So faithful to her was the Child, and so true, He fetched her the drink in her gold spangled shoe.

p. 9Child Maidelvold sped through the forest so black, He went to the fountain the wearisome track.

p. 9

And when he arrived at the fount in the vale, Two nightingales sat there and sang him their tale:

“Dead Sidselil lieth beneath the green bough, With two little babes on her bosom of snow.”

He paid little heed to the nightingales’ lay, And traced through the forest his wearisome way.

But, ah! what a spectacle burst on his view, The little birds’ story he found to be true.

A grave broad and deep has Child Maidelvold made, Therein the unfortunate three he has laid.

As o’er them he clamped the mould down with his boot, He thought that the babies screamed under his foot.

p. 10Against a grey stone has the Child set his sword, The point of the blade his heart mortally gor’d.

p. 10

He was true to his Sidselil whilst he had breath, He lies ’neath the earth now beside her in death.

*** Another, but widely different, version of this Ballad was printed in Romantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 28–31, under the title Sir Middel. In this version the name of the heroine is Swanelil, in place of Sidselil; and that of the hero is Sir Middel, in place of Child Maidelvold.

p. 11SIR PETER.

p. 11

Sir Peter and Kirstin they sat by the board, Betwixt them in jest there passed many a word.

“Now listen to me, good Sir Peter the knight, Say, when wilt thou me to thy bridal invite?”

“’Twill be held in a far distant country, I trow, So far that to come quite unable art thou.”

“And though thou shouldst hold it, Sir Peter, in Rome, If thou shouldst invite me I’d certainly come.”

“And if at my bridals thou wish to appear, Behind thou must leave all thy red golden gear.”

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