Given its iconic centrality to the American celebration, it's always struck me as odd that the Yule tree has inspired so few carols. Off-handedly, I can think of only one, and that one is, shall we say... problematic.

William Sansome once remarked of O Tannenbaum that it's apparently impossible to make an English translation of this German children's song “that doesn't sound simple-minded.”

Listening to Alf Houkom's Rune of Hospitality the other day, it occurred to me that maybe we've been working in the wrong genre.

What follows is not a translation, but rather, let us say, a fantasia on O Tannenbaum. Nor do the words fit the tune, alas. For singing, I think I'll stick with the original German—for now, anyway. Somehow I just can't bring myself to sing a song that begins "O solstice tree...."

 

Maybe some things are just best left alone.

Fir Rune

 

Fir-tree, leaf-true

summer-green, winter-green

leaf-strong

 

Fir-tree, joy of men

winter-joy of women

 

Fir-tree, rune-master

rune of daring

rune of strength

rune of steadfastness

rune of hope

 

Fir-tree, leaf-true

summer-green, winter-green

leaf-strong

 

Fir-tree