Fun fact: The picture in this video is just one of many artwork done by John Bauer, one of Sweden's most known artists who did several pictures based around old Swedish folklore and lore.
His artwork are very capturing, i remember having a childrens story-book with famous nordic stories and his artwork helping to tell the tale. i remember being very scared, yet fascinated by the trolls like the one in the picture when i was a child ^^
If I remember correctly, the picture is about an elderly woman rewarding a young boy with a herb for helping her. Kind of savage to use her as a depiction for a troll haha
According to Wikipedia, all of the things she promises are very full of double-meaning which is very fitting for a troll. She is actually offering: Mist (12 "walkers" or steeds), Sea waves(The mills between two islands), a sunbeam (Golden sword/Rings) and a spider web (Unsown shirt) Also, she is seemingly cursed and this marriage is how she intends to escape this curse to turn back into a human.
It can also be like this: the 12 steeds = 12 pairs of ribs, the mills between two islands are the teeth. She is planning to eat him. ;-) A sword that wins all battles is the death (no one can beat it). White shirt is what you put on a corpse.
The song is played by a swedish folk group named Garmarna. They are from the north of sweden and have been writing folk rock since 1990. The song is written in old swedish as it was written about 100-200 years ago, The text has an old grammar where the verb still had their plural form (I viljen = Ni vill = you will). This grammar was abolished in texts in the mid-20th century. For me, born in the 70th, it is not hard to understand. I have read alot of books with that old grammar😀
From what I can find, the song is much older, at least from the Middle Ages but this version / text is from 1860. The variant is recorded in Södermanland, sung by an old blind old woman in the poorhouse in Lunda.
@@Lofftsno So yes, this text as i get it has been rewritten a couple of times to that time modern Swedish. Since we have changed alot of times how we talk and write we need to update texts to keep understanding them.
This is not considered Old Swedish though since it is written in an 1800's dialect.. There were still dialects 20 years ago where people would speak like this. To get old Swedish you would need to go back at least 400-500 years.
@@swedishmetalbear There were a big shift around the end of 1700s early 1800s when before you still had three genders, acusative and dative forms, as well as plural forms ending with "-a" (most notably in compound words; compare old "själafrände" and new "själsfrände") - so prety much Swedish with Icelandic grammar.Then through the whole 1800s there were disscusions on how words should be spelled as well as different forms of words. There were some big spelling reforms in the late 1800s and the whole process were completed in 1906 which where when Sweden got its modern spelling and basically our modern standard Swedish. The spelling rules before that came to be called "old Spelling". This version/iteration of the text being written in 1860 utilized a version of "old spelling".
The "I viljen" utilized the polite titulation of someone, the "I". There were a atempt to change this to "Ni" im 1875 by the higher classes but it was widely unpopular and got the opposite conotation: as if someone were talking down to people, the elite adressing a commoner. So the "I" prevailed. This is up until the "du-reform" during the 1960s. Then during the 1980s it became common to use "ni" in polite formal occations; like in stores and restaurants. Som older folks did not like it but now some 40 years later it is still in use and the former polite adressing, "I", are all but forgotten.
As mattias answer was so brief, the song is of the medieval ballad style but it is not medieval, it was published in 1877. While it may have been orally passed before that, it is likely a 19th century creation, with the national romanticism of the 1800s spawning many musical works of ballads and folk songs.
The song is like a traditional Swedish saga = folk tale. When I was a child (am 86 now), In the 1940s, I got every year a new book with collections of tales in the series "Bland tomtar och Troll" = Among elves and trolls, almost always with beautiful illustrations by John Bauer.
My mom read thoose tales for me when I was young and I started to collect the books when I became adult. But born in the beginning of the 60´s my taste for storys did not consist with my childrens taste.
@@krajrajit sounds a bit like "vargsången" from the movie "Ronja rövardotter" 😊 and also that one song, about the troll mother putting her kids to bed, and taking their tails, to tie around the bedframe. Or something like that. 😅 Have no idea if there are english versions of them🤔🤷♀️
If I remember correctly the troll was under a curse and if the young man had agreed to marry her the curse would've broken and I suppose she would become a human again. Scandinavia used to be a place full of myths and fairytales so these type of stories would've been passed down through the generations.
@@sigurdivar4227 You're right! "The wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle" is an english poem from the 13th century, but the story is probably older and has been told in many forms through the years
Instead of just being cursed, it was a common belief in the Christened Sweden that all sorts of "fey" creatures that people still believed in were either spawn of the devil or otherwise cast out by God. They had no souls and thus would not enter heaven after their deaths, but if they were "accepted" (often through marriage) with a human, than God would grant them their souls and they would be "forgiven" and given the right to enter heaven.
@@ryttyr14 Naj, påge. Vi har varit Svenska längst av alla, ni andra bara börja hinna i kapp ..Varför heter landet landet "Sverige" och inte "Sveariket", tror du? ;-)
I use to tell tales for my 4 year old son about trolls as my father did. We both enjoy it. When the mist rises on the mountains it looks like many fires are lit and the smoke rises. So I tell him that it is the trolls who is cooking butter on the mountain. And the trolls turnes in to stones during the day. So when we are in the forest picking mushrooms and comes to a mossy part of the forest with alot of stones, we know who are sleeping there. And when the mist rolls over the fields early mornings, it is the elfs that are out and dancing. He knows that I am messing with him but it is fun and it makes the world a bit more magical for us both. 😊
Näcken is translated to The Neck which is misleading. Näcken is a mythological being from the Swedish folklore. He is similar to the English Jenny Greenteeth, but not the same.
In Swedish mythology trolls have a lot in common with humans except their strange looks and where they live, they often get blamed when things go wrong but could also help out if you were nice to them. In general I think they're portrayal worsened a lot with christianity as they weren't seen as christians. Actually in Swedish we still have and use sayings about trolls.
Nja, That is not how I was taught about trolls. Trolls are a magical creature and are in aw of the man as we are getter looking, smarter and Excell in craft. That is why trolls steal and try to get their hand on human things as they are much better then what they themselves culd do. But to get our crafted items onw would need to offer something to trade and as trolled didn't have that they used a bit of troll magic generally called glamour. The glamour spell was put on anny thing the trolls made to look equal or even better then human crafts and thus they culd trade something for the items they wanted. But usually the charm would not last long as the thing would break or revert back to it's real form with in a day or two when the trolls culd not be found anny more and the humans was left with junk that was unusable. This is what was known as tolls trickery and "troll konst". Even if trolls didn't have bad intent all of the times they generally culd not do to much things right as they lacked the capability. The we come to the second part of this. If trolls can do human things then why not get a human to make them for them? That's when kidnapping, arranged marriages and these kinds of stories originates from. The trolls would like to have humans in their family to bennefitt them in different ways and yet again would use trickery and deciept to get humans to join them. Also humans living with trolls didn't realy fair too good as they usually didn't get fed food humans culd eat and didn't have the tools or skills to create the things the trolls had envisioned for them to make... Sooooo... Um... Humans kinda taste good in a stew.. So humans more often then not ended up eaten when the trolls lost interest if they didn't manage to flee before that. That is what I learned about the trolls in Värmland where I am from.
Some people do. I have trouble understanding some words because its not the words we use today. It totally depends on where you come from. But also, i cant understand written Småländska that was written 100+ years ago.
@@johncenashi5117 I understand that. I am old and read a lot of books that were written in older Swedish from the beginning of the 1900s. So it makes a significant difference.
Oh my God. I haven't heard this in years and had almost forgotten about it. My mom used to sing this to me and my siblings when we were little at bedtime. I remember being a bit scared of the troll but still the story was so, so captivating. Thank you very much for this one.❤
This is pretty much modern Swedish with a few words spelled differently. A couple of examples: I -> ni/du gerna -> gärna gifva -> giva/ge qvinna -> kvinna uppå -> uppepå -> uppe på mistat -> mist Most of the differences from modern Swedish is that the letter f that have been replaced with v. The biggest difference in my opinion is the use of "I" instead of "ni" or "du"(du is a more casual form of ni, ni is still used in more formal situations).
That's because while the song is medieval in origin, this particular variant was documented in 1862: litteraturbanken.se/f%C3%B6rfattare/SvensktVisarkiv/titlar/MedeltidaBallader1/sida/382/faksimil
I think the word you’re looking for is ’formal’ rather than ’strict’ (du vs. ni). I agree that the text isn’t vastly different from modern Swedish and is very much understandable. Had the same thoughts on ’I’ instead of ’du/ni’ as well.
@@mnemetotoroJag hittar inte det i texten någonstans. I som jag hittar är en syftningar åter till något som redan sagts. Som I striden finns två referat tillbaks och I där syftar på att i striden skulle han vell vinna med ett sådant svärd.
It’s literally about a woman who was turned into a troll who if she gets a hand in marriage, can turn human again. True most “fairytales” were used to keep kids in line (‘don’t run out in the forest, stay in the fields by the house, or the trolls will get you’ sort of thing) this one was more just a tale about how things aren’t always as they seem and assumptions can hurt everyone in the end.
Herr Mannelig (also known as Herr Mannerlig, Herr Magnus och havsfrun or Bergatrollet's frieri; classification: SMB 26, TSB A 59) is a Swedish medieval ballad that tells the story of a female mountain troll who proposes to a knight. The rolling r’s are a dialect. And it’s more or less a moral song about not looking on the outside because if he sad yes the troll would be changed to a beautiful princess.
Another interpretation is that bergatrollet simply is a pagan, and the only way for her to become a christian woman and gain spiritual salvation is to marry a christian man.
@@lolipoppification the lyrics have been changed many times and the Christian theme is probably something that wasn’t originally drone the German story it is based on. But who knows. I heard the saga as a little boy from my parents that came from the Netherlands. And in that the troll was a bewitched princess.
Not really, not what I've heard, first of what sort of princess would have a "false tongue", that is not what Mannerlig calls her btw, that's what the narrator says. She is just a troll and trolls are not good, she is lying and would probably curse him or his family if he had said yes.
@@nihalad_3854 She genuinely wants to marry to become human again. However, all her gifts are interpretations of different lands like the ocean, and therefore her false tongue. Since she has nothing to actually offer him. If she was cursed for her false tongue or if you acquired it to escape her pain, we can't know. But if she is a princess, she probably acquired it after being cursed, since princes in this time would not be portrayed badly.
Hi! If you want to listen to more traditional songs from Sweden, I would recommend -Vår vindar friska leka / Spring winds healthy/vild play -Ut i vår hage / Out in our fild -Vem kan segla för utan vind / who can sail without wind ( incredibly beautiful but sad) - Ut i mörka natten / out into the dark night -Var hälsad moder sol / be greetad mother sun - Så rider jag mig / Then I ride (contains trall, a song ellement unique in the north) (It's a story about a man riding home) - Räven raskar över risen / The fox rushes over the sticks -Älvefärd / Elv journey (It is a story about a man who encounters elvs) I also recommend that you watch and listen to: - Kurling = a completely unique way of singing in the nordics that comes from a herding call - Nyckelharpa, one of our traditional instruments. Some songs with nyckelharpa are När månen vandrar / When the moon wanders and Trollpolska As well as our traditional ways of dancing. - Jämtpolska Skansen's folk dans team - Oxdansen/ the ox dance. The ox dance is very unique and will probably make you laugh. Jämtpolska is typical of our way of dancing, round in a ring, round in a ring. Finally, I would like to conclude by saying that it is always nice to see your reactions to our beautiful country ❤
@RizanneRogue is correct. It is indeed "över isen/over the ice" I might also add that the old northern song style is "Kulning" without an R but with an N.
Hedningarna is the inspiration to Gramarna. And you could also listen to our band, Sorkar & Strängar, and the song Drafur & Gildur and Harald. Our most known songs. Hedningarna did a cover on the first song, Drafur & Gildur.
If want more of these Swedish folksongs then I would recommend "Hårgalåten" there is a cover of the song by Offdrykkja if want to see it however try the bit more original one first that it is sung in the way of folksong. There is either a vid to the song with just a still picture then there is a stop motion version to the song which tell the story.
In my mind, I always think of "Herr Mannelig" as meaning something like "Mr. Man" as in "Hey, Mr. Human man, would you marry me?" But that is not something I'm sure of. Since in other versions, the guy is called "Herr Magnus" (which is probably the Swedish equivalent to a name as common as "Mr. Smith") I find that fairly likely.
"Herr" is commonly translated to "Mr" today, but I believe "Herr" could also be a more respectful word, like "Sir", and possibly even "Lord" back in the day. So, "Mannelig" is either his name, or just what the troll calls him. "Mannelig" sound a bit like the modern Swedish word "Manlig", meaning "manly-man".
i can answer one part at least, Magnus is a normal name, like Tom or Stephen. Smith would have been the surname. i do think she is basically calling him Mr. Man in this tune though
I would say Magnus is this case is more like a nobel name, it's the Scandinavian equivalent of Charlemagne. Otherwise her Mannerlig is certainly an implication of his manliness.
That's cool to hear. As a foreign language speaker I translated it to "Mister Human-ly" in my head, imagining she was bending the word kind of funnily, trying to be polite but not knowing the person's actual name, just knowing him as a human
The troll was cursed into that form, and if he had married her it would have lifted the curse. But since he only looked at her appearance he lost out on all the riches and a beautiful wife. Moral of the story: beauty is only skin deep (or rather looks is not everything.)
@@issyd2366 it is (or seems to be) a version of a theme that was present in many countries. Check out the theme of "The loathly lady" A parallell song (but where the man accepts the woman) is King Henry (best version is by Steel Eye Span).
No, because everything she promised was spiderwebs, lightrays, and stuff. She tried to fool him. She was a troll, which had a curse, but lifting that curse wouldn't necessarily mean that she wouldn't be a troll anymore, just that she wouldn't suffer.
Hm. Did my reply disapear? There are other folk songs from Northern Europe that are related to this one. (And other stories that also relate) and the oldest theme is that the troll is cursed and the curse is lifted when the man does as the troll wants. Look at King Henry (the best version I know of is by Steeleye Span) or look into the theme about the loathly lady)
Wow, long times since I heard that song (over 40 years and perhaps a different verstion but the same) I had no problem understanding the lyrics then and had no problems today :) Loved this version
The rolling R's is a pronunciation thing that is taught when we sing so that letter doesn't disappears in the air when singing on stage/live. Also used by actors on stage so everyone in the audiene can hear all the words
She is offering him everything he'll need to become a Noble basically :) If you want a true bedtime song with trolls we have "När Trollmor har lagt de elva små trollen" in english: when mother troll has put her 11 children to bed"
I reccomend you listen to Garmarna "Sven från rosengård" (Same band above), and then the finnish metalband Amorphis "Brother slayer" ...They are different songs, but the same legend, a very old one, interpreted in modern but yet folky ways and have some similarities, the lyrics are about the same
It's possible that the song is much older than we think. Tillö is unknown but it could perhaps be Björkö, the island where Birka was located (one of swedens old viking strongholds). the 12 mills could refer to the 12 herlads that were located between Tärnö and Björlö
The cloven tongue and troll being kept on the hook are subtle references to politics between farmers and rulers. The song is meant as a lesson that you should probably make sure your leaders are following through and not just making false promises. Simply put, have the bravery to slow down and not immediately react. To take an extra moment to think things through. It's a throwback to why abusive rulers usually wouldn't last in sweden. Alliances and good standing with the middleclass was the only way for a dynasty to have a chance and all of the above is a subtle, yet verbal depiction of the swedish soul.
The artists are the band Garmarna. Their music are mostly contemporary-folk music or medieval music. Check out Herr Holger, a rendition of a south Swedish - danish ballad. Other stuff are original compositions. Would recommend över gränsen for an original composition.
The version is not in "old" swedish, but in modern Swedish with a somewhat aged pronounciation. This is old Norse! czcams.com/video/4dxW9ENax2o/video.html&ab_channel=TheSkaldicBard
. John Bauer, his wife and son died November 20, 1918 when their ship sank. They choose to not take the train after a terrible accident October 1, 1918 (Getåolyckan)
And he was German and Germany just surrendered in WWI 9 days before 11/11-1918 and THAT was actually the first stepping stone to Hitler and WWII. Myself I had a thick fairy tale book only with John Bauer pictures to read from to my 4 children as small. They too was a bit afaid of the trolls. Aditionally I myself grew up in the countryside close to were John Bauer lived and took inspiration to his pictures.
so happy that you reacted to this song. i used to spend my summers as a kid in a small village near a mountain called Hårga where the devil is said to have visited. there is a song about it called Hårgalåten. could you please react to it.
I can recommend a Swedish folkmusician Sofia Karlsson, really good. And there also a German folkmusic group called Faun, there song Valpurgis is here on CZcams, so is Sofia Karlsson. Great show, thanks.
As previously commented this is not that old swedish and is easily understood. The lyrics are about a heathen woman and since she is not christian she is refered to as a Troll in this context. If yo wan't to hear old swedish have a look at "The Skaldic Bard" for example czcams.com/video/_6qAxLqoZzM/video.html or this song in Old Norse czcams.com/video/4dxW9ENax2o/video.html.
From what I can find, the song is much older, at least from the Middle Ages but this version / text is from 1860. The variant is recorded in Södermanland, sung by an old blind old woman in the poorhouse in Lunda.
As a finn having heard lot of swedishj music also, this is one of the most powerful songs. it always give me chills as it has so much history in it. Straight from the 1000 years back from good old viking times. One good example, how deep the fennoscandinavian culture is. We in Finland have always been in "the buffer zone" between west and east. Luckily we have been with the Vikings for almost 1000 years (with an exception of horrifying time 1809-1917). And we continue to be with the Vikings, cause, well, We are vikings.
Yeah, it's often exaggerated in music. Most Swedes have a "quick" roll or tap of the R instead of the long and very pronounced R's of this song, as an example.
I actually had the time to speak with the singer of this and according to her she believe the troll is a cursed women and if Herr Mannelig marry her she will no longer be a troll but since she is a pagan Herr Mannelig refuse to help her. Herr is a noble title by the way similar in rank to knight. But today herr is instead Mr.
I think it's "Garmarna" who sings, it's a swedish folk-metal band I guess you could say, they're really good and I can defintly recomend that you look them up :)
If you like this there is so much more you could listen to, Garmarna (the band you just listened to) has some great stuff like "Vänner och fränder". there is also a lyric and animated music video to "Hårgalåten" uploaded by Brittany Arnold.
This is less Old Swedish and more something that sounds like Old Swedish. It is a bit like Shakespare. Perfectly understandable but occasionally sounding older than jt is.
Scandinavian folk, and modern interpretations are very close to my heart. They are emotional and cryptic in the same time, and "Herr Mannelig" is one of the classics. There are many artists and groups that does the same songs, with variations. This song was made by "Garmarna" (I think). Garmarna, Hedningarna, Gjallarhorn are some famous groups (from the 90s) that comes to mind. But there are newer. Some other of my favorite songs that are "nordic" in sound are ... "I Riden Så" (By "Gjallarhorn"). "Vargtimmen" (By "Hedningarna", a Swedish/Finnish band, that does a more "Folk/Rock" mix, realy good IMHO). "Herr Olof" (various artists). You can also listen to Norwegian, Islandic and Faroe Island artists for some realy old norse "Viking" like sound/songs. Eivor Palsdottir - "Trodlabundin" (is Faroe Island for = "Trollbundin", Norwegian = "Trollbunden", Swedish. or "Trollbound" in english) comes to mind (even if it is "modern"). Cheers.
Love this song!! Talking of old dialects. . Sweden has another language; Älvdalska (Elfdalian). Developed from Old Norse. Like an old viking language, spoken by about 3000 persons only. Read about here; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elfdalian And listen to it here (maybe as a reaction? :) She reads The Nativity of Jesus. ; czcams.com/video/49wyVPt7L-U/video.html The Elfdalian starts at 0:30
From wiki: She offers him many gifts but he refuses her because she is not a Christian. It is also implied that the troll is actually a pagan woman, and that the song symbolizes a young Christian man resisting material gain that would come with apostasy. Thats the story ive heard growing up aswell.
This is one beautiful song. The old way of speaking is not that different from the modern version since people still spoke it till the 1950s or so. It is still somewhat intellegable with our current way of speaking with just some mixed up grammar and rare words :) And the rolling R's are still used in Gothenburg and the surrounding areas and in some places up north as well :) On a sidenote about lore-points of trolls. It was believed, in pagan times, that trolls would call on people and especially children, into their dwellings to kill them and steal their valuables. We have an old saying which goes "Rik som ett troll" (Wealthy as a troll) which is something you would say to a person who has wealth because of these old beliefs. So this makes me think that this is just another of the troll's deception to lure in the person it wants to marry.
I've always found mythology fascinating! While I don't know the origin of this song it is very inspired by old Scandinavian stories of mythological creatures. Common traits among those creatures, väsen, are that they often posses magical powers and wealth that people can only dream of, but it's also possible to obtain some of their power and wealth by tricking, making deals with, or capturing them. Väsen sometimes give away gifts to humans they like, and sometimes to thank them for favors. However, dealing with väsen is always risky because they are drawn to humans and either want something from us, wish to take us with them to their world, to make us suffer or to kill us. However, there are also väsen like vittra, who only wishes to live in peace next to us without being bothered :)
I am Swedish and this song is very beautiful and make me proud of being Swedish 😊❤ thank you for spreading this and if you got any questions related to Sweden or my language i will gladly answer you 😊
That is a very beautiful song and it brings back memories from when I was a young boy, my father and grandmother sang it to us before bedtime among with tales about creatures and folklores that we have here in Scandinavia. Thank you for sharing🙏
"Herr Mannelig" is a name, like "Mr Mannelig". You are right about the fairytale vibes. It's quite common with stories in old songs. We also have the ballads that often are based on real life events and real people. Where you sing about a murderer or some tragic death and heart break. Of what I could find on internet, (I couldn't find any good sources so I dont know how true this is), Herr Mannelig comes probably from the Middle Ages but the language might be from 1600s-1700s or so, since that's when they started to write down old songs.
Hey yo Dwayne, thanks for your Reaction. I know this Song from my passion for german Medievil Rock / Metal Bands like In Extremo for Example. You should check out "In Extremo - Herr Mannelig ("Der Freitag" - Live von der Loreley Freilichtbühne)" available here on YT. Saw the Band In Extremo recently Live again on Open Air Tour here in Germany, was a good show, even standing in the Rain for almost 4 hours ^^
some interesting possible etymology: the word "troll" might have originally be used as a catch all for magical beings, "att trolla" means to cast a spell
This song is usually sung quicker and cheerier. Atleast at my school. And the girls singing it would make up new/different things they would give for a betrothal, in jest ofcourse
For the record the translation should be "of Näcken and the Devil". Näcken is a mythical being of the river in the woods that lures young men to drown.
I speak both danish and Swedish and it tickles me that they still use I to mean Ni (formal "you"). And rister is shake just like ryste in danish and skånska. If you go back far enough in Swedish our two languages were joined.
If you like this folklore style of songs I'd highly recommend "Hårgalåten"/"Hårgadansen"/"Hårgasägnen" (it has many names, but it's the same tale. It tells the story of how a town got bewitched by the devil who was disguised as a fiddler. He does this by playing his instrument, the people of the town ends up having to dance till they die. The town "Hårga" is real. But the tale is of course just a tale. It doesn't have any real official version. So it's a matter of preference. I'd personally recommend the version by Ofdrykkja. Cheers from Sweden.
Wait, what do you mean? I think you have it reversed. South Swedes like Scanians do not roll their R's, they have a gutteral R, unlike the woman singing in this song which is, in fact, a rolled (trilled) R.
Hey! Big fan here from Sweden. I saw that you reacted to Benjamin Ingrosso, you should react to his Medley on Eurovision 2024. He really took Eurovision by storm. He competed in Eurovision 2018, but if you compare the two acts this one from 2024 is so good!
I love this song, and I always feel sorry for the poor troll woman. 😅💔 There's also a version in Old Norse (the language that people spoke during the Viking age.)
In the song it is Tip of the tongue R's but they are VERY exaggerated for effect. Rolling R is a regional thing in Sweden and it spans across many "usual" regions and dialects. Tip of the tongue R like in the song is very common generally throughout Sweden but the growling back of the throat R is most common in southern Sweden(not just skåne). The divide is basically across the middle of Småland and it is one way where the Småland dialect differs from the northern part and the southern part. Still mostly the same dialect but different R's can pop up from village to village, quite interesting to hear live. Recent study by Gothenburg university do show that Tip of the tongue R's are "winning" and becoming more and more common even in the southern parts of sweden, most commonly in young people.
Interesting study there. As a person from Värmland with a rolled R, I'd say I'm a little bit biased towards it, and I think it sounds better. Sorry to all guttural R Swedish friends out there, but you sound Danish.
@@rullvardi the singer, Emma Härdelin, are from Hälsingland and Jämtland, so it isn't much about Småland in here dialect. She things this way to make the text become easy to hear. The guys in the band are original from Sundsvall.
Your are right about Nordic folk songs sounding like fairytales. If you liked this one I recommend the Swedish music group Garmarna. This version of Herr Mannelig are performed by them.
I understand the entire song but there are certain words and variations of words that are either very old or a old version of a word more familiar in a different form today. I'll list some. For instance False Tongue = Falskeliger Tunga. Tunga is still the word for tongue but falskeliger is never used today. Instead it's either falsk (false singular) or falska (false plural). The beginning where they say "upprann" for the sun rising up is also never used today. Instead we say Solen gick upp, the sun went up/rose up. Or for Sunrise - Soluppgång. And for Sunset - Solnedgång. I'd never heard the word upprann, but that's the old Swedish at work I guess. Ungersven is an old-fashioned word for young man. Trolofven is related to trolovad which does indeed mean betrothed/engaged to be married. The modern equivalent is Förlovad. An interesting change that apparently took place that I'd never known because I don't read very much old-swedish is that it seems that the Swedish word for You - "Ni", used to be just a single " i ". Pronounced ee (same-ish sound as in need). Unrelated, but at some point during the latter half of the 20th century we pretty much stopped saying Ni to singular people because we informalised our language. Part of the flattening of hierarchies somewhat due to socialist ideas no doubt, but that's a different story. You asked why the troll is offering so many gifts. I couldn't say if this was something they were said to do in our legends, but I know that faeries of Britain had stories about them where they would offer food and drink and gifts to those who met them and if you accepted they would have a hold over you. Literally be able to influence you and enslave your mind. I suspect the lore behind this song is something similar since the origins of our people's are shared (both Germanic). Trolls wouldn't be seen as faeries by most people today of course but they most definitely were part of the fairy world and connected to the monarchs of the faerie courts of which there were two - Summer and Winter. Edit: Oh, someone probably mentioned it elsewhere in the comments but the title of the song? Yeah Herr Mannelig literally means Mr. Manly - The modern term is Manlig instead of Mannelig xD I couldn't say if the semantic meaning of mannelig was different from what we hold manlig to mean today though :)
The song is not about marriage. There would be no point for gifts as he would be owning all that she owns if he marries her anyway. The troll is being attacked and she needs Mannerlig to fight a battle for her. That is why they meet early in the morning (before the battle). She will give him a sword that will ensure his victory. She will also give him 12 horses, which are for breeding and 12 water-mills which are for forging weapons and armour. This would have made Mannerlig the most powerful knight in the land.
I am a native swede and this is the first time I hear this song. I am now 64 years old so if it was common I would most likely have heard it sometime, would'nt I?
The song was first printed in 1877. The text is not Old Swedish, but an intermediate step to today's Swedish. The text was probably written a hundred years earlier. In the 1990s, it was rediscovered by various folk bands. In German-speaking countries, the song is often heard at medieval markets, but not in this version. A German folk metal band covered it and kept the language. This version has a lot more power and the band headlined this year's Wacken Open Air metal festival. This version was also part of the computer game Gothic, in the German version of the game. For legal reasons, it had to be removed from other languages: In Extremo - Herr Mannelig ("Der Freitag" - Live von der Loreley Freilichtbühne)
Dunno if you've already seen it, but if you want a very classic Swedish folklore story, check Hårgalåten. There are a few other reactions to it as I search CZcams for it, but sadly I can't really find a version with English subs.. Maybe some other viewer can recommend a version with english translations like in this video. There is a "modern" version (same lyrics and melody but more recently recorded and with a storytelling video) czcams.com/video/Z43oZtz1KHg/video.html And an old and very classic version with a static image as background. czcams.com/video/FI3iX8WtzaM/video.html
the trolls are still imo the scariest folklore we have. since its like lord of the rings they turn to stone during the day. so when you see weird round boulders in the forest full of moss or perhaps even a "big nose" sticking out you can scare your kids or even yourself :D
This song is sung in relatively modern Swedish compared to the Old Norse version ( czcams.com/users/results?search_query=herr+mannelig+old+norse ) Herr Mannelig means Lord, so he is a nobleman. Also, Mannelig sounds a lot like manlig which means manly.
Ahh i just had a listen, I should of reacted to this version. It definitely sounds different. I could hear a few words still used in Swedish today. Love that.
Great reaction! If you enjoy folk music try Uti mörka natten av Emilia Amper. She plats the nyckelharpa, which I've heard is our national instrument but I'm not sure. Anyway, it's awesome
"Herr Mannelig" in direct translation would be something like "Sir/Lord/Mr Mannelig", but the name Mannelig in itself basically means "manly". If I were to translate it in a singable way I'd probably go for "noble Sir" or "lordly man". From what I know of folklore I see two ways of interpreting this song: 1. The pagan troll - 'troll' being more like a shape-shifting magical being in Nordic mythology, not necessarily the monsters we often imagine today - is truly an evil being and trying to tempt the good, Christian Herr Mannelig with riches and wordly goods, but he withstands her temptation and rejects her. I.e basically a cautionary tale from the Christian perspective. This assumes the line "she spoke with a false tongue" is true, and also considers that trolls most of the time were protrayed as antagonistic, albeit not necessarily evil. 2. Since the general belief at the time - at least on the Christian side - was that only Christians had true souls, and therefore all non-Christians were automatically doomed to end up in hell, the troll might genuinely wish for salvation, but knows the odds are stacked against her given what she is. And that is why she keeps offering him gifts; to accept her in spite of what she is. Because if a Christian man agrees to marry her, her soul would be saved. This supported by the end where she says "if I had got the fair young man (for my husband) my torment would have been over." I think no. 1 is probably the intended moral of the story, but there's no way to know for sure, and personally I like the second one for tragedy vibes. =)
Fun fact: The picture in this video is just one of many artwork done by John Bauer, one of Sweden's most known artists who did several pictures based around old Swedish folklore and lore.
His artwork are very capturing, i remember having a childrens story-book with famous nordic stories and his artwork helping to tell the tale. i remember being very scared, yet fascinated by the trolls like the one in the picture when i was a child ^^
When I was little I had many of these on my walls, love them.
There is plenty of man/troll marriage in Icelandic tales. 😊
If I remember correctly, the picture is about an elderly woman rewarding a young boy with a herb for helping her.
Kind of savage to use her as a depiction for a troll haha
I actually studied IT-Media at one of the John Bauer schools here in sweden and every class was named after things from his art
Since it's not mentioned the band performing this song is Garmarna.
From the album Guds Spelemän (1996)
That's exactly what I was thinking. Haven't listened to Garmarna for 25 years and it sounds exactly as I remember them
Sadly Garmana is absolutely underrated. Greetings from Germany 😍
According to Wikipedia, all of the things she promises are very full of double-meaning which is very fitting for a troll.
She is actually offering:
Mist (12 "walkers" or steeds), Sea waves(The mills between two islands), a sunbeam (Golden sword/Rings) and a spider web (Unsown shirt)
Also, she is seemingly cursed and this marriage is how she intends to escape this curse to turn back into a human.
Ja, this sounds about right. Commenting so it gets attention :)
Very interesting!
Yes, she was cursed, and she needed to persuade a man to marry her to break the curse and turn back into a woman.
@@PrinsPrygel With her being a troll in the story, she will probably transfer being a troll to him. :P
It can also be like this: the 12 steeds = 12 pairs of ribs, the mills between two islands are the teeth.
She is planning to eat him. ;-) A sword that wins all battles is the death (no one can beat it). White shirt is what you put on a corpse.
The song is played by a swedish folk group named Garmarna. They are from the north of sweden and have been writing folk rock since 1990. The song is written in old swedish as it was written about 100-200 years ago, The text has an old grammar where the verb still had their plural form (I viljen = Ni vill = you will). This grammar was abolished in texts in the mid-20th century. For me, born in the 70th, it is not hard to understand. I have read alot of books with that old grammar😀
From what I can find, the song is much older, at least from the Middle Ages but this version / text is from 1860. The variant is recorded in Södermanland, sung by an old blind old woman in the poorhouse in Lunda.
@@Lofftsno So yes, this text as i get it has been rewritten a couple of times to that time modern Swedish. Since we have changed alot of times how we talk and write we need to update texts to keep understanding them.
This is not considered Old Swedish though since it is written in an 1800's dialect.. There were still dialects 20 years ago where people would speak like this. To get old Swedish you would need to go back at least 400-500 years.
@@swedishmetalbear There were a big shift around the end of 1700s early 1800s when before you still had three genders, acusative and dative forms, as well as plural forms ending
with "-a" (most notably in compound words; compare old "själafrände" and new "själsfrände") - so prety much Swedish with Icelandic grammar.Then through the whole 1800s there were disscusions on how words should be spelled as well as different forms of words. There were some big spelling reforms in the late 1800s and the whole process were completed in 1906 which where when Sweden got its modern spelling and basically our modern standard Swedish. The spelling rules before that came to be called "old Spelling".
This version/iteration of the text being written in 1860 utilized a version of "old spelling".
The "I viljen" utilized the polite titulation of someone, the "I". There were a atempt to change this to "Ni" im 1875 by the higher classes but it was widely unpopular and got the opposite conotation: as if someone were talking down to people, the elite adressing a commoner. So the "I" prevailed. This is up until the "du-reform" during the 1960s. Then during the 1980s it became common to use "ni" in polite formal occations; like in stores and restaurants. Som older folks did not like it but now some 40 years later it is still in use and the former polite adressing, "I", are all but forgotten.
No one knows how old the song actually is but it is at least medieval. It is one of several songs in the collection Sweden's medieval ballad.
Hehe nä den är inte från medeltiden
As mattias answer was so brief, the song is of the medieval ballad style but it is not medieval, it was published in 1877. While it may have been orally passed before that, it is likely a 19th century creation, with the national romanticism of the 1800s spawning many musical works of ballads and folk songs.
The song is like a traditional Swedish saga = folk tale. When I was a child (am 86 now), In the 1940s, I got every year a new book with collections of tales in the series "Bland tomtar och Troll" = Among elves and trolls, almost always with beautiful illustrations by John Bauer.
My mom read thoose tales for me when I was young and I started to collect the books when I became adult. But born in the beginning of the 60´s my taste for storys did not consist with my childrens taste.
Tomtar are gnomes in Swedish, not elves.
I think that I have one of his books. Why do I have a feeling that I know this song? 🤔 Im born in the ’90s in autumn.
@@krajrajit sounds a bit like "vargsången" from the movie "Ronja rövardotter" 😊 and also that one song, about the troll mother putting her kids to bed, and taking their tails, to tie around the bedframe. Or something like that. 😅 Have no idea if there are english versions of them🤔🤷♀️
@@emmalinnea5291 my mother used to sing the one about the troll-mother and also “Byssan lull”
If I remember correctly the troll was under a curse and if the young man had agreed to marry her the curse would've broken and I suppose she would become a human again. Scandinavia used to be a place full of myths and fairytales so these type of stories would've been passed down through the generations.
I think there is a simillar english legend about Sir Gawain, who was approached by an old witch, who wanted to marry him.
There are quite a few ways to look at it, another would be that she would gain a soul by getting maried to herr Mannerlig.
@@sigurdivar4227 You're right! "The wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle" is an english poem from the 13th century, but the story is probably older and has been told in many forms through the years
@@aliciaoakstream619 Thank you for responding! I knew there was something I'b probably read about a hudred years ago. :)
Instead of just being cursed, it was a common belief in the Christened Sweden that all sorts of "fey" creatures that people still believed in were either spawn of the devil or otherwise cast out by God. They had no souls and thus would not enter heaven after their deaths, but if they were "accepted" (often through marriage) with a human, than God would grant them their souls and they would be "forgiven" and given the right to enter heaven.
I'm a Swede. Listening to this song while taking a walk in the woods is like the nature is coming to life.
The amount we roll our R's varies from dialect to dialect, and to some extent even from person to person.
In real Sweden (Skåne) we dont roll them at all.
@@andyknowles772 Intressant att du säger riktiga Sverige om Skåne när Skåne är den del av Sverige som har varit svenskt kortast tid. 😁
@@ryttyr14
Naj, påge. Vi har varit Svenska längst av alla, ni andra bara börja hinna i kapp ..Varför heter landet landet "Sverige" och inte "Sveariket", tror du? ;-)
@@andyknowles772 det är inte Svenskt längre med alla invällarna och grantat attackerna.
@@ryttyr14 Bohuslän har varit svenskt kortast tid av alla landskap.
(Hälsningar från en bohuslänning 👋)
I use to tell tales for my 4 year old son about trolls as my father did. We both enjoy it. When the mist rises on the mountains it looks like many fires are lit and the smoke rises. So I tell him that it is the trolls who is cooking butter on the mountain. And the trolls turnes in to stones during the day. So when we are in the forest picking mushrooms and comes to a mossy part of the forest with alot of stones, we know who are sleeping there. And when the mist rolls over the fields early mornings, it is the elfs that are out and dancing. He knows that I am messing with him but it is fun and it makes the world a bit more magical for us both. 😊
My grandmother told me the same, but for me it was "messmör" Don't know what it's called in english though haha
@@skagglav yea I think I have heard that too 😅
To understand this song without knowledge of swedish folklore and mythology is hardly impossible. I love it! Till års och fred!
Näcken is translated to The Neck which is misleading. Näcken is a mythological being from the Swedish folklore. He is similar to the English Jenny Greenteeth, but not the same.
In Swedish mythology trolls have a lot in common with humans except their strange looks and where they live, they often get blamed when things go wrong but could also help out if you were nice to them. In general I think they're portrayal worsened a lot with christianity as they weren't seen as christians. Actually in Swedish we still have and use sayings about trolls.
Nja, That is not how I was taught about trolls.
Trolls are a magical creature and are in aw of the man as we are getter looking, smarter and Excell in craft.
That is why trolls steal and try to get their hand on human things as they are much better then what they themselves culd do. But to get our crafted items onw would need to offer something to trade and as trolled didn't have that they used a bit of troll magic generally called glamour.
The glamour spell was put on anny thing the trolls made to look equal or even better then human crafts and thus they culd trade something for the items they wanted.
But usually the charm would not last long as the thing would break or revert back to it's real form with in a day or two when the trolls culd not be found anny more and the humans was left with junk that was unusable. This is what was known as tolls trickery and "troll konst".
Even if trolls didn't have bad intent all of the times they generally culd not do to much things right as they lacked the capability.
The we come to the second part of this. If trolls can do human things then why not get a human to make them for them? That's when kidnapping, arranged marriages and these kinds of stories originates from.
The trolls would like to have humans in their family to bennefitt them in different ways and yet again would use trickery and deciept to get humans to join them.
Also humans living with trolls didn't realy fair too good as they usually didn't get fed food humans culd eat and didn't have the tools or skills to create the things the trolls had envisioned for them to make... Sooooo... Um... Humans kinda taste good in a stew.. So humans more often then not ended up eaten when the trolls lost interest if they didn't manage to flee before that.
That is what I learned about the trolls in Värmland where I am from.
One interpretation is that that the "trolls" are actually humans, the last pagans shunned by the new world.
I have no problem to understand the Swedish.
Some people do. I have trouble understanding some words because its not the words we use today. It totally depends on where you come from. But also, i cant understand written Småländska that was written 100+ years ago.
@@johncenashi5117 I understand that. I am old and read a lot of books that were written in older Swedish from the beginning of the 1900s. So it makes a significant difference.
Me neither 😊
"bittida" is a word most young people do not know. There are a few other words that younger people wouldnt understand as well
@@debrickashaw9387 but I am sure they know the word ”morgonbitti” (early morning). Or am I misstaken? Surly this word is still used today?
Old folk tales. We have loads of them
Yes. I love them.
Oh my God. I haven't heard this in years and had almost forgotten about it. My mom used to sing this to me and my siblings when we were little at bedtime. I remember being a bit scared of the troll but still the story was so, so captivating. Thank you very much for this one.❤
This is pretty much modern Swedish with a few words spelled differently. A couple of examples:
I -> ni/du
gerna -> gärna
gifva -> giva/ge
qvinna -> kvinna
uppå -> uppepå -> uppe på
mistat -> mist
Most of the differences from modern Swedish is that the letter f that have been replaced with v. The biggest difference in my opinion is the use of "I" instead of "ni" or "du"(du is a more casual form of ni, ni is still used in more formal situations).
Viljen -> Vilja -> Att vilja.
I think?
That's because while the song is medieval in origin, this particular variant was documented in 1862:
litteraturbanken.se/f%C3%B6rfattare/SvensktVisarkiv/titlar/MedeltidaBallader1/sida/382/faksimil
I think the word you’re looking for is ’formal’ rather than ’strict’ (du vs. ni). I agree that the text isn’t vastly different from modern Swedish and is very much understandable. Had the same thoughts on ’I’ instead of ’du/ni’ as well.
@@johncenashi5117korrekt
@@mnemetotoroJag hittar inte det i texten någonstans. I som jag hittar är en syftningar åter till något som redan sagts.
Som I striden finns två referat tillbaks och I där syftar på att i striden skulle han vell vinna med ett sådant svärd.
It´s a folk song to keep the children away from the dark and mysterious forests, and to not trust strangers who offer gifts.
It’s literally about a woman who was turned into a troll who if she gets a hand in marriage, can turn human again. True most “fairytales” were used to keep kids in line (‘don’t run out in the forest, stay in the fields by the house, or the trolls will get you’ sort of thing) this one was more just a tale about how things aren’t always as they seem and assumptions can hurt everyone in the end.
Herr Mannelig (also known as Herr Mannerlig, Herr Magnus och havsfrun or Bergatrollet's frieri; classification: SMB 26, TSB A 59) is a Swedish medieval ballad that tells the story of a female mountain troll who proposes to a knight.
The rolling r’s are a dialect. And it’s more or less a moral song about not looking on the outside because if he sad yes the troll would be changed to a beautiful princess.
Another interpretation is that bergatrollet simply is a pagan, and the only way for her to become a christian woman and gain spiritual salvation is to marry a christian man.
Tack, behövde info 😅
@@lolipoppification the lyrics have been changed many times and the Christian theme is probably something that wasn’t originally drone the German story it is based on. But who knows. I heard the saga as a little boy from my parents that came from the Netherlands. And in that the troll was a bewitched princess.
Not really, not what I've heard, first of what sort of princess would have a "false tongue", that is not what Mannerlig calls her btw, that's what the narrator says. She is just a troll and trolls are not good, she is lying and would probably curse him or his family if he had said yes.
@@nihalad_3854 She genuinely wants to marry to become human again. However, all her gifts are interpretations of different lands like the ocean, and therefore her false tongue. Since she has nothing to actually offer him. If she was cursed for her false tongue or if you acquired it to escape her pain, we can't know. But if she is a princess, she probably acquired it after being cursed, since princes in this time would not be portrayed badly.
Those rolling R’s are a product of singing technique rather than any accent. Listen to Joakim singing in Sabaton. Same tecnique!
Hi! If you want to listen to more traditional songs from Sweden, I would recommend
-Vår vindar friska leka / Spring winds healthy/vild play
-Ut i vår hage / Out in our fild
-Vem kan segla för utan vind / who can sail without wind ( incredibly beautiful but sad)
- Ut i mörka natten / out into the dark night
-Var hälsad moder sol / be greetad mother sun
- Så rider jag mig / Then I ride (contains trall, a song ellement unique in the north) (It's a story about a man riding home)
- Räven raskar över risen / The fox rushes over the sticks
-Älvefärd / Elv journey (It is a story about a man who encounters elvs)
I also recommend that you watch and listen to:
- Kurling = a completely unique way of singing in the nordics that comes from a herding call
- Nyckelharpa, one of our traditional instruments. Some songs with nyckelharpa are När månen vandrar / When the moon wanders and Trollpolska
As well as our traditional ways of dancing.
- Jämtpolska Skansen's folk dans team
- Oxdansen/ the ox dance. The ox dance is very unique and will probably make you laugh. Jämtpolska is typical of our way of dancing, round in a ring, round in a ring.
Finally, I would like to conclude by saying that it is always nice to see your reactions to our beautiful country ❤
trodde det var "Räven raskar över isen /The fox runs over the ice :)
Uti vår hage.. (Out in spring pastures..) vår som årstiden är det ju ämnat..
@RizanneRogue is correct. It is indeed "över isen/over the ice"
I might also add that the old northern song style is "Kulning" without an R but with an N.
It is "Kulning", not "Kurling".
Nyckelharpa (Key harp) and Svensk säckpipa (Swedish Bagpipes) was suggested to be Swedish national instruments.
Hedningarna is the inspiration to Gramarna.
And you could also listen to our band, Sorkar & Strängar, and the song Drafur & Gildur and Harald. Our most known songs. Hedningarna did a cover on the first song, Drafur & Gildur.
The language isn't Old Swedish, it's archaic modern Swedish as written in the 19th century.
If want more of these Swedish folksongs then I would recommend "Hårgalåten" there is a cover of the song by Offdrykkja if want to see it however try the bit more original one first that it is sung in the way of folksong. There is either a vid to the song with just a still picture then there is a stop motion version to the song which tell the story.
In Flames has also made a version of it.
Ahh I love that one too!
In my mind, I always think of "Herr Mannelig" as meaning something like "Mr. Man" as in "Hey, Mr. Human man, would you marry me?" But that is not something I'm sure of.
Since in other versions, the guy is called "Herr Magnus" (which is probably the Swedish equivalent to a name as common as "Mr. Smith") I find that fairly likely.
"Herr" is commonly translated to "Mr" today, but I believe "Herr" could also be a more respectful word, like "Sir", and possibly even "Lord" back in the day. So, "Mannelig" is either his name, or just what the troll calls him. "Mannelig" sound a bit like the modern Swedish word "Manlig", meaning "manly-man".
i can answer one part at least, Magnus is a normal name, like Tom or Stephen. Smith would have been the surname. i do think she is basically calling him Mr. Man in this tune though
I would say Magnus is this case is more like a nobel name, it's the Scandinavian equivalent of Charlemagne. Otherwise her Mannerlig is certainly an implication of his manliness.
That's cool to hear. As a foreign language speaker I translated it to "Mister Human-ly" in my head, imagining she was bending the word kind of funnily, trying to be polite but not knowing the person's actual name, just knowing him as a human
@@vohol6158 not just human, but also man.
Herr in older times was not just Mister, it was more like a nobel man, like Sir.
The troll was cursed into that form, and if he had married her it would have lifted the curse. But since he only looked at her appearance he lost out on all the riches and a beautiful wife.
Moral of the story: beauty is only skin deep (or rather looks is not everything.)
The moral is none. It’s just a song about a knight who avoided being captured by a troll.
@@issyd2366 it is (or seems to be) a version of a theme that was present in many countries. Check out the theme of "The loathly lady"
A parallell song (but where the man accepts the woman) is King Henry (best version is by Steel Eye Span).
No, because everything she promised was spiderwebs, lightrays, and stuff. She tried to fool him. She was a troll, which had a curse, but lifting that curse wouldn't necessarily mean that she wouldn't be a troll anymore, just that she wouldn't suffer.
Hm. Did my reply disapear?
There are other folk songs from Northern Europe that are related to this one. (And other stories that also relate) and the oldest theme is that the troll is cursed and the curse is lifted when the man does as the troll wants.
Look at King Henry (the best version I know of is by Steeleye Span) or look into the theme about the loathly lady)
Wow, long times since I heard that song (over 40 years and perhaps a different verstion but the same)
I had no problem understanding the lyrics then and had no problems today :)
Loved this version
I´m quite old but I´ve never heard this song before. The painting on the other hand is characteristic of the well-known artist John Bauer.
The rolling R's is a pronunciation thing that is taught when we sing so that letter doesn't disappears in the air when singing on stage/live. Also used by actors on stage so everyone in the audiene can hear all the words
Love your reaction
The song is also called "the proposal of the mountain-troll" (Bergatrollets frieri).
Herr Mannelig is my favourite Swedish song. Hälsningar från Finland!
She is offering him everything he'll need to become a Noble basically :)
If you want a true bedtime song with trolls we have "När Trollmor har lagt de elva små trollen" in english: when mother troll has put her 11 children to bed"
Herr Mannelig - Mr Manly
I never heard this song before, but I really enjoyed it! I often enjoy the old folk songs 😊
I reccomend you listen to Garmarna "Sven från rosengård" (Same band above), and then the finnish metalband Amorphis "Brother slayer" ...They are different songs, but the same legend, a very old one, interpreted in modern but yet folky ways and have some similarities, the lyrics are about the same
It's possible that the song is much older than we think. Tillö is unknown but it could perhaps be Björkö, the island where Birka was located (one of swedens old viking strongholds).
the 12 mills could refer to the 12 herlads that were located between Tärnö and Björlö
The cloven tongue and troll being kept on the hook are subtle references to politics between farmers and rulers. The song is meant as a lesson that you should probably make sure your leaders are following through and not just making false promises. Simply put, have the bravery to slow down and not immediately react. To take an extra moment to think things through. It's a throwback to why abusive rulers usually wouldn't last in sweden. Alliances and good standing with the middleclass was the only way for a dynasty to have a chance and all of the above is a subtle, yet verbal depiction of the swedish soul.
The artists are the band Garmarna. Their music are mostly contemporary-folk music or medieval music. Check out Herr Holger, a rendition of a south Swedish - danish ballad. Other stuff are original compositions. Would recommend över gränsen for an original composition.
The version is not in "old" swedish, but in modern Swedish with a somewhat aged pronounciation. This is old Norse! czcams.com/video/4dxW9ENax2o/video.html&ab_channel=TheSkaldicBard
The best one! :)
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John Bauer, his wife and son died November 20, 1918 when their ship sank.
They choose to not take the train after a terrible accident October 1, 1918 (Getåolyckan)
And he was German and Germany just surrendered in WWI 9 days before 11/11-1918 and THAT was actually the first stepping stone to Hitler and WWII.
Myself I had a thick fairy tale book only with John Bauer pictures to read from to my 4 children as small. They too was a bit afaid of the trolls. Aditionally I myself grew up in the countryside close to were John Bauer lived and took inspiration to his pictures.
to answer the question at the end, "herr mannelig" means "Mr. manly"
so happy that you reacted to this song. i used to spend my summers as a kid in a small village near a mountain called Hårga where the devil is said to have visited. there is a song about it called Hårgalåten. could you please react to it.
I can recommend a Swedish folkmusician Sofia Karlsson, really good. And there also a German folkmusic group called Faun, there song Valpurgis is here on CZcams, so is Sofia Karlsson. Great show, thanks.
As previously commented this is not that old swedish and is easily understood.
The lyrics are about a heathen woman and since she is not christian she is refered to as a Troll in this context.
If yo wan't to hear old swedish have a look at "The Skaldic Bard"
for example czcams.com/video/_6qAxLqoZzM/video.html or this song in Old Norse
czcams.com/video/4dxW9ENax2o/video.html.
From what I can find, the song is much older, at least from the Middle Ages but this version / text is from 1860. The variant is recorded in Södermanland, sung by an old blind old woman in the poorhouse in Lunda.
As a finn having heard lot of swedishj music also, this is one of the most powerful songs. it always give me chills as it has so much history in it. Straight from the 1000 years back from good old viking times. One good example, how deep the fennoscandinavian culture is. We in Finland have always been in "the buffer zone" between west and east. Luckily we have been with the Vikings for almost 1000 years (with an exception of horrifying time 1809-1917). And we continue to be with the Vikings, cause, well, We are vikings.
5:20 - Yeah, those 'R' sounds are actually just a normal part of the Swedish language (though somewhat exaggerated).
Yeah, it's often exaggerated in music. Most Swedes have a "quick" roll or tap of the R instead of the long and very pronounced R's of this song, as an example.
I actually had the time to speak with the singer of this and according to her she believe the troll is a cursed women and if Herr Mannelig marry her she will no longer be a troll but since she is a pagan Herr Mannelig refuse to help her. Herr is a noble title by the way similar in rank to knight. But today herr is instead Mr.
"Herr Mannelig" translates to something like "Mr Manly".
Sant. Trolls usually tried flattery to get their way.
I would say Sir, and not Mr.
John Bauer hade a summer house in the small town i live in.😊 They say many of the places are painted here.
I think it's "Garmarna" who sings, it's a swedish folk-metal band I guess you could say, they're really good and I can defintly recomend that you look them up :)
My mother sang this song as a night time song just before bed when I was little so you're completely right! :D
The troll wants his youth and beauty. But it has to be given "willingly" by luring him into marridge.
And one more thing, "stories" may be more than just stories ;)
If you like this there is so much more you could listen to, Garmarna (the band you just listened to) has some great stuff like "Vänner och fränder". there is also a lyric and animated music video to "Hårgalåten" uploaded by Brittany Arnold.
This is less Old Swedish and more something that sounds like Old Swedish.
It is a bit like Shakespare. Perfectly understandable but occasionally sounding older than jt is.
Scandinavian folk, and modern interpretations are very close to my heart. They are emotional and cryptic in the same time, and "Herr Mannelig" is one of the classics.
There are many artists and groups that does the same songs, with variations. This song was made by "Garmarna" (I think).
Garmarna, Hedningarna, Gjallarhorn are some famous groups (from the 90s) that comes to mind. But there are newer.
Some other of my favorite songs that are "nordic" in sound are ...
"I Riden Så" (By "Gjallarhorn").
"Vargtimmen" (By "Hedningarna", a Swedish/Finnish band, that does a more "Folk/Rock" mix, realy good IMHO).
"Herr Olof" (various artists).
You can also listen to Norwegian, Islandic and Faroe Island artists for some realy old norse "Viking" like sound/songs.
Eivor Palsdottir - "Trodlabundin" (is Faroe Island for = "Trollbundin", Norwegian = "Trollbunden", Swedish. or "Trollbound" in english) comes to mind (even if it is "modern").
Cheers.
Love this song!! Talking of old dialects. . Sweden has another language; Älvdalska (Elfdalian). Developed from Old Norse. Like an old viking language, spoken by about 3000 persons only. Read about here; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elfdalian
And listen to it here (maybe as a reaction? :) She reads The Nativity of Jesus. ; czcams.com/video/49wyVPt7L-U/video.html
The Elfdalian starts at 0:30
From wiki: She offers him many gifts but he refuses her because she is not a Christian. It is also implied that the troll is actually a pagan woman, and that the song symbolizes a young Christian man resisting material gain that would come with apostasy.
Thats the story ive heard growing up aswell.
This is one beautiful song. The old way of speaking is not that different from the modern version since people still spoke it till the 1950s or so. It is still somewhat intellegable with our current way of speaking with just some mixed up grammar and rare words :) And the rolling R's are still used in Gothenburg and the surrounding areas and in some places up north as well :)
On a sidenote about lore-points of trolls. It was believed, in pagan times, that trolls would call on people and especially children, into their dwellings to kill them and steal their valuables. We have an old saying which goes "Rik som ett troll" (Wealthy as a troll) which is something you would say to a person who has wealth because of these old beliefs. So this makes me think that this is just another of the troll's deception to lure in the person it wants to marry.
I've always found mythology fascinating! While I don't know the origin of this song it is very inspired by old Scandinavian stories of mythological creatures. Common traits among those creatures, väsen, are that they often posses magical powers and wealth that people can only dream of, but it's also possible to obtain some of their power and wealth by tricking, making deals with, or capturing them. Väsen sometimes give away gifts to humans they like, and sometimes to thank them for favors. However, dealing with väsen is always risky because they are drawn to humans and either want something from us, wish to take us with them to their world, to make us suffer or to kill us. However, there are also väsen like vittra, who only wishes to live in peace next to us without being bothered :)
The singer Emma Härdelin has worked with Joakim Thåström one of Sweden most famous artists.
I am Swedish and this song is very beautiful and make me proud of being Swedish 😊❤ thank you for spreading this and if you got any questions related to Sweden or my language i will gladly answer you 😊
That is a very beautiful song and it brings back memories from when I was a young boy, my father and grandmother sang it to us before bedtime among with tales about creatures and folklores that we have here in Scandinavia. Thank you for sharing🙏
"Herr Mannelig" is a name, like "Mr Mannelig". You are right about the fairytale vibes. It's quite common with stories in old songs. We also have the ballads that often are based on real life events and real people. Where you sing about a murderer or some tragic death and heart break.
Of what I could find on internet, (I couldn't find any good sources so I dont know how true this is), Herr Mannelig comes probably from the Middle Ages but the language might be from 1600s-1700s or so, since that's when they started to write down old songs.
Herr is used for knights and nobel men, so it should be Sir.
You got to listen to Tommy Johansson! She's gone cover by Steelheart, Phantom of the Opera where he does the both parts. He's amazing! 👍🏻🇸🇪👍🏻
Hey yo Dwayne, thanks for your Reaction. I know this Song from my passion for german Medievil Rock / Metal Bands like In Extremo for Example. You should check out "In Extremo - Herr Mannelig ("Der Freitag" - Live von der Loreley Freilichtbühne)" available here on YT. Saw the Band In Extremo recently Live again on Open Air Tour here in Germany, was a good show, even standing in the Rain for almost 4 hours ^^
some interesting possible etymology: the word "troll" might have originally be used as a catch all for magical beings, "att trolla" means to cast a spell
This song is usually sung quicker and cheerier. Atleast at my school. And the girls singing it would make up new/different things they would give for a betrothal, in jest ofcourse
For the record the translation should be "of Näcken and the Devil". Näcken is a mythical being of the river in the woods that lures young men to drown.
I speak both danish and Swedish and it tickles me that they still use I to mean Ni (formal "you"). And rister is shake just like ryste in danish and skånska. If you go back far enough in Swedish our two languages were joined.
If you like this folklore style of songs I'd highly recommend "Hårgalåten"/"Hårgadansen"/"Hårgasägnen" (it has many names, but it's the same tale. It tells the story of how a town got bewitched by the devil who was disguised as a fiddler. He does this by playing his instrument, the people of the town ends up having to dance till they die. The town "Hårga" is real. But the tale is of course just a tale. It doesn't have any real official version. So it's a matter of preference. I'd personally recommend the version by Ofdrykkja.
Cheers from Sweden.
So in Sweden we still roll our tung when we say "R"
Most apart from Sk*ningar...
The rolling on the R is what we do in the South and southern Eastcoast. But you might be the first I've heard saying they like it :D
Wait, what do you mean? I think you have it reversed. South Swedes like Scanians do not roll their R's, they have a gutteral R, unlike the woman singing in this song which is, in fact, a rolled (trilled) R.
I also love the strong rolling R's. Then the drums and how the intensity increases o.o
Hey! Big fan here from Sweden. I saw that you reacted to Benjamin Ingrosso, you should react to his Medley on Eurovision 2024. He really took Eurovision by storm. He competed in Eurovision 2018, but if you compare the two acts this one from 2024 is so good!
That was incredibly cool tbh.
I love this song, and I always feel sorry for the poor troll woman. 😅💔 There's also a version in Old Norse (the language that people spoke during the Viking age.)
In the song it is Tip of the tongue R's but they are VERY exaggerated for effect.
Rolling R is a regional thing in Sweden and it spans across many "usual" regions and dialects.
Tip of the tongue R like in the song is very common generally throughout Sweden but the growling back of the throat R is most common in southern Sweden(not just skåne).
The divide is basically across the middle of Småland and it is one way where the Småland dialect differs from the northern part and the southern part. Still mostly the same dialect but different R's can pop up from village to village, quite interesting to hear live.
Recent study by Gothenburg university do show that Tip of the tongue R's are "winning" and becoming more and more common even in the southern parts of sweden, most commonly in young people.
Interesting study there. As a person from Värmland with a rolled R, I'd say I'm a little bit biased towards it, and I think it sounds better. Sorry to all guttural R Swedish friends out there, but you sound Danish.
@@rullvardi the singer, Emma Härdelin, are from Hälsingland and Jämtland, so it isn't much about Småland in here dialect. She things this way to make the text become easy to hear. The guys in the band are original from Sundsvall.
Your are right about Nordic folk songs sounding like fairytales. If you liked this one I recommend the Swedish music group Garmarna. This version of Herr Mannelig are performed by them.
This was Emma Härdelin and Garmarna that did Herr Mannelig (Sir Mannly)
I just logged in to my old youtube account to show that i'm the actuall creator of the video that will be suggested from me..hopefully you will ❤️
Its a realy good song, Thank you for listening to my country’s music
I understand the entire song but there are certain words and variations of words that are either very old or a old version of a word more familiar in a different form today. I'll list some.
For instance False Tongue = Falskeliger Tunga.
Tunga is still the word for tongue but falskeliger is never used today. Instead it's either falsk (false singular) or falska (false plural).
The beginning where they say "upprann" for the sun rising up is also never used today. Instead we say Solen gick upp, the sun went up/rose up. Or for Sunrise - Soluppgång. And for Sunset - Solnedgång. I'd never heard the word upprann, but that's the old Swedish at work I guess.
Ungersven is an old-fashioned word for young man.
Trolofven is related to trolovad which does indeed mean betrothed/engaged to be married. The modern equivalent is Förlovad.
An interesting change that apparently took place that I'd never known because I don't read very much old-swedish is that it seems that the Swedish word for You - "Ni", used to be just a single " i ". Pronounced ee (same-ish sound as in need). Unrelated, but at some point during the latter half of the 20th century we pretty much stopped saying Ni to singular people because we informalised our language. Part of the flattening of hierarchies somewhat due to socialist ideas no doubt, but that's a different story.
You asked why the troll is offering so many gifts. I couldn't say if this was something they were said to do in our legends, but I know that faeries of Britain had stories about them where they would offer food and drink and gifts to those who met them and if you accepted they would have a hold over you. Literally be able to influence you and enslave your mind. I suspect the lore behind this song is something similar since the origins of our people's are shared (both Germanic). Trolls wouldn't be seen as faeries by most people today of course but they most definitely were part of the fairy world and connected to the monarchs of the faerie courts of which there were two - Summer and Winter.
Edit: Oh, someone probably mentioned it elsewhere in the comments but the title of the song? Yeah Herr Mannelig literally means Mr. Manly - The modern term is Manlig instead of Mannelig xD
I couldn't say if the semantic meaning of mannelig was different from what we hold manlig to mean today though :)
The song is not about marriage. There would be no point for gifts as he would be owning all that she owns if he marries her anyway. The troll is being attacked and she needs Mannerlig to fight a battle for her. That is why they meet early in the morning (before the battle). She will give him a sword that will ensure his victory. She will also give him 12 horses, which are for breeding and 12 water-mills which are for forging weapons and armour. This would have made Mannerlig the most powerful knight in the land.
Never heard this song but i liked it. Beautiful voice and sound! Its really breathing olf fairy tale
No problem to understand this swedish. I am born 1962.
I am a native swede and this is the first time I hear this song. I am now 64 years old so if it was common I would most likely have heard it sometime, would'nt I?
It was large during 1990:th sung by Garmarna. So no, you didn't catch this then. You might not have been into that kind of music.
The song was first printed in 1877. The text is not Old Swedish, but an intermediate step to today's Swedish. The text was probably written a hundred years earlier. In the 1990s, it was rediscovered by various folk bands.
In German-speaking countries, the song is often heard at medieval markets, but not in this version. A German folk metal band covered it and kept the language. This version has a lot more power and the band headlined this year's Wacken Open Air metal festival. This version was also part of the computer game Gothic, in the German version of the game. For legal reasons, it had to be removed from other languages:
In Extremo - Herr Mannelig ("Der Freitag" - Live von der Loreley Freilichtbühne)
Herr mannelig= mr male, mr manly isch
I've lived in Sweden for 78 years and I've never heard that song. Not once!
I feel it varies depending where you grew up. I heard it as a youth but rarely again until I refound it.
You should take a listen to more from Garmarna. ”Gamen” (The Vulture) is a great one.
Can't see anyone else answering this so Herr Mannelig translates to Mr Mannelig. It is his surname. = )
You usually sing or read kids to sleep in Sweden at least so you're not completely wrong.
Dunno if you've already seen it, but if you want a very classic Swedish folklore story, check Hårgalåten.
There are a few other reactions to it as I search CZcams for it, but sadly I can't really find a version with English subs..
Maybe some other viewer can recommend a version with english translations like in this video.
There is a "modern" version (same lyrics and melody but more recently recorded and with a storytelling video)
czcams.com/video/Z43oZtz1KHg/video.html
And an old and very classic version with a static image as background.
czcams.com/video/FI3iX8WtzaM/video.html
the trolls are still imo the scariest folklore we have. since its like lord of the rings they turn to stone during the day. so when you see weird round boulders in the forest full of moss or perhaps even a "big nose" sticking out you can scare your kids or even yourself :D
Oh, there are WAY scarier creatures in the Swedish folklore. 🙂
This song is sung in relatively modern Swedish compared to the Old Norse version ( czcams.com/users/results?search_query=herr+mannelig+old+norse )
Herr Mannelig means Lord, so he is a nobleman. Also, Mannelig sounds a lot like manlig which means manly.
Ahh i just had a listen, I should of reacted to this version. It definitely sounds different. I could hear a few words still used in Swedish today. Love that.
I have not heard this song in years, my baby sitter used to sing this to me.
I'll give you a subscribe and I like your energy. Keep it up!
Great reaction! If you enjoy folk music try Uti mörka natten av Emilia Amper. She plats the nyckelharpa, which I've heard is our national instrument but I'm not sure. Anyway, it's awesome
Listen to Lena Willermark,Wisby Vaganter also great S artist
"Herr Mannelig" in direct translation would be something like "Sir/Lord/Mr Mannelig", but the name Mannelig in itself basically means "manly". If I were to translate it in a singable way I'd probably go for "noble Sir" or "lordly man".
From what I know of folklore I see two ways of interpreting this song:
1. The pagan troll - 'troll' being more like a shape-shifting magical being in Nordic mythology, not necessarily the monsters we often imagine today - is truly an evil being and trying to tempt the good, Christian Herr Mannelig with riches and wordly goods, but he withstands her temptation and rejects her. I.e basically a cautionary tale from the Christian perspective. This assumes the line "she spoke with a false tongue" is true, and also considers that trolls most of the time were protrayed as antagonistic, albeit not necessarily evil.
2. Since the general belief at the time - at least on the Christian side - was that only Christians had true souls, and therefore all non-Christians were automatically doomed to end up in hell, the troll might genuinely wish for salvation, but knows the odds are stacked against her given what she is. And that is why she keeps offering him gifts; to accept her in spite of what she is. Because if a Christian man agrees to marry her, her soul would be saved. This supported by the end where she says "if I had got the fair young man (for my husband) my torment would have been over."
I think no. 1 is probably the intended moral of the story, but there's no way to know for sure, and personally I like the second one for tragedy vibes. =)