Although the course of the tale may differ in accordance with national, as well as local regions, its plot however remains roughly the same:
A woman finds herself in love with the betrothed of her beautiful younger sister. Driven mad with jealousy, she lures her sister down to the river, and pushes her into the water. As a result of this act, the poor girl drowns, and floats ashore. By and by, her corpse is found by two wanderers who make a harp of it. They then decide to bring it with them to the farm where the oldest sister is celebrating her wedding, in her little sister's place. When placed in front of the bride, the harp starts to play single-handedly, and tells the tale about the murder.
The concept of a story starring one wicked sister, and one kind, is well known also in many of the European fairytales. In this ballad however, the most essential subject concerns the belief in transmigration, enabling a deceased person to come back to life in another form. Fairytales from several continents recounts how an instrument reveals that there has been a murder. The instrument can be made from a tree that grows on the grave of the deceased, or part of his or her body (as is the case in this ballad).
In some varieties the older sister gets punished, while in others the youngest is brought back to life. These are subjects that are not found in the English and Scottish varieties, a fact leading Norwegian professor Knut Liestøl to publish an article about this ballad in 1909. Here he wrote that he could hardly imagine that such central motifs would have been forgotten, and that they must have evolved after the song came to Scandinavia. This is one of the main reasons why he believed the ballad originally to be English. In recent times, a number of artists continue to take this gripping song under their wings; among them we find Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and Loreena McKennit.
Also in Norway, it remains among the most widespread folk songs. The following version is beautifully performed by the Norwegian folk-rock band Bergtatt, first released on their album Røtter in 2009.
Det bodde en bonde ved en strand, - Harpa toner var og fin – To fagre døtre hadde han. Fa la la la la la la la la la
(There lived a farmer by a beach -The harp sings delicate and tender – Two beautiful daughters, he had -Fa la la la la la la la la la –)
Den eldste til den yngre sa:- Harpa toner var og fin –"Kom la oss ned til elven dra."- Fa la la la la la la la la la –
(The eldest to the youngest said, - The harp sings delicate and tender – "Come let us go down to the river." -Fa la la la la la la la la la-)
Den yngste gikk føre som en sol,- Harpa toner var og fin – den eldre etter som orm i jord.- Fa la la la la la la la la la –
(The youngest went ahead, bright as the sun, - The harp sings delicate and tender - the older lagged behind like a worm in the dirt. -Fa la la la la la la la la la –)
Den yngste satte seg på en stein,- Harpa toner var og fin – den eldste dyttet, hun var ikke sein.- Fa la la la la la la la la la –
(The youngest sat down on a cliff, - The harp sings delicate and tender – the oldest pushed her, she did not hesitate. - Fa la la la la la la la la la –)
Hun strakte ut sin hvite hand, - Harpa toner var og fin – Og ropte, ”søster, hjelp meg i land!” - Fa la la la la la la la la la –
(She stretched out her white hand, - The harp sings delicate and tender – And shouted, “sister, help me ashore!” (Fa la la la la la la la la la –)
"Nei, hvis jeg ikke hjelper deg- Harpa toner var og fin - så vil din kjæreste ekte meg."-Fa la la la la la la la la la -
(No, if I do not help you - The harp sings delicate and tender - then your sweetheart will marry me. " -Fa la la la la la la la la la -)
Det var to gjetere ved denne strand,- Harpa toner var og fin- og de fant liket som drev i land.-Fa la la la la la la la la la -
(There were two shepherds at the beach, - The harp sings delicate and tender - and they found the body drifting ashore. - Fa la la la la la la la la la-)
De tok fra hennes kropp et ben,- Harpa toner var og fin- og gjorde av det en harpe ven.-Fa la la la la la la la la la-
(They took from her body a bone, - The fair harp sings - and made of it a beautiful harp. - Fa la la la la la la la la la -)
Og av tre lokker fra hennes hår,- Harpa toner var og fin - harpa gylne strenger får.-Fa la la la la la la la la la-
(And from three locks of hair, - The harp sings delicate and tender - the harp gets golden strings. -Fa la la la la la la la la la -)
Til søsterens bryllup ble harpa brakt.- Harpa toner var og fin - Og på en stubbe, der ble den lagt.-Fa la la la la la la la la la-
(To her sister's wedding, the harp was brought. - The harp sings delicate and tender - There it was placed on a tree stub. -Fa la la la la la la la la la -)
Og det var senere på denne kveld,-Harpa toner var og fin - at harpa spilte av seg selv.
-Fa la la la la la la la la la- (And it was later that evening, - The harp sings delicate and tender - the harp started playing all by itself. -Fa la la la la la la la la la -)
Da den første strengen låt,- Harpa toner var og fin - Den fortalte om brudens onde dåd.- Fa la la la la la la la la la -
(And when the first string sang, - The fair harp sings - It spoke of the brides evil deeds. -Fa la la la la la la la la la -)
Da den andre strengen slo,-Harpa toner var og fin- bruden som forsteinet sto.- Fa la la la la la la la la la -
(And when the second string was struck, - The harp sings delicate and tender - the bride stood as petrified. -Fa la la la la la la la la la -)
Sources:
- Middelalderballader. Utgitt av Norsk Visearkiv. URL: http://www.bokselskap.no/wp-content/themes/bokselskap/tekster/pdf/30ballader.pdf
- Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (vol. 1), Dover Publications: New York, 1965
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