If what I've found on the Internet is right, the two verses sung by Troy are in Cumbrian language and they mean something like "go to the river, you'll find a fairyland".
Then the song is structured like a ballad, with repeated verses and a protagonist who comes across different characters, that are the 4 birds represented in the song: the crow, symbol of pride (in Mr. Holopainen's opinion, at least); the owl, symbol of wisdom; the dove, symbol of peace and love (especially in Christian culture); the swan (which doesn't appear on the CD and whose lines are sung in a different way), symbol of beauty. All these elements are in the chorus, too, among the characteristics that Tuomas refuses, preferring innocence and truth (which are universal themes in his works).
I won't try to guess whether the 4 birds represent kinds of human beings.
If what I've found on the Internet is right, the two verses sung by Troy are in Cumbrian language and they mean something like "go to the river, you'll find a fairyland".
Then the song is structured like a ballad, with repeated verses and a protagonist who comes across different characters, that are the 4 birds represented in the song: the crow, symbol of pride (in Mr. Holopainen's opinion, at least); the owl, symbol of wisdom; the dove, symbol of peace and love (especially in Christian culture); the swan (which doesn't appear on the CD and whose lines are sung in a different way), symbol of beauty. All these elements are in the chorus, too, among the characteristics that Tuomas refuses, preferring innocence and truth (which are universal themes in his works).
I won't try to guess whether the 4 birds represent kinds of human beings.