by Guðmundur Bergþórsson

A single ríma by Guðmundur Bergþórsson, one of Iceland's most prolific rímur poets (c. 1657–1705). Set in Denmark under King Frederick I, it tells how Jannes, the son of a poor cottager who keeps one cow and many swine, dreams of winning the daughter of a wealthy German burgher. His father mocks him, but Jannes walks to Germany. There he finds the maiden already betrothed — but by luck and cunning, he steals the suitor's place in bed, wins the maiden's ring, and together with her devises a merchant's disguise and a shipping con that fools her father into giving away both bride and fortune.

From Nokkrar rímur og kvæði (Reykjavík, 1906), pp. 31–42. The text is in ferskeytt metre (ABAB). This is the first known complete English translation.

Mansöngr

1.
The war-god's ale of warning
is known through verse and song;
drawn forth from the chorus of dreams,
in Danish metre's tongue.

2.
A maiden of gold has asked of me,
a man upon his pillow,
to compose for her a single ríma
from a fine adventure's shadow.

3.
And so with labour of verse I must
weave my words together;
I must please his mind as best I can —
a promise given in fair weather.

4.
Fjallar's stallion of the south is scarcely
fit to ride the road;
even were it somewhat nearer,
there the lack is showed.

5.
How fortune favours those
who gladly seek her grace;
without mockery or scorn,
the wise enjoy her face.

The Story

6.
This is the beginning of the tale —
the book explained it so —
when King Frederick the Free,
the First, ruled Denmark's realm below.

7.
The ruler held his rule in peace,
in a great chieftain's guise;
a trusted host of nobles served
the king across his territories.

8.
Out by the woods, on a broad farm,
there lived in that same time
a married man in a poor croft —
from him this ríma's rhyme.

9.
He owned a single cow for stock
and swine beyond all count;
he raised a son with his lawful wife
in his advancing years' amount.

10.
Jannes was the boy's name given,
slow to learn good ways;
daily to the virtues called,
he hauled the swine their graze.

11.
He grew up well with honour for a time,
and so life carried on;
he scarcely took a peaceful rest,
that hard-working young man.

12.
He learned to read and write at last,
in ragged canvas clothes;
he turned instead to what he knew —
watching the pigs be fed in rows.

13.
One morning then, from slumber stirred,
a dream came to his mind;
he leapt up in a frenzy,
and his father's blessing sought to find.

14.
"A burgher there is, as I know well,
out in the German land;
Klaus is that fine lord's name,
whose hair is white as fire-brand.

15.
"One daughter he has, they say of her
no one has seen her like;
fortune means to give her me,
that gold-laced maiden rich.

16.
"I mean to go there quickly, Father —
give me leave to ride!
I may yet win the slender wife
and become a burgher at her side."

17.
"Are you mad?" the old man said,
"what nonsense fills your brain?
You tramp, you'd wander off abroad,
penniless, dressed in burlap plain?"

18.
"Who on earth would keep a wretch
who wants to learn the beggar's way?
Never think upon that maid —
it is too great an honour for your clay."

19.
But no rebuff could break his will
or hinder the fair dream;
he bade farewell to both his parents
in the croft, and left the stream.

20.
He set his course for German ground,
the lad, with purpose bright;
wherever he met a man's company,
he laid his plan in sight.

21.
Many laughed at him for that
and spoke of manhood's shame;
yet some gave him a shilling too,
who mocked the boy by name.

22.
He headed straight to that same place
the sharp-eyed dream foretold;
he could not look back toward home —
the wilderness had taken hold.

23.
At last he saw a host of men
riding toward him there;
a nobleman was out on his hunt —
Jannes greeted the company fair.

24.
The rich man asked the thorn-of-thought
his lineage and name at once;
the boy said he was of Danish ground,
the equal of its princes.

25.
He told his dream entire and quick:
he was to be a burgher's heir,
to win the gold-crowned maiden,
if the father would declare.

26.
The nobleman then laughed out sharp
and spoke in mocking speech:
"You have slept too hard upon your brain,
you wretched little wraith."

27.
"You will never win the ring-bride;
the suitor she has found —
he rode just now to claim her there,
and I think they are already bound."

28.
"Take my counsel, comrade dear!
Tell no one of this tale;
the burgher will be your death
if such a thing he learns by mail."

29.
Three crowns from the ice-cold stream
the champion took and gave:
"Have these for all your costs —
they are yours to keep and save."

30.
Jannes thanked the iron-breaker,
promised to obey;
they parted at the forest's edge —
short was the walk from there that day.

31.
Jannes kept on homeward bound,
silent deep in mind;
he saw now that the truth was so —
the suitor sat inside.

32.
The fairest maiden was there beside him,
kind words they two did bind;
he had never seen a fairer one
among the silk-laced womankind.

33.
Jannes thought within himself
with heavy, cold reflection:
"The ugly dream has lied to me;
I'll never win the linen-maiden's affection."

34.
About the floor the steel-man paced
and held his tongue at first;
the company drank with honour and art,
and no one slaked his thirst.

35.
The gold-maiden then asked of the sword-breaker
for a meal to eat;
the burgher said: "If I may charge you,
the food shall quickly meet."

36.
The traveller took his food
with few words said aloud;
he cast a crown upon the table
and paid his cost unbowed.

37.
"Remarkably well you pay us," said
the burgher, turning round;
"you'll not be stingy now,
though you're hardly richly found."

38.
Then their talk grew quiet,
the lad walked among the benches;
the men were glad about their cups,
from good tankard-drenches.

39.
Then slyly the suitor found his chance —
the women may well praise it —
he whispered to the ring-bride's path
and asked to lodge that night beside it.

40.
"I mean to find your bed-place,
in the proper way of love."
The thorn-bride yielded her consent:
"It is in a loft above."

41.
She told him where the bed would be,
where they would meet that night;
Jannes thought to himself in quiet:
"What shall come of this for me to right?"

42.
The folk drank deep, the day grew dim,
the evening settled too;
the suitor went with his own men
to sleep in the rich chamber's view.

43.
Jannes found himself no bed —
up to the maiden's loft he crept,
where the suitor had been promised a tryst;
quietly behind, the young man stepped.

44.
The maiden settled down to bed,
bade her maid alone in the dark
to softly unlock the loft-room door
when the spear-man's step should mark.

45.
Jannes sprang up the stair full hard,
searched out the door in haste;
she opened it, and quickly then
he pulled the bedclothes to his waist.

46.
He lay himself beside the fair lady;
the bed-curtain was drawn across.
Never had he lain in such a bed
in all his days, not close.

47.
The story does not tell in full
what labour there was done;
some gap of fortune must suffice —
they figured out the sum.

48.
The women may declare of that,
who gladly seek such sport;
what those two did there together —
I care not to report.

49.
A little later, someone stamped
upon the stair — they heard.
The suitor came and hammered there;
the serving-maid was stirred.

50.
The maiden snatched a chamber-pot
brimming full of piss;
she unlocked the door fast as lightning
and hurled it in his face with this.

51.
He clawed at his eyes, the spear-god,
the brute told them to keep it;
though he was a lordly man of pride,
he dared not loudly weep it.

52.
He woke his men at once and said:
"The lady has shamed us all;
ready the horses — we ride at once —
disgrace awaits us in this hall."

53.
"Who knows but the burgher bold
and the ring-seller of the house
planned this humiliation long —
we shall not linger like a mouse."

54.
The man rode off at midnight
with his band of men;
so he is gone from the story now —
long shall Jannes wait for him again.

55.
Just before dawn, as the linen-game slept,
he crept away from the bride;
he plucked the ring from her hand
and left in the harbour-gleam's light-tide.

56.
That morning, when the folk awoke,
there was news enough to learn:
the suitor had left with all his men —
the burgher marvelled at the turn.

57.
They said that hell-swine must have had him
and made him play the fool,
that he would not conduct his business
in any other fashion or rule.

58.
Jannes still was in that place;
again he took his meal —
another crown it cost him,
and the burgher's joy was real.

59.
He reckoned this great-spending man
above all other guests;
the bride began to look at him,
though she spoke little, at best.

60.
She caught sight of her own ring
upon the quiet man's hand;
desire and gold-longing
overturned her thoughts like sand.

61.
She wished to find the spear-breaker,
if only the chance would come;
at last it came — she met the lad
and they spoke in quiet, both as one.

62.
"Where did you get that gold, helm-god —
the ring that I well know?"
"In the bed beside yourself," said Jannes —
he answered her just so.

63.
"I call myself a swineherd,
a son from the Danish realm;
if fortune grants that I may have you,
I'll inherit the serpent's helm."

64.
The lady reddened red as blood,
a shock ran through her frame;
"So it shall go," the woman said,
"as your dream has taught your claim."

65.
"You shall call yourself a merchant's son,
come from the Danish folk;
say you have lost your ships and men
at sea, in a sudden stroke."

66.
"Six years it is since my father, famed,
sent ships to the Indian land
to gather gold — remember this
and keep it well in hand."

67.
"None of them returned who sailed
and set the prow to run;
he no longer hopes for ships —
you may buy that hope as done."

68.
"Be free with the furnace-gold,
though the cost may stand you tall;
a letter was written to me, they say,
that the ships are near our wall."

69.
"Do not come too often to me —
I bear grief enough in my heart.
Buy yourself fine clothes instead,
the kind that cost a proper part."

70.
"Beside my father here yourself
you must carry like a courtly man;
I shall gladly get you the gold —
he is money-keen, the old man."

71.
The ring-goddess gave the lad a purse;
he rose and thanked the maiden;
he stepped out to the wide hall
where the burgher sat, cup-laden.

72.
"Explain to me," the old man said,
"you fire-stoker of the spear —
what were you meaning to pursue
when first you came here?"

73.
"I was bound for the Indian land,"
the young man said at length;
"I lost my ship and men and goods
in the blink of an eye's strength."

74.
The old man spoke with a scowl of rage
and could not hold his tongue:
"Let the devil send those ships —
that folly has done me wrong."

75.
"Five years and one have passed
since that misfortune fell on me;
a dark wave drowned the vessel —
it sank, which should not be."

76.
"Will you sell the hope to me,
friend?" said Jannes then;
"should a ship arrive on this shore,
let us strike this bargain, men."

77.
"If you have a hundred ducats ready,"
the old man said, the brand-wolf,
"and you pay the sum to me at once,
the deal shall stand as told."

78.
Then the hero of renown
counted out the gold right there;
the witnesses saw the handshake done —
the old man raised a brow to stare.

79.
In that very moment came
a messenger with word:
a ship had reached the harbour
from the very place they'd heard.

80.
The old man fell silent; the other grew glad;
the noble heroes marvelled;
then the young man bade farewell
to his beloved and to the bride's old father.

81.
He said he must go aboard the ship
and trade the treasure's yield;
the burgher offered him the maid
and a home within his field.

82.
This offer he accepted quick,
though with greater riches still;
he was betrothed to the gold-crowned girl —
the dream was drawing near its fill.

83.
Then death bore the old burgher
away from his gold not long after;
the young couple inherited all —
each thing judged a treasure ever after.

84.
They loved each other with honour and faith
through all their living days;
no longer do I read from here
the little saga's praise.

85.
No one held me a master-poet
here on Iceland's ground;
so it is no wonder Yggr's seed
can rhyme but poorly in the Danish sound.

86.
Lord of heaven and the maiden's treasure,
my name is there to find;
forgive me, friend, for the few words spoken —
and so the ríma ends in kind.

Colophon

Jannesar-ríma, composed by Guðmundur Bergþórsson (c. 1657–1705), one of the most prolific and beloved Icelandic rímur poets. This single ríma of 86 stanzas in ferskeytt metre (ABAB) tells the picaresque tale of a Danish swineherd's son who wins a German burgher's daughter through a prophetic dream, cunning, and the maiden's own resourcefulness. The text combines folk-tale motifs — the prophetic dream, the bed-trick, the false-identity scheme — with Guðmundur's characteristic modesty and kenning-rich style.

Source text: Nokkrar rímur og kvæði (Reykjavík: Sigurður Kristjánsson, 1906), pp. 31–42. Digitised by Google Books.

Translated from Old Icelandic by the New Tianmu Anglican Church (Good Works Translation, AI-assisted), 2026.

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Source Text

Jannesar-ríma

Ort af Guðmundi Bergþórssyni

1.
Verður herjans varabjór
við skáldmæli kendur,
dregin fram af drauma kór
í dönsku máli hendur.

2.
Mig hefir beðið málmagrér
mann á karardýnu,
eina rímu að yrkja sér,
af æfintyri fínu.

3.
Verð eg því með vísna starf
að vefja saman orðum,
hans eg geði þóknast þarf,
því var heitið forðum.

4.
Varla er þó til ferða fær
fjalars súða hestur,
ef hann væri nokkru nær,
núna þar á brestur.

5.
Hvað þeim auðnan gjörir gott,
sem gjarna að henni leita;
fyrir utan spé og spott,
spakir hennar neyta.

6.
Það er upphaf þessa máls —
það mér bókin skyrði —
þegar kongur Friðrik frjáls
fyrsti Danmörk styrði.

7.
Stillir hélt þar stjórn með frið,
stórhöfðingja líki,
tyggja þénti tígið lið,
traust um allmörg ríki.

8.
Út við skóg á breiðum by
bjó um þenna tíma
karl einn giftur kotbæ í,
kveikist af honum ríma.

9.
Áhalds hafði hann eina kú,
og ótal margt af svínum,
ól hann son við ektafrú,
í aldurdómi sínum.

10.
Jannes nefndist sveinninn sá,
siðunum látt af lærði;
daglega til dygða bá,
drafið svínum færði.

11.
Ólst hann upp með æru um stund
æfin svo fram gengur;
varla tók sér væran blund,
vinnusamur drengur.

12.
Lesa og skrifa lærði seint,
með lasin striga klæði,
vandist heldur við það beint,
að vakta grýsum fæði.

13.
Morgun einn þá dúr af datt,
draum í hug sér leiddi,
fánalega á fætur spratt,
föður sinn orðlofs beiddi.

14.
"Borgara vera eg veit einn
út í Þyzkaveldi,
Kláus nefnist herra hreinn,
hárs sem tærir eldi,

15.
"Dóttir eina segur sér,
séð hafa menn ei slíka,
þá vill gæfan gefa mér,
gullhlaðs-þollu ríka.

16.
"Á það vil eg fara fljótt,
faðir! gef mér leyfi,
að vinna megi eg vífið mjótt
og verða borgargréifi.

17.
"Ertu vitlaus" karlinn kvað,
"kyngir að þér siga,
fanturinn viltu flana á stað,
félaus klæddur striga?"

18.
"Hver mann mun þig halda grey,
húsgangs ferð vill læra,
þenktu aldrei á þessa mey,
það er þér ofstór æra."

19.
Hann kvað engin hrykki bón,
að hindra drauminn fríða,
í kotinu bæði kvaddi hjón,
kreikar á burtu síðan.

20.
Stefndi þegar á þyzka grund
degn með skyru bragði,
hvar sem rekka hitti fund,
hann sitt áform hafði.

21.
Margur að því mikið hló,
mannskaps stryk að ræddu;
skenktu sumir skilding þó,
sem skopuðu dreng og hæddu.

22.
Stefndi rétt að staðnum þeim,
sem starskygn draumur spáði,
mátti ei líta maðurinn heim,
mörkin villa náði.

23.
Um síðir leit hann sveina magt
sér í móti fara;
herramaðurinn hélt á jagt,
heilsar hann þessum skara.

24.
Spyr hinn ríki þornaþund,
þegar að ætt og nafni,
drengurinn kvaðst af danskri grund
drottingjanna jafni.

25.
Draum sinn allan byrti brátt,
borgari verða skyldi,
finna eignast faldagátt,
ef faðirinn játa vildi.

26.
Herramaðurinn hló þá snart,
hæðandi nam ræða:
"Þú hefir sofið á heilann hart
heimsku veslings skræða."

27.
"Aldrei færðu baugabil,
biðilinn hefir hún fengið,
hann reið áðan heim þar til,
og hygg eg saman gengi."

28.
"Hafðu ráð mín, kumpán kær!
kyntu ei neinum þetta;
borgarinn þér bana fær
brátt, ef slíkt kann frétta."

29.
Krónur þrjár af kólgu yl,
kappinn tók og spjallar:
"Þær skalt hafa þarfa til
þér fyrir kostnað allan."

30.
Jannes þakkar járnabrjót,
játar svo að breyta,
skildust þeir við skógamót,
skamt var heim að leita.

31.
Heldur Jannes heim ístað,
hljóður mjög í sinni;
sér hann nú að satt er það,
seztur er biðill inni.

32.
Vænust jómfrú var þar hjá,
vilmælin þau binda,
fegri enga fyrri sá,
í flokki silkilinda.

33.
Þenkir Jannes þá með sér,
þungt með hugsun kaldri;
ljótur draumur laug að mér,
línspöng fæ eg aldrei.

34.
Um gólfið reika gjörði fyrst
gautur stáls og þagði;
öldin drakk með æru og list,
engin til hans lagði.

35.
Matar bað þá málmagrér
mætan bendir sverða,
burgeys segir: "ef borgið þér,
brátt skal það til verða."

36.
Fæðu tók með fáein orð
ferðamaðurinn hraði,
kastar síðan krónu á borð,
kostinn betalaði.

37.
"Bísna vel oss borgar þú",
burgeys svo að víkur,
"varla muntu nízkur nú,
þó nóg sért ekki ríkur."

38.
Þagnar síðan þeirra tal,
þegn fór bekkja milli,
glöddust menn um góma sal,
af góðri krúsarfylli.

39.
Kánkvís síðan komst á hljóð —
kvendin mega það prísa —
biðillinn hvíslar baugs að slóð,
biður í nótt sig hysa.

40.
"Rata á yðar rúm eg vil,
rétt með kærleiks greinum";
þessu játar þornabil,
"það er í loftsal einum."

41.
Segir honum hvar sængin er,
sem þau skulu finnast,
hugsar Jannes hægt með sér,
hvað skal mér nú vinnast.

42.
Ölvast fólk, en dagur dvín,
dregst að kvöldið líka,
biðillinn gekk með sveinum sín
svefns í skemmu ríka.

43.
Jannes hvergi fékk sér flet,
fljóðs í loft upp gengur,
þar sem biðillinn hjávist hét,
hljótt rann eftir drengur.

44.
Jómfrúin háttar þíð með það,
þernu í húmi eina
ljúka hægt upp lofti bað,
þá lundur kæmi fleina.

45.
Jannes stigann hljóp upp hart,
hurðu á nam leita,
hún lauk upp, en hann tók snart
haminn að sér reita.

46.
Legst hann niður hjá frúnni frí,
fyrir var sparlak dregið,
sæng hafði aldrei svoddan í,
um sína daga legið.

47.
Ekki sagan innir skil,
er hann gjörði að vinna,
einhver verður auðarbil,
upp þá gátu að finna.

48.
Kvendin mega kveða þar að,
sem káta skemtan fala,
hvað þau hafa hafst þar að,
hirðr eg ei um að tala.

49.
Stundu síðar stappað var
um stigann, svo þær heyra,
biðillinn kom og barði þar,
birstist þernan meira.

50.
Mundlaug grípur mærin skjótt,
megnis fulla af hlandi,
hurð upp lykur furðufljótt,
framan í hal steypandi.

51.
Greip fyrir augun geiraþór,
grefilinn bað þær hafa;
þó hann væri þykkjustór,
hann þorði ei hátt að skrafa.

52.
Sína vekur sveina strax,
"svívirt hefir oss frúin,
hesta skulum hafa til taks,
háðung er oss búin.

53.
"Hver veit nema burgeys bráður
beint og hringaselja,
hafi mér sneypu hugsað áður,
hér skulum ekki dvelja."

54.
Maðurinn burt um miðja nátt
með sinn flokk nam ríða,
svo er hann úr sögunni brátt,
samt skal hann Jannes bíða.

55.
Laust fyrir dag, þá líneik svaf,
læddist hann frá brúði;
hringinn plokkar hendi af
hafnar ljóma þrúði.

56.
Að morgni fólk þá vaknar við,
var þá nóg til frétta,
biðillinn var í burt með lið,
burgeys undrar þetta.

57.
Héldu hann alli heljar svín
hafa verið og dára,
að hann gjörði ei erindi sín
öðruvísi klára.

58.
Enn var Jannes í þeim stað,
aftur máltíð þáði,
krónu aðra kostar það,
kætast burgeys náði.

59.
Stórórlátan metur mann
meir en aðra seggi;
brúðurin tók að horfa á hann,
hún þó fátt til leggi.

60.
Hún kom auga hring sinn á
halurinn svo til stilti;
ágirndin með auðargná
ymsum þönkum bylti.

61.
Finna vill hún fleina brjót,
ef færi gefast næði;
þar kom loks hann hitti snót
hljótt við talast bæði.

62.
"Hvar fékst gullið hjálmagrér
hringinn þann eg kenni" —
"í sænginni hjá sjálfri þér",
svaraði Jannes henni.

63.
"Svínahirði segi eg mig,
son af dönsku ríki;
auðnast mér að eiga þig,
og erfa linnasýki.

64.
Roðnar frúin rétt sem blóð,
rekur stans á kvendi,
"svo mun fara", sagði fljóð,
"sem þér draumur kendi."

65.
"Kalla skalt þig kaupmanns nið,
komin af dönskum lýði,
segðu þú hafir um maramið
mist þitt fólk og prýði."

66.
"Sex ár eru síðan tull
sendifaðir minn frægur
til Indíalands að græða gull
gæt þess vel um dægur."

67.
"Engir komu aftur þeir,
er örina létu hlaupa,
vill hann skips ei vænta meir,
vonina máttu kaupa."

68.
"Óspar vertu á ofnisbing
yfir þó kaup standi,
var mér rituð vísbending,
þeir væri hér við landið."

69.
"Ekki kom þú oft til mín,
angurs ber eg trega,
kauptu þér heldur klæðin fín,
sem kosta sæmilega."

70.
"Föður mínum hér þig hjá,
hofmannlega skalt bera;
eg skal gjaldið fús þér fá,
féskygn mun hann vera."

71.
Fésjóð fékk þá hringþöll hal,
hann réð þakka sprundi;
brá sér út í breiðan sal,
þar burgeys drekka mundi.

72.
"Greindu mér", hinn gamli kvað,
"geirs þú bytir eldi,
hvað vildir þú hafast að,
hér þegar komst að veldi."

73.
"Ætlaði eg til Indíalands",
ungi maðurinn sagði,
"misti eg skip mitt, fólk og fans
fljótt á augabragði."

74.
Ræddi karl með reiðisvip,
réði sig ei stilla:
"þangað sendi skrattinn skip,
skeð hefir mig sú villa."

75.
"Ár eru síðan eitt og fimm,
er mér það til vildi,
þeim hefir kuggi dulan dimm,
drekt, sem ekki skyldi."

76.
"Viltu selja vonina mér,
vinur!" hann Jannes sagði,
"kunni fley að koma hér,
kaupum þessu að bragði."

77.
"Ef hundrað dúkata hefir til taks"
hinn kvað ullur branda,
"og greiðir þú mér gjaldið strax,
gjörð skulu kaupin standa."

78.
Taldi síðan fram þar féð,
frægðarmaðurinn snjalli;
hirðar fengu handsöl géð,
hækkaði brún á karli.

79.
Kom í þessu seljan seims,
sagðist boð hafa fengið,
á höfn sé kominn haukur geims,
héðan sem fyr gat gengið.

80.
Hljóðnar karl, en hinn varð glaður
hetjur undrast prúðar,
kvaddi síðan komumaður
kæru og föður brúðar.

81.
Hann kvaðst verða að fara á fley
og fjárins verzla arði,
burgeys honum bauð þá mey,
og búa þar í garði.

82.
Þenna kost hann þáði brátt,
þó með ríkdóm stærri;
fastnaði síðan faldagátt;
fór þá draumi nærri.

83.
Bar þá hel í burt frá seim
borgarann skömmu síðar,
ungum hjónum eignir tveim,
allar dæmdust fríðar.

84.
Untust þau með æru og trú
um æfi sína bæði,
lengra ekki les eg nú
lítið sögunnar fræði.

85.
Hélt mig engin höfuðskáld
hér á íslands grunni,
því er ei von að Yggjar sáld
yrkja úr dönsku kunni.

86.
Milding himna og meyar fé,
mitt er nafnið kenda;
forlát, vinur, fáorð sé,
fær svo ríman enda.

Source Colophon

Source text from Nokkrar rímur og kvæði (Reykjavík: Sigurður Kristjánsson, 1906), pp. 31–42. Digitised by Google Books. OCR artefacts (page numbers, "Digitized by Google" markers) removed; obvious OCR errors silently corrected where the reading was clear.

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