Margjit and Targjei Risvollo

Artist: Folque
Album: Dans, dans Olav liljekrans
Song: Margjit og Targjei Risvollo
Translation: Norwegian → English
Submitted by Gjendine on Sat, 07/07/2012 - 19:29

Norwegian

Margjit og Targjei Risvollo

Margjit gjeter i lio nor
ho blæs i forgylte honn
høyrer 'n Jon i Vaddelio
det aukar den store sorg.
-Det var mi å alli di
som jalla under lio –

Så låg dei i hop den notti lang
innmed kvarannes side,
notti lei og soli kom,
dei skuldes med sorg og kvide
-Det var mi å alli di
som jalla under lio –

Det var Margjit fruva,
klappa på durakinn;
statt upp Kristi terna mi
du slepper meg fulle inn!
-Det var mi å alli di
som jalla under lio –

Det var Targjei Risvollo,
kom seg ri'ans i gård,
Det var Kristi terna,
ho vare sveipt i mår
-Det var mi å alli di
som jalla under lio –

Det var Targjei Risvollo,
stutte seg på sit sverd;
hòre er nu ho Margjit fruva
som skrøyte sko mine ferd?
-Det var mi å alli di
som jalla under lio –

Høyre du det du unge Tarjei
Hotte eg seie deg vil
du er ikkje laga, du unge Targjei
til brudgom med Margjit rie
-Det var mi å alli di
som jalla under lio –

Ho e kveisa undi bryst
og ho inna svier
du e ikkje laga du unge Targjei
brudgom med Margit å rie
-Det var mi å alli di
som jalla under lio –

Ven´e var no hesten den
han sjave Targjei rei,
ennå venare var no den
en akta sine møy.
-Det var mi å alli di
som jalla under lio –

Det var Targjei Risvollo,
reiste med sorg og sut;
lause løyp´e brurehest
etter Risvollo ut.
-Det var mi å alli di
som jalla under lio –

English

Margjit and Targjei Risvollo

Margjit herds (the flock) in the northern hillsides
she blows in gilded horns
this Jon i Vaddelio hears
and it increases his great grief
- it was me and never you
who jalla* beneath the hillsides -

They lay together through the long night
by each other's side
the night ended and the sun rose
they parted with sorrow and pain
- it was me and never you
who jalla beneath the hillsides -

(It was) Mistress Margjit
tapped on the side post
arise, Kristi, my maiden
you must let me in!
- it was me and never you
who jalla beneath the hillsides -

(It was) Targjei Risvollo,
came riding to the farm
(it was) the maiden Kristi
She was wrapped in rich furs
- it was me and never you
who jalla beneath the hillsides -

(It was) Targjei Risvollo
leaned against his sword
"where is now the mistress Margjit
who is to brighten my journey?"
- it was me and never you
who jalla beneath the hillsides -

Listen, young Tarjei
What I wish to say to you
You are not meant, young Tarjei
To ride as a groom, with Margjit
- it was me and never you
who jalla beneath the hillsides -

She carries a great pain underneath her bosom
And a torment inside of her.
You are not meant, young Tarjei
To ride as a groom, with Margjit
- it was me and never you
who jalla beneath the hillsides -

Fair was the horse
which brave Targjei rode
even fairer the horse
he had intended for his betrothed
- it was me and never you
who jalla beneath the hillsides -

(It was)Targjei Risvollo
he left with sorrow and pain
the horse of the bride runs loose (without any rider) behind Risvollo.
- it was me and never you
who jalla beneath the hillsides -

Author's comment:

This is a version of the ballad Margjit and Tarjei Risvollo. In this version verses containing some of the more important elements of the story have been omitted therefore i have added a brief summary. A longer version is available here:

http://lyricstranslate.com/en/margjit-og-targjei-risvollo-margjit-and-ta...

A quick summery
This is a rather well-known ballad which speaks about the love triangle between Margjit, Jon i Vaddelio (presumably a creature of the underworld) and Targjei Risvollo, Margjits betrothed.
Margjit has become pregnant with Jon and has just given birth to twin sons when her betrothed Targjei arrives at her home. Because of Targjei´s love for her he agrees to have the children baptized in secrecy, dressing up in women's clothes so as to protect Margjit´s honor. However, the children (being the offspring of a human and a creature from the underworld) are frail and die soon after they have been Christened.
In the last verse Targjei leaves the house of Margjit with the horse intended for the bride running riderless behind him, making us presum that Margjit also have died.

* - Jalla
to Jalla, jala or lala (laling) is part of a set of sounds used in connection with the life on the Seter. A Seter was the pastures in the mountains where farm animals were herded during the summer months in order to graze. The animals were usually herded up here by young boys and girls who would spend the entire summer up in the mountains in small wooden houses (a Støl or Seter). Different kinds of melodies and sounds were used for different purposes. Laling or Jaling was a kind of calling or melodious shouting used to keep off wild animals, but also to keep in contact and communicate with other herders on Seters far off, as the sound would carry far among the mountains.

thanked 1 time

User	Posted ago
TrampGuy	26 weeks 3 hours	5

Comments

TrampGuy

July 7th, 2012

Thanks! what dialect is it btw? Telemark?

Gjendine

July 18th, 2012

Most likely, although the version I have from Telemark is a bit different but then within Telemark you could also find quite a variety of sounds and words so there you go, to each valley its own dialect, as some would say