Sorrow of Norway

The latest reports of the massacre at an island summer camp are horrific.  The death toll has already exceeded 80 people, some of them as young as 16.  This looks like an act of domestic terrorism.  The person who was captured and is presumed responsible for this is a right wing extremist who may have bought a farm near Oslo with the express purpose of buying chemical fertilizers.

I can’t imagine what kind of political mindset you have to have to carry out this level of barbarism and murder.

We are very sad for the parents of the children who died or are still missing as well as the people in Oslo who died during the explosions at the government buildings. We remember the Oklahoma City bombing and the death of many innocents. Our hearts go out to Norway.

I remembered this Norwegian folksong from one of my more obscure collections.  One of the translations I found goes like this:

“Heiemo and the Water Sprite”
Heiemo in valley proclaimeth the song
Awaken ye children of noble notion
It heardeth Water Sprite’s cry on ocean
For they have slept time so long.
Water Sprite speaketh to captain-man
Thou steerest my ship on Christian land.
Heiemo singeth and Water Sprite, danceth doth he
It pleaseth the people in parlour, they happy be.
Oh Heiemo! Heiemo! Stilleth your harm!
Thou shall`st sleep on Water Sprite`s arm.