III, IV, VTHE DAGMAR BALLADSQUEEN BENGERD

Valdemar II (1202-41) has been strangely dealt with by the Ballads. They are silent alike as to the warlike exploits which won him the name of Sejr, the Victorious, and the administrative reforms commemorated in his other title of Legifer. His crusade against the heathen Esthonians—even the miraculous gift of the Dannebrog, the national standard blazoned in the armorial bearings of the conquered city Reval—left popular imagination unmoved. It seized, however, on the images of his two Queens, ascribing to the one all that was liked, to the other all that was loathed, in the King’s treatment of his subjects.

Dragomir the Bohemian came to Denmark in 1205, bore the King a son, Valdemar, and died two years later, probably in childbirth. From the first she was the people’s darling; her Slav name was changed to Dagmar (Dag-mø = day-maid or light-bringer) “by reason,” says a contemporary chronicler, “of her great beauty.”

The Ballads of her Bridal and Death were probably composed by the next generation, andhave little pretension to historical accuracy. Bishop Valdemar, for instance, was not the Queen’s uncle, but the King’s first cousin—son of Knud Magnusson, whose sister was Valdemar’s mother. In consequence of an attempt to usurp the throne, as the German Emperor’s vassal, he was thrown into prison at Søberg, where he lay for fourteen years. His release in 1205 was due to the Pope’s intervention, aided, as a monkish chronicle puts it, “by the loving representations of Bishop Andreas and others”—but the people, perhaps with some reason, pictured Dagmar as the peacemaker.

A second Ballad of her bridal describes her wooing by Sir Strange as the King’s proxy:

“I saw a sail fare o’er the Sound,—So many a pennon of gold—There sailed he, Sir Strange, with Dagmar the Queen.”

“I saw a sail fare o’er the Sound,

—So many a pennon of gold—

There sailed he, Sir Strange, with Dagmar the Queen.”

Little is known of Valdemar’s second Queen, Berengaria, except that she too was beautiful. But, since she came of a contentious and covetous family, the popular view of her character may be accurate enough. The “binding the harbours with iron bands” means the closing of them with chains, so that tribute might be exacted from incoming vessels. The Ballad’s account of her death—a relishing piece of poetical justice—has no foundation in fact.

1It was the Queen of BejerlandThat to her daughter cried:“Great honour will they show to theeWhen thou art Denmark’s bride.”—They sailed from noblest Bejerland.2“When thou art wed to Denmark’s KingThou shalt have pride and praise;Now bid the peasant pay no tax,And he’ll love thee all his days!3“This first boon beg thou of thy lord,And beg it withouten fear,That Bishop Valdemar go free,Thy mother’s brother dear!”4They spread the cloths of samiteTo lie her feet before;They took her, the lady Dagmar,And led her to the shore.5They hoisted up their sails of silkAll on the golden mast,And so they sailed to DenmarkOr e’er two months were past.6Down they cast their anchorsAll in the snow-white sand;They took her, the lady Dagmar,And led her first to land.7They took her, the lady Dagmar,And led her first to land;It was the King of DenmarkStretched forth his lily hand.8They spread the cloths of samiteTo lie her feet before;They led her, the lady Dagmar,Up to the castle door.9All in the morning early,Long ere the dawn of day,It was the lady DagmarHer bridal-gift did pray.10“The first boon that I beg of thee,I beg withouten fear;Let Bishop Valdemar go free,My mother’s brother dear!11“The second boon I beg of thee’Tis with good-will, I trow;Loose every captive from his irons,And tax not the peasant’s plough!”12“Hush thee now, Queen Dagmar,Speak no such words to me!If Bishop Valdemar comes forthA widow he’ll make of thee!”13She’s taken off her crown of goldAnd laid it on the board:“Oh, what shall I do in DenmarkSince thou wilt not hear my word?”14“Now bring me in Sir Strange,And bring Sir Knud to me!’Tis they shall ride to AttingborgAnd set the captives free!”15And when he came from dungeon forthHe could not stand nor go:“Here have I lain eight years and more,Long years, I ween, and slow!”16She’s taken out her comb of gold,To comb his yellow hair:For every lock she orderedDown fell a bitter tear.17“Harken now, Queen Dagmar,And weep not thus for me!For an I live but a twelvemonthSore shall my vengeance be!”18“Now hush thee, Bishop Valdemar,Let be thy chiding vain!Art thou thrown once more into AttingborgThou’lt ne’er win out again!”—They sailed from noblest Bejerland.

1It was the Queen of BejerlandThat to her daughter cried:“Great honour will they show to theeWhen thou art Denmark’s bride.”—They sailed from noblest Bejerland.

It was the Queen of Bejerland

That to her daughter cried:

“Great honour will they show to thee

When thou art Denmark’s bride.”

—They sailed from noblest Bejerland.

2“When thou art wed to Denmark’s KingThou shalt have pride and praise;Now bid the peasant pay no tax,And he’ll love thee all his days!

“When thou art wed to Denmark’s King

Thou shalt have pride and praise;

Now bid the peasant pay no tax,

And he’ll love thee all his days!

3“This first boon beg thou of thy lord,And beg it withouten fear,That Bishop Valdemar go free,Thy mother’s brother dear!”

“This first boon beg thou of thy lord,

And beg it withouten fear,

That Bishop Valdemar go free,

Thy mother’s brother dear!”

4They spread the cloths of samiteTo lie her feet before;They took her, the lady Dagmar,And led her to the shore.

They spread the cloths of samite

To lie her feet before;

They took her, the lady Dagmar,

And led her to the shore.

5They hoisted up their sails of silkAll on the golden mast,And so they sailed to DenmarkOr e’er two months were past.

They hoisted up their sails of silk

All on the golden mast,

And so they sailed to Denmark

Or e’er two months were past.

6Down they cast their anchorsAll in the snow-white sand;They took her, the lady Dagmar,And led her first to land.

Down they cast their anchors

All in the snow-white sand;

They took her, the lady Dagmar,

And led her first to land.

7They took her, the lady Dagmar,And led her first to land;It was the King of DenmarkStretched forth his lily hand.

They took her, the lady Dagmar,

And led her first to land;

It was the King of Denmark

Stretched forth his lily hand.

8They spread the cloths of samiteTo lie her feet before;They led her, the lady Dagmar,Up to the castle door.

They spread the cloths of samite

To lie her feet before;

They led her, the lady Dagmar,

Up to the castle door.

9All in the morning early,Long ere the dawn of day,It was the lady DagmarHer bridal-gift did pray.

All in the morning early,

Long ere the dawn of day,

It was the lady Dagmar

Her bridal-gift did pray.

10“The first boon that I beg of thee,I beg withouten fear;Let Bishop Valdemar go free,My mother’s brother dear!

“The first boon that I beg of thee,

I beg withouten fear;

Let Bishop Valdemar go free,

My mother’s brother dear!

11“The second boon I beg of thee’Tis with good-will, I trow;Loose every captive from his irons,And tax not the peasant’s plough!”

“The second boon I beg of thee

’Tis with good-will, I trow;

Loose every captive from his irons,

And tax not the peasant’s plough!”

12“Hush thee now, Queen Dagmar,Speak no such words to me!If Bishop Valdemar comes forthA widow he’ll make of thee!”

“Hush thee now, Queen Dagmar,

Speak no such words to me!

If Bishop Valdemar comes forth

A widow he’ll make of thee!”

13She’s taken off her crown of goldAnd laid it on the board:“Oh, what shall I do in DenmarkSince thou wilt not hear my word?”

She’s taken off her crown of gold

And laid it on the board:

“Oh, what shall I do in Denmark

Since thou wilt not hear my word?”

14“Now bring me in Sir Strange,And bring Sir Knud to me!’Tis they shall ride to AttingborgAnd set the captives free!”

“Now bring me in Sir Strange,

And bring Sir Knud to me!

’Tis they shall ride to Attingborg

And set the captives free!”

15And when he came from dungeon forthHe could not stand nor go:“Here have I lain eight years and more,Long years, I ween, and slow!”

And when he came from dungeon forth

He could not stand nor go:

“Here have I lain eight years and more,

Long years, I ween, and slow!”

16She’s taken out her comb of gold,To comb his yellow hair:For every lock she orderedDown fell a bitter tear.

She’s taken out her comb of gold,

To comb his yellow hair:

For every lock she ordered

Down fell a bitter tear.

17“Harken now, Queen Dagmar,And weep not thus for me!For an I live but a twelvemonthSore shall my vengeance be!”

“Harken now, Queen Dagmar,

And weep not thus for me!

For an I live but a twelvemonth

Sore shall my vengeance be!”

18“Now hush thee, Bishop Valdemar,Let be thy chiding vain!Art thou thrown once more into AttingborgThou’lt ne’er win out again!”—They sailed from noblest Bejerland.

“Now hush thee, Bishop Valdemar,

Let be thy chiding vain!

Art thou thrown once more into Attingborg

Thou’lt ne’er win out again!”

—They sailed from noblest Bejerland.

1Queen Dagmar lay in Ribe sick,To Ringsted did she fare;All the dames of Denmark’s landShe bade them seek her there.—In Ringsted rests Queen Dagmar.2“Go fetch me four, go fetch me five,The wisest among them all!Go fetch little Kirsten of Rise,The sister of Sir Karl.”3All so modest and so mildShe came to the bower door;So fain of her was Dagmar the QueenThat she raised her head once more.4“Now canst thou read and canst thou writeTo help me in my need,Then shalt thou don the scarlet fine,And ride my good grey steed.”5“Oh, can I read and can I writeI’ll do it for thee full fain,For by my troth I tell theeSharper than steel is thy pain.”6She’s taken up Saint Mary’s book,And the sheen of the golden crownShe could not see whenas she read,So fast her tears ran down.7They led her up, they led her down,And still her pain was sore:“Oh, send ye word to the King our lordTo speak with me once more!”8Up he stood, the little page,Full fain was he to speed,He reached his saddle down from the beamAnd mounted the milk-white steed.9The King stood on the tower so tallAnd looked out far and wide:“Oh, yonder I see a little page,And ruefully doth he ride.10“Yonder I see a little foot-page,And mournful is his mien;Now grant, Almighty God in heaven,That all be well with the Queen!”11In he came the little foot-page,Before the board stood he:“Now wilt thou speak with the Queen againThou must speak right speedilie!”12The King smote hard upon the boardThat all the goblets rung:“Almighty God in heaven forbidThat Dagmar should die so young!”13The King he rode by SkanderborgWith a hundred swains and one,But when he rode by RibeThen rode he all alone.14Oh, woe there was in the women’s bower,And bitter dule and harm,For the Queen, or ever the King rode up,Lay dead in Kirsten’s arm.15And when he entered in the doorHe saw the bier beside:“Now help me, God our Father in heaven,My bitter grief to bide!16“Now pray for me, dames and damsels all,And see that ye pray not in vain,So fain am I to speak a wordWith Dagmar once again!”17Uprose the Queen upon the bier,And red, red were her eyne:“Now woe is me, my noble lord,That thus we meet in pine!18“The first boon that I beg thee nowI beg for love of me;Give peace to every outlawed man,And set the captives free.19“The second boon I beg thee nowI beg for love of thee;Oh, take not Bengerd for thy mate,So sour a shrew is she!20“The third boon that I beg thee nowI beg for love so dear;That thou let Knud, my youngest son,Be King in Denmark here.21“Ne’er need I ha’ burnt in bitter painsBy night and else by day,Had I ne’er on the Sabbath tired my headAnd tied my ribbons gay.22“Now time it is I were away,No longer may I bide;The bells of heaven are ringing for me,And the angels wait beside.”—In Ringsted rests Queen Dagmar.

1Queen Dagmar lay in Ribe sick,To Ringsted did she fare;All the dames of Denmark’s landShe bade them seek her there.—In Ringsted rests Queen Dagmar.

Queen Dagmar lay in Ribe sick,

To Ringsted did she fare;

All the dames of Denmark’s land

She bade them seek her there.

—In Ringsted rests Queen Dagmar.

2“Go fetch me four, go fetch me five,The wisest among them all!Go fetch little Kirsten of Rise,The sister of Sir Karl.”

“Go fetch me four, go fetch me five,

The wisest among them all!

Go fetch little Kirsten of Rise,

The sister of Sir Karl.”

3All so modest and so mildShe came to the bower door;So fain of her was Dagmar the QueenThat she raised her head once more.

All so modest and so mild

She came to the bower door;

So fain of her was Dagmar the Queen

That she raised her head once more.

4“Now canst thou read and canst thou writeTo help me in my need,Then shalt thou don the scarlet fine,And ride my good grey steed.”

“Now canst thou read and canst thou write

To help me in my need,

Then shalt thou don the scarlet fine,

And ride my good grey steed.”

5“Oh, can I read and can I writeI’ll do it for thee full fain,For by my troth I tell theeSharper than steel is thy pain.”

“Oh, can I read and can I write

I’ll do it for thee full fain,

For by my troth I tell thee

Sharper than steel is thy pain.”

6She’s taken up Saint Mary’s book,And the sheen of the golden crownShe could not see whenas she read,So fast her tears ran down.

She’s taken up Saint Mary’s book,

And the sheen of the golden crown

She could not see whenas she read,

So fast her tears ran down.

7They led her up, they led her down,And still her pain was sore:“Oh, send ye word to the King our lordTo speak with me once more!”

They led her up, they led her down,

And still her pain was sore:

“Oh, send ye word to the King our lord

To speak with me once more!”

8Up he stood, the little page,Full fain was he to speed,He reached his saddle down from the beamAnd mounted the milk-white steed.

Up he stood, the little page,

Full fain was he to speed,

He reached his saddle down from the beam

And mounted the milk-white steed.

9The King stood on the tower so tallAnd looked out far and wide:“Oh, yonder I see a little page,And ruefully doth he ride.

The King stood on the tower so tall

And looked out far and wide:

“Oh, yonder I see a little page,

And ruefully doth he ride.

10“Yonder I see a little foot-page,And mournful is his mien;Now grant, Almighty God in heaven,That all be well with the Queen!”

“Yonder I see a little foot-page,

And mournful is his mien;

Now grant, Almighty God in heaven,

That all be well with the Queen!”

11In he came the little foot-page,Before the board stood he:“Now wilt thou speak with the Queen againThou must speak right speedilie!”

In he came the little foot-page,

Before the board stood he:

“Now wilt thou speak with the Queen again

Thou must speak right speedilie!”

12The King smote hard upon the boardThat all the goblets rung:“Almighty God in heaven forbidThat Dagmar should die so young!”

The King smote hard upon the board

That all the goblets rung:

“Almighty God in heaven forbid

That Dagmar should die so young!”

13The King he rode by SkanderborgWith a hundred swains and one,But when he rode by RibeThen rode he all alone.

The King he rode by Skanderborg

With a hundred swains and one,

But when he rode by Ribe

Then rode he all alone.

14Oh, woe there was in the women’s bower,And bitter dule and harm,For the Queen, or ever the King rode up,Lay dead in Kirsten’s arm.

Oh, woe there was in the women’s bower,

And bitter dule and harm,

For the Queen, or ever the King rode up,

Lay dead in Kirsten’s arm.

15And when he entered in the doorHe saw the bier beside:“Now help me, God our Father in heaven,My bitter grief to bide!

And when he entered in the door

He saw the bier beside:

“Now help me, God our Father in heaven,

My bitter grief to bide!

16“Now pray for me, dames and damsels all,And see that ye pray not in vain,So fain am I to speak a wordWith Dagmar once again!”

“Now pray for me, dames and damsels all,

And see that ye pray not in vain,

So fain am I to speak a word

With Dagmar once again!”

17Uprose the Queen upon the bier,And red, red were her eyne:“Now woe is me, my noble lord,That thus we meet in pine!

Uprose the Queen upon the bier,

And red, red were her eyne:

“Now woe is me, my noble lord,

That thus we meet in pine!

18“The first boon that I beg thee nowI beg for love of me;Give peace to every outlawed man,And set the captives free.

“The first boon that I beg thee now

I beg for love of me;

Give peace to every outlawed man,

And set the captives free.

19“The second boon I beg thee nowI beg for love of thee;Oh, take not Bengerd for thy mate,So sour a shrew is she!

“The second boon I beg thee now

I beg for love of thee;

Oh, take not Bengerd for thy mate,

So sour a shrew is she!

20“The third boon that I beg thee nowI beg for love so dear;That thou let Knud, my youngest son,Be King in Denmark here.

“The third boon that I beg thee now

I beg for love so dear;

That thou let Knud, my youngest son,

Be King in Denmark here.

21“Ne’er need I ha’ burnt in bitter painsBy night and else by day,Had I ne’er on the Sabbath tired my headAnd tied my ribbons gay.

“Ne’er need I ha’ burnt in bitter pains

By night and else by day,

Had I ne’er on the Sabbath tired my head

And tied my ribbons gay.

22“Now time it is I were away,No longer may I bide;The bells of heaven are ringing for me,And the angels wait beside.”—In Ringsted rests Queen Dagmar.

“Now time it is I were away,

No longer may I bide;

The bells of heaven are ringing for me,

And the angels wait beside.”

—In Ringsted rests Queen Dagmar.

1All in the morning, long ere day,She for her bridal-gift did pray,—Woe be on her then, Queen Bengerd!2“Now give me Samsey to have and hold,And let every maid pay a crown of gold!”3To Bengerd spake the King eftsoon:“Thou must beg another boon!4“So many a maid lives in povertyShe cannot do it though she die!”5“Dear my lord, now heed my prayer,Let no lady scarlet wear!”6“Oh, can she buy it with gold and feeShe may wear it full well for me!”7“Dear my lord, my prayer now heed,That no son of a churl may ride a fair steed!”8“Oh, can he come by it in honestieHe may ride it full well for me!”9“Dear my lord, now give commandsTo close all the havens with iron bands!”10“Now where shall I so much metal winAs to close all the havens with fetters in?”11“Up to Ribe will we fare,We shall find good blacksmiths there.12“How dare the peasant hope for moreThan hut of wood and hingeless door?13“What more gear should a peasant gainThan a single cow and oxen twain?14“For every son that his wife shall bearA piece of gold shall be my share.15“A piece of gold for every son,For every daughter half a one!”16The King slept first in the dawning dim,And good Queen Dagmar appeared to him.17“When thou farest abroad thy foes to findBengerd must not bide behind!18“Bides Bengerd behind a year, I say,The babe in the cradle must rue the day!”19“Now busk thee and boun thee, Bengerd the Queen!Shalt fare to the foray with me, I ween.”20The first shaft shot from the foeman’s barkIn Bengerd’s bosom found its mark.21Now Bengerd in darksome mould abides,And the peasant hath oxen and kine besides.22Now Bengerd lies in mirk and mould,And every maid hath her crown of gold!—Woe be on her then, Queen Bengerd!

1All in the morning, long ere day,She for her bridal-gift did pray,—Woe be on her then, Queen Bengerd!

All in the morning, long ere day,

She for her bridal-gift did pray,

—Woe be on her then, Queen Bengerd!

2“Now give me Samsey to have and hold,And let every maid pay a crown of gold!”

“Now give me Samsey to have and hold,

And let every maid pay a crown of gold!”

3To Bengerd spake the King eftsoon:“Thou must beg another boon!

To Bengerd spake the King eftsoon:

“Thou must beg another boon!

4“So many a maid lives in povertyShe cannot do it though she die!”

“So many a maid lives in poverty

She cannot do it though she die!”

5“Dear my lord, now heed my prayer,Let no lady scarlet wear!”

“Dear my lord, now heed my prayer,

Let no lady scarlet wear!”

6“Oh, can she buy it with gold and feeShe may wear it full well for me!”

“Oh, can she buy it with gold and fee

She may wear it full well for me!”

7“Dear my lord, my prayer now heed,That no son of a churl may ride a fair steed!”

“Dear my lord, my prayer now heed,

That no son of a churl may ride a fair steed!”

8“Oh, can he come by it in honestieHe may ride it full well for me!”

“Oh, can he come by it in honestie

He may ride it full well for me!”

9“Dear my lord, now give commandsTo close all the havens with iron bands!”

“Dear my lord, now give commands

To close all the havens with iron bands!”

10“Now where shall I so much metal winAs to close all the havens with fetters in?”

“Now where shall I so much metal win

As to close all the havens with fetters in?”

11“Up to Ribe will we fare,We shall find good blacksmiths there.

“Up to Ribe will we fare,

We shall find good blacksmiths there.

12“How dare the peasant hope for moreThan hut of wood and hingeless door?

“How dare the peasant hope for more

Than hut of wood and hingeless door?

13“What more gear should a peasant gainThan a single cow and oxen twain?

“What more gear should a peasant gain

Than a single cow and oxen twain?

14“For every son that his wife shall bearA piece of gold shall be my share.

“For every son that his wife shall bear

A piece of gold shall be my share.

15“A piece of gold for every son,For every daughter half a one!”

“A piece of gold for every son,

For every daughter half a one!”

16The King slept first in the dawning dim,And good Queen Dagmar appeared to him.

The King slept first in the dawning dim,

And good Queen Dagmar appeared to him.

17“When thou farest abroad thy foes to findBengerd must not bide behind!

“When thou farest abroad thy foes to find

Bengerd must not bide behind!

18“Bides Bengerd behind a year, I say,The babe in the cradle must rue the day!”

“Bides Bengerd behind a year, I say,

The babe in the cradle must rue the day!”

19“Now busk thee and boun thee, Bengerd the Queen!Shalt fare to the foray with me, I ween.”

“Now busk thee and boun thee, Bengerd the Queen!

Shalt fare to the foray with me, I ween.”

20The first shaft shot from the foeman’s barkIn Bengerd’s bosom found its mark.

The first shaft shot from the foeman’s bark

In Bengerd’s bosom found its mark.

21Now Bengerd in darksome mould abides,And the peasant hath oxen and kine besides.

Now Bengerd in darksome mould abides,

And the peasant hath oxen and kine besides.

22Now Bengerd lies in mirk and mould,And every maid hath her crown of gold!—Woe be on her then, Queen Bengerd!

Now Bengerd lies in mirk and mould,

And every maid hath her crown of gold!

—Woe be on her then, Queen Bengerd!

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