Lyr Add: Skjon Jomfru -Norwegian

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Skjon Jomfru -Norwegian
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 04 May 21 - 09:30 AM

The medieval ballad would probably have been one collected by Syv in the 16th century. A title for the long version would be useful.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Skjon Jomfru -Norwegian
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 03 May 21 - 09:47 AM

Having another think about the motifs, there is some affinity with Hind Horn in the overall plot, Grundtvig 72, and Swedish 175 The Return of the Husband which has the following versions among others:
Sir Thor and Lady Silvermor (Dan. Prior)
The Returning husband (Croat)
Husband's Homecoming (Polish)
Young Sir Thor and Lady Thore (Unge Hr Tor og Jomfru Tore)
Finnish Arts (Borrow)
Hertig Henrik.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Skjon Jomfru -Norwegian
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 03 May 21 - 09:36 AM

Hi Felipa,
As you would expect the 2 words are very common and widespread in Scandi ballads, as their equivalents are very common in English language ballads. It's like me trying to find an English ballad with 'fair maiden' in there somewhere; too many. 'Skion Anna' springs to mind but that's a different ballad.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Skjon Jomfru -Norwegian
From: Felipa
Date: 02 May 21 - 08:06 PM

German translation would be very close: Schöne Jungfrau, though Reinhold tells us of a German version called "Graf und Nonne"

I don't know the answers to Steve Gardham's questions, though I thing the motif is fairly widespread. I only learned of the song when because the air was presented in an instrumental workshop at "Scandimoot" festival.

the story is just a bit like Martin Guerre and Sommersby and the Scottish song Is Gur Milis Mórag https://www.omniglot.com/songs/gaelic/gurmilismorag.php and even a bit like "Johnny Todd". But I can't think of anything closer to the story of Skjøn Jomfru.

Is it the theme of the song or the title which rings a bell? There's a very different Danish song called Jomfru i Hindeham , in which a man kills a young deer whose corpse is not a deer but his own sister.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Skjon Jomfru -Norwegian
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 02 May 21 - 05:28 PM

The title certainly looks familiar but I can't find the ballad in my Scandinavian indexes. Has it got a Danish equivalent? Any other titles? I presume Skion Jomfru translates as 'Fair Maiden'. Does the ballad have a Grundtvig number?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Skjon Jomfru -Norwegian
From: Reinhard
Date: 01 May 21 - 07:22 PM

According to Wikipedia, a German version called Graf und Nonne was collected by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in Alsace in 1771.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Skjon Jomfru -Norwegian
From: Reinhard
Date: 01 May 21 - 07:16 PM

https://myrkgrav.bandcamp.com/track/skj-n-jomfru-norwegian-version has somewhat different lyrics than Folque's.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Skjon Jomfru -Norwegian
From: Felipa
Date: 01 May 21 - 06:52 PM

information about the group "Folque" https://www.last.fm/music/Folque/+wiki

sparser information about Onkelfolkd:https://www.womex.com/virtual/nye_nor/onkelfolke

The other recording linked in the first message is by Myrkgrav
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrkgrav

Here are English language lyrics from Myrkgrav

A maiden stood on mountaintop
gazed down the valley so deep
She saw a sailing ship approach, ship approach
Three counts were on board

The youngest of the counts
who were on board the ship
He wanted to take the hand, take the hand
of the young maiden

He took off his finger
a ring of golden red
He said take this my dear friend, my dear friend
Take this and be mine

When the count had travelled abroad
came another man
who wanted to steal her heart, her heart
and they got along so well

The count arrived at the wedding
and asked the bride to dance
They danced so lovely around the floor
and she paled liked a sheet

Tell me why are you so pale
why are you so blue?
Because the others have fooled me, have fooled me
and told me you were dead

Well if the others have fooled you
and told you I was dead
then you shall see me dead, see me dead
before the sun sets

The count went back to his chambers
locked the door after himself
Then he took out his shiny knife, his shiny knife
and ended his own life

Hear me all maidens
hear me, my best friend
You spoke with two tongues in your mouth
and had them both in love

https://myrkgrav.bandcamp.com/track/skj-n-jomfru-english-version

Subject: Lyr Add: Skjon Jomfru -Norwegian
From: Felipa
Date: 01 May 21 - 06:38 PM

"Skjøn Jomfru"
I understand that the original of this song is a medieval ballad some 60 verses long. A Norwegian group "Folque" recorded their modern version of the song in 1974.
A man goes to sea and while he is away, his fiancée marries someone else (she says she was told her first love was dead). It's a nice tune, but not a pretty story.

recordings

performed by "Folque" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvI8f0ezsGM

folkrock version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1knULkJQHKQ

The rendition which sounds most Scandinavian to me: Onkelfolke

Skjøn jomfru gikk på høyen fjeld,
så ned i den dype dal.
der så hun et skip kom seilende, kom seilende
tre grever var ombord.

Den alle yngste greven
som der på skipet var,
han ville seg trolova, trolova,
med meg så ung jeg var.

Så tok han frem av fingeren sin
en ring av gull så rød.
så sagde han, skjøn pike, skjøn pike,
den vill jeg giva deg.

Da ungersvenden var bortreist
kom der en annen igjen.
som hennes hjerte behagede, behagede.
og de kom så vel overens.

Da ungersvenden dette fikk vite
stor kummer i hjertet han fikk.
han skiftede om sine kleder, sine kleder,
og reiste dit bryllupet stod.

Ungersvenden trådte i brudehuset inn
og begjærte med bruden en dans.
og der dansede de så snederlig, så snederlig,
og hun blegnede som et lik.

Si meg hvorfor er du bleven så blek
og hvorfor er du bleven så blå?
fordi de andre har narret meg, har narret meg,
og sagt at du var død.

Ja haver de andre narret deg
og sagt at jeg var død,
i morgen før solen opprunden er, opprunden er,
skal du få se meg død.

Ungersvenden trådde i kammerset inn,
lukket døren i lås etter seg.
så tok han fram sit timeglass, sit timeglass,
og satte det framfor seg.

Da glasset var utrunden
og timen var forbi,
så tok han fram sitt blanke sverd, sitt blanke sverd,
og stak det gjennom sitt liv.

Se hit de jomfruer alle,
se hit min beste venn.
du talte med to tunger, to tunger,
og havde tvende kjær.

------------------
translated by "Tramp Guy" on "Lyrics Translate"

A fair maiden was walking on the high mountain
looking down at the deep valley.
there, she saw a ship comes sailing, (x2)
three counts were onboard.

The youngest count
that was on the ship,
he wanted to marry, to marry
me (the maiden) as young as I was.

So he took off his finger
a golden red ring.
then he said, beautiful girl, beautiful girl,
I would like to give this to you.

When the young man was away
there came another (again).
that stole her heart (pleased her)
and they were very good together.

When the young man found out
great grief came upon his heart.
he changed his clothes
and went to where the wedding took place.

The young man walked in the bridal house
and asked to dance with the bride
and they were dancing there so cunningly
and she turned pale as a corpse.

Tell me why you turn so pale
and why you turn so blue?
because the others have tricked me, (x2)
and said that you were dead.

Well, if the others did trick you
and said that I was dead,
tomorrow before the sun will rise (the dawn)
you'll shall see me dead.

The young man entered her room,
closed the door and locked it behind him.
then he took his hourglass, (x2)
and put it in front of him.

The hourglass was turned
and the hour was over (time was done)
so he took out his shiny sword, (x2)
and stabbed himself to death.

look here young girls (?)
look here at my best friend.
you lied to me (you were two-tongued)
and had a second love.

https://lyricstranslate.com