mountain trollesses and handsome knights

 I am somewhat obsessed with a Swedish folk song called "Herr Mannelig." I've adored it since my childhood. There are many different performances of the song by different bands. Some are more traditional, but there's also a metal version by In Extremo. There are translations into other languages (I found an Italian version that goes hard). My favourite version is by Garmarna. It has a slow tempo, and it's easy for me to sing along even though I don't actually know Swedish. 

The narrative of the folk song is pretty interesting. It's about a mountain trolless who wants Herr Mannelig to marry her. She offers him various gifts including a sword, two goats, a silk shirt, etc. He says that he would be willing if only he were a Christian woman, but because she is a pagan he rejects her. 

I don't know why, but I think this song is an absolute banger lmao. 

There's also an Icelandic song about another knight, Olav Liljeros (Olaf Lily Rose) who meets a mountain trolless who begs her to live with him. But when he refuses, she STABS him!!!!!! He escapes wounded but later dies. He refused her for the same reason as Herr Mannelig, because he knew she wasn't a Christian. 

Bonkers stuff, and I don't know exactly how to interpret it. But I find it interesting and I also think these songs are great. I like listening to different covers of them. 

Someday I really want to meet an ethnomusicologist. Maybe one who focuses on Scandinavia, or the Andean region, or Mongolia. All these places have epic music.