Lindsey wrote asking for help with a Swedish song called "The Herdsman Song":
I saw your website and thought you might be able to help me. I am a teacher writing lesson plans for an old novel entitled, "They Came From Sweden: Sod House Winter." It is by Clara Ingram Judson. It is about a Swedish family who immigrated to Wisconsin from Sweden. She mentions a Song entitled "The Herdsman Song."
I spent quite some time researching and came to the conclusion that this might be it. I’ve attached the song (below). Do you know of a Swedish song with this title and is there an English translation available. A tune would be great too!
Thanks for your assistance. I am looking forward to hearing from you!
Lindsey Small
Menomonee Falls, WI
If anyone can help Lindsey, please comment below.
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
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7 Responses to “Can Anyone Help with the Swedish, "The Herdsman Song"?”
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July 22nd, 2011 at 4:44 pm
Is that Swedish? It looks more like Scots.
July 23rd, 2011 at 8:52 am
We think it’s Scots too. We’re trying to get the correct lyrics.
July 23rd, 2011 at 10:38 am
To sum it up: Lyndsey is looking for a song mentioned in a book first released in 1942 by an American author about mid-1800’s Swedish immigrants so the song is supposed to be Swedish but the author gives the title in English (the Swedish would be Herdens sång visa or something like that). She sent a sheet music for The Herdsman Song (same title) with Scots lyrics said to be first written by Martin Luther who was German.
I wonder if the author made the whole story up, you never know with novels authors!
July 25th, 2011 at 3:32 am
Laila, a Swedish lady living in Australia, wrote that none of the people she asked ever heard of such a song. Anyone in Sweden?
July 26th, 2011 at 5:38 pm
Meanwhile… these are the lyrics we have in Scots:
Luik thou, my hert, behaud an see;
What’s liggin intil yon cribbie?
What babbie’s yon, sae guid an fair?
At’s my wee darlin Jesus thair!
2 Ah, Lord! at med aa cre-ature,
O hou art thou becum sae puir,
At thou upo thon hay will lie,
The feed o ass an clartie kye?
3 The silk an sander thee til aise
Ar fell course hay an sweillin claes,
Whaurin thou glories, grytest King,
As thou in heiven war in thy ring.
4 Ah, my dear hert, wee Jesus, hush!
Mak thee a beddie saft an sprush,
An I sall rock thee i my hert;
I’ll nane lat thee my thochts depert.
August 10th, 2011 at 1:46 am
This has nothing to do with Jesus or babies. But this is the ‘herdsman’s song’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_DNFbK7p6A&feature=player_detailpage#t=240s
It’s probably not what your looking for though..
August 10th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
I asked for some help from The Mudcat Café Scottish members to get an English translation of the Scots lyrics and here is what I got:
Look you my heart behold and see;
What’s lieing asleep in yonder(that) crib
What babies that so good and fair
That’s my little darling Jesus there
Ah Lord that made all creature
Oh how have you become so poor
That you upon the hay will lie
The feed of ass and dirty cattle
The silk and sander thee till aise
(this provides some difficulties sander one who delivered sand doesn’t fit in context and aise meant ashes but again in this context would appear wrong perhaps they meant sandre which was sandlewood and used aise as a corruption of ease making the line)
The silk and sandlewood you to ease
Are very course hay and swaddling clothes
Where are your glories greatest king
Ah my dear heart little Jesus hush(be quiet)
Make your bed soft and spruce(Neat)
And I shall rock you in my heart
I will not let you from my thoughts depart.
Thank you Megan!