Translation of the song Æthelred artist Svartsot

Som Ælfthryth sønnen barsled’,

As the son of Ælfthryth1 was born,

Da såedes skæbnens sæd,

The seed of fate was sown.

En halv snes år var han, da

He was around ten2 years old when

Englands højsæde rømmet stod.

England's throne became vacant.

Dog kun den yngst’ kongsemne,

Though [he was] only the youngest heir,

Hans moder kunn’ ej dy,

His mother could not resist the temptation.

Hos rådmænd råd hun søgte,

She sought advice from the councillors,

Den ældst’ mått’ ryddes af vej.

The oldest [heir] must be cleared out of the way.3

Ædel-råd var det, han hed,

“Noble-councillor” was what he was called,

Af væsen ej helt sandt,

This title was not entirely true.

På hans skatte og hans arv,

What with his treasures and his inheritance,

Ville andre gøre krav.

Others began to pursue.

Vikinger våged’ agtsomt,

[The] Vikings watched cautiously,

Havde set hans verden før,

[They] had seen his world before.

Iagttog med ivrigt øje,

Observing with [an] eager eye,

Indkaldt’ mænd og sejled’ did.

[They] summoned [their] men and sailed there.

Ti tusinde pund rent sølver,

Ten thousand half-kilos4 of pure silver,

For at trække os fra hans kyst,

[Given] to rid us from his shore.

Næste gang vi rider bølgen,

Next time we ride the waves,

Skal vi have tyve tusinde mere.

We'll have twenty thousand more!

Ej på slagmark vandt han sejr,

He did not win his victory on the battlefield,

Selv om han prøved’ længe,

Though he tried many times.

Hans bravest’ og hans bedste,

His bravest and his best [men]

Blev sorte ravnes rov.

Became the prey of black ravens.

Men riget reddes skulle,

But the kingdom needed to be saved,

Og gode råd var dyre,

And good advice was expensive.

Hans råd tilråded’ gælden,

His council recommended offering an incentive

At dæmpe danskens rasen.

To keep the Danes' anger and destruction at bay.

Og dansken kom til kongen,

And the Danes came to the king,

Med fordringer til kamp,

With demands for a battle.

(Men) med skibe fyldt med skatte,

But once their ships were filled with treasures,

Loved’ de at sejle bort.

They vowed to sail away.

Ti tusinde pund han gav dem,

Ten thousand half-kilos he gave them,

Af skærest’ sølvertøj,

Of the shiniest silver cutlery.

Da dansken atter landed’,

When the Danes returned again,

Fik de tyve tusinde mere.

They got twenty thousand more.

Ti tusinde pund rent sølver,

Ten thousand half-kilos of pure silver,

For at trække os fra hans kyst,

[Given] to rid us from his shore.

Næste gang vi rider bølgen,

Next time we ride the waves,

Skal vi have tyve tusinde mere.

We'll have twenty thousand more!

”Indfries én gang gælden”,

Once the incentive has been given just one time,

Sagde rådets mænd så tit,

Said the councilman time and time again,

”Indfries danegælden,

Once the Danegeld5 has been given,

Bli’r vi aldrig dansken kvit”.

We will never be free of the Danes.

Ti tusinde pund rent sølver,

Ten thousand half-kilos of pure silver,

For at trække os fra hans kyst,

[Given] to rid us from his shore.

Næste gang vi rider bølgen,

Next time we ride the waves,

Skal vi have tyve tusinde mere.

We'll have twenty thousand more!