Marsk Stig's Daughters, and Other Songs and Ballads

This evocative collection brings together traditional songs, dramatic ballads, translations, and original verses steeped in grief, exile, love, faith, and mortality. Its centerpiece follows the daughters of a disgraced marshal as they wander from kingdom to kingdom, seeking refuge and finding that their noble skills cannot shield them from sorrow. Their story unfolds with the solemn beauty of an old Scandinavian legend, rich in woven images, royal halls, and family memory.

Elsewhere, the verses turn wry and philosophical, imagining the competing claims of children, worms, and the Devil upon a man’s body, soul, and possessions. A haunting woodland song recalls a mysterious lady and her knight, while gypsy songs bring livelier voices, romance, pride, and sharply observed dialogue. Together, these pieces offer a varied listening experience: sometimes mournful, sometimes humorous, and always attentive to the music of language and the enduring character of folk tradition.