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The World Tree Song                The World Tree Song MP3 (1,2 MB)

- This song is both a counting song and a pile-up song. 
Each stanza includes the lines of the previous one, plus one more.
The start of each verse is a call-and-response. The leader sings "Come and I will sing you", 
the others respond with "What will you sing me?" (below written in cursives) and so on.

Come and I will sing you,
What will you sing me?
IŽll sing you one-o,
What will the one be?

One the World Tree all alone, up
ever more shall be so!

Come and I will sing you,
What will you sing me?
IŽll sing you two-o,
What will the two be?

Two is Frey and Freya, down
One the World Tree all alone,
ever more shall be so!

Come and I will sing you,
What will you sing me?
IŽll sing you three-o,
What will the three be?

Three the Norns who ward the Well, up
Two is Frey and Freya,
One the World Tree all alone,
ever more shall be so!

Come and I will sing you,
What will you sing me?
IŽll sing you four-o,
What will the four be?

Four the dwarves that hold the sky,  down
Three the Norns who ward the Well,
Two is Frey and Freya,
One the World Tree all alone,
ever more shall be so!

Come and I will sing you,
What will you sing me?
IŽll sing you five-o,
What will the five be?

Five the foes of all the Gods,  up
Four the dwarves that hold the sky,
Three the Norns who ward the Well,
Two is Frey and Freya,
One the World Tree all alone,
ever more shall be so!

Come and I will sing you,
What will you sing me?
IŽll sing you six-o,
What will the six be?

Six the rays of Hagal,   down
Five the foes of all the Gods,
Four the dwarves that hold the sky,
Three the Norns who ward the Well,
Two is Frey and Freya,
One the World Tree all alone,
ever more shall be so!

Come and I will sing you,
What will you sing me?
IŽll sing you seven-o,
What will the seven be?

Seven the stars upon the Wain, up
Six the rays of Hagal,
Five the foes of all the Gods,
Four the dwarves that hold the sky,
Three the Norns who ward the Well,
Two is Frey and Freya,
One the World Tree all alone,
ever more shall be so!

Come and I will sing you,
What will you sing me?
IŽll sing you eight-o,
What will the eight be?

Eight the legs of Sleipnir, down
Seven the stars upon the Wain,
Six the rays of Hagal,
Five the foes of all the Gods,
Four the dwarves that hold the sky,
Three the Norns who ward the Well,
Two is Frey and Freya,
One the World Tree all alone,
ever more shall be so!

Come and I will sing you,
What will you sing me?
IŽll sing you nine-o,
What will the nine be?

Nine the worlds upon the Tree, up
Eight the legs of Sleipnir,
Seven the stars upon the Wain,
Six the rays of Hagal,
Five the foes of all the Gods,
Four the dwarves that hold the sky,
Three the Norns who ward the Well,
Two is Frey and Freya,
One the World Tree all alone,
ever more shall be so!

© Lyrics Ben Waggoner

Tune suggested by Ben: Folk song from Newfoundland ("The Ten Commandments", akin to "Green grow the rushes")

Alternate tune,voice: Michaela Macha

Ben Waggoner has translated numerous Old Norse Sagas. His books on Lulu.

Image: Yggdrasil by Oluf Olufsen Bagge (1780-1836), copperplate engraving

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