De skulle begrave en konge stor [English translation]

They were burying a king so great

Who fell asleep so peacefully in bed

For the wake1 came princes from north and south

But down in the valley laid an old maid

On her stomach, her head on the meadow

She liked her king, she loved her country

But the heart said stop when she went for water

But that, there was nobody to see

They were burying a king so great

Who perished despite all the care

In the church sat princes singing in choirs

But the woman in the grass laid without words

Who else had a softer bed?

From the fjord came the wind, so northly and cold

But around her skirt grew lillies of the valley

But that, there was nobody to see

They were burying a king so great

The people surrounded the road

The casket was shown and the casket lowered

But down in a valley stood a cow, still bound

And lowed and missed its milkmaid

She didn't hear it, she laid satisfied

With her hand in the bucket and her head on one side

But that, there was nobody to see

Yes, they were burying a king so great

The camera buzzing at the priest

Who said an immortalized last word

But the old maid laid in the same earth

And surely didn't miss the party

They never found her, before soon the winter came

And she went in the fjord when snow turned to flood

But that, there was nobody to see

1. "gravøl" is the name of an ancient Nordic rite where the funeral goers drank "grave beer" for a week after the funeral to honor and cherish the memory of the deceased.

• Artist:Jan Eggum
• Album:Jan Eggum