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| Child Maidelvold. [The fair Sidselil, of all maidens the flower] Another, but widely different and altogether inferior, version of this beautiful and pathetic ballad—one of Borrow’s best—was printed (under the title Skion Middel) in The Monthly Magazine, November, 1823, p. 308; and again (under the amended title Sir Middel, and with a slightly revised text) in Romantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 28–31. In these earlier versions the name of the heroine is Swanelil in place of Sidselil, and that of the hero is Sir Middel in place of Child Maidelvold. | 5 |
| Sir Peter. [Sir Peter and Kirstin they sat by the board] | 11 |
| Ingefred and Gudrune. [Ingefred and Gudrune they sate in their bower] | 15 |
| Sir Ribolt. [Ribolt the son of a Count was he] | 20 |
As a further example of these Ballads I give Ingefred and Gudrune in full.
INGEFRED AND GUDRUNE [199]
Ingefred and Gudrune they sate in their bower,
Each bloomed a beauteous fragrant flower—
So sweet it is in summer tide!A working the gold fair Ingefred kept,
Still sate Gudrune, and bitterly wept.“Dear sister Gudrune so fain I’d know
Why down thy cheek the salt tears flow?”“Cause enough have I to be thus forlorn,
With a load of sorrow my heart is worn.“Hear, Ingefred, hear what I say to thee,
Wilt thou to-night stand bride for me?“If bride for me thou wilt stand to-night,
I’ll give thee my bridal clothes thee to requite.“And more, much more to thee I’ll give,
All my bride jewels thou shalt receive.”“O, I will not stand for bride in thy room,
Save I also obtain thy merry bridegroom.”“Betide me whatever the Lord ordain,
From me my bridegroom thou never shalt gain.”In silks so costly the bride they arrayed,
And unto the kirk the bride they conveyed.In golden cloth weed the holy priest stands,
He joins of Gudrune and Samsing the hands.O’er the downs and green grass meadows they sped,
Where the herdsman watched his herd as it fed.“Of thy beauteous self, dear Damsel, take heed,
Ne’er enter the house of Sir Samsing, I rede.“Sir Samsing possesses two nightingales
Who tell of the Ladies such wondrous tales.“With their voices of harmony they can declare
Whether maiden or none has fallen to his share.”The chariot they stopped in the green wood shade,
An exchange ’twixt them of their clothes they made.They change of their dress whatever they please,
Their faces they cannot exchange with ease.To Sir Samsung’s house the bride they conveyed,
Of the ruddy gold no spare was made.On the bridal throne the bride they plac’d,
They skinked the mead for the bride to taste.Then said from his place the court buffoon:
“Methinks thou art Ingefred, not Gudrune.”From off her hand a gold ring she took,
Which she gave the buffoon with entreating look.Said he: “I’m an oaf, and have drunk too hard,
To words of mine pay no regard.”’Twas deep at night, and down fell the mist,
To her bed the young bride they assist.Sir Samsing spoke to his nightingales twain:
“Before my young bride sing now a strain.“A song now sing which shall avouch
Whether I’ve a maiden or none in my couch.”“A maid’s in the bed, that’s certain and sure,
Gudrune is standing yet on the floor.”“Proud Ingefred, straight from my couch retire!
Gudrune come hither, or dread my ire!“Now tell me, Gudrune, with open heart,
What made thee from thy bed depart?”“My father, alas! dwelt near the strand,
When war and bloodshed filled the land.“Full eight there were broke into my bower,
One only ravished my virgin flower.”Upon her fair cheek he gave a kiss:
“My dearest, my dearest, all sorrow dismiss;“My swains they were that broke into thy bower,
’Twas I that gathered thy virgin flower.”Fair Ingefred gained, because bride she had been,
One of the King’s knights of handsome mien.
There is a copy of Child Maidelvold and Other Ballads in the Library of the British Museum. The Press-mark is C. 44. d. 38.
(39) [Ermeline: 1913]
Ermeline / A Ballad / By / George Borrow / London: / Printed for Private Circulation / 1913.
Collation:—Square demy octavo, pp. 23; consisting of: Half-title (with blank reverse) pp. 1–2; Title-page, as above (with blank reverse) pp. 3–4; and Text of the Poems pp. 5–23. There are head-lines throughout, each page being headed with the title of the particular poem occupying it. Upon the reverse of