As a drifter1 boy in the world
I once visited lands of the west
On a quiet autumn
Hey, on a small freeze
From farmer masters I asked for work,
Laid nights in a stable's attic
A blanket under my side
Hey, in a longing mood
Jobs had ended from farmers
Incomes from stevedore guys
An icy winter threatened
Hey, grey-haired freeze
The house was Finnish-Swedish2
Whereto the traveller straid
On a dark night3
Hey, in a vile mood
In the house dance's swinging was heard
And fine singing's voices
All the way to the manor
Hey, Sweden's victorious
I knocked on the door with a beating heart
I thought I might get hit
But you can't be timid
Hey, poor drifter boy
The door was pushed open for me
And asked in Sweden's language
That "Vad ska du vara min poijken?"4
I answered to that in Finland's language
A little bit of drink I'm longing for
Water I'm lacking
Hey,(I'm) thirsty as hell
A Finnish-language answer from me
Woke joy's fire in the house
Every single one asked
Hey, "Komma du hit min hyysi" 5
The master is gripping my hand
"Come, come in, you fucking Finn"
Offered vodka with a (sauna-) pail
Hey, thirst doesn't torment us
In the house it had just been harvested
From which that joy was this big
A beer barrel on the floor
Hey, whiskey under the table
There wasn't but a few souls in the house
The master and the mistress and a maid and a farmhand
Everybody was drunk
Hey, crouching in the corner
The mistress offered beer for me
Like for a best invited guest
Showed her favouring
Hey, there was a smile on her lips
I guzzled beer and I guzzled vodka
I danced with the mistress and I danced with the maid
And I was quite alot
Hey, without sense and reason
The clock had stroked two already
Tiredness and sleep came as a guest
Arriving to our company
Hey, numbing our excitement
In the mistress's eyes the world wobbles
The farmhand and the maid were sitting in the corner
In full dream
Hey, having a snoring competition
The master tried to swear" in Swedish" a bit
But be like in your "home"
Hey, take "my Emma" to a dance
The master sunk to a rocking chair already
Dream stamped it's seal to the eyelids
Snoring filled the house
At least it looked like that
Mistress, that wiggly round lady
Laughter-mouthed, happy and young
Turned more familiar
Hey, but there was just the two of us
Finally she was catched by dream too
When she came to my hug teetering
Offered a hand to (my) neck
Hey, without asking
But the master was half-sleeping
Damned, twisted in the heart
Jumped standing
Hey, let out a bad roar
Hey, what are you trying to, what "the cursed"
Guzzle "my" beer and hug "my wife"
Still the master was yelling
Hey, "gather your bones already" 6
I twisted my blanket bunch from the corner
Longing I turned my back to the mistress
I left to a journey again
Hey, to a long unpleasant one
But early in the morning when the sun shone
The trip tasted well to the guy
On a wide highway
Hey, with a light mood, hey!
1. or hobo2. Finnish-Swedes are the Swedish-speaking population of Finland3. evening4. In Swedish: "What are you doing, my boy?"5. In Swedish: "Come here to my house". From this on I use quotes where there is Swedish words to avoid too many footnotes6. A phrase, means "get out"