The Dalby Bear, and Other Ballads

THE WICKED STEPMOTHER

Sir Ove he has no daughter but one,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
He bestow’d her the Lord of Elling upon.
In such peril through the forest they ride.

He bestow’d her upon a gallant knight,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
Sir Stig Cob was the gallant hight.
In such peril through the forest they ride.

When a year to end had well nigh come,
All underneath a green hill’s side.
Two sons had Thorelil in her womb.
In such peril through the forest they ride.

Hither and thither they carry the dame,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
But worse and worse her plight became.
In such peril through the forest they ride.

Sir Stig his bonnet he has put on,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
And into the hall to his mother is gone.
In such peril through the forest they ride.

“Hear me, dear mother, canst thou rede,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
How it with Thorelil shall speed?”
In such peril through the forest they ride.

“For forty weeks and a year I trow,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
Thy Thorelil with child shall go.”
In such peril through the forest they ride.

“O mother dear, it can scarce be so,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
But forty weeks Mary with Christ did go.”
In such peril through the forest they ride.

“Since I no help can here obtain,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
From whence I came convey me again.”
In such peril through the forest they ride.

“The horses are grazing upon the moor,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
And in their beds the coachmen snore.”
In such peril through the forest they ride.

“If coach nor coachmen I can get,
All underneath the green hill’s side,
I’ll tramp on my feet through dry and wet.”
In such peril through the forest they ride.

Her lips the word had scarcely said,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
When the horses to the coach were led.
In such peril through the forest they ride.

Stig took her so tenderly by the waist,
All underneath a green hill’s side.
And her in the gilded coach he plac’d.
In such peril through the forest they ride.

He set her down on the cushions gray,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
And he himself drove the coach away.
In such peril through the forest they ride.

And when they came under the green wood bough,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
Her chariot broke her weight below.
In such peril through the forest they ride.

“A wondrous woman I sure must be,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
Since my own coach won’t carry me.”
In such peril through the forest they ride.

“My dearest, my dearest, be not dismay’d,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
Thou back canst walk with thy husband’s aid.”
In such peril through the forest they ride.

And when to the castle gate they won,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
His sister stood and lean’d thereon.
In such peril through the forest they ride.

“O my dear sister, canst thou rede,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
How it with Thorelil will speed?”
In such peril through the forest they ride.

Unto her coffer proud Mettelil flew,
All underneath a green hill’s side,
Of wax she has fashion’d babies two.