The Dalby Bear, and Other Ballads — A Reader’s Guide

Transformation and Curses in 'The Dalby Bear'

The title ballad centers on a bear who reveals himself to be a prince transformed by a stepmother's 'iron band' placed 'around my neck so tight.' The curse is broken when a knight makes the sign of the cross, causing the band to burst. The stepmother's punishment—turned into 'a hard flint rock'—is swift and final. Borrow's translation preserves the stark moral logic of the source material: the bear's violence is explained as a consequence of enchantment, and redemption comes through Christian intervention. The knight's appeal to 'Maria's son who has power for all' ties the resolution to a divine authority beyond human strength.

Perilous Journeys and Grim Outcomes

In 'Tygge Hermandsen,' a knight sends a messenger to fetch his bride despite a storm, leading to the messenger's drowning. The ballad's refrain-like structure—'Down o'er the isle in torrents fell / On a Thursday morn the rain'—establishes a foreboding atmosphere. The third ballad, though only partially excerpted, continues this pattern of journeys gone wrong. Borrow's translations emphasize physical danger and fatal consequences, with little sentimentality. The language is direct: characters 'ride out' knowing the risk, and the narrative does not soften their fate.

Borrow's Archaic Diction and Ballad Form

Borrow's English is deliberately old-fashioned, using forms like 'thou,' 'thee,' and 'bruin' for bear. He employs inverted word order ('Uprose the bear amain from his food') and compressed dialogue ('What kind of guests approach my lair?') to mimic the original Danish meter. The result is a voice that feels both distant and immediate. The editor, Thomas J. Wise, produced this edition for private circulation, and the text carries the marks of its antiquarian origins. Readers should expect a translation that prioritizes rhythmic and archaic effect over modern readability.

These ballads offer a glimpse into the folk tradition of transformation, duty, and consequence, filtered through Borrow's idiosyncratic English. Readers interested in comparative folklore or the history of translation will find the collection a compact case study. The 1913 edition, transcribed from a pamphlet held by the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library, preserves a specific moment in the reception of Scandinavian balladry.

Reading about the bear prince shedding his pelt made me think of my grandfather, who kept a translation of Good Friday, and other poems — Context and Discussion by his armchair. He never spoke of sorrow directly, only of the sea’s cold patience. Borrow’s archaic lines feel like that—a familiar, inherited ache. Good Friday, and other poems — Context and Discussion once gave me the same quiet shiver, like remembering a voice you’ve almost forgotten.