HISTORICAL BALLADS
I, IIVALDEMAR AND TOVE (A)and(B)
The historical foundation for these two Ballads amounts only to this; that Valdemar I, or the Great (1157-82), had a mistress named Tove; that she bore him a son, Christopher; and that the King found it expedient to put her away, and ally himself with his opponent Knud Magnusson by marrying his half-sister Sophia. Nothing is known of Tove’s fate; her death at her rival’s hands is a figment of the popular fancy.
The older (A) version (preserved in Iceland) is chiefly interesting from its picture of Tove in the character of that perfect lover so dear to the mediæval masculine mind—the Patient Grizel, the Burd Ellen, who knows no jealousy where her lord’s affections are concerned. Valdemar’s apparently tactless questions are designed to bring out the contrast between the meek submission of the mistress and the frank hatred of the wife.
The Danish or B version, probably composedsome fifty years later, takes a more human point of view. It sacrifices historical accuracy to dramatic effect by handing over Sophia’s son Knud (afterwards King) to Tove.
1King Valdemar sailed here and there,—Good sooth,—He wed little Soffi, a maid so fair,—King Valdemar he wooed them both.2“Harken, Tove mine, and hear,Dost thou hold Queen Soffi dear?”3“Less dear to me, I weenThan my son, I hold the Queen.4“I will give her a good grey steed,And the name of Queen she shall bear indeed.”5“Harken, Soffi mine, and hear,Dost thou hold my Tove dear?”6“I love her all so wellAs the wild wolf in the dell.7“I will give her castles three,She may burn therein for me!”8The Queen she spake to her page so small:“Now bring Tovelille in to the hall!”9So fain was Tove to see the QueenShe clad her at night by the taper’s sheen.10She clad her in a kirtle of blue,At every seam red gold shone through.11She clad her in a silken sark,Of eleven maidens the handiwork.12She wrapped her in a cloak of red,And thus to see the Queen she sped.13“Art fainer with the King to speakOr the bath with me to seek?”14“Far fainer with the King I’d speakThan the bath with thee I’d seek!”15Soffi the Queen was strong of arm,She thrust her in to work her harm.16So hot she heated the fire beneathThat Tovelille could scarce draw breath.17“Help me, Christopher, son of mine!Soffi will slay me in dule and pine!”18“Oh how should I give help to thee?Twelve armed men have hold of me!”19Up spake the King, his men among,“Why goeth not Tove to Evensong?”20Up spake Queen Soffi, red with wrath:“Thy Tove is wearied with her bath!”21“Well, Soffi, will I pay thy pain,Shalt never sleep in my bed again!22“Better was she with one cow for dowerThan thou art, Soffi, with town and tower!23“Better was Tove in silken sarkThan thou art, Soffi, with all thy goldsmith’s work!24“Dearer is Tovelil, tho’ she be dead,Than thou, for all thy gold so red!”25The way was long, the way was drear,The King himself bore up the bier.—Good sooth.King Valdemar, he wooed them both.
1King Valdemar sailed here and there,—Good sooth,—He wed little Soffi, a maid so fair,—King Valdemar he wooed them both.2“Harken, Tove mine, and hear,Dost thou hold Queen Soffi dear?”3“Less dear to me, I weenThan my son, I hold the Queen.4“I will give her a good grey steed,And the name of Queen she shall bear indeed.”5“Harken, Soffi mine, and hear,Dost thou hold my Tove dear?”6“I love her all so wellAs the wild wolf in the dell.7“I will give her castles three,She may burn therein for me!”8The Queen she spake to her page so small:“Now bring Tovelille in to the hall!”9So fain was Tove to see the QueenShe clad her at night by the taper’s sheen.10She clad her in a kirtle of blue,At every seam red gold shone through.11She clad her in a silken sark,Of eleven maidens the handiwork.12She wrapped her in a cloak of red,And thus to see the Queen she sped.13“Art fainer with the King to speakOr the bath with me to seek?”14“Far fainer with the King I’d speakThan the bath with thee I’d seek!”15Soffi the Queen was strong of arm,She thrust her in to work her harm.16So hot she heated the fire beneathThat Tovelille could scarce draw breath.17“Help me, Christopher, son of mine!Soffi will slay me in dule and pine!”18“Oh how should I give help to thee?Twelve armed men have hold of me!”19Up spake the King, his men among,“Why goeth not Tove to Evensong?”20Up spake Queen Soffi, red with wrath:“Thy Tove is wearied with her bath!”21“Well, Soffi, will I pay thy pain,Shalt never sleep in my bed again!22“Better was she with one cow for dowerThan thou art, Soffi, with town and tower!23“Better was Tove in silken sarkThan thou art, Soffi, with all thy goldsmith’s work!24“Dearer is Tovelil, tho’ she be dead,Than thou, for all thy gold so red!”25The way was long, the way was drear,The King himself bore up the bier.—Good sooth.King Valdemar, he wooed them both.
1King Valdemar sailed here and there,—Good sooth,—He wed little Soffi, a maid so fair,—King Valdemar he wooed them both.
1
King Valdemar sailed here and there,
—Good sooth,—
He wed little Soffi, a maid so fair,
—King Valdemar he wooed them both.
2“Harken, Tove mine, and hear,Dost thou hold Queen Soffi dear?”
2
“Harken, Tove mine, and hear,
Dost thou hold Queen Soffi dear?”
3“Less dear to me, I weenThan my son, I hold the Queen.
3
“Less dear to me, I ween
Than my son, I hold the Queen.
4“I will give her a good grey steed,And the name of Queen she shall bear indeed.”
4
“I will give her a good grey steed,
And the name of Queen she shall bear indeed.”
5“Harken, Soffi mine, and hear,Dost thou hold my Tove dear?”
5
“Harken, Soffi mine, and hear,
Dost thou hold my Tove dear?”
6“I love her all so wellAs the wild wolf in the dell.
6
“I love her all so well
As the wild wolf in the dell.
7“I will give her castles three,She may burn therein for me!”
7
“I will give her castles three,
She may burn therein for me!”
8The Queen she spake to her page so small:“Now bring Tovelille in to the hall!”
8
The Queen she spake to her page so small:
“Now bring Tovelille in to the hall!”
9So fain was Tove to see the QueenShe clad her at night by the taper’s sheen.
9
So fain was Tove to see the Queen
She clad her at night by the taper’s sheen.
10She clad her in a kirtle of blue,At every seam red gold shone through.
10
She clad her in a kirtle of blue,
At every seam red gold shone through.
11She clad her in a silken sark,Of eleven maidens the handiwork.
11
She clad her in a silken sark,
Of eleven maidens the handiwork.
12She wrapped her in a cloak of red,And thus to see the Queen she sped.
12
She wrapped her in a cloak of red,
And thus to see the Queen she sped.
13“Art fainer with the King to speakOr the bath with me to seek?”
13
“Art fainer with the King to speak
Or the bath with me to seek?”
14“Far fainer with the King I’d speakThan the bath with thee I’d seek!”
14
“Far fainer with the King I’d speak
Than the bath with thee I’d seek!”
15Soffi the Queen was strong of arm,She thrust her in to work her harm.
15
Soffi the Queen was strong of arm,
She thrust her in to work her harm.
16So hot she heated the fire beneathThat Tovelille could scarce draw breath.
16
So hot she heated the fire beneath
That Tovelille could scarce draw breath.
17“Help me, Christopher, son of mine!Soffi will slay me in dule and pine!”
17
“Help me, Christopher, son of mine!
Soffi will slay me in dule and pine!”
18“Oh how should I give help to thee?Twelve armed men have hold of me!”
18
“Oh how should I give help to thee?
Twelve armed men have hold of me!”
19Up spake the King, his men among,“Why goeth not Tove to Evensong?”
19
Up spake the King, his men among,
“Why goeth not Tove to Evensong?”
20Up spake Queen Soffi, red with wrath:“Thy Tove is wearied with her bath!”
20
Up spake Queen Soffi, red with wrath:
“Thy Tove is wearied with her bath!”
21“Well, Soffi, will I pay thy pain,Shalt never sleep in my bed again!
21
“Well, Soffi, will I pay thy pain,
Shalt never sleep in my bed again!
22“Better was she with one cow for dowerThan thou art, Soffi, with town and tower!
22
“Better was she with one cow for dower
Than thou art, Soffi, with town and tower!
23“Better was Tove in silken sarkThan thou art, Soffi, with all thy goldsmith’s work!
23
“Better was Tove in silken sark
Than thou art, Soffi, with all thy goldsmith’s work!
24“Dearer is Tovelil, tho’ she be dead,Than thou, for all thy gold so red!”
24
“Dearer is Tovelil, tho’ she be dead,
Than thou, for all thy gold so red!”
25The way was long, the way was drear,The King himself bore up the bier.—Good sooth.King Valdemar, he wooed them both.
25
The way was long, the way was drear,
The King himself bore up the bier.
—Good sooth.
King Valdemar, he wooed them both.
1Gay went the dance in King Valdemar’s hall,There danced the Queen with maidens small;—By my troth; King Valdemar he wooed them both.2There danced the Queen with maidens fair,There danced Tove with waving hair.3“Harken now, Tove, my playfellow sweet!Gird up thy silk skirts around thy feet.”4“Small praise from me the King should gainIf I might not trail a silken train.”5“Tove, my playfellow, tell to meHow did the King get his will o’ thee?”6“The King he won his will of me,For stronger than I the King was he.7“I was but a maiden smallDwelling in my father’s hall.8“So little and fair by the door stood IWhen the King and all his merry men they came a-riding by.9“By nine, by ten, his knights he sent,But never for their commands I went.10“The King he came himself with all his merry men,And I, Tovelille, must follow then!”11“Tove, my playfellow, tell thou meWhat bridal-gift he gave to thee.”12“He gave me a chest of golden sheenSuch as was never in Denmark seen.13“He gave to me nine rings of goldThat Sweden’s Queen did have and hold.14“He clad me in silk and in scarlet gay;Thou and all thy maidens ne’er went in such array.”15Up spake Queen Soffi in anger wild:“’Twas enough, I trow, for a yeoman’s child!16“By God the Lord, while I breathe and live,Less by half to thee shall he give!”17The Queen she wrapped her in cloak of vair,To speak with King Valdemar did she fare.18“Now answer what I ask of thee;Why lovest thou Tove more than me?”19“For this Tovelille to me is dear,Because she hath two sons that serve my person near.20“When Flensborg town I first rode byChristopher bore my banner so high.21“When first I rode to HolsterlandKnud bore my banner in his right hand.”22Winters twain were gone and pastEre the Queen got her will at last.23All on a holy Christmas dayTove sought the kirk to pray.24Tovelille fared forth in the street,Golden silk and samite went floating round her feet.25Forth from her window the Queen did spy,She saw proud Tovelil passing by.26The Queen she spake to her maidens three:“Now bid proud Tovelil come to me!”27Tove wrapped her in cloak of vair,And unto Soffi’s bower did fare.28“Lithe now and listen, proud Tove, to me;I will seek the bath to-night with thee.”29“Ne’er of the bath can I have my fill;I’ll do thy bidding with right good-will!”30The Queen she spake to her pages three:“Take heed that the bath is hot for me!31“Heat it hot, and heat it red!There shall Tovelil lie dead!”32Tovelil went in before.The Queen herself she locked the door.33“Here is no water, here is no lye!Let me out for the sake of God on high!”34Christopher went riding by,He heard his mother wail and cry.35He struck the door a blow so stoutThat bolt and nail came leaping out.36He burst the door with rage and wrath,He bore his mother forth from the bath.37He bore her out where the blossoms blow,But she was dead ere first cock-crow.—By my troth; King Valdemar he wooed them both.
1Gay went the dance in King Valdemar’s hall,There danced the Queen with maidens small;—By my troth; King Valdemar he wooed them both.2There danced the Queen with maidens fair,There danced Tove with waving hair.3“Harken now, Tove, my playfellow sweet!Gird up thy silk skirts around thy feet.”4“Small praise from me the King should gainIf I might not trail a silken train.”5“Tove, my playfellow, tell to meHow did the King get his will o’ thee?”6“The King he won his will of me,For stronger than I the King was he.7“I was but a maiden smallDwelling in my father’s hall.8“So little and fair by the door stood IWhen the King and all his merry men they came a-riding by.9“By nine, by ten, his knights he sent,But never for their commands I went.10“The King he came himself with all his merry men,And I, Tovelille, must follow then!”11“Tove, my playfellow, tell thou meWhat bridal-gift he gave to thee.”12“He gave me a chest of golden sheenSuch as was never in Denmark seen.13“He gave to me nine rings of goldThat Sweden’s Queen did have and hold.14“He clad me in silk and in scarlet gay;Thou and all thy maidens ne’er went in such array.”15Up spake Queen Soffi in anger wild:“’Twas enough, I trow, for a yeoman’s child!16“By God the Lord, while I breathe and live,Less by half to thee shall he give!”17The Queen she wrapped her in cloak of vair,To speak with King Valdemar did she fare.18“Now answer what I ask of thee;Why lovest thou Tove more than me?”19“For this Tovelille to me is dear,Because she hath two sons that serve my person near.20“When Flensborg town I first rode byChristopher bore my banner so high.21“When first I rode to HolsterlandKnud bore my banner in his right hand.”22Winters twain were gone and pastEre the Queen got her will at last.23All on a holy Christmas dayTove sought the kirk to pray.24Tovelille fared forth in the street,Golden silk and samite went floating round her feet.25Forth from her window the Queen did spy,She saw proud Tovelil passing by.26The Queen she spake to her maidens three:“Now bid proud Tovelil come to me!”27Tove wrapped her in cloak of vair,And unto Soffi’s bower did fare.28“Lithe now and listen, proud Tove, to me;I will seek the bath to-night with thee.”29“Ne’er of the bath can I have my fill;I’ll do thy bidding with right good-will!”30The Queen she spake to her pages three:“Take heed that the bath is hot for me!31“Heat it hot, and heat it red!There shall Tovelil lie dead!”32Tovelil went in before.The Queen herself she locked the door.33“Here is no water, here is no lye!Let me out for the sake of God on high!”34Christopher went riding by,He heard his mother wail and cry.35He struck the door a blow so stoutThat bolt and nail came leaping out.36He burst the door with rage and wrath,He bore his mother forth from the bath.37He bore her out where the blossoms blow,But she was dead ere first cock-crow.—By my troth; King Valdemar he wooed them both.
1Gay went the dance in King Valdemar’s hall,There danced the Queen with maidens small;—By my troth; King Valdemar he wooed them both.
1
Gay went the dance in King Valdemar’s hall,
There danced the Queen with maidens small;
—By my troth; King Valdemar he wooed them both.
2There danced the Queen with maidens fair,There danced Tove with waving hair.
2
There danced the Queen with maidens fair,
There danced Tove with waving hair.
3“Harken now, Tove, my playfellow sweet!Gird up thy silk skirts around thy feet.”
3
“Harken now, Tove, my playfellow sweet!
Gird up thy silk skirts around thy feet.”
4“Small praise from me the King should gainIf I might not trail a silken train.”
4
“Small praise from me the King should gain
If I might not trail a silken train.”
5“Tove, my playfellow, tell to meHow did the King get his will o’ thee?”
5
“Tove, my playfellow, tell to me
How did the King get his will o’ thee?”
6“The King he won his will of me,For stronger than I the King was he.
6
“The King he won his will of me,
For stronger than I the King was he.
7“I was but a maiden smallDwelling in my father’s hall.
7
“I was but a maiden small
Dwelling in my father’s hall.
8“So little and fair by the door stood IWhen the King and all his merry men they came a-riding by.
8
“So little and fair by the door stood I
When the King and all his merry men they came a-riding by.
9“By nine, by ten, his knights he sent,But never for their commands I went.
9
“By nine, by ten, his knights he sent,
But never for their commands I went.
10“The King he came himself with all his merry men,And I, Tovelille, must follow then!”
10
“The King he came himself with all his merry men,
And I, Tovelille, must follow then!”
11“Tove, my playfellow, tell thou meWhat bridal-gift he gave to thee.”
11
“Tove, my playfellow, tell thou me
What bridal-gift he gave to thee.”
12“He gave me a chest of golden sheenSuch as was never in Denmark seen.
12
“He gave me a chest of golden sheen
Such as was never in Denmark seen.
13“He gave to me nine rings of goldThat Sweden’s Queen did have and hold.
13
“He gave to me nine rings of gold
That Sweden’s Queen did have and hold.
14“He clad me in silk and in scarlet gay;Thou and all thy maidens ne’er went in such array.”
14
“He clad me in silk and in scarlet gay;
Thou and all thy maidens ne’er went in such array.”
15Up spake Queen Soffi in anger wild:“’Twas enough, I trow, for a yeoman’s child!
15
Up spake Queen Soffi in anger wild:
“’Twas enough, I trow, for a yeoman’s child!
16“By God the Lord, while I breathe and live,Less by half to thee shall he give!”
16
“By God the Lord, while I breathe and live,
Less by half to thee shall he give!”
17The Queen she wrapped her in cloak of vair,To speak with King Valdemar did she fare.
17
The Queen she wrapped her in cloak of vair,
To speak with King Valdemar did she fare.
18“Now answer what I ask of thee;Why lovest thou Tove more than me?”
18
“Now answer what I ask of thee;
Why lovest thou Tove more than me?”
19“For this Tovelille to me is dear,Because she hath two sons that serve my person near.
19
“For this Tovelille to me is dear,
Because she hath two sons that serve my person near.
20“When Flensborg town I first rode byChristopher bore my banner so high.
20
“When Flensborg town I first rode by
Christopher bore my banner so high.
21“When first I rode to HolsterlandKnud bore my banner in his right hand.”
21
“When first I rode to Holsterland
Knud bore my banner in his right hand.”
22Winters twain were gone and pastEre the Queen got her will at last.
22
Winters twain were gone and past
Ere the Queen got her will at last.
23All on a holy Christmas dayTove sought the kirk to pray.
23
All on a holy Christmas day
Tove sought the kirk to pray.
24Tovelille fared forth in the street,Golden silk and samite went floating round her feet.
24
Tovelille fared forth in the street,
Golden silk and samite went floating round her feet.
25Forth from her window the Queen did spy,She saw proud Tovelil passing by.
25
Forth from her window the Queen did spy,
She saw proud Tovelil passing by.
26The Queen she spake to her maidens three:“Now bid proud Tovelil come to me!”
26
The Queen she spake to her maidens three:
“Now bid proud Tovelil come to me!”
27Tove wrapped her in cloak of vair,And unto Soffi’s bower did fare.
27
Tove wrapped her in cloak of vair,
And unto Soffi’s bower did fare.
28“Lithe now and listen, proud Tove, to me;I will seek the bath to-night with thee.”
28
“Lithe now and listen, proud Tove, to me;
I will seek the bath to-night with thee.”
29“Ne’er of the bath can I have my fill;I’ll do thy bidding with right good-will!”
29
“Ne’er of the bath can I have my fill;
I’ll do thy bidding with right good-will!”
30The Queen she spake to her pages three:“Take heed that the bath is hot for me!
30
The Queen she spake to her pages three:
“Take heed that the bath is hot for me!
31“Heat it hot, and heat it red!There shall Tovelil lie dead!”
31
“Heat it hot, and heat it red!
There shall Tovelil lie dead!”
32Tovelil went in before.The Queen herself she locked the door.
32
Tovelil went in before.
The Queen herself she locked the door.
33“Here is no water, here is no lye!Let me out for the sake of God on high!”
33
“Here is no water, here is no lye!
Let me out for the sake of God on high!”
34Christopher went riding by,He heard his mother wail and cry.
34
Christopher went riding by,
He heard his mother wail and cry.
35He struck the door a blow so stoutThat bolt and nail came leaping out.
35
He struck the door a blow so stout
That bolt and nail came leaping out.
36He burst the door with rage and wrath,He bore his mother forth from the bath.
36
He burst the door with rage and wrath,
He bore his mother forth from the bath.
37He bore her out where the blossoms blow,But she was dead ere first cock-crow.—By my troth; King Valdemar he wooed them both.
37
He bore her out where the blossoms blow,
But she was dead ere first cock-crow.
—By my troth; King Valdemar he wooed them both.