HERR OLAF - SCANDINAVIAN FOLK BALLAD

HERR OLAF

or,

THE ELVEN CURSE

Herr Olaf he canters criss-crossing the land,

inviting his friends, for his is his bride's hand,

but lightly they dance in the mist through the woodlands.

But as he came out to a clearing so green,

the elves' dance, so light and fair, came to be seen,

so lightly they dance in the mist through the woodlands.

There danced three of them with him, then there danced four,

the Elven Queen reached out her own hand, for sure:

"Come, lightly to dance in the mist through the woodlands!"

"Now listen, Herr Olaf; should you dance with me,

I'll give costly gifts that few mortals can see!

Come, lightly to dance in the mist through the woodlands!"

"Two deer-leather boots that your shins will fit well,

with buckles and spurs of pure gold, I can tell!

Come, lightly to dance in the mist through the woodlands!"

"A silken shirt soft as an earnest love tune;

my mother washed it in the light of full moon!

Come, lightly to dance in the mist through the woodlands!"

"I do not dare, I cannot stay by your side;

tomorrow, to wife I am taking my bride!

Not lightly I'll dance in the mist through the woodlands!"

"If you will not dance with me, things will be worse;

you shall be pursued with an illness and curse,

ne'er lightly to dance in the mist through the woodlands!"

She struck him right on the left side of the chest;

the strike reached his heart, which felt stirred and oppressed.

Ne'er lightly he'd dance in the mist through the woodlands!

"Now, ride back to your home and dear fiancée,

and do not forget that tomorrow's the day

that lightly you'll dance in the mist through the woodlands!"

When Herr Olaf reached, thus, his native keep's door,

his dear lady mother sat there, right for sure.

Ne'er lightly she'd dance in the mist through the woodlands!

"Herr Olaf, my proud boy, my strapping young lad,

why are you so pale, why so gaunt and so sad?

Soon, lightly you'll dance in the mist through the woodlands!"

"Dear mother, if I'm pale, 'tis because, by chance,

I've been in the circle of elves at their dance...

So lightly they danced in the mist through the woodlands!"

"Now listen, my lad; how take we this in stride?

What shall I reply to the young lovely bride?

So lightly she'd dance in the mist through the woodlands!"

"Say that, for a while, I'm remaining outdoors...

that, to ease my thoughts, I am riding my horse,

not lightly to dance in the mist through the woodlands!"

Next day, ere the dawn sun could rise in the east,

came the crowned, veiled bride and her maids for the feast:

so lightly they'd dance in the mist through the woodlands!

"They've poured us the brandy, the wine, and the mead...

But where's my dear Olaf? I miss him indeed...

So lightly we'd dance in the mist through the woodlands!"

"Herr Olaf is restless, and staying outdoors;

to ease his dark thoughts, he is riding his horse,

not lightly to dance in the mist through the woodlands!"

She lifted the covers so scarlet, bright red,

and there slept Herr Olaf, so peacefully dead;

ne'er lightly to dance in the mist through the woodlands!

It happened ere the sun could rise on next day:

Herr Olaf in a black, flower-wreathed coffin lay.

Not lightly they danced in the mist through the woodlands.

Not only Herr Olaf; too, the lovely bride

was buried beneath the dark soil by his side.

Not lightly they'd dance in the mist through the woodlands.

Herr Olaf, his mother, and his fiancée

were all three interred, side by side, on that day,

as elves lightly danced in the mist through the woodlands...

Word of mouth (Vox populi)

 Translated from the Scandinavian languages by Sandra Dermark

Valencia, October MMXVIII