I am interested in the origins of the related English language ballads, 'Clerk Colvill, Giles Collins, Lady Alice'. Do any of the French versions mention how Renaud was wounded? The nearest European versions to the English appear to be the Breton 'Aotrou Nann hag ar Gorrigan'. So far the only versions that have some sort of water nymph putting the curse on the knight/king are Breton and British. Are there any others?

According to Alfhild Forslin who conducted a Europewide study of versions the ballad can be split into 2 sub-divisions, The west Scandinavian, and the west Europe. She states it is by no means certain which of the 2 areas' versions came first. We always tend to assume the Scandinavian takes precedence because their collecting activities are earlier, but this doesn't mean that's where the story originated. Breton ballads can also be quite early.

See the current thread on 'George Collins'.