Herr Olof has
saddled his good
grey mare,
And off he has ridden to the mermaid's lair.
His saddle of gold floated high on the waves
And down sank Herr Olof to the mermaid's embrace.
"O welcome, Herr Olof, and welcome to me!
Full fifteen years I have waited for thee.
"Where were you born, and where you raised,
And where were your courtly garments made?"
"Twas in the king's castle I was born and raised,
And it's there that my courtly garments were made.
"There lives my father, there lives my mother,
And there live my sister and brother."
"But where are your fields and where are your lands,
And where in the world does your bridal bed stand?
"Where in the world does your true love lie,
With whom you will live and die?"
"There are my fields and there are my lands,
And there is the place where my bridal bed stands.
"There is the place where my true love does lie,
With whom I have sworn to live and to die."
"Come in now, Herr Olof, sit down by me here,
And drink from my goblet of wine so clear.
"Now where were you born, and where were you raised,
And where were your courtly garments made?
"Here I was born, and here I was raised,
And here is where my courtly garments were made.
"Here lives my father, and here lives my mother,
And here are my sister and brother."
"But where are your fields and where are your lands,
And where in the world does your bridal bed stand?
"Where in the world does your true love lie,
With whom you will live and die?"
"Here are my fields and here are my lands.
Here is the place where my bridal bed stands.
"Here is the place where my true love does lie,
With you I will live and with you I will die."
Translation by Alistair Cochrane
