The false tounge in this song, is because the gifts are not real. It may sound like she want to give him the best of horses, factories, weapons and clothing, but she's really only promising fog, sea waves, a sun beam and spider web. The plight is that she can't stay when the sun comes up, in the beginning of the song they say it's before sunrise. A Mountain Troll cannot be out in the sun whitout turning to stone.
@@nocturne7371 Wow, thank you for sharing your insight! I tried searching for more information about the symbolism in 'Herr Mannelig,' but couldn't find much. Your explanation about the 'false tongue' and the mountain troll's vulnerability to sunlight makes so much sense! It adds a whole new layer of depth to the song. If anyone's curious to learn more, trying a quick online search might uncover more fascinating facts. Thanks again for shedding light on this!
Trolls were the symbol of the old ways and they were not christians. They are also described in different ways in old traditions and could be really beautiful in some stories. Many unchristian beliefs and traditions were kept in Sweden long after we officially became christians, how ever the church like usual tried to punish people for it or to put an evil stamp on it.
Fun fact, but "Herr Mannerlig" likely just means "mr. (hu)man-like", so just a man and not his actual name. "Herr" means "Mister", "man" means "man/human" and "lig" is an old spelling of the word "lik" which just means "like/similar to". The mountain troll in this song is cursed and has to convince a human to marry her. Someone fact check me, but I believe the plight she talks about is being cursed to be a troll. So if she manages to marry a human man, shell become human too. But she cant get someone to marry her because she is a troll (so she offers up all these gifts to persuade men). She also offers him false items. The steeds are actually just fog/mist, the thing she describes as being between two islands (the mills between Tillö and Ternö) is just the sea waves, the gilded sword is rays of sunlight, and the unwoven shirt is a spiders web. In old Swedish culture a lot of our myths/tales are about trolls, gnomes, monsters, etc being tricksters in some way. Another small Swedish culture thing missed here is when she sings of the devil and the "neck". "Neck" is a mistranslation of "Näcken", a Swedish devil type of character. Hes a naked man hanging out in rivers and lakes playing the violin extremely beautifully, which lures in people and makes them drown. Think of him as a male version of a Siren from other cultures. In some versions he is combined with Lucifer, but in other regions he's his own character. Hes used as a way to warn children to never play alone in lakes or rivers, because Näcken will snatch them up and drown them. Pretty morbid but a lot of folk tales do just come from scaring kids to keep em safe
The english name for "Näcken" is "the Nix". It is a being found in every germanic language/region and some neighbouring as well (like finnish), with local flavour ofc. There are sevetal theories what the plight is. Some say that it is being outside the christian communion and that the marriage would remwdy this as it is a sacred ritual in church under god (hence the refference to "a christian woman". Other say it is that she is cursed to be a troll and that the curse would be broke if she managed to get so.eone to accept her hand in marriage. Yet other say that being a unmarried woman is the plight. I would not dare taking a guess. I have alway interpreted "Herr Mannerlig" as the old version of "Herr Manlig", meaning "Mr/Sir Manly". I would not say that "lig" is an old version of "lik", rather the opposite. It is a pattern that what once were k turns into a g, especially if it has an i infront of it, and then after that the pronounciation turn soft in certain cases. The most striking example is the word "mig" which comrs from the older "mik" but in ordinary speach today is pronounced as "mej". There is a relation both between k and g (both which once were written with the K-rune) an i and e (which both once were written with the I-rune). So I would not be suprised if the medieval old Swedish language would spell it "herr maþerlik", or even "hær mæþerlik".
Troll do not have to be big in the folklore. The often are but they are also said to be able to cast spells of illusions making them seemingly change form. Often rhe appere as ordinary humans, but with something weird, backwards, opposite or mirroring to what is normal. Like having the best cloths and jewelery while doing the worst and most dirty tasks, or feeding a horse meat and a lion hay, or being messmerisingly beautiful but have a cows or a fox tale etc etc. Something is off. In modern fairytales trolls is more "standardized" in shape and form but that is not the case in the old folktales where they are much more elusive. In modern tales one can see a difference between Norway and Sweden where the trolls in Norway is much bigger and much closer to giants then many trolls in Sweden. Back in the day bethroding were the actual legally binding ritual for a marriage in Scandinavia. That was when the oaths were sworn. The rest, including the church cermony were just announcing the union. This were the case up to until the 1900s.
@@sirseigan wow, thank you for sharing your knowledge! I didn't know trolls in folklore could be so versatile…and I'll keep in mind that trolls' appearances vary greatly in traditional stories .
Herr Mannerlig is a traditional Swedish ballad from the Middle Ages that tells the story of a mountain troll’s attempt to win the heart of the knight Herr Mannerlig and marry him. The lyrics are infused with mysticism and religious undertones, and many interpret it as a story about the struggle between the Christian and the pagan.
@@mrnexton7559 Thank you for sharing the rich context behind 'Herr Mannelig'! The tension between Christian and pagan themes is fascinating. Do you think the mountain troll's pursuit represents a desire for spiritual transformation or something else?
@@MQReacts In the ballad Herr Mannerlig, one suggestion is that the troll woman’s torment is her longing to join the human world and gain a soul. Marriage to Herr Mannerlig would free her from isolation and transform her into a human, but his refusal leaves her trapped in loneliness.
"The theme is of the "Fairies' Hope for Christian Salvation" type (no. 5050) in the classification of Christansen (1958);[4] the same theme was notably adapted by Hans Christian Andersen in The Little Mermaid (Den Lille Havfrue, 1837), influenced by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué's Undine of 1811, and ultimately based on the theory by Paracelsus that there are certain nature spirits who lack a soul and are therefore "willing to surrender their carefee lives to marry a mortal, experience human suffering, and thereby win spiritual immortality".[5] In German folklore, the theme is expressed more typically by the water-nymph trying to draw the young man into perdition rather than trying to be saved by him (c.f. Der Fischer by Goethe 1779; Loreley by Clemens Brentano 1801). The sexes are reversed in the German ballad Es freit ein wilder Wassermann, recorded 1813 in Joachimsthal, Brandenburg, where a male water spirit woos a young woman." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herr_Mannelig
@@tovep9573 Wow, thank you for sharing this in-depth analysis! I had no idea 'Herr Mannelig' was connected to such a rich literary and folklore history. The parallels with 'The Little Mermaid' and German folklore are fascinating. Your comment added a whole new layer of understanding to the song's themes and motifs. I'm intrigued by the contrast between the Nordic and German folklore approaches to the water spirit theme. The idea of nature spirits seeking spiritual immortality through human suffering is hauntingly beautiful. Do you have a background in folklore or literature, or is this just a passion project? Either way, your insight is invaluable!
This is a version by Garmarna if I'm not mistaken, I have all their records, so I don't dislike them, but I prefer the earlier version by Folk och rackare
@@MQReacts For their style, their songs are easilly accesable via a youtube search. I'm not entierly sure it was the Garmarna version, they usually used more modern instruments and a bit of a Euro Disco twist to their versions, but the singer sounds more like the Garmarna singer. The song is from medeival times so neither of the bands wrote it. I prefer Folk och Rackare since they used more traditional instruments, and I really like how the two singers complimented each other, or worked together. That's speaking generally, not about this song, that only has one vocalist.
@@bfsofficialchannel9093 Thank you for the recommendation! I'll definitely check out 'I Riden Sả' - love discovering new Swedish folk songs! Especially as I enjoyed ‘Herr Mennelig’
@@MQReacts In Extremo is a german medieval metal band. The band's musical style combines metal with Medieval traditional songs, blending the sound of the standard rock/metal instruments with historical instruments (such as bagpipes, harp, hurdy-gurdy and shawm)
The picture is of the painting "Trollörten" (trolls herb) by the Swedish painter John Bauer. He made many paintings in the same style and theme. Quite famous in Sweden.
The false tounge in this song, is because the gifts are not real. It may sound like she want to give him the best of horses, factories, weapons and clothing, but she's really only promising fog, sea waves, a sun beam and spider web. The plight is that she can't stay when the sun comes up, in the beginning of the song they say it's before sunrise. A Mountain Troll cannot be out in the sun whitout turning to stone.
@@nocturne7371 Wow, thank you for sharing your insight! I tried searching for more information about the symbolism in 'Herr Mannelig,' but couldn't find much. Your explanation about the 'false tongue' and the mountain troll's vulnerability to sunlight makes so much sense! It adds a whole new layer of depth to the song. If anyone's curious to learn more, trying a quick online search might uncover more fascinating facts. Thanks again for shedding light on this!
Trolls were the symbol of the old ways and they were not christians. They are also described in different ways in old traditions and could be really beautiful in some stories. Many unchristian beliefs and traditions were kept in Sweden long after we officially became christians, how ever the church like usual tried to punish people for it or to put an evil stamp on it.
It should also be said that the song is written in a very old Swedish language.
Thanks for saying this, so I didn't have to....
Thank you for reacting to my recommendation. Thumbs up! :)
I'll send you another recommendation via mail.
Greetings
Mega
@@megatwingo Thanks for the recommendation! Loved
'Herr Mannelig'. Looking forward to your next suggestion!
Fun fact, but "Herr Mannerlig" likely just means "mr. (hu)man-like", so just a man and not his actual name. "Herr" means "Mister", "man" means "man/human" and "lig" is an old spelling of the word "lik" which just means "like/similar to". The mountain troll in this song is cursed and has to convince a human to marry her. Someone fact check me, but I believe the plight she talks about is being cursed to be a troll. So if she manages to marry a human man, shell become human too. But she cant get someone to marry her because she is a troll (so she offers up all these gifts to persuade men).
She also offers him false items. The steeds are actually just fog/mist, the thing she describes as being between two islands (the mills between Tillö and Ternö) is just the sea waves, the gilded sword is rays of sunlight, and the unwoven shirt is a spiders web. In old Swedish culture a lot of our myths/tales are about trolls, gnomes, monsters, etc being tricksters in some way.
Another small Swedish culture thing missed here is when she sings of the devil and the "neck". "Neck" is a mistranslation of "Näcken", a Swedish devil type of character. Hes a naked man hanging out in rivers and lakes playing the violin extremely beautifully, which lures in people and makes them drown. Think of him as a male version of a Siren from other cultures. In some versions he is combined with Lucifer, but in other regions he's his own character. Hes used as a way to warn children to never play alone in lakes or rivers, because Näcken will snatch them up and drown them. Pretty morbid but a lot of folk tales do just come from scaring kids to keep em safe
The english name for "Näcken" is "the Nix". It is a being found in every germanic language/region and some neighbouring as well (like finnish), with local flavour ofc.
There are sevetal theories what the plight is. Some say that it is being outside the christian communion and that the marriage would remwdy this as it is a sacred ritual in church under god (hence the refference to "a christian woman". Other say it is that she is cursed to be a troll and that the curse would be broke if she managed to get so.eone to accept her hand in marriage. Yet other say that being a unmarried woman is the plight. I would not dare taking a guess.
I have alway interpreted "Herr Mannerlig" as the old version of "Herr Manlig", meaning "Mr/Sir Manly".
I would not say that "lig" is an old version of "lik", rather the opposite. It is a pattern that what once were k turns into a g, especially if it has an i infront of it, and then after that the pronounciation turn soft in certain cases. The most striking example is the word "mig" which comrs from the older "mik" but in ordinary speach today is pronounced as "mej". There is a relation both between k and g (both which once were written with the K-rune) an i and e (which both once were written with the I-rune). So I would not be suprised if the medieval old Swedish language would spell it "herr maþerlik", or even "hær mæþerlik".
Troll do not have to be big in the folklore. The often are but they are also said to be able to cast spells of illusions making them seemingly change form. Often rhe appere as ordinary humans, but with something weird, backwards, opposite or mirroring to what is normal. Like having the best cloths and jewelery while doing the worst and most dirty tasks, or feeding a horse meat and a lion hay, or being messmerisingly beautiful but have a cows or a fox tale etc etc. Something is off.
In modern fairytales trolls is more "standardized" in shape and form but that is not the case in the old folktales where they are much more elusive. In modern tales one can see a difference between Norway and Sweden where the trolls in Norway is much bigger and much closer to giants then many trolls in Sweden.
Back in the day bethroding were the actual legally binding ritual for a marriage in Scandinavia. That was when the oaths were sworn. The rest, including the church cermony were just announcing the union. This were the case up to until the 1900s.
@@sirseigan wow, thank you for sharing your knowledge! I didn't know trolls in folklore could be so versatile…and I'll keep in mind that trolls' appearances vary greatly in traditional stories .
a very beautiful african girl reacting to old song from my country 🥰you should visit and i can show you around the old stone graves
@@sioxz8435 thank you so much for your kind words! I'd love to visit your country someday, it sounds fascinating.
Herr Mannerlig is a traditional Swedish ballad from the Middle Ages that tells the story of a mountain troll’s attempt to win the heart of the knight Herr Mannerlig and marry him. The lyrics are infused with mysticism and religious undertones, and many interpret it as a story about the struggle between the Christian and the pagan.
@@mrnexton7559 Thank you for sharing the rich context behind 'Herr Mannelig'! The tension between Christian and pagan themes is fascinating. Do you think the mountain troll's pursuit represents a desire for spiritual transformation or something else?
@@MQReacts In the ballad Herr Mannerlig, one suggestion is that the troll woman’s torment is her longing to join the human world and gain a soul. Marriage to Herr Mannerlig would free her from isolation and transform her into a human, but his refusal leaves her trapped in loneliness.
"The theme is of the "Fairies' Hope for Christian Salvation" type (no. 5050) in the classification of Christansen (1958);[4] the same theme was notably adapted by Hans Christian Andersen in The Little Mermaid (Den Lille Havfrue, 1837), influenced by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué's Undine of 1811, and ultimately based on the theory by Paracelsus that there are certain nature spirits who lack a soul and are therefore "willing to surrender their carefee lives to marry a mortal, experience human suffering, and thereby win spiritual immortality".[5] In German folklore, the theme is expressed more typically by the water-nymph trying to draw the young man into perdition rather than trying to be saved by him (c.f. Der Fischer by Goethe 1779; Loreley by Clemens Brentano 1801). The sexes are reversed in the German ballad Es freit ein wilder Wassermann, recorded 1813 in Joachimsthal, Brandenburg, where a male water spirit woos a young woman."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herr_Mannelig
@@tovep9573 Wow, thank you for sharing this in-depth analysis! I had no idea 'Herr Mannelig' was connected to such a rich literary and folklore history. The parallels with 'The Little Mermaid' and German folklore are fascinating. Your comment added a whole new layer of understanding to the song's themes and motifs.
I'm intrigued by the contrast between the Nordic and German folklore approaches to the water spirit theme. The idea of nature spirits seeking spiritual immortality through human suffering is hauntingly beautiful.
Do you have a background in folklore or literature, or is this just a passion project?
Either way, your insight is invaluable!
@@MQReacts I just quoted the Wikipedia article. Thus the quotation marks and link. Most things artistic are conneccted to other ideas and concepts.
This is a version by Garmarna if I'm not mistaken, I have all their records, so I don't dislike them, but I prefer the earlier version by Folk och rackare
@@matshjalmarsson3008 Would love to hear more about Folk och
Rackare's style and how it resonates with you.
@@MQReacts For their style, their songs are easilly accesable via a youtube search.
I'm not entierly sure it was the Garmarna version, they usually used more modern instruments and a bit of a Euro Disco twist to their versions, but the singer sounds more like the Garmarna singer.
The song is from medeival times so neither of the bands wrote it.
I prefer Folk och Rackare since they used more traditional instruments, and I really like how the two singers complimented each other, or worked together.
That's speaking generally, not about this song, that only has one vocalist.
There's a another beautiful, swedish folk songs called "I Riden Så" i recommend it!
@@bfsofficialchannel9093 Thank you for the recommendation! I'll definitely check out 'I Riden Sả' - love discovering new Swedish folk songs! Especially as I enjoyed ‘Herr Mennelig’
@MQReacts fun fact it's has Nyckelharpa!
the In Extremo Version of this song is also nicely played. Different, but nice.
@@aliasinternal9078 In Extremo? New to me! What's their take on 'Herr Mannelig' like?
@@MQReacts In Extremo is a german medieval metal band. The band's musical style combines metal with Medieval traditional songs, blending the sound of the standard rock/metal instruments with historical instruments (such as bagpipes, harp, hurdy-gurdy and shawm)
@@MQReacts would you like me to provide you a link with a music video ?
@@aliasinternal9078 yes please, I’ll really love that
@@MQReacts here or in instagram ?
the picture is just a famous swedish painting, and is not assiocietd with the song.
Oh… I thought it was. Thanks for clarifying
The picture is of the painting "Trollörten" (trolls herb) by the Swedish painter John Bauer. He made many paintings in the same style and theme. Quite famous in Sweden.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herr_Mannelig