Norway's [unofficial] National Song

I recently was reviewing back issues of the Seattle Daily Times and came across a clipping that I thought fit nicely with the blog posting of February 9, 2013: "Emblem of Freedom", a song about Patriotism.

Thomas O. Stine had a dual sense of patriotism, both for his new country -- the United States of America -- and for his old country -- Norway. The story in this clipping ran just two days before the 17th of May, Norwegian Constitution Day.

SEATTLE DAILY TIMES: May 15, 1901, page 11
"For Norge, Kiempers Fødeland"

"To Norway, Mother of the Brave", written by Johan Nordahl Brun*, is one of the oldest of the Norwegian [unofficial] national songs. It was the air which lay close to the heart of the old Vikings and lifted them into patriotic spirit. We give below two English versions of it, one by [William Sidney] Walker, the English writer, the other by Thomas Ostenson Stine, of this city.

"To Norway, mother of the brave,

We crown the cup of pleasure,

And dream our freedom come again,

And grasp the vanished treasure.

When once the mighty task's begun

The glorious race swift to run.

 To Norway, mother of the brave,

We crown the cup of pleasure.

"Then drink to Norway's hills sublime,

Rocks, snow and glens profound;

Success her thousand echoes cry,

And thank us with the sound.

Olod Dovre mingles with our glee,

And joins out shouts with three times three.

Then drink to Norway's hills sublime,

Rocks, snow and glens profound."

                        WILLIAM SIDNEY WALKER

"To Norway, mother of the brave,

We crown the cup and hail thee;

And dream of joy that freedom gave

On battlefield with glory.

When once our hearts to action rise,

We'll break the shackles, bonds and ties.

To Norway, mother of the brave,

We crown the cup and hail thee.

"Then drink to Norway's mountains high.

To cliff, and snow, and valley.

Then echoes life its thrilling cry

With gratitude in Dovre.

Yes, every cliff shall shout with glee

For sons of Norway three times three.

Then drink to Norway's mountains high,

To cliff, and snow, and valley."

                       THOMAS OSTENSON STINE

*Johan Nordahl Brun: Poet, Priest, Patriot. Brun was the son of a farmer and educated in Trondheim.  He was an active member of the Church of the Cross, and was a parish minister from 1777 until 1804, when he became the Bishop in Bergen (1804-1816). He was also a politician who contributed significantly to the growth of National Romanticism in Norway.