Poetry Monday :: Cry Wolf

Den danske udgave blev udgivet otte minutter tidligere end denne, så gå til forrige indlæg nedenunder, hvis du vil have den.

To cry wolf is almost the same in Danish, we cry: The wolf is coming!
But the English one is once again subject for misinterpretations, we only need a comma: Cry, Wolf!

Cry, wolf! Tonight the moon is full.
You'll be hunted by werewolves
and werebears and -boars.

  And then I was reminded of  Vargsången (The Wolf Song) written by Astrid Lindgren for the movie vesion of  Ronia, the Robber's Daughter. It is a lullaby, sung by Ronia's mother - I always thought it was a bit violent for a lullaby, but then they are a band of robbers.
  I never saw the movie, but I have read the book more than once, and heard the song in the radio several times. I have not been able to find an English version, so I tried rendering it into English with it still being able to be sung on its original, haunting tune. You will be the judges as to whether I succeeded. 

The wolf is howling in nightly woods,
he wants to but can't be sleeping.
Hunger tears in his wolven paunch,
and cold it is in his keeping.
    Cry, wolf! cry, wolf, don't you come here,
    I'll never give you my young one.

The wolf is howling in nightly woods,
howls with hunger and anguish.
But I'll give him a piggie's tail,
It's fit for a wolfy stomach.
    Cry, wolf! cry, wolf, don't you come here,
    I'll never give you my young one.

The wolf is howling in nightly woods,
and finds no prey in his hunting.
But I'll give him a cock's comb
To put in his sorry bundle.
    Cry, wolf! cry, wolf, don't you come here,
    I'll never give you my young one.

Sleep, my child, in your mother's bed,
The wolf is howling, just let him.
But I'll give him a chicken shank,
That is if it has not been taken.
    Cry, wolf! cry, wolf, don't you come here,
    I'll never give you my young one.


Vargsången
Vargen ylar i nattens skog,
han vill men kan inte sova.
Hungern river hans vargabuk,
och det är kallt i hans stova.
    Du varg, du varg, kom inte hit,
    ungen min får du aldrig.

Vargen ylar i nattens skog,
ylar av hunger och klagan.
Men jag ska ge'n en grisasvans,
sånt passar i vargamagar.
    Du varg, du varg, kom inte hit,
    ungen min får du aldrig.

Vargen ylar i nattens skog,
och hittar sig inget byte.
Men jag ska ge'n en tuppakam,
att stoppa ner i sitt knyte.
    Du varg, du varg, kom inte hit,
    ungen min får du aldrig.

Sov, mitt barn, i bädden hos mor,
låt vargen yla i natten.
Men jag ska ge'n en hönsaskank,
om ingen annan har tatt 'en.
    Du varg, du varg, kom inte hit,
    ungen min får du aldrig.
Astrid Lindgren

Youtube video of Vargsången  the title says Astrid's Lullabies.

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Topics for December:

Dec. 2 Beans
Dec. 9 A Bumpy Ride
Dec. 16 Recipe for Disaster
Dec. 23 Never Say Never and/or Christmas/Hanukkah
Dec. 30 All Done