Elveskud

[1] The origins of the ballad are agreed to be considerably earlier than the earliest manuscripts, in the Middle Ages, but there is little consensus beyond this.

Many scholars suggest a Breton or French origin but the routes by which it came to and was disseminated within Northern Europe are unknown.

In one Faroese variant, Olav is implied to have been romantically involved with the elf-woman for some time; it also begins with his mother predicting his death.

[9] Vésteinn Ólason's summary of the Icelandic variants of the ballad, generally known as "Kvæði af Ólafi liljurós", is The most widely known version of "Elveskud" is that published by Peder Syv in 1695,[11] given here in modernised spelling: Mangen rider rank og rød, er dog morgen krank og død.

Olof han rider så vide alt til sit bryllup at byde.

Oluf, lad fare din fig, bi lidet og træd her i dansen med mig.«

Oluf, træd dansen med mig: to bukkeskinds støvler så giver jeg dig.

To bukkeskinds støvler, sidder vel om ben, forgyldene spore derom spændt.

Ole, træd dansen med mig: en silkeskjorte giver jeg dig.

En silkeskjorte så hvid og fin, den blegte min moder ved måneskin.«

Oluf, træd dansen med mig: et hoved af guld så giver jeg dig.«

Hun slog hannem mellem sine hærde, aldrig var han slagen værre

Oluf på ganger rød: »Og rid nu hjem til din fæstemØ.«

Oluf, kær sønnen min hvi bær' du nu så bleg en kind?«

Ole, min sØn så prud: hvad skal jeg svare din unge brud?«

I skal sige, jeg er udi lunde, at prøve min hest og så mine hunde.«

Årle om morgen, dag det var, da kom den brud med brudeskar'.

Hun tog op det skarlagen rød: der lå hr.

Årle om morgen, dag det var, der komme tre lig af hr.

Sir Olof he rides so far to his wedding to offer his hand, and the dance goes so lightly through the grove.

She lifted Sir Oluf onto the horse red, "Ride back to thy betrothed maiden."

"Listen, Sir Ole, my son so proud, what should I tell thy young bride?"

These and other available translations by Borrow, Prior, etc., are listed in Syndergaard's survey:[12] The ballad has inspired a very large number of reworkings.

Most famously, a translation of a Danish variant (DFG 47B, from Peter Syv's 1695 edition) into German by Johann Gottfried Herder as "Erlkönigs Tochter" inspired Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's poem "Erlkönig", which developed the concept of the Erlking.

The ballad was one of the inspirations for the 1828 play Elves' Hill by Johan Ludvig Heiberg.

Other works inspired by "Elveskud" include Henrik Ibsen's 1856 play Olaf Liljekrans; Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir's 1995 novel Mávahlátur;[13]: 288–289  Böðvar Guðmundsson's 2012 novel Töfrahöllin;[13]: 212, 251, 289  and Steeleye Span's folk-rock song "Dance with Me".