Two Sisters

[Lazarus Short]

The Danish band Sorten Muld adapts rather ancient lyrics, possibly old enough to have been originally written in runes, into "folktronica."  Here are the lyrics to their song 2 Sisters:

Der bor en bonde på vilden ø
han havde to døtre ved bord
den ene var som mælk og blod
den anden så sort som jord
For den de begge var forelskede i
ville til den yngste datter fri
- Ingen skal forglemme mig
når harpen begynder at synge -

Den yngste gik med udslagen hår
den ældste med falske råd:
"Lad os ned til havet gå
og vaske os rene fra båd"
Den unge trådte ud på breden sten
Den anden stødte hende ud med sit ben

Det var to unge spillemænd
de vandrede langs med strand
da de ser den søsters lig
ført op på det hvide sand
Af knoglerne og hendes gyldne hår
gjorde de en harpe - smuk som vår

Harpen bringes til bondens gård
og alle kan kende dens sang
"Min søster tog mit unge liv
men aldrig skal hun tage min mand
I aften sidder hun på brudebænk
I morgen bliver hun på bålet brændt for
- Ingen skal forglemme mig
når harpen begynder at synge" –

Here it is in English, from their album Mark II:

There lived a man on a wild and windswept island
He had two daughters by his side
One was like milk and blood
The other as black as the ground
Because the one they had both fallen for
Would propose to the younger daughter
-No one will forget me
when the harp begins to sing-

The younger she had long beautiful hair
The older she had evil desires
"Let's go down to the seaside
and wash in the waters there"
The younger stepped out onto broad stones
The older pushed her into the waves

Two young fiddlers wandered along the beach
They say the sister's body
Washed up upon the white shore
Of her bones and golden hair
They made a harp so beautiful

The harp was brought to the father's farm
And everyone knew the sound
"My sister took my young life
but never will she take my love"

Tonight she sits on the bridal bench
Tomorrow she will burn at the stake
-No one will forget me
when the harp begins to sing-

Next, here are the lyrics of another version of the song by the Irish band Clannad:

There were two sisters side by side
Sing aye dum, sing aye day
There were two sisters side by side
The boys are born for me
There were two sisters side by side
The eldest for young johnny cried
I'll be true for my love
If he'll be true to me

Johnny bought the youngest a gay gold ring...
He never bought the eldest a single thing...

Johnny bought the youngest a beaver hat...
The eldest never thought much of that...

As they were walking by the foamy brim...
The eldest pushed the youngest in...

Sister, oh sister give me thy hand...
And you can have johnny and all his land...

Sister I won't give you my hand...
And I'll have johnny and all his land...

So there she sank and away she swam...
Until she came to the miller's dam...

Miller took away her gay gold ring...
And then he pushed her in again...

Miller he was hanged on the mountain head...
The eldest sister was boiled in lead...

Finally, here is the version, titled Cruel Sister, by the English band Pentangle, though the song seems more Scottish:

There lived a lady by the North Sea shore
(Lay the bent to the bonnie broom)
Two daughters were the babes she bore
(Fa la la la la la la la la la)

As one grew bright as is the sun,
So coal black grew the elder one.

A knight came riding to the lady's door,
He'd travelled far to be their wooer.

He courted one with gloves and rings,
But he loved the other above all things.

Oh sister will you go with me
To watch the ships sail on the sea?

She took her sister by the hand
And led her down to the North Sea strand.

And as they stood on the windy shore
The dark girl threw her sister o'er.

Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam,
Crying, "Sister, reach to me your hand!

"Oh Sister, Sister, let me live,
And all that's mine I'll surely give."

"(It's) your own true love that I'll have and more,
But thou shalt never come ashore."

And there she floated like a swan,
The salt sea bore her body on.

Two minstrels walked along the strand
And saw the maiden float to land.

They made a harp of her breastbone,
Whose sound would melt a heart of stone.

They took three locks of her yellow hair,
And with them strung the harp so rare.

They went into her father's hall
To play the harp before them all,

But when they laid it on a stone
The harp began to play alone.

The first string sang a doleful sound:
"The bride her younger sister drowned."

The second string as that they tried,
"In terror sits the black-haired bride."

The third string sang beneath their bow,
"And surely now her tears will flow."

Now, if you have read through all that, and there are many more versions in several languages, you may be wondering what it all means.  Well, in a flash of insight this evening, I connected this song with God wooing His two sister/wives, Israel and Judah.  God predicts that one day the two would be one in His hand, the stick of Israel with the stick of Judah, yet here He was willing to portray Himself as a bigamist in order to make a point.  The point was the unfaithfulness of Israel, and later, Judah, His divorcement of Israel and maybe Judah too, and His kicking them out of the house, into exile.  Yet, the Scriptures speak of God's love for His estranged wives, and His plans to bring them back to Himself. 

Here's my theory:  The young man (Johnny) represents Jesus the Christ, who woos the two sisters, but might prefer one over the other.  One sister determines that the other sister must die and be forgotten, just as ten-tribed Israel is all but lost to history, except for the few who pursue the matter with the aids of sacred and secular history hand-in-hand.  That leaves me no choice except to identify the cruel sister as Judah.  The father, in whose hall the minstrels play the  harp made from the body of the murdered sister, is God the Father.  Judgment falls hard on the miller, (I'm going to have to give some thought as to who he might be.), and justice falls even harder on the cruel sister. 

Anyone who has read Stories of Lost Israel in Folklore by James A. Haggart will know where I am coming from.  I will make some connections with Scripture later, but it is getting late, and I am tired...more later.

[ded2daworld]

IMO, this is like looking at/for shadows when the substance is available. Made in the days when few bibles were available and the church persecuted thoughts outside accepted church doctrine. This shows one can take almost any words strung together and make it mean almost anything we want it to. Why not just say what one means to say? In days when people had to be careful of what they said for fear of being burned for blasphemy I can see it. For now, here in America, we can say almost anything. Except for Christians that speak the truth of the Bible concerning homosexuality and abortion (which is considered hate speech) we are free to talk about the Love of God, prophecy, relationships with God and others, etc. I guess I just missed the point if there was one. Sorry. :dontknow:

[mplsfitter539]

IMO, this is like looking at/for shadows when the substance is available. Made in the days when few bibles were available and the church persecuted thoughts outside accepted church doctrine. This shows one can take almost any words strung together and make it mean almost anything we want it to. Why not just say what one means to say? In days when people had to be careful of what they said for fear of being burned for blasphemy I can see it. For now, here in America, we can say almost anything. Except for Christians that speak the truth of the Bible concerning homosexuality and abortion (which is considered hate speech) we are free to talk about the Love of God, prophecy, relationships with God and others, etc. I guess I just missed the point if there was one. Sorry. :dontknow:

Thanks for this ded I think you said this very well. By the way I don't believe I caught your name that is if you are willing to share it with your brothers and sisters here. Either way your posts are improving much and its been noted.  :banana:

DuWayne

[lomarah]

I'm like Laz on this one... I see the truths and allegories of God in pretty much everything. Whether they meant it or not. (And usually they didn't.) In fact many of the people in the bible did not know they would be used as a type and shadow. (Think especially of Jonah!) All of creation testifies, and he has placed eternity on the hearts of men. We all declare His truths whether we know it (and like it) or not!  :HeartThrob:

[mplsfitter539]

I'm like Laz on this one... I see the truths and allegories of God in pretty much everything. Whether they meant it or not. (And usually they didn't.) In fact many of the people in the bible did not know they would be used as a type and shadow. (Think especially of Jonah!) All of creation testifies, and he has placed eternity on the hearts of men. We all declare His truths whether we know it (and like it) or not!  :HeartThrob:

Holly Ann I agree with you also. Is that possible for me to reconcile that I believe what both are saying is true and doesn't  necessarily conflict?

[rosered]

 :thumbsup: good stuff all ,

  I loved your comments Holly ,  :HeartThrob: so true !

Yes Laz the two sisters  , in the Word of God    , good observations !

[redhotmagma]

I believe there is one story that's being told. Over and over in different forms. It's written into our DNA. The pagan myths all tell the story if you can look through the confusion and carnalizing.  Movies songs fairy tales that are timeless are so because they tell a portion of the grand narrative. It's the same one told in the mazzaroth. When God told Abe to look at the stars he was giving him the gospel in the stars.

[Lazarus Short]

Folktales and old songs (rock and rap, not so much) contain the impress of God's touch upon the culture in which we find them.  They are all part of the cloud of witnesses which surround us, as Paul says.  Yes, Ded, we have the very Word of God, but when I see such things as creationist geology and biology, the Panin codes, the worldwide flood myths, the "gospel in the stars," the early chapters of Genesis encoded into the Chinese written language, secular history underwriting sacred history, etc, etc, etc, it strengthens my faith.  You may see it as shadows if you like, but also remember that it is Confirmation!  :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

[speaktruth]

redhotmagma: I agree, "there is one story that's being told.
Lazarus: I agree, scientific "facts" have always strengthened my faith.


God's visible creation -- Nature  reveals God's power and might (Rom 1:20)

God's word (law, testimony, judgments, statutes,) written word reveals God's everlasting love.