Bitter the winds, winter winds, freeze the earth Empty the sky frozen by winter's frost Strong is the sea taught to be by the wind So lead the hearts, father of all of men
In the olden days, when the earth was young, the one-eyed god, upon his throne Set out to ride across the sky to see what courage men would find
Let brave men live among the gods By white-armed Valkyrs carried o'er The battlefield to hero's home To where their honor shall be done
So out he rides to heavens hunt, The Huntsman comes
The mortals stare in wonder at the mighty host And their mortal blood begins to warm with the passion they had lost
North winds calling, live young forever mortal fears pass away Seasons of ice shall not chill a warrior's blood valiant ones shall be saved
True warriors, come to me live eternal in this land My kingdom, you shall see what becomes of a life with a glorious end What wonders shall behold by the setting of the sun Your virtue honored here while the men on the earth sing the deeds you have done Dark visions shall haunt the living ones Whom hide in cowardice as you drink with the gods from your enemies skull Ethereal splendors be thy bride Each morning born again, in the greyness of dawn into battle you ride
So men did hear him, their armour they donned Set down their plows and lifted their swords For glory and honor they set out to fight To see who'd be taken with glory that night
And the bravest were taken, as had been foretold To feast each evening, each day to fight again
Soon the men forgot the courage that their father brought unto them that night They took the plow again, from disease and age to die instead without hope of deeds in battle done
So to this day heroes in the heavens play Watching the world, waiting for our courage to return