by
Jón Thoroddsen (1819 - 1868)
Búðarvísa
Language: Icelandic (Íslenska)
Búðarí loftið hún Gunna upp gekk,
gráfíkjur nógar og sætabrauð fékk;
en Sigríður niðri í búðinni beið,
bylti við ströngum og léreftin sneið.
Fagurt er loftið og fullt er það ull,
fáséð mun Kristján sýna þar gull;
og lengi var Gunna í loftsölum há,
litverp í framan hún kemur þeim frá.
Síðan tók Kristján silki ágætt,
(selja þeir þess háttar öðrum á vætt)
og hvíslar að Gunnu: 'Á herðarnar þín
hafðu hann, fallegur stúlkurinn mín!
Missæl er þjóðin, oss dónunum dýr
dropinn oft gjörist og varningur nýr;
en ókeypis stúlkurnar fallegu fá
fyrirtaks klútana Danskinum hjá.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Jim Reilly) (Margrét Arnar) , title 1: "Store song", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 96
Store song
Language: English after the Icelandic (Íslenska)
Gunna went upstairs in the store
where she was given lots of figs and sweet cakes;
but Sigridhur waited downstairs in the store
measuring fabric and cutting cotton cloth.
The upstairs was beautiful and full of fine wool,
and there Kristjan showed her rare gold;
and Gunna stayed upstairs for a long time,
and came down with rosy cheeks.
Then Kristjan took some fine silk
(sold to others at very high prices)
and whispered to Gunna: "Put this on
your shoulders, my beautiful girl!"
People are treated differently; for us regular folk
goods and drinks are very expensive;
but beautiful girls get fine silk scarves
free from the Danish merchants.
Text Authorship:
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2005-12-08
Line count: 16
Word count: 110