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The Trolls of Christmas

from Summon the Sun by Crosscurrents Music

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A calling-on for border morris, that wildest of English ritual dances.

lyrics

Hang your homes with garlic! The werewolves are abroad
From the last day of November, when vampires roam the road.
Saint Andrew's Day, they call it still, in Romania they say
The spirits of the dead will rise and winter's on its way.

The sun slides into darkness, at midwinter stands it still
And out the trolls of Christmas come from hollow cave and hill.
Since Saturn penned the Titans imprisoned in the earth
The children of the gods return to walk the winter earth.
Shrieking and capering down they whirl
When the veil is thinned to the underworld.

Kari, Frosti, Brim-Thursar
Come from Sweden’s snows afar.
Black frost, snowbank, drifting snow,
Giants o'er the fields do go.
Mountain wind from hall and town
Shrieks the winter darkness down.

Shouting and galloping down the sky
Comes Odin's band, the Jolerei.
'Tis Death to see them, thunder rolls
O'er this poor lost band of hungry souls.

See where he comes, the firedrake
King Arthur himself with his Gabriel Rache
The fireghost dogs and the Mari Lywd
Welsh horse of the Hunt King Gwynn Ap Nudd.
The hunt is up and they ride abroad
In search of souls for the underworld.

At Christmas Eve the ghosts come in
To hold their revels once again.
At hearth and hall your offerings leave
That you your loved ones may not grieve.

Crockery shattered and
feasts spoiled sorry
This must be the work
of the kallikantzaroi.
From down the Greek mountains
these winter trolls scurry
To carry off children
born of winter's hurry.
If you'd ward off their mischief,
build your Christmas fire big
And hang upon your mantel
the jawbone of a pig.

Julnissen, jultomten, Christmas lads
They'll pinch and poke, unruly cads.
Steal your sausage, scatter grain
Snuff your candles, cause you pain.

Beware you boys who ski at night
Old Stalo will steal you in cold moonlight.
But leave a rock into your place
And steal away with winter's haste.
The tomten leave gifts from their packs
But leave with children stuffed in sacks!

credits

from Summon the Sun, released December 2, 2020

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about

Crosscurrents Music Boston, Massachusetts

Lynn Noel brings traditional song and heritage arts online to create community. Lynn has a voice of striking clarity and power, equally at home in rhythmic chanteys and flowing ballads.

Lynn is a respected song session leader on both sides of the Atlantic and the producer and host of the Mermaid's Tavern online folk club. She is currently Program Chair of the New England Folk Festival (NEFFA).
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