Author's Note: Based upon the music and meter of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" this tells the story of the Scandinavian creation myth. It's a song for long ocean voyages where tankards can be clashed or campfire corroborees where sticks can provide the accompaniment.
Emigrant Song
*klank* *klink* *klank* *klink*
Aaaeeaahaah! Aaaeeaahaah!
We come from the land of ice and rime.
From the shadow lands of frozen Nifelheim.
Borne from the chaos of the yawning gulf,
Eternal echoes of Ginnungagap.
Demon Surtur!
God of Fire!
He fuels our hearts
With breath from Mus-pel-heim!
The Noisemaker -
Frost Giant Ymir!
Rises out of the rolling vapours and clashes the frozen air!
*klank* *klink* *klank* *klink*
Aaaeeaahaah! Aaaeeaahaah!
From out of the gulf came the cow Audhumla,
Who licked the salt and hoarfrost from an icy boulder.
Out sprang Bur, father of Bor
From whom the Gods Odin, Vili and Ve were spawned.
They slew Ymir,
And made Midgard.
His body became the earth,
His icy blood the sea at large.
His bones formed the mountains,
His flesh formed the soil,
His skull the great sky-dome endued with colours royal.
*klank* *klink* *klank* *klink*
Aaaeeaahaah! Aaaeeaahaah!
From Muspelheim came the sun and the moon,
And stars to guide sailors and make dreamers swoon.
The great ash tree Yggdrasill held all in place
With it's mighty roots and branches into space.
Chips of wood,
From the great ash tree,
Were gathered together,
For the first time in history,
To form the first man Ask,
And the first woman Embla,
Now the warrior children feast faith in the fabled halls of Valhalla.
*klank* *klink* *klank* *klink* *klank*