A Danish Link for Ilkla Moor

Subject: RE: A Danish Link for Ilkla Moor
From: Penny S.
Date: 25 Aug 15 - 04:04 PM

Now that I could believe, easily, especially given the connections between nations around the North Sea through fishing and so on. In fact, I suggested something similar to my relations, but they were not convinced. They were committed to believing the song went back to the Danelaw.

Subject: RE: A Danish Link for Ilkla Moor
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 16 Dec 14 - 05:07 AM

Actually your story is not quite as daft as it sounds. I have an equivalent story from the 19thc. Child 20 The Cruel Mother has no known continental analogies and is most likely an English original from the 17thc. Svend Grundtvig translated a version into Danish and published it in Engelske og Skotske Folkeviser in 1842. In 1870 2 versions were found in oral tradition in Jutland. It would be interesting to know if the ballad is still extant in Denmark.

It takes very little time for a translated or edited piece to get back into oral tradition.

Subject: RE: A Danish Link for Ilkla Moor
From: Penny S.
Date: 15 Dec 14 - 08:51 AM

I was watching the Pythons last night, and remember a story they told of performing the lumberjack song in Germany, learned parrot fashion (how else?) in translation, to be told how good it was to hear it in the original language.

Maybe there is a common joke style involved.

Piece in the Guardian today about pub carols and the multiplicity of versions of While Shepherds Watched, which was how, though I didn't cite it above (and notice how the site has connected it anyway) the subject came up. I want my carol singing to include it to Cranbrook, if it happens.

Pub tradition

Subject: RE: A Danish Link for Ilkla Moor
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 14 Dec 14 - 04:34 PM

Just tell them it's a bit late in the year for April Fools gags.

Subject: RE: A Danish Link for Ilkla Moor
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Dec 14 - 09:47 AM

Version written for      
                     the marriage of         
         the Prince of Wales
                                     and
          Princess Alexandra of Denmark
                         in 1863

from

http://www.dksnakes.co.uk/national_anthem.htm

Subject: RE: A Danish Link for Ilkla Moor
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 13 Dec 14 - 04:53 PM

The original title was "On Ilkla Moor Baht 'orned 'elmet". It was sung at a ritual of human sacrifice to appease the Moor Goddess.

Subject: A Danish Link for Ilkla Moor
From: Penny S.
Date: 13 Dec 14 - 04:20 PM

Twice now I have been told of people being sung, when in Denmark, a Danish version of Ilkla Moor, with much the same iteration of eating, and the same tune, and being told that this was the source of the song, which had travelled here with the Danes, whose language has much influenced the Yorkshire dialect.
I have shown my doubts, cited Clark and Cranbrook, and church choir picnics, pointed out that the tune resembles Methodist hymns of the supposed period of origin rather than early medieval alliterative verse - whatever tunes they carried, but without effect.
Has anyone else heard this? The two sources were not actually independent. One was my sister, the other my brother-in-law, and though they told me this independently on separate occasions, they had travelled together on academic business.