Ageless Age with Edge

Ageless Age with Edge
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Tuesday 22 December 2015

Aage and Else, the only true translation of the early Danish ballad, parallel to `Sweet William's Ghost`

Giving you my own translation of my favourite Danish ballad, Aage og Else. Not one accurate translation exists of this tale of a woman who mourns her dead beloved so hard, that he comes back from the grave.
Original language version: http://heimskringla.no/wiki/Aage_og_Else

Aage and Else, my translation

Three girls sat in their chamber
— two warped and wove the gold —
the third wept for her promised one
{Refrain}: For she betrothed the knight

It was Aage the knight
— rode land and sea —
promised himself to Else,
a fair girl

He gave himself to Elselille,
gave all himself and gold,
and by the Monday after
his body lay under mould

She wept, Else, so sore,
wrang her hands;
and Aage heard it
under black earth

Aage he got up
took his coffin on his back.
He trudged to his betrothed's bower,
weighed down under struggle

He rapped on the door with his coffin
— he had no furs, couldn't softly knock.
`You rise up, stately Elselill,
Let your beloved in.`

Else she spoke
with tears down her cheek,
`If you can name Jesus by name,
then you, you come in.`

`You get up, Elselill !
Unlock your door.
I can name the name of Jesus
so well as I could before.`

Up stood the stately Else
with tears down her cheek.
She opened up her room
and let the dead man in.

Then she took her golden comb
and combed and combed his hair.
For every strand of hair she combed,
there fell down a tear.

`Listen to me, Herr Aage my knight,
my most dear one.
How is it under the black earth,
How is it in your grave?`

`It's like happiest Heaven,
down in the black earth,
down in my grave with me.
So be glad.`

`Listen to me, Herr Aage my knight,
my most dear one.
Can I go with you into the black earth,
into your grave.`

`It's like blackest Hell,
down in the black earth,
down in my grave with me.
Make the Cross over you!

Every time you weep,
Every time your loving care is stirred,
My coffin stands full to the brim
with clotted blood.

Above by my head
the grass grows green,
But down by my feet
snakes lie coiled.

But every time you sing,
Every time your heart is glad,
My grave is all canopied inside
with twining rose-leaves.

Now the Black Cock craws
in the Dark Yard's Nook
and all the Portals open up
— I must away.

Now the White Cock craws
in the High Hall
— All living dead yearn for the earth
— I must away.

Now the Red Cock craws
on the Heathen Ground
— All living dead yearn for the earth
— I must go along with.`

Aage he got up
took his coffin on his back.
Trudged back to the graveyard,
weighed down under struggle

Her mind stirred with her love,
stately Elselille,
she followed her beloved
through the mirk woods

When she came through the woods
and to the graveyard,
there dimmed and faded Aage's
fair and golden hair.

`Look, look up to the skies,
see all the specks of stars.
See there, see with joy
how all Night passes away.`

She looked up to the skies,
saw all the specks of stars.
The dead man slipped into the Earth.
Him she never saw.

Else went home,
filled with sadness.
The Monday after
she lay in the mould.
{Refrain}: For she betrothed the knight

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