Herr Mannerlig - Sir Mannerlig Lyrics

Herr Mannerlig - Sir Mannerlig

Herr Mannerlig  
 
Bittida en morgon innan solen upprann  
Innan foglarna började sjunga  
Bergatrollet friade till fager ungersven  
Hon hade en falskeliger tunga  
 
:Herr Mannelig herr Mannelig trolofven i mig  
För det jag bjuder så gerna  
I kunnen väl svara endast ja eller nej  
Om i viljen eller ej:  
 
Eder vill jag gifva de gångare tolf  
Som gå uti rosendelunde  
Aldrig har det varit någon sadel uppå dem  
Ej heller betsel uti munnen  
 
Eder vill jag gifva de qvarnarna tolf  
Som stå mellan Tillö och Ternö  
Stenarna de äro af rödaste gull  
Och hjulen silfverbeslagna  
 
Eder vill jag gifva ett förgyllande svärd  
Som klingar utaf femton guldringar  
Och strida huru I strida vill  
Stridsplatsen skolen i väl vinna  
 
Eder vill jag gifva en skjorta så ny  
Den bästa I lysten att slita  
Inte är hon sömnad av nål eller trå  
Men virkat av silket det hvita  
 
Sådana gåfvor toge jag väl emot  
Om du vore en kristelig qvinna  
Men nu så är du det värsta bergatroll  
Af Neckens och djävulens stämma  
 
Bergatrollet ut på dörren sprang  
Hon rister och jämrar sig svåra  
Hade jag fått den fager ungersven  
Så hade jag mistat min plåga  
 
Herr Mannelig herr Mannelig trolofven i mig  
För det jag bjuder så gerna  
I kunnen väl svara endast ja eller nej  
Om i viljen eller ej  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sir Mannerlig  
 
Early one morning before the sun did rise  
And the birds sang their sweet song  
The mountain troll proposed to the fair squire  
She had a false deceitful tongue  
 
Sir Mannelig, Sir Mannelig won`t you marry me  
For all that I`ll gladly give you  
You may answer only yes or no  
Will you do so or no  
 
To you I will give the twelve great steeds  
That graze in a shady grove  
Never has a saddle been mounted on their backs  
Nor had a bit in their mouths  
 
To you I will give the twelve fine mills  
That stand between Tillo and Terno  
The mill stones are made of the reddest brass  
And the wheels are silver-laden  
 
To you I will give the gilded sword  
That jingles from fifteen gold rings  
And strike with it in battle as you will  
On the battlefield you will conquer  
 
To you I will give a brand new shirt  
The lustrous best for to wear  
It is not sewn with needle or thread  
But crocheted of the whitest silk  
 
Gifts such as these I would gladly receive  
If you were a Christian woman  
But I know you are the worst mountain troll  
From the spawn of Necken and the devil  
 
The mountain troll ran out the door She wailed and she shrieked so loudly  
"Had I gotten that handsome squire  
From my torment I would be free now"  
 
Sir Mannelig, Sir Mannelig won`t you marry me  
For all that I`ll gladly give you  
You may answer only yes or no  
Will you do so or no  
 
This ballad is known in many different versions and with different melodies to
the lyrics. A mountain-troll falls in love with the handsome knight Sir
Mannelig, and offers him all kinds of gifts if he will marry her. Sir Mannelig
refuses since she is not, after all, a Christian and honourable woman.