Herr Mannelig (also known as "Herr Mannerlig" and "Bergatrollets frieri [The Courting of the Mountain Troll]") is a medieval style Swedish ballad that tells the story of a female mountain troll who proposes marriage to a knight.
Contents
Plot
The troll is trying to convince Sir Mannelig (Swedish: Herr Mannelig) to marry her. She offers him many great gifts but he refuses her, because she is not a Christian woman but a troll (a dysphemism for a Pagan woman). She is desperate about her failure, because winning Sir Mannelig would have "freed her of her torment" (presumably of a curse).
"Manlig" is Swedish for "masculine", "manly". Thus, "Herr Mannelig" is likely translatable as either "Sir Man" or "Sir Manly"
Adaptations
In recent years, "Herr Mannelig" has become a staple song of the Neo-Medieval and Neofolk musical genres. The ballad has recently been performed and recorded by the following notable artists: