id's Prophecy_ there are two Manuscripts extant. In the
earlier of these, written in 1829, the Poem is entitled _The Mermaid's
Prophecy_. In the later Manuscript, written apparently about the year
1854, it is entitled _The Mermaid_ only. From this later Manuscript the
Poem was printed in the present volume.

Unlike the majority of Borrow's Manuscripts, which usually exhibit
extreme differences of text when two holographs exist of the same Poem,
the texts of the two versions of _The Mermaid's Prophecy_ are practically
identical, the opening stanza alone presenting any important variation.
Here are the two versions of this stanza:

1829

The Dane King had the Mermaiden caught by his swains,
_The mermaid dances the floor upon_--
And her in the tower had loaded with chains,
Because his will she had not done.

1854

The King he has caught the fair mermaid, and deep
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
In the dungeon has placed her, to pine and to weep,
Because his will she had not done.

There is a copy of _The Mermaid's Prophecy and other Songs relating to
Queen Dagmar_ in the Library of the British Museum. The Press mark is C.
44. d. 38.

(25.) [HAFBUR AND SIGNE: 1913]

Hafbur and Signe / A Ballad / By / George Borrow / London: / Printed for
Private Circulation / 1913.

Collation:--Square demy octavo, pp. 23; consisting of: Half-title (with
blank reverse) pp. 1-2; Title-page, as above (with blank reverse) pp.
3-4; and Text of the _Ballad_ pp. 5-23. The head-line is _Hafbur and
Signe_ throughout, upon both sides of the page. Upon the reverse of p.
23 is the following imprint: "_London_: / _Printed for Thomas J. Wise_,
_Hampstead_, _N.W._ / _Edition limited to Thirty Copies_." The
signatures are A (a half-sheet of four leaves), with B (a full sheet of
eight leaves) inset within it.

Issued in bright green paper wrappers, with untrimmed edges, and with the
title-page reproduced upon the front. The leaves measure 8.5 x 6.875
inches.

Thirty Copies only were printed.

_Contents_.

PAGE

Hafbur and Signe. [_Young Hafbur King and Sivard King 5
They lived in bitter enmity_]

Of _Hafbur and Signe_ two Manuscripts are extant. The first of these was
doubtless