for life and some
came across the power of the sea
or the blowing of the North- wind.
Then were the times ahead
for men in victory or death
still bravery of them is told in Saga!


Noble men the Sunborn sons
they fought for their fatherland
next to their kings and their gods
for their dignity.

These stories - the Sunborn Sagas -
seal the bravery
of young valiant  warriors
riding to glory.

When one must overcome
and one must fight for life and some
came across the power of the sea
or the blowing of the North- wind.
Then were the times ahead
for men in victory or death
still bravery of them is told in Saga!

Lyrics: Heidi Parviainen

 

Snegurochka or The Snow Maiden, is a character in Russian fairy tales.

In one story, she is the daughter of Spring and Frost, who yearns for the companionship of mortal humans. She grows to like a shepherd named Lel, but her heart is unable to know love. But when she gets this ability and falls in love, her heart warms up and she melts.




Snowmaiden

Made of snow is her heart and her soul,
living only from winter ice and the breeze, so cold.

Daughter of Spring and Frost,
no warmth in her heart.
Daughter of Spring and Frost
no warmth in her heart until he came…

Lel- oh- Lel -oh -Lel  - play your flute again!
Spring, warmth and sun will come and soon
they will melt her heart!

Spring came brighter and paler she grew,
tears rolled down from her eyes springing streams new.

Daughter of Spring and Frost,
no warmth in her heart.
Daughter of Spring and Frost
no warmth in her heart until he came…

Lel- oh- Lel -oh -Lel  - play your flute again!
Spring, warmth and sun will come and soon
they will melt her heart!

There she stood before Lel barely alive,
falling onto the damp earth she looked at the sky.

Made of snow was her heart and her soul,
living only from winter ice and the breeze cold.

Daughter of Spring and Frost,
no warmth in her heart.
Daughter of Spring and Frost
no warmth in her heart until he came…

Lel- oh- Lel -oh -Lel  - play your flute again!
Spring, warmth and sun will come and soon
they will melt her heart!

She vanished and a light mist rose slowly to the blue sky...

Lyrics: Heidi Parviainen




 

Incubus


Tells a myth of a demon from medieval mythology. It has been written about throughout history. Incubus is believed to harass the women in their sleep, and sit on their chests, trying to smother them. In this sotry a woman is telling to apreacher about her fear and the unexplaned feeling that someone is lying next to her in her sleep. Meanwhile the Incubus is seducing her to sleep and dream while he does his evil work....



Incubus

Preacher:
"It's not a dream, and it is not your imagination."

I..m lying in my bedroom restless at nights
and feeling someone..s lying next to my side.
I hear a heavy breathing 
- someone..s next to me and watching me!

Incubus: Sweet dreams now come to me, your flesh is weak!

I sense and know its presence yet I..m asleep!
Someone is preying upon my sleeping mind!
Whispering, calling, desiring
and squeezing with all its might
it..s trying to take over me and choke me!

A Nightmare seizes me in a freezing grip
I feel cold fingers running, taking a grip.
This spirit..s lurking in my sleep
and giving in I..ll sleep for ever more!

Incubus: Sweet dreams now come to me, your flesh is so weak!

I sense and know its presence yet I..m asleep!
Someone is preying upon my sleeping mind!
Whispering, calling, desiring
and squeezing with all its might
it..s trying to take over me and choke me!

Preacher: The flesh is weak!
Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh!

Lyrics: Heidi Parviainen


 

Lionheart

Is a story about Sekhmet-lion goddes. It was said that her breath made deserts. Sekhmet means "strong" and she was believed to represent the sun's destructive power. She is depicted as a lioness, the fiercest hunter known to the Egyptians. It was said that her breath created the desert. She was seen as the protector of the pharaohs and led them in warfare.

To pacify Sekhmet the Egyptians danced and played music to soothe the wildness of the goddess and drank great quantities of beer ritually to imitate the extreme drunkenness that stopped the wrath of the goddess—when she almost destroyed humankind. This may relate to averting excessive flooding during the inundation at the beginning of each year as well, when the Nile ran blood-red with the silt from upstream and Sekhmet had to swallow the overflow to save humankind.




Lionheart

Fiercest hunter, Eye of Ra
lady of Slaughter, Lionheart.
Balm for her heart were destruction and death
deserts rose, from a lethal dose of her steaming breath!

She stalked the land with arrows of fire
From her bloodlust flooded the red Nile
Growing hunger and thirst lies within
as Pharaos ride with a might of hot desert winds.

Fearless goddess the
Lionheart
Sekhmet, Eye of Ra
Ablazing in a midday sun and heat of Sahara!

Hunger of the
Lionheart,
fiercest Daughter of Ra!
the Nile is running blood-red -
soothe the wildness of the lion goddess!

Cobra and sun disk on her crown
colour of blood red was her gown
Lioness deity with a grin
hunting for prey, in the light of the day she turns on and kills.

She slew the mortals who plotted against Ra
murdered the people around Sahara
Bloodthirsty deity was tricked with a sight
to drink from the Nile, abandon the fight and save humankind!

Fearless goddess the
Lionheart
Sekhmet, Eye of Ra
Ablaze in a midday sun and heat of Sahara!

Hunger of the
Lionheart
fiercest Daughter of Ra
Nile is running blood-red -
soothe the wildness of the lion goddess!

Lyrics: Heidi Parviainen

 

Willow of Tears

This story is a beautiful and dreamy image of a grieving man who walks through the forest. Suddenly he hears the wind  and the forest whispering to him.The whispers lead him into a valley where a tree stands in a silvery dress in a light mist and a golden sunlight. He walks under the wonderfull tree who easies his sorrow. There, he sits under a weeping willow tree, whose silvery leaves cover his tears.



Willow of Tears

In the shades of
the verdant forest
tender and mild winds
are washing the leaves.

Echoing whispers
lead me to valley
where a tree stands in
a silver dress

Leaves shaped of tears
of sorrow and lonely years
gleaming in the  light
of the rising sun.

The silvery leaves are
covering all my tears
as I sit under the
Willow of Tears.

Whispers are calling
in beaming dreamy air
on the meadow where
the willow and I,

wait for the mist to come
to dance on the silver pond.
It slowly guides us
to eternal sleep.
 
Leaves shaped of tears
of sorrow and lonely years
gleaming in  the light
of the rising sun.

The Silvery leaves are
covering all my tears
as I sit under the
Willow of Tears.

 Lyrics: Heidi Parviainen

 

Shallow Waters

Is a grim story of a brother who stretches out to a deep black pond. He offers his hand to the people of the pond, and he disappears into Ahti..s kingdom. Ahti is a ruler of the waters and the fish in old Finnish mythology. The Sister leaves after his brother and at the ports of Ahti..s kingdom she asks Ahti a permit to enter his halls. There she demands this watery king to give back her brother who was taken into Ahti..s kingdom to become one of people of the pond.

Can you hear her whispering under water?




Shallow waters

In the middle of the forest wild
he..s kneeling in front of a pond so wide.
Staring into dark and silent waters
he joins the stream taking the hand of other.

-See how your brothers
lie in waters
if you just let them hide their tears!

Shallow waters
eating brothers
darkest whirlpool
let me pass!
Stream of sorrow
wide and narrow
let this sad soul
pass your halls!. ....hollow halls!

In wells.. abysses, he dwelled in dark and deep, in
the kingdom of Ahti he..s the Knight of Eels.
Reclaiming from the stream my brother and my kin
I..m reaching the great blackness that him binds.

-See how your brothers
lie in waters
if you just let them hide their tears!

Shallow waters
eating brothers
darkest whirlpool
let me pass!
Stream of sorrow
wide and narrow
let this sad soul
pass your halls!.....hollow halls!

I Cannot breathe….I cannot breathe......

Lyrics: Heidi Parviainen

 

Lost Soul


Is a story of a wandering human soul, who cannot find the peace of mind. He rejects all material and leaves his home and family and travels far. The voice is trying to persuade him to stay, as the peace of mind is not found from seven overseas, but eventually from him self and the path he chooses is endless. However he can..t change his mind enymore because he is already lost inside his own mind.




Lost soul

Leaving his dreams and family
Leaving the life behind
Searching his will and                                       
Searching his hope
Searching the peace of mind

Off to the valley
Off to the shore
Off to the seven seas
Wandering man and
Wandering soul
Wander in land of dreams


Now long and dark is the road
and heavy is the load
and  you..re about to fall
into emptiness, your
eyes are losing the light!

Take me into your arms
Take away
Take me with thee and flee.
Calm restless heart and
Calm sirens call
Calm me before I fall!

Aching in me and
Ache in my veins
Ache from the venom sweet.
Forgive me my love
I..m already lost,
No more for you to keep.

Now long and dark is the road
and heavy is the load
and  you..re about to fall
into emptiness, your
eyes are losing the light!

Lyrics: Heidi Parviainen

 

Morning Star


Is about the planet Venus, which is a second planet from the sun in our solar system. It is named as a morning star when it appears in the morning sky before sunrise.



Morning star

In the early sky
I see the light of the Morning star
shining bright, and
from the open ground
I hear the harmony of voices singing far away.

Follow the light,
it will lead your way to harmony!
Follow the light,
with only one reach you can touch the First light!

Purity, eternal shine
- power of the Morning star!
 Harmony of colours is shining the eternal light.
.
To the sky I send my light,
join the power of the morning star and
wholeness of the greatness
– Sun and Stars, the Milkyway in the wide Universe!

Follow the light,
it will lead your way to harmony!
Follow the light,
with only one reach you can touch the First light!

Purity, eternal shine
- power of the Morning star!
 Harmony of colours is shining the eternal light.

Lyrics: Heidi Parviainen

 

Birth of the harp


Tells a story from the Finnish epic Kalevala. Story is about Väinämöinen, the old minstrel, who lost his harp of fish bone to the bottom of the sea. Väinämöinen was sad because the music and joy had left the homes of Kalevala. First he asked Ilmarinen to make him a rake of iron to rake the bottoms of the boundless sea but the the fish-boned harp was not found. He went lamentin through forest. He heard the birch wailing and asked him why he was weeping. The birch answered:

"I am weeping for my smallness,
Am lamenting for my weakness,
Have no sympathy, no pity,
Stand here motionless for ages,
Stand alone in fen and forest,
In these woodlands vast and joyless."

Then the old Väinämöinen spoke:
"Weep no longer, sacred birch-tree,
Mourn no more, my friend and brother,
Thou shalt have a better fortune;
I will turn thy grief to joyance,
Make thee laugh and sing with gladness."

Then the ancient Väinämöinen made a harp from  the sacred birch-wood, fashioned in the days of summer. When the sacred harp was finished Väinämöinen took the harp within his fingers and turned the arch up looking skyward. With his knee the arch supporting he ran his fingers o'er the harp-strings and the notes of pleasure followed.



Birth of the harp

 

The ancient singer went

lamenting through the forest

 -heard the birch wailing.

Now drawing nearer he asks the sacred birch tree

 -“Why art thou weeping?”


     -Giving wood a shape of a harp!


Weep no more thou sacred birch tree,

grieve no more, my dear friend and my brother.

I will turn thy grief to joy and fortune!

Make thee laugh and sing with gladness and joy!


The ancient singer made

a magic harp from birch wood,

fashioned of summer.

He takes the harp in his hands,

turns the arch up, looking skyward.

      -And magic notes follow!

 Weep no more thou sacred birch tree,

grieve no more, my dear friend and my brother.

I will turn thy grief to joy and fortune!

Make thee laugh and sing with gladness and joy!


Lyrics: Heidi Parviainen