romantic ballads-第1章

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Romantic　Ballads　
Translated　from　the　Danish　and　Miscellaneous　Pieces

by　George　Borrow

Contents：

Preface
Lines　from　Allan　Cunningham　to　George　Borrow
The　Death…raven。　　From　the　Danish　of　Oehlenslaeger
Fridleif　and　Helga。　　From　the　Danish　of　Oehlenslaeger
Sir　Middel。　　From　the　Old　Danish
Elvir…shades。　　From　the　Danish　of　Oehlenslaeger
The　Heddybee…spectre。　　From　the　Old　Danish
Sir　John。　　From　the　Old　Danish
May　Asda。　　From　the　Danish　of　Oehlenslaeger
Aager　and　Eliza。　　From　the　Old　Danish
Saint　Oluf。　　From　the　Old　Danish
The　Heroes　of　Dovrefeld。　　From　the　Old　Danish
Svend　Vonved。　　From　the　Old　Danish
The　Tournament。　　From　the　Old　Danish
Vidrik　Verlandson。　　From　the　Old　Danish
Elvir　Hill。　　From　the　Old　Danish
Waldemar's　Chase
The　Merman。　　From　the　Old　Danish
The　Deceived　Merman。　　From　the　Old　Danish

Miscellanies：

Cantata
The　Hail…storm。　　From　the　Norse
The　Elder…witch
Ode。　　From　the　Gaelic
Bear　song。　　From　the　Danish　of　Evald
National　song。　　From　the　Danish　of　Evald
The　Old　Oak
Lines　to　Six…foot　Three
Nature's　Temperaments。　　From　the　Danish　of　Oehlenslaeger
The　Violet…gatherer。　　From　the　Danish　of　Oehlenslaeger
Ode　to　a　Mountain…torrent。　　From　the　German　of　Stolberg
Runic　Verses
Thoughts　on　Death。　　From　the　Swedish　of　C。　Lohman
Birds　of　Passage。　　From　the　Swedish
The　Broken　Harp
Scenes
The　Suicide's　Grave。　　From　the　German



PREFACE

The　ballads　in　this　volume　are　translated　from　the　Works　of　　OEHLENSLAEGER；　（a　poet　who　is　yet　living；　and　who　stands　high　in　the　　estimation　of　his　countrymen；）　and　from　the　KIAEMPE　VISER；　a　　collection　of　old　songs；　celebrating　the　actions　of　the　ancient　　heroes　of　Scandinavia。

The　old　Danish　poets　were；　for　the　most　part；　extremely　rude　in　their　　versification。　　Their　stanzas　of　four　or　two　lines　have　not　the　full　　rhyme　of　vowel　and　consonant；　but　merely　what　the　Spaniards　call　the　　〃assonante；〃　or　vowel　rhyme；　and　attention　seldom　seems　to　have　been　　paid　to　the　number　of　FEET　on　which　the　lines　moved　along。　　But；　　however　defective　their　poetry　may　be　in　point　of　harmony　of　numbers；　　it　describes；　in　vivid　and　barbaric　language；　scenes　of　barbaric　　grandeur；　which　in　these　days　are　never　witnessed；　and；　which；　though　　the　modern　muse　may　imagine；　she　generally　fails　in　attempting　to　　pourtray；　from　the　violent　desire　to　be　smooth　and　tuneful；　　forgetting　that　smoothness　and　tunefulness　are　nearly　synonymous　with　　tameness　and　unmeaningness。

I　expect　shortly　to　lay　before　the　public　a　complete　translation　of　　the　KIAEMPE　VISER；　made　by　me　some　years　ago；　and　of　which；　I　hope；　　the　specimens　here　produced　will　not　give　an　unfavourable　idea。

It　was　originally　my　intention　to　publish；　among　the　〃Miscellaneous　　Pieces；〃　several　translations　from　the　Gaelic；　formerly　the　language　　of　the　western　world；　the　noble　tongue


〃A　labhair　Padric'　nninse　Fail　na　Riogh。　'San　faighe　caomhsin　Colum　naomhta'　n　I。〃


Which　Patrick　spoke　in　Innisfail；　to　heathen　chiefs　of　old　Which　Columb；　the　mild　prophet…saint；　spoke　in　his　island…hold　…


but　I　have　retained　them；　with　one　exception；　till　I　possess　a　　sufficient　quantity　to　form　an　entire　volume。



FROM　ALLAN　CUNNINGHAM；　TO　GEORGE　BORROW；　On　his　proposing　to　translate　the　'Kiaepe　Viser。'



Sing；　sing；　my　friend；　breathe　life　again　Through　Norway's　song　and　Denmark's　strain：　On　flowing　Thames　and　Forth；　in　flood；　Pour　Haco's　war…song；　fierce　and　rude。　O'er　England's　strength；　through　Scotland's　cold；　His　warrior　minstrels　marched　of　old　…　Called　on　the　wolf　and　bird　of　prey　To　feast　on　Ireland's　shore　and　bay；　And　France；　thy　forward　knights　and　bold；　Rough　Rollo's　ravens　croaked　them　cold。　Sing；　sing　of　earth　and　ocean's　lords；　Their　songs　as　conquering　as　their　swords；　Strains；　steeped　in　many　a　strange　belief；　Now　stern　as　steel；　now　soft　as　grief　…　Wild；　witching；　warlike；　brief；　sublime；　Stamped　with　the　image　of　their　time；　When　chafedthe　call　is　sharp　and　high　For　carnage；　as　the　eagles　cry；　When　pleasedthe　mood　is　meek；　and　mild；　And　gentle；　as　an　unweaned　child。　Sing；　sing　of　haunted　shores　and　shelves；　St。　Oluf　and　his　spiteful　elves；　Of　that　wise　dame；　in　true　love　need；　Who　of　the　clear　stream　formed　the　steed　…　How　youthful　Svend；　in　sorrow　sharp；　The　inspired　strings　rent　from　his　harp；　And　Sivard；　in　his　cloak　of　felt；　Danced　with　the　green　oak　at　his　belt　…　Or　sing　the　Sorceress　of　the　wood；　The　amorous　Merman　of　the　flood　…　Or　elves　that；　o'er　the　unfathomed　stream；　Sport　thick　as　motes　in　morning　beam　…　Or　bid　me　sail　from　Iceland　Isle；　With　Rosmer　and　fair　Ellenlyle；　What　time　the　blood…crow's　flight　was　south；　Bearing　a　man's　leg　in　its　mouth。　Though　rough　and　rude；　those　strains　are　rife　Of　things　kin　to　immortal　life；　Which　touch　the　heart　and　tinge　the　cheek；　As　deeply　as　divinest　Greek。　In　simple　words　and　unsought　rhyme；　Give　me　the　songs　of　olden　time。



THE　DEATH…RAVEN。　FROM　THE　DANISH　OF　OEHLENSLAEGER。



The　silken　sail；　which　caught　the　summer　breeze；　Drove　the　light　vessel　through　the　azure　seas；　Upon　the　lofty　deck；　Dame　Sigrid　lay；　And　watch'd　the　setting　of　the　orb　of　day：　Then；　all　at　once；　the　smiling　sky　grew　dark；　The　breakers　rav'd；　and　sinking　seem'd　the　bark；　The　wild　Death…raven；　perch'd　upon　the　mast；　Scream'd　'mid　the　tumult；　and　awoke　the　blast。

Dame　Sigrid　saw　the　demon　bird　on　high；　And　tear…drops　started　in　her　beauteous　eye；　Her　cheeks；　which　late　like　blushing　roses　bloom'd；　Had　now　the　pallid　hue　of　fear　assum'd：　〃O　wild　death…raven；　calm　thy　frightful　rage；　Nor　war　with　one　who　warfare　cannot　wage。　Tame　yonder　billows；　make　them　cease　to　roar；　And　I　will　give　thee　pounds　of　golden　ore。〃

〃With　gold　thou　must　not　hope　to　pay　the　brave；　For　gold　I　will　not　calm　a　single　wave；　For　gold　I　will　not　hush　the　stormy　air；　And　yet　my　heart　is　mov'd　by　thy　despair；　Give　me　the　treasure　hid　beneath　thy　belt；　And　straight　yon　clouds　in　harmless　rain　shall　melt；　And　down　I'll　thunder；　with　my　claws　of　steel。　Upon　the　merman　clinging　to　your　keel。〃

〃What　I　conceal'd　beneath　my　girdle　bear；　Is　thineirrevocably　thineI　swear。　Thou　hast　refus'd　a　great　and　noble　prey；　To　get　possession　of　my　closet　key。　Lo！　here　it　is；　and；　when　within　thy　maw；　May'st　thou　much　comfort　from　the　morsel　draw！〃　The　polish'd　steel　upon　the　deck　she　cast；　And　off　the　raven　flutter'd　from　the　mast。

Then　down　at　once　he　plung'd　amid　the　main；　And　clove　the　merman's　frightful　head　in　twain；　The　foam…clad　billows　to　repose　he　brought；　And　tam'd　the　tempest　with　the　speed　of　thought；　Then；　with　a　thrice…repeated　demon　cry；　He　soar'd　aloft　and　vanish'd　in　the　sky：　A　soft　wind　blew　the　ship　towards　the　land；　And　soon　Dame　Sigrid　reach'd　the　wish'd…for　strand。

Once；　late　at　eve；　she　play'd　upon　her　harp；　Close　by　the　lake　where　slowly　swam　the　carp；　And；　as　the　moon…beam　down　upon　her　shone；　She　thought　of　Norway；　and　its　pine…woods　lone。　〃Yet　love　I　Denmark；〃　said　she；　〃and　the　Danes；　For　o'er　them　Alf；　my　mighty　husband；　reigns。〃　Then　'neath　her　girdle　something　mov'd　and　yearn'd；　And　into　terror　all　her　bliss　was　turn'd。

〃Ah！　now　I　know　thy　meaning；　cruel　bird　。　。　。　〃　Long　sat　she；　then；　and　neither　spoke　nor　stirr'd。　Faint；　through　the　mist　which　rob'd　the　sky　in　gray；　The　pale　stars　glimmer'd　from　the　milky　way。　〃Ah！　now　I　know　thy　meaning；　cruel　bird　。　。　。　〃　She　strove　in　vain　to　breathe　another　word。　Above　her　head；　its　leaf　the　aspen　shook　…　Moist　as　her　cheek；　and　pallid　as　her　look。

Full　five　months　pass'd；　ere　she；　'mid　night　and　gloom；　Brought　forth　with　pain　an　infant　from　her　womb：　They　baptiz'd　it；　at　midnight's　murky　hour；　Lest　it　should　fall　within　the　demon's　power。　It　was　a　boy；　more　lovely　than　the　morn；　Yet　Sigrid's　heart　with　bitter　care　was　torn。　Deep　in　a　grot；　through　which　a　brook　did　flow；　With　crystal　drops　they　sprinkled　Harrald's　brow。

He　grew　and　grew；　till　upon　Danish　ground　No　youth　to　match　the　stripling　could　be　found；　He　was　at　once　so　graceful　and　so　strong　…　His　look　was　fire；　and　his　speech　was　song。　When　yet　a　child；　he　tam'd　the　battle　steed；　And　only　thought　of　war　and　daring　deed；　But　yet　Queen　Sigrid　nurs'd　prophetic　fears；　And　when　she　view'd　him；　always　swam　in　tears。

One　evening　late；　she　lay　upon