Page.

Introductory Verses.  By Allan Cunningham.  [Sing, sing, my friend; breathe life again]

ix

The Death-Raven.  [The silken sail, which caught the summer breeze]

I give herewith a reduced facsimile of the first page of the original Manuscript of this Ballad.  No other MS. of it is known to be extant.

1

Fridleif and Helga.  [The woods were in leaf, and they cast a sweet shade]

21

Sir Middel.  [So tightly was Swanelil lacing her vest]

Previously printed (under the title Skion Middel, the first line reading, “The maiden was lacing so tightly her vest,”) in The Monthly Magazine, November 1823, p. 308.  Apart from the opening line, the text of the two versions (with the exception of a few trifling verbal changes) is identical.

Another, but widely different, version of this Ballad is printed in Child Maidelvold and Other Ballads, 1913, pp. 5–10.  In this latter version the name of the heroine is Sidselil in place of Swanelil, and that of the hero is Child Maidelvold in place of Sir Middel.

28

Elvir-Shades.  [A sultry eve pursu’d a sultry day]

Considerable differences are to be observed between the text of the Manuscript of Elvir-Shades and that of the printed version.  For example, as printed the second stanza reads:

I spurr’d my courser, and more swiftly rode,
   In moody silence, through the forests green,
Where doves and linnets had their lone abode.

In the Manuscript it reads:

Immers’d in pleasing pensiveness I rode
   Down vistas dim, and glades of forest green,
Where doves and nightingales had their abode.

32

The Heddybee-Spectre.  [I clomb in haste my dappled steed]

In 1829 Borrow discarded his original (1826) version of The Heddybee-Spectre, and made an entirely new translation.  This was written in couplets, with a refrain repeated after each.  In 1854 the latter version was revised, and represents the final text.  It commences thus:

At evening fall I chanced to ride,
My courser to a tree I tied.
   So wide thereof the story goes.

Against a stump my head I laid,
And then to slumber I essay’d
   So wide thereof the story goes.

From the Manuscript of 1854 the ballad was printed (under the amended title The Heddeby Spectre) in Signelil, A Tale from the Cornish, and Other Ballads, 1913, pp. 22–24.  Borrow afterwards described the present early version as ‘a paraphrase.’

37

Sir John.  [Sir Lavé to the island stray’d]

There is extant a Manuscript of Sir John which apparently belongs to an earlier date than 1826.  The text differs considerably from that of the Romantic Ballads.  I give a few stanzas of each.

1826.

The servants led her then to bed,
But could not loose her girdle red!
“I can, perhaps,” said John.

He shut the door with all his might;
He lock’d it fast, and quench’d the light:
“I shall sleep here,” said John.

A servant to Sir Lavé hied:—
“Sir John is sleeping with the bride:”
“Aye, that I am,” said John.

Sir Lavé to the chamber flew:
“Arise, and straight the door undo!”
“A likely thing!” said John.

He struck with shield, he struck with spear—
“Come out, thou Dog, and fight me here!”
“Another time,” said John.

Early MS.

They carried the bride to the bridal bed,
But to loose her girdle ne’er entered their head—
   “Be that my care,” said John.

Sir John locked the door as fast as he might:
“I wish Sir Lavé a very good night,
   I shall sleep here,” said John.

A messenger to Sir Lavé hied:
“Sir John is sleeping with thy young bride!”
   “Aye, that I am!” said John.

On the door Sir Lavé struck with his glove:
“Arise, Sir John, let me in to my love!”
   “Stand out, you dog!” said John.

He struck on the door with shield and spear:
“Come out, Sir John, and fight me here!”
   “See if I do!” said John.

40

May Asda.  [May Asda is gone to the merry green wood]

44

Aager and Eliza.  [Have ye heard of bold Sir Aager]

47

Saint Oluf.  [St. Oluf was a mighty king]

Of Saint Oluf there are three MSS. extant, the first written in 1826, the second in 1829, and the third in 1854.  In the two later MSS. the title given to the Ballad is Saint Oluf and the Trolds.  As the latest MS. affords the final text of the Poem, I give a few of the variants between it and the printed version of 1826

1826.

St. Oluf built a lofty ship,
With sails of silk so fair;
“To Hornelummer I must go,
And see what’s passing there.”

“O do not go,” the seamen said,
“To yonder fatal ground,
Where savage Jutts, and wicked elves,
And demon sprites, abound.”

St. Oluf climb’d the vessel’s side;
His courage nought could tame!
“Heave up, heave up the anchor straight;
Let’s go in Jesu’s name.

“The cross shall be my faulchion now—
The book of God my shield;
And, arm’d with them, I hope and trust
To make the demons yield!”

And swift, as eagle cleaves the sky,
The gallant vessel flew,
Direct for Hornelummer’s rock,
Through ocean’s wavy blue.

’Twas early in the morning tide
When she cast anchor there;
And, lo! the Jutt stood on the cliff,
To breathe the morning air:

His eyes were like the burning beal—
His mouth was all awry;
The truth I tell, and say he stood
Full twenty cubits high.

* * * * *

“Be still, be still, thou noisy guest—
Be still for evermore;
Become a rock and beetle there,
Above the billows hoar.”

Up started then, from out the hill,
The demon’s hoary wife;
She curs’d the king a thousand times,
And brandish’d high her knife.

Sore wonder’d then the little elves,
Who sat within the hill,
To see their mother, all at once,
Stand likewise stiff and still.

1854.

Saint Oluf caused a ship be built,
   At Marsirand so fair;
To Hornelummer he’ll away,
   And see what’s passing there.

Then answer made the steersman old,
   Beside the helm who stood:
“At Hornelummer swarm the Trolas,
   It is no haven good.”

The king replied in gallant guise,
   And sprang upon the prow:
“Upon the Ox [23] the cable cast,
   In Jesu’s name let go!”

The Ox he pants, the Ox he snorts,
   And bravely cuts the swell—
To Hornelummer in they sail
   The ugly Trolds to quell.

The Jutt was standing on the cliff,
   Which raises high its brow;
And thence he saw Saint Oluf, and
   The Ox beneath him go.

His eyes were like a burning beal,
   His mouth was all awry,
The nails which feve’d his fingers’ ends
   Stuck out so wondrously.

“Now hold thy peace, thou foulest fiend,
   And changed be to stone;
Do thou stand there ’till day of doom,
   And injury do to none.”

Then out came running from the hill
   The carline old and grey;
She cursed the King a thousand times,
   And bade him sail away.

Then wondered much the little Trolds,
   Who sat within the hill,
To see their mother all at once
   Stand likewise stiff and still.

The entire ballad should be compared with King Oluf the Saint, printed in Queen Berngerd, The Bard and the Dreams, and Other Ballads, 1913, pp 23–29.

53

The Heroes of Dovrefeld.  [On Dovrefeld, in Norway]

Another version of The Heroes of Dovrefeld, written in 1854, is extant in manuscript.  Unlike that of 1826, which was in four line stanzas, this later version is arranged in couplets, with a refrain repeated after each.  It commences as follows:

On Dovrefeld in Norroway
Free from care the warriors lay.
   Who knows like us to rhyme and rune?

Twelve bold warriors there were seen,
Brothers of Ingeborg the Queen.
   Who knows like us to rhyme and rune?

The first the rushing storm could turn,
The second could still the running burn.
   Who knows like us to rhyme and rune?

58

Svend Vonved.  [Svend Vonved sits in his lonely bower]

In a Manuscript of 1830 the name employed is Swayne Vonved.  There is no 1854 Manuscript of this Ballad.

61

The Tournament.  [Six score there were, six score and ten]

The Tournament was one of the Ballads entirely rewritten by Borrow in 1854 for inclusion in the then projected Kœmpe Viser.  The text of the later version differed greatly from that of 1826, as the following extracts will show:

1826.

Six score there were, six score and ten,
   From Hald that rode that day;
And when they came to Brattingsborg
   They pitch’d their pavilion gay.

King Nilaus stood on the turrets top,
   Had all around in sight:
“Why hold those heroes their lives so cheap,
   That it lists them here to fight?

“Now, hear me, Sivard Snaresvend;
   Far hast thou rov’d, and wide,
Those warriors’ weapons thou shalt prove,
   To their tent thou must straightway ride.”

* * * * *

There shine upon the eighteenth shield
   A man, and a fierce wild boar,
Are borne by the Count of Lidebierg;
   His blows fall heavy and sore.

There shines upon the twentieth shield,
   Among branches, a rose, so gay;
Wherever Sir Nordman comes in war,
   He bears bright honour away.

There shines on the one-and-twentieth shield
   A vase, and of copper ’tis made;
That’s borne by Mogan Sir Olgerson:
   He wins broad lands with his blade.

And now comes forth the next good shield,
   With a sun dispelling the mirk;
And that by Asbiorn Mildé is borne;
   He sets the knights’ backs at work.

Now comes the four-and-twentieth shield,
   And a bright sword there you see;
And that by Humble Sir Jerfing is borne;
   Full worthy of that is he.

* * * * *

Sir Humble struck his hand on the board;
   No longer he lists to play:
I tell you, forsooth, that the rosy hue
   From his cheek fast faded away.

“Now, hear me, Vidrik Verlandson;
   Thou art so free a man;
Do lend me Skimming, thy