Hvem kan seile foruten vind? (Who Can Sail Without Wind?)

Swedish‑speaking Åland Islands (Finland). First printed in 1909; the opening question comes from an 18th‑century ballad. Today it is sung all over Norway, Sweden and Finland, usually at bedtime or as a gentle farewell.

Norwegian lyrics

Hvem kan seile foruten vind?
Hvem kan ro uten årer?
Hvem kan skilles fra vennen sin
uten å felle tårer?

Jeg kan seile foruten vind,
jeg kan ro uten årer,
men ei skilles fra vennen min
uten å felle tårer.

Fuglen seiler foruten vind,
fisken ror uten årer,
men ingen kan skilles fra vennen sin
uten å felle tårer.

English Translation

Who can sail without the wind? 
Who can row without oars? 
Who can part from a cherished friend 
without shedding tears?

I can sail without the wind, 
I can row without oars, 
but I cannot leave my dearest friend 
without shedding tears.

Birds can glide without the wind, 
fish can swim without oars, 
yet no one parts from a cherished friend 
without shedding tears.

“Og så synger vi” (And So We Sing – Camp Song)

This is a modern camp-style song often passed down orally through camps like Trollhaugen or Skogfjorden. It’s call-and-response and built on repetition, ideal for language learners. The origin is unclear but rooted in Scandinavian-style folk call songs.

Norwegian Lyrics:

Å så synger du,
å så synger jeg,
å så synger vi
tra-la-la-la-la-la!

English Translation:

And then you sing,
and then I sing,
and then we all sing
tra-la-la-la-la-la!

“Tyven, Tyven” (Thief, Thief)

English Translation:

The thief, the thief should have been on guard,
he stole the thoughts of my heart last night.
He tiptoed in so quietly,
and no one could understand why.
The thief, the thief should have been on guard!

Norwegian Lyrics:

Tyven, tyven skulle ha vært på vakt,
han stjal mine hjertes tanker i natt.
Han listet seg inn på tå,
og ingen kunne det forstå.
Tyven, tyven skulle ha vært på vakt!

Tyven, Tyven” is a playful Norwegian children's singing game that dates back to at least the early 1900s, though its roots may be older. It’s part of the “sangleker” (singing games) tradition — folk-style songs that children sing while playing circle or chase games. These were once passed orally and commonly played in schoolyards or at family gatherings.

The “tyven” (thief) is usually a character picked in the game, and the others try to guess or catch them.