{"id":11191,"date":"2026-10-12T20:01:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T00:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/manuscript-studies\/?page_id=11191"},"modified":"2026-10-12T20:08:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T00:08:21","slug":"that-maelti-min-modir","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/manuscript-studies\/that-maelti-min-modir\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00deat m\u00e6lti m\u00edn m\u00f3\u00f0ir: “My Mother Told Me”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Richard Fahey performing \u00deat m\u00e6lti m\u00edn m\u00f3\u00f0ir<\/a><\/em> with Winds of Alluria at NorthFolk NightMarket<\/a> at Red Apple Farm<\/a>, 2027. Photo by Postfix<\/a> (Mythgrove).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As part of Notre Dame\u2019s ongoing\u00a0Medieval poetry translation and recitation project<\/a>, I contribute my first Old Norse-Icelandic contribution, a versification of\u00a0\u00deat m\u00e6lti m\u00edn m\u00f3\u00f0ir<\/a><\/em>. As a lyrical\u00a0translation, \u201cMy Mother Told Me\u201d brings together the original Old Norse-Icelandic poem, the modern English adaptation used in the show Vikings<\/em> and penned by the series’ creator, Michael Hirst (alongside the show’s musical team, including Trevor Morris and Einar Selvik), and my own translation. Taken together, “My Mother Told Me” by Brothers Grimm is an adapted\u00a0and interpretive project in collaboration with neofolk band, Winds of Alluria<\/a>, performed at Enchanted Orchard Renaissance Faire<\/a> and NorthFolk NightMarket<\/a> by FaeGuild Wonders<\/a>. Below are transcriptions of all three interwoven verses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old\u00a0Norse-Icelandic\u00a0“\u00deat m\u00e6lti m\u00edn m\u00f3\u00f0ir” from Egils saga<\/em>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00deat m\u00e6lti m\u00edn m\u00f3\u00f0ir
At m\u00e9r skyldi kaupa
Fley ok fagrar \u00e1rar
Fara \u00e1 brott me\u00f0 v\u00edkingum<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standa upp \u00ed stafni
St\u00fdra d\u00fdrum knerri
Halda sv\u00e1 til hafnar
H\u01ebggva mann ok annan
H\u01ebggva mann ok annan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern\u00a0English “My Mother Told Me” from Vikings<\/em> by Michael Hirst:<\/strong>

My mother told me
Someday I would buy
Galleys with good oars
Sail to distant shores

Stand up high in the prow
Noble barque I steer
Steady course for the haven
Hew many foe-men
Hew many foe-men”

Modern\u00a0English “My Mother Told Me” trans. by Richard Fahey:<\/strong>
Translator\u2019s Preface<\/em>
<\/a>
My mother told me
That for me I should buy
Swift ship and fair oars
To fare away with the vikings

Stand up high in the prow
Dear boat I steer
Hold steady to the haven
Hew one and another
Hew one and another<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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