I played one of my favorite songs. “I loved every time we sang this song in school”, I said to my husband. He answered that he’d never heard it before. What?!

I was stunned at first for I just couldn’t comprehend what he’d said. “But, didn’t you sing this song at graduations and things like that?” I asked, quite chocked. No, they didn’t.

In Hälsingland, where I grew up, tradition really is stronger than in many other parts of Sweden. When I think about how much I actually learned about my ancestors and my history as a child I feel immense gratitude.

The song I played, Hårgalåten (or Horgalåten), is a Swedish folk song. The song is based on an old Swedish folk tale about how the Devil, disguised as a fiddler, made the youths of the village Hårga in Hälsingland dance themselves to death.

You might think that was a strange choice of song for 8 year olds but it actually weren’t. No eyebrows were raised. The Hårga song is our song, even more than that – it is a part of our heritage.

I also remember that I always felt that the priests hade influenced the story in an attempt to spread fear. It was clear to me that they wanted the wild Haelsingians to obey and be God fearing. But I wasn’t afraid. I didn’t believe in the devil at all.

Exactly how my opinion in this matter was formed I really can’t say. It’s not impossible though that my father had something to do with it.

“I’d bet they would still burn witches if they could get away with it” he used to mumble, referring to the priests.

It’s safe to say that he never was a religious man. My mother on the other hand was raised in a church going family and she used to shush my father every time he said something like that.

Sometimes I felt like I was caught between two fires but for the most parts they just loved each other. But that’s a story for another day.

Back to today’s topic.

I’ve shared two versions of the Hårga song in this post. I love them both. How do you feel about them?

Enough for today.

I wish you a good night. Or day, depending on where you are and when your reading this.

You’ll find the Hårga song’s lyrics translated to English down below.

The fiddler grabbed the fiddle from it’s case

and lifted his bow towards the dawning Sunday sun

then the people of Horga came in a hurry

forgot about God and the whole world

They danced over meadows and hills

high upon the top of Horga ridge

one wore out both shoes and heels

one could not stop to dance

Where do you come from, you who is playing

tell us who taught you such play, so wild and mad

if you don’t stop our hearts will burst

oh God preserve us, he has a cloven hoof!

The bells had rung in the valley,

and father and mother and brother

walked to the parish church

where can Horga’s youth now be?

oh my God, they are still dancing!

They danced to the Horga tune

high upon the top of Horga ridge

they are not far from crying

fancing, they now wore out soul and body

Stop your bow, fiddler

before we dance our life, soul and bones away

no he doesn’t stop his dance

until we all fall dead down