between the mountains

As always when I should have been writing a paper, I have been busy doing something else. This time that something included rereading for the unknown time François Bourgeon’s absolutely wonderful comic Les Compagnons du crepuscule ( The Twilight Companions/Companions of the Dusk)

The story is set during the Hundred Years war in France, and tells the story of a knight with a shady past, and his two followers whom he drafts on his quest to fight the darkness. If the darkness is real or just a result of the knights twisted mind is never really answered, but the story is definitely a bit magical with lots of myth references and symbols. Particularly important is the wild, mystic forest vs. the civilized city/castle, and the siren symbolised by the Melusine.

( cut for large images )

Does this sound familiar to any one? Especially lage_nom_ai - have you read this? It is mythic, magical medieval times, and apart from the lack of Clannad it would fit perfectly into the Robin of Sherwood universe. (it even has dorky haircuts!) Though it is a shade darker and more disturbing than RoS.

For a fascinating and in-depth analysis of the narration and feminine aspect of the story go here:This story, shall the good man teach his son: History and Femininity in François Bourgeon's Les compagnons du crépuscule.( really large image )

Förr skall hälleberget rämna såsom is
Förr skall solen borttappa sitt sken
Förr skall skogen bli förvandlad till en duva
Innan jag dig min vän överger


For the rocks will split and shatter just like ice,
And the sun in the heavens cease to shine,
And the forest will turn into a white dove,
Ere, my dear, you and I will parted be.


For applegnat who requested Scandinavian Folk songs with a Love theme:


If you read love songs and thought lovely songs about lovely devotions then please think again. Though love was a popular enough theme in the old songs – it was always a dark and slightly disturbing love.

( One on friendship and eternal devotion )
( One in which being a total badass is the way to get the girl, or  )

( Another on how being a badass will get you the girl, but this time with ambiguity about true motives )
( One in which confessions of love is deadly and dark )

( One with ponderings on the true nature of ones lover )

( And one on love betrayed )

Some people like vampires, others like ghosts- personally I've always been fascinated with werewolves. Maybe it's the metamorphosis and the fact that they are normal people large parts of the month that intrigues me. At any rate - there are some really good medieval ballads that tell of the werewolf-myth, and some of them have been performed by Garmarna.

Garmarna is one of my favorite bands, and they create music that is usually described as neo-folk. I have posted a few of their songs before, including a few of the werewolves songs - but that was a long time ago, and I promised someone I'd upload them again. Just be warned as some of these songs are pretty dark and gruesome.

Garmarna: Varulven/Werewolf

The song at first seems rather straightforward; a girl, alone in the woods, gets eaten by the wolf. But there are sings that the story might be a bit more complex. First of all the title is "Werewolf", thereby indication that she isn't attacked by a normal wolf. Then there is the mention of linden trees quivering in the grove.

The Linden is in Nordic folklore a symbol of family, and the quivering linden trees give the impression that something is threatening the family. Secondly the expression of being "taken by the wolf" was sometimes used as a euphemism for loosing once virginity. Then there is the last line in each verse "She was carrying the fruit of love" which seems to indicate that the maiden is pregnant.

In swedish this line is slightly more ambiguous and could also be translated as "she was by love bound". When Garmarna have chosen to translate it as carrying the fruit of love it’s probably based on the lore that Scandinavian werewolves were particularly dangerous to pregnant women.

( Lyrics )

Garmarna: Straffad Moder och Dotter/Mother and Daughter Punished
- this song comes from on of their earlier albums, and its style is a bit rougher and more unpolished than later albums. That said it has a drive and a use of vocals that I absolutely adore. Here its both a wolf and a fox that have once been human, and they regain their humanity by drinking their mother's heartblood.

I suppose some symbolism can be seen in that they take a life to regain their human lives.

( Lyrics )

Garmarna: Vedergällningen/Vengeance
- this song tells of a protagonist that is turned into or cursed to become a wolf by his/her stepmother. One interesting aspect is that we are never told if the protagonist is male or female - only that they in the end becomes a knight bold and good, which might indicate male. Here the werewolf curse is broken by the protagonist drinking the blood of his/her brother, and killing the stepmother while doing so. It's all very gruesome - but it does combine the aspect of the pregnant woman from the first song, and the focus on heartsblood from the second.
( Lyrics )
Lastly - if you download these songs and you like them, then please support the artist by buying the album.


ETA: Cross-posted to told_tales