SWEDEN
Let’s start with the Swedish Buddy Bear,
painted by Laila Olofsson.
Why is he wearing a nightshirt??
The clue is found in a little note on the side:
The artist got her inspiration for this bear from a popular Swedish sing-along summer waltz (Sjösala vals) from 1941 by Evert Taube (1890-1976).
Sjösala was the name of the Taube family’s summer house, located in the idyllic Stockholm archipelago. The lyrics describe a man, Rönnerdal, jumping happily out of bed on an early summer morning, running outside in his nightshirt, dancing in the field, enjoying the birds and nature. He puts a chain of daisies on his head and dances back in to wake up the rest of his family with music. His children think he looks like a bride with the nightshirt and the flowers on his head.
You can listen to the song at YouTube, sung by Evert’s son Sven-Bertil Taube, at a public sing-along concert:
http://youtu.be/97waCi-fkMo
These are still making me laugh.
ReplyDeletewhile listening to the song I could see this sweet and very cute little bear running and jumping. it is perfect for the music.
ReplyDeleteI thought he'd come down early on Christmas morning to see what was under the tree!
ReplyDeleteIn Sweden there's nothing left under the tree on Christmas morning. We open our presents on Christmas Eve!
DeleteI LOVE your header and now we get to see the bears up close and hear each ones story, what could be better, I love this bear's story!
ReplyDeleteI can see these are going to be real fun as well as interesting.
ReplyDelete