Harra Pætur og Elinborg – Kristian Blak

kr. 39kr. 79

Producer catalog: FKT002
Recorded: 1986-87
Released: 1988
Tracks: 4

Description

Harra Pætur og Elinborg

This medieval courtly ballad with the lyrical refrain – “Now I desire to join in the dance, while roses and lilies grow well” – tells of the young lovers, Pætur and Elinborg, who vow to be true to each other. Pætur plans to travel abroad, and Elinborg vows to wait for him for 7 years, against the wishes of her family if necessary, promising not to marry another living man, not even the King himself if he comes courting.

After their vows of faithfulness, Pætur boards his ship, declaring aloud that he forbids any man to sleep in Elinborg’s arms, and sails off. When 7 years have passed, Elinborg begins to yearn for her beloved. One day as she stands at the window looking out to sea, a ship comes into view, and Elinborg thinks she recognises the sails. It is not Pætur, but travelling merchants, who report that Pætur has married a fine lady and lives in her castle in Denmark.

In her anguish, Elinborg decides to bring Pætur back again. She goes to her brother Eirikur to ask him to lead the journey across the sea. But Eirikur casually brushes her request aside: “Sit down at my table and drink with me, it does not befit ladies to sail the salty sea.”

Elinborg is angry and offended and decides to make the journey herself. She summons her maids, cuts their hair and dresses them and herself in men’s clothing. They go down to the shore and board the ship. When Eirikur discovers this, he changes his mind and offers to take them, but Elinborg swears that no man shall dare come on board. She takes the rudder and the maids man the oars. It is a long and perilous journey and they drift for months in the dark and stormy ocean.

At last the tired women cast their anchor on white sand at the court where Pætur now resides. Elinborg enters the great hall where Pætur sits at a banquet table. “Here you sit, Pætur, at the broad table – is this the way knights keep their word?”

Despite Elinborg’s disguise, Pætur recognises her eyes at once. “Listen, Lady Ingibjørg” he says to his wife, “do not be angry with me, but I must escort my nephew for three days on his journey – if I do not return on the fourth day, do not expect to see me again”. Ingibjørg answers in tears, knowing full well that this stranger is not his nephew – “she may have a masculine appearance, but the hair is clearly that of a woman.” All three proceed down to the shore. As the ship leaves with Pætur securely on board, Elinborg stands at the helm, and, paying little regard to Ingibjørg’s tears, she calls triumphantly: “Live well, Lady Ingibjørg, now I have my beloved again, whom I lent you for a while”.

They sail home and marry. The ballad ends with the last lines of the 52nd verse: “They share the same bed, whom God will bring together”.

The surprising story and the charming and graceful melody of the ballad help explain its great popularity. Today Harra Pætur and Elinborg is still a common part of the ballad repertoire in the Faroe Islands, especially when the traditional Faroese ring dance is included, as it often is, in wedding celebrations.

The theme of the strong, determined woman who makes a journey abroad to bring back her unfaithful lover is well-known in medieval verse. It has appeared in ballad form in Faroese, Norwegian, Icelandic, Swedish, Danish, English, Spanish and Italian. The English version of the ballad seems to be related to the legend of Gilbert Becket from the 11th century. In all these countries this unusual tale of romance has been sung in ballads in the ring dance, but today it only survives in living memory in the Faroe Islands – just as the Faroe Islands are the only place in the world where this medieval folk dance is still a living tradition.

Tracklist:
Act I (17:53) On the shore · Elinborg Pætur
Act II (14:41) 7 years · merchants · sorrow · Eirikur · Decision
Act III (9:41) Hair cutting · Preparations · Ocean Monsters
Act IV (9:37) Castle · Ingibjørg, Pætur and Elinborg

Total I-IV: 52:00

Released on the following formats:
Cassette, CD and digitally on all major platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.).
You can check it out by using this link: https://bfan.link/harra-paetur-og-elinborg

Additional information

Product

CD, MC

Storyline

The young Elinborg pledges her troth to Pætur and promises to wait for him for seven years while he goes off adventuring. Seven years pass, Pætur does not return, and Elinborg learns from visiting merchants that he has married a noblewoman, Ingibjorg. After Elinborg’s brother Eirikur refuses to sail to Denmark, Elinborg turns to her female companions for help. The young women cut their hair, dress themselves as men, and set off by themselves across the North Atlantic. The sea voyage is fraught with danger, but the women finally arrive on the west coast of Jutland. They walk to Ingibjørg’s castle and, despite Ingibjørg’s pleas, the women take Pætur, put him on board the ship, and sail home.

These are the lyrics of the ballad as it is sung and chanted in Faroese during the traditional chaindance:

Harra Pætur og Elinborg

1. Harra Pætur og Elinborg, børn vóru tey so ung,
løgdu sínum ástum saman, mongum eru forløg tung.

Nú lystir meg í dansin at gá, meðan rósur og liljur grógva væl.

2. Harra Pætur og Elinborg, børn vóru tey so rík
løgdu sínum ástum saman, mongum er forløg slík.

3. Legði hann hendur á frúnnar háls, myntist við hana blíða:
“Hvussu leingi vilt tú Elinborg, festarmoy mín bíða?”

4. “Bíða vil eg í sjey vetur uttan frænda ráð,
giftast ikki livandi manni, meðan eg liva má,

5. Bíða vil eg sjey vetur móti frænda vilja,
giftast ikki livandi manni, um enn meg kongur giljar.”

6. Harra Pætur stígur
í tað standani floy:
“Eg forbjóði hvørjum manni mína festarmoy!”

7. Harra Pætur stígur
í tað standani stavn:
“Eg forbjóði hvørjum manni sova í hennar favn!”

8. Sjey vetur forgangnir vóru, Elin tók at leingja,
akslar yvir seg kápu blá,
í glasglugga at standa.

9. Elin stendur í glasglugga, sær hon út so víða,
fagur var tann knørrurin, hon sær eftir havinum líða.

10. “Fullvæl kenni eg seglini, fullvæl kenni eg rá,
fullvæl kenni knørrin tann,
ið harra Pætur ár.”

11.Elin gongur til strandar oman, sínum borðum skeyt,
fagur var sá knørrin,
for bryggjuni fleyt.

12. “Hoyrið tit, ríkir keypmenn!
hvat hava tit at selja?”
-“Vit høvum skrúðir og skarlak reytt, tað besta, frú kann velja.”

13. Lítið er mær um skrúðir og ei um skarlak reyða, mín bróðir er av landi úti,
tí syrgi eg meg til deyða.”

14. “Hann er ei tín bróðir, hann er tín biðlasvein, hann er sær í Danimark, har ræður for borgum ein.

15. Hann er sær í Danimark, teir kalla hann harra Pætur ríka, hann hevur fest ta donsku frú, hon er ikki tykkar líki.”

16. Elin gongur frá strondum niðan, sveipar hon seg í skinn,
so gár hon í høgaloft
for Eirik bróðir sín inn.

17. “Væl sitið tær, Eirikur, bróðir mín! tað sigi eg tær av:
vilt tú vera mín stýrimaður yvir tað salta hav?”

18. “Set teg niður við mínum borði, drekk við mær í dag!
eg kalli tað ei vera moyggjasið
at sigla tað salta hav.”

19. Elin snúðis av høllini út, mestan var hon reið:
“Gud lati meg ikki liva tann dag, eg biði teg bønir meir!”

20. Tekur hon allar moyggjarnar, setur saman í ring,
hon tók upp ein silvur saks,
hon klippir hár umkring.

21. Tekur hon allar moyggjarnar. hon klippir av teimum hár,
síðan lærir hon allar tær
tað jútska riddaramál.

22. Tekur hon allar moyggjarnar, sker teim riddaraklæði,
so ganga tær til strandar oman, sum Elin fyri var.

23. Eirikur gongur til strandar oman á tann sama dag:

“Eg vil vera tín stýrimaður yvir tað salta hav.”

24. “Eg seti ikki minni við enn mín silvur ring: eingin kemur kallmaður inn á skipakring!

25. Eg seti ikki minni við enn mín silvurkross: eingin kemur kallmaður inn á skip til oss.

26. Eg seti ikki minni við enn mín silvurkorða: eingin kemur kallmaður innan snekkjunnar borða!”

27. Enntá var tað Elinborg, dregur upp á seg glógva, so gár hon til stýrið at stá, og ternurnar at rógva.

28. Rókust úti á myrkum havi mánaðirnar tvá,
ongar vættrar fingur tær
til nøkur lond at sjá.

29. Rókust úti í myrkum havi
mánaðirnar tríggjar, ongar vættrar fingu tær til nakað land at síggja.

30. Ongar vættrar fingur tær til nøkur lond at sjá,
fyri ta høgu boðaslóð,
so fell tann bylgja blá.

31. Svaraði frúgvin Elinborg í fyrsta orði tá:
“Lovið heldur olmussu,
so fáum vit land at sjá!”

32. Summar lovaðu eina, Elin lovaði tvá:
tá tók tokan at lýsa av, tær fingu land at sjá.

33. Allar lovaðu eina og tvær, Elin lovaði trinnar:
tokan tók so at lýsa av,
tær fingu land at kenna.

34. Árla var um morgunin, sólin roðar í fjøll,
tá tók tokan at lýsa av
for harra Pæturs høll.

35. Fríggjadagin í páskaviku fóru tær út í hav,
tær komu ikki til landanna fyrr enn Santa Mortans dag.

36. Kasta sínum akkerum
á tann hvíta sand,
fyrst stígur frúgvin Elinborg sínum fótum á land.

37. Úti á miðjum grasagarði akslar hon sítt skinn,
og so búgvin gongur hon
í høgar hallir inn.

38. “Heil sitið tær, harra Pætur, yvir ydra breiða borð!
plaga so allir høviskir sveinar halda síni orð?

39. Væl sitið tær harra Pætur og tann danska frú!
plaga so allir høviskir sveinar halda sína trú?”

40. Harra Pætur snúðist yvir borðið fram við silvurskál í hendi:
“Signi Gud tíni eygu tvá!
so gjølla eg teg kendi.

41. Hoyr tú, frúgvin Ingibjørg!
tú ver mær ikki reið,
meðan eg fylgi mínum systursoni tríggjar dagar á leið!

42. Meðan eg fylgi mínum systursoni tríggjar dagar á leið;
komi eg ikki aftur tann fjórða,
so vænta meg ikki meir!”

43. Svaraði frúgvin Ingibjørg tár á kinnar lá:
“Hann er ei tí systurson fullvæl kann eg tað sjá.”

44. Svaraði frúgvin Ingibjørg, tár á kinnar glíggjar:
“Hann er ei tín systurson,
so væl kann eg tað síggja.”

45. Svaraði frúgvin Ingibjørg
í triðja orði tá:
“Kallmann hevur hon yvirbrøgd, enn kvinni hevur hon hár.”

46. Fylgdust tey til strandar oman alt í einum liði:
harra Pætur og Elinborg
og Ingibjørg tann triðja.

47. Ingibjørg stendur á hvítum sandi, sára ið hon grætur,
Elin stendur í fremra stavni,
hirðir ei, hvat hon letur.

48. “Liv nú væl, frú Ingibjørg,
tú hitt danska sprund!
eg havi nú fingið mín festarmann, eg lænti tær um stund.

49. Liv nú væl, frú Ingibjørg,
við títt elvargangi!
eg havi nú fingið mín festarmann, eg lænti tær so leingi.”

50. Grátandi snúðist frú Ingibjørg aftur í sína borg,
glaður siglir harra Pætur
heim við Elinborg.

51. Drukkið varð teirra brúdleypið, kátt var teirra lív,
gingu bæði í eina song
harra Pætur og hans vív.

52. Farið fyri eystan, farið fyri vestan, farið fyri verðsins enda!
tey koma bæði í eina song, ið Gud vil saman senda.

Credits

Musicians

Production

Jürgen Scheer

(recording engineer)

Werner Bruhn

(recording engineer)

Bárður Jákupsson

(cover artwork)

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