Swerting e sucessores: Herr Mannelig

Também conhecido como Bergatrollets frieri ("O cortejo da troll da montanha"; inglês: The courting of the mountain troll), Herr Mannelig é uma balada medieval sueca que conta a história de uma troll da montanha, a qual propõe um casamento a um cavaleiro, Sir Mannelig.

A troll tenta convencer Sir Mannelig a se casar com ela, encobrindo-o de presentes. Ele a recusa ao notar que ela não é uma mulher cristã, mas uma troll (uma "criatura satânica", sob a perspectiva medieval cristã). Ela, portanto, se desespera diante de seu fracasso, visto que Sir Mannelig teria sido capaz de livrá-la de seu tormento. Ser uma troll era uma maldição, sendo combatida apenas pelo casamento.

Abaixo, a letra em sueco e em inglês, respectivamente:

Bittida en morgon innan solen upprann

Innan foglarna började sjunga

Bergatrollet friade till fager ungersven

Hon hade en falskeliger tunga

Herr Mannelig herr Mannelig trolofven i mig

För det jag bjuder så gerna

I kunnen väl svara endast ja eller nej

Om i viljen eller ej:

Eder vill jag gifva de gångare tolf

Som gå uti rosendelunde

Aldrig har det varit någon sadel uppå dem

Ej heller betsel uti munnen

Eder vill jag gifva de qvarnarna tolf

Som stå mellan Tillö och Ternö

Stenarna de äro af rödaste gull

Och hjulen silfverbeslagna

Eder vill jag gifva ett förgyllande svärd

Som klingar utaf femton guldringar

Och strida huru I strida vill

Stridsplatsen skolen i väl vinna

Eder vill jag gifva en skjorta så ny

Den bästa I lysten att slita

Inte är hon sömnad av nål eller trå

Men virkat av silket det hvita

Sådana gåfvor toge jag väl emot

Om du vore en kristelig qvinna

Men nu så är du det värsta bergatroll

Af Neckens och djävulens stämma

Bergatrollet ut på dörren sprang

Hon rister och jämrar sig svåra

Hade jag fått den fager ungersven

Så hade jag mistat min plåga

Herr Mannelig herr Mannelig trolofven i mig

För det jag bjuder så gerna

I kunnen väl svara endast ja eller nej

Om i viljen eller ej

Early one morning before the sun did rise

And the birds sang their sweet song

The mountain troll proposed to the fair squire

She had a false deceitful tongue

Sir Mannelig, Sir Mannelig won't you marry me

For all that I'll gladly give you

You may answer only yes or no

Will you do so or no

To you I will give the twelve great steeds

That graze in a shady grove

Never has a saddle been mounted on their backs

Nor had a bit in their mouths

To you I will give the twelve fine mills

That stand between Tillo and Terno

The mill stones are made of the reddest brass

And the wheels are silver-laden

To you I will give the gilded sword

That jingles from fifteen gold rings

And strike with it in battle as you will

On the battlefield you will conquer

To you I will give a brand new shirt

The lustrous best for to wear

It is not sewn with needle or thread

But crocheted of the whitest silk

Gifts such as these I would gladly receive

If you were a Christian woman

But I know you are the worst mountain troll

From the spawn of the Neck and the devil

The mountain troll ran out the door

She wailed and she shrieked so loudly

"Had I gotten that handsome squire

From my torment I would be free now"

Sir Mannelig, Sir Mannelig won't you marry me

For all that I'll gladly give you

You may answer only yes or no

Will you do so or no

Herr Mannelig CG-Warrior DeviantArt

Essa balada já foi executada por diversas bandas, tais como: In Extremo, Garmarna, Hedningarna, Haggard, Heimataerde, Litvintroll, Cromdale, Annwn, Rege, Drachenflug, Schattenklang, Dunkelschön, Tamer Isli, Des Königs Halunken e Harry Schwarz. Disponibilizarei aqui algumas dessas versões: