Vargsången / The wolfsong

Vargen ylar i nattens skog,
han vill men kan inte sova. 
Hungern river hans vargabuk, 
och det är kallt i hans stova. 
Du varg, du varg kom inte hit, 
landet mitt får du aldrig,

​The wolf howls ferociously in the woods by night
He can't sleep for hunger
And his den is bitterly cold
He lusts for fat sheep
O Wolf, o wolf, don't come hither
My country you shall have nevermore

Photo: Guðný Sara Birgisdóttir

The wolf song is a lullaby written by Astrid Lindgren which features in Ronja the robber's daughter. The lullaby is politicized when the word child is replaced with country. With this simple gesture several issues are confronted. The infected debate on wolf population management in Sweden, the increasing amount of nationalism and fear in the country; Lastly the insinuated taboo when it comes to editing “cultural treasures”.