Garmarna - Varulven

The Werewolf The maiden she would to the cottage go Linden trees quiver in the grove So she took the path through the forest blue She was carrying the fruit of love And when she reached the forest blue There she met with a gray wolf O dear wolf please don't bite me To you I will give my silver gown The silver gown won't suit me at all Your young life and your blood must go O dear wolf please don't bite me I will give you my silver shoes Silver shoes won't suit me at all Your young life and your blood must go O dear wolf please don't bite me I will give you my golden crown A golden crown won't suit me at all Your young life and your blood must go The maiden she climbed up high in an oak The wolf he paced the ground and howled The wolf dug up the oak by the roots The maiden gave a heart-rending cry The young page saddled his gray steed He rode slightly faster than a bird could fly And when he came to the wooded place He found nothing more than a bloody arm God comfort, God improve me, young page Linden trees quiver in the grove My maiden is gone, my horse is dead She was carrying the fruit of love Gotte wrote this tune a long while ago, but we always felt it needed lyrics. One day Stefan came in with the extremely sad and violent but still beautiful lyrics of this ballad, and we were able to join the tune and the lyrics without too many compromises. As far as we know this is the only existing medieval ballad in Sweden where a werewolf appears. There are other versions of it, some even more violent and gory.