The Project Gutenberg eBook of Marsk Stig's Daughters, and Other Songs and Ballads

This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

Title: Marsk Stig's Daughters, and Other Songs and Ballads

Editor: Thomas James Wise

Translator: George Borrow

Release date: October 7, 2008 [eBook #26832]

Language: English

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARSK STIG'S DAUGHTERS, AND OTHER SONGS AND BALLADS ***

Transcribed from the 1913 Thomas J. Wise pamphlet by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org

MARSK STIG’S

DAUGHTERS

AND OTHER

SONGS AND BALLADS

BY

GEORGE BORROW

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION

1913

CONTENTS

PAGE

Marsk Stig’s Daughters

7

The Three Expectants

11

Translation: “One Summer morn, as I was seeking”

13

The English Gipsy

14

Gipsy Song

16

The Heart is heavy, Brother

17

Song: “Nastrond’s blazes”

19

Lines: “To read the great mysterious Past”

21

MARSK STIG’S DAUGHTERS

Two daughters fair the Marshal had,

O grievous was their fate and sad.

The eldest she took her sister’s hand

And away they went to Sweden’s land.

Home from the Stevn King Byrgye rode;

Up to him Marsk Stig’s daughters trode.

“What women ye who beset my gate?

What brings ye hither at eve so late?”

“Daughters of Stig, the Marshal brave,

So earnestly thee for help we crave.”

“Hence, hence away, ye outcasts two,

Your sire accurst my uncle slew.”

“Guiltless are we of Erik’s blood,

So wide we wander in quest of food.”

The eldest she takes her sister’s hand,

And away they went into Norway’s land.

Home from the Ting King Erik rode

Up to him Marsk Stig’s daughters trode.

“What women are ye whom here I view,

And what may ye in my country do?”

“Daughters of Stig, the Marshal brave

So earnestly thee for help we crave.”

“To brew and bake full well ye know”—

“Alas, Sir King, not so, not so.

“To brew and bake we do not know,

We never stoop’d to employ so low.

“To spin red gold that is our pride,

Our mother taught us ere she died.

“And we can weave galloon as well

As the maidens with the Queen that dwell.

“We can weave red gold with wool,

But oh, our hearts with grief are full.

“Had Marsk Stig stay’d in Denmark green,

Different far our fate had been.

“Had Ingeborg not chanc’d to die,

We had not borne this misery.”

King Erik replied in gentle tone:

“I knew your father like my own;

“He was a man in heart and hand,

Whose like lives not in any land.”

O’er them he threw his mantle red,

To the ladies’ chamber them he led.

He bade them no more tears to shed,

For he would stand in their father’s stead.

The eldest sister began the weft,

The youngest finished what she left.

In the first lace she wove so true

The Virgin Mary and Christ Jesu.

And in the second of Norway land

She wove the Queen and her maiden band.

Of the antler’d hart they wove the chase,

They wove themselves with pallid face.

They wove with nimble fingers small

Of God the holy Angels all.

The youngest sister the woof up caught,

And that before the Queen she brought.

Then into her eyes the tears they came,

“Thou art not our Mother, Queenly Dame.

“Wert thou our mother or sister dear,

With praises thou our hearts wouldst cheer.

“But in thine eye no praise I see,

Misfortune is our destiny.”

The eldest sicken’d, and sick she lay,

The youngest tended her night and day.

The eldest died of grief of heart,

The youngest liv’d with sorrow and smart.

THE THREE EXPECTANTS

There are three for my death that now pine,

Though one and all wondrous civil;

Would that all of them hung on a line,

My children, the worms, and the Devil.

My body, my soul, and my gear,

When down to the grave I descend,

The three hope among them to share,

And to revel on time without end.

But there is not one of the three,

To the others though kindly affected,

For both of their shares would agree

To resign his own portion expected.

The Devil, so harsh and austere,

Who only in evil hath joy,

Would scorn to take body and gear

For my soul, that sweet beautiful toy.

My children would rather possess

The gear I have toil’d so to gather,

Though for me fervent love they profess,

Than the body and soul of their father.

The worms, though my children will make

A lament when I’m laid in the hole,

Would my body in preference take

To my gear or my beautiful soul.

Oh, Christ! who wast hung on a tree,

And wast pierc’d by a fool in his madness;

Since each of them plund’ring would be,

Send each disappointment and sadness.

TRANSLATION

One summer morn, as I was seeking

My ponies in their green retreat,

I heard a lady sing a ditty

To me which sounded strangely sweet.

I am the ladye, I am the ladye,

I am the ladye loving the knight;

I in the green wood ’neath the green branches

In the night season sleep with the knight.

Since yonder summer morn of beauty

I’ve seen many a gloomy year;

But in my mind still lives the ditty

That in the green wood met my ear.

I am the ladye, I am the ladye,

I am the ladye loving the knight;

I in the green wood ’neath the green branches

In the night season sleep with the knight.

THE ENGLISH GIPSY

He

As I to the town was going one day

My Roman lass I met by the way.

Said I, “Young maid, will you share my lot?”

Said she, “Another wife you’ve got.”

“Ah, no!” to my Roman lass I cried,

“No wife have I in the world so wide;

And you my wedded wife shall be,

If you will consent to come with me.”

She

As I to the town was going one day

I met a young Roman upon the way.

Said he, “Young maid will you share my lot?”

Said I, “Another wife you’ve got.”

“No, no!” the handsome young Roman cried.

“No wife have I in the world so wide;

And you my wedded wife shall be,

If you will share my lot with me.”

GIPSY SONG

Up, up, brothers,

Cease your revels!

The Gentile’s coming—

Run like devils.

I do not like your way of life

Ye men of Christian creed;

I’d rather live the kind of life

Which forest foxes lead.

OUR HEART IS HEAVY, BROTHER

The strength of the ox,

The wit of the fox,

And the leveret’s speed;

All, all to oppose

Their numerous foes

The Romany need.

Our horses they take,

Our wagons they break,

And us they seize

In their prisons to coop,

Where we pine and droop

For want of breeze.

When the dead swallow

The fly shall follow

Across the sea,

We’ll then forget

The wrongs we have met,

And forgiving be—

Brother, of that be certain.

SONG

Nastrond’s blazes,

How fierce ye roar!

The deepmost deeps feel

Valhal’s power.

Sulphurous blazes,

Which with dismay

Strike e’en the Aser,

Our voice obey!

Poisonous blazes,

Harden a spear

For Valhal’s may!

Poisonous blazes.

Harden a spear

For Valhal’s may!

Poisonous blazes,

Harden a spear

For Valhal’s may!

In juice of rue

And trefoil too,

In marrow of bear

And blood of trold,

Be cool’d the spear,

Three times cool’d,

When hot from fire

Of Nastrond dire,

For Valhal’s may.

Whom it woundeth

It shall slay.

Whom it woundeth

It shall slay.

Whom it woundeth

It shall slay.

LINES

To read the great mysterious Past

They are yearning;

But to mist the writings old fast, fast

Are turning.

O, how inviting

The deeds of yore!

But the ancient writing

Mist sweeps o’er.

* * * * *

LONDON:

Printed for THOMAS J. WISE, Hampstead, N.W.

Edition limited to Thirty Copies.

*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARSK STIG'S DAUGHTERS, AND OTHER SONGS AND BALLADS ***

Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will be renamed.

Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away—you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.

START: FULL LICENSE

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting the free distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project Gutenberg™ License available with this file or online at www.gutenberg.org/license.

Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works

1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg™ electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in your possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg™ electronic works even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project Gutenberg™ electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.

1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the United States and you are located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg™ works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg™ name associated with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg™ License when you share it without charge with others.

1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project Gutenberg™ work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any country other than the United States.

1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg™ License must appear prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg™ work (any work on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, copied or distributed:

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg™ trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is posted with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked to the Project Gutenberg™ License for all works posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.

1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg™ License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg™.

1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project Gutenberg™ License.

1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg™ work in a format other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official version posted on the official Project Gutenberg™ website (www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg™ License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg™ works unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing access to or distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works provided that:

- • You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from the use of Project Gutenberg™ works calculated using the method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, but he has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in Section 4, “Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.”

- • You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg™ License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg™ works.

- • You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of receipt of the work.

- • You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works.

1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project Gutenberg™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain “Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment.

1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, and any other party distributing a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further opportunities to fix the problem.

1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’, WITH NO OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.

1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone providing copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg™ work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg™ work, and (c) any Defect you cause.

Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg™

Project Gutenberg™ is synonymous with the free distribution of electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg™’s goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg™ collection will remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure and permanent future for Project Gutenberg™ and future generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org.

Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation

The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws.

The Foundation’s business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the Foundation’s website and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact

Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation

Project Gutenberg™ depends upon and cannot survive without widespread public support and donations to carry out its mission of increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the widest array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate.

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate.

Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg™ electronic works

Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg™ concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project Gutenberg™ eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.

Project Gutenberg™ eBooks are often created from several printed editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.

Most people start at our website which has the main PG search facility: www.gutenberg.org.

This website includes information about Project Gutenberg™, including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.

Table of Contents

MARSK STIG’S DAUGHTERS and other SONGS AND BALLADS

CONTENTS

MARSK STIG’S DAUGHTERS

THE THREE EXPECTANTS

TRANSLATION

THE ENGLISH GIPSY

GIPSY SONG

OUR HEART IS HEAVY, BROTHER

SONG

LINES

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE