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M​ó​ð​ir m​í​n í kv​í​, kví (Traditional Icelandic Lullaby)

by Priscilla Hernandez

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about

This is a traditional lullaby from Iceland. Icelandic lullabies are famed for being somehow mysterious of frightening and this one has a well known ghost story as background.
WATCH VIDEO ON YOUTUBE.COM/YIDNETH
The legend says a woman became pregnant out of wedlock and as that was punishable with a severe penalty she set up to abandon the child in the forest to die of exposure in the dark woods.
She wrapped the creature in rags and left it to the elements. This practise was not that uncommon in the past as we can see recurrently in many fairy tales. Some years later while the mother was milking the ewes she sourly complained aloud of not having fine clothes to attend a popular ring dance (the "Vivivaki" festival") and then she heard the spectral voice of a child humming a song, precisely this one featured in the video. The ghostly voice sung:

Móðir mín í kví, kví
kvíddu ekki því, því;
ég skal ljá þér duluna mína
duluna mína að dansa í,
ég skal ljá þér duluna mína
duluna mína að dansa í

Mother of mine in the sheep pen
You don't need to worry, worry
You can wear this these rags of mine
so you can dance
and dance

Upon hearing this the woman quickly went insane as she remembered her crime and thought the child's ghost had returned to curse her.

I'm not native Icelandic speaker so I hope I have not mispronounced much.

The ghosts of these children would be called útburður, the name suggests they were often carried outside and were then left to die in the wild. They are a gangári type ghost meaning they can follow their victims but unlike the other ghosts they can actually cast a curse on a whole
family for generations to come. The song in the video above comes from one of the most well-known Icelandic ghost stories.

lyrics

Móðir mín í kví, kví
kvíddu ekki því, því;
ég skal ljá þér duluna mína
duluna mína að dansa í,
ég skal ljá þér duluna mína
duluna mína að dansa í

credits

released January 31, 2021
Song composition (Traditional)
This recording: All arrangements and instruments by Priscilla Hernández 2021 (All Rights Reserved)

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all rights reserved

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about

Priscilla Hernandez Navarre, Spain

Ethereal gothic singer-songwriter and fantasy illustrator from Spain.
DISCOGRAPHY: Ancient Shadows (2006)
The Underliving (2011)
Official site: yidneth.com
Support at
patreon.com/yidneth

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