Bittida en morgon innan solen upprann
Innan fåglarna började sjunga
Bergatrollet friade till f**er ungersven
Hon hade en falskeliger tunga
Refräng:
Herr Mannelig, herr Mannelig trolofven I mig?
För det jag bjuder så gärna
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
Refräng
Eder vill jag gifva de qvarnarna tolf
Som stå mellan Tillö och Ternö
Stenarna de äro af rödaste gull
Och hjulen silfverbeslagna
Refräng
Eder vill jag gifva ett förgyllande svärd
Som klingar utaf femton guldringar
Och strida huru I strida vill
Stridsplatsen skolen I väl vinna
Refräng
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
Refräng
Sådana gåfvor jag toge väl emot
Om du vore en kristelig qvinna
Men nu så är du det värsta bergatroll
Af Neckens och djävulens stämma
Refräng
Bergatrollet ut på dörren sprang
Hon rister och jämrar sig svåra
Hade jag fått den f**er ungersven
Så hade jag mistat min plåga
Refräng
English Translation: Sir Mannerlig
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
Refrain:
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 Tillö and Ternö
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 l***rous 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 Necken 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
This old Swedish ballad is known in many different versions and with different melodies to the lyrics. A mountain-troll falls in love with the handsome knight Sir Mannelig, and offers him all kinds of gifts if he will marry her. Sir Mannelig refuses since she is not, after all, a Christian and honourable woman.
Innan fåglarna började sjunga
Bergatrollet friade till f**er ungersven
Hon hade en falskeliger tunga
Refräng:
Herr Mannelig, herr Mannelig trolofven I mig?
För det jag bjuder så gärna
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
Refräng
Eder vill jag gifva de qvarnarna tolf
Som stå mellan Tillö och Ternö
Stenarna de äro af rödaste gull
Och hjulen silfverbeslagna
Refräng
Eder vill jag gifva ett förgyllande svärd
Som klingar utaf femton guldringar
Och strida huru I strida vill
Stridsplatsen skolen I väl vinna
Refräng
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
Refräng
Sådana gåfvor jag toge väl emot
Om du vore en kristelig qvinna
Men nu så är du det värsta bergatroll
Af Neckens och djävulens stämma
Refräng
Bergatrollet ut på dörren sprang
Hon rister och jämrar sig svåra
Hade jag fått den f**er ungersven
Så hade jag mistat min plåga
Refräng
English Translation: Sir Mannerlig
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
Refrain:
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 Tillö and Ternö
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 l***rous 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 Necken 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
This old Swedish ballad is known in many different versions and with different melodies to the lyrics. A mountain-troll falls in love with the handsome knight Sir Mannelig, and offers him all kinds of gifts if he will marry her. Sir Mannelig refuses since she is not, after all, a Christian and honourable woman.