The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Death of Balder, by Johannes Ewald,
Translated by George Borrow

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Title: The Death of Balder

Author: Johannes Ewald

Release Date: October 27, 2004 [eBook #13879]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DEATH OF BALDER***

Transcribed by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk

An Edition of 250 Copies only will be printed.
No more will be published.

THE DEATH OF BALDER
FROM THE DANISH OF JOHANNES EWALD
(1773)
TRANSLATED BY GEORGE BORROW

Author of "Bible in Spain," "Lavengro," "Wild Wales," etc.

LONDON
JARROLD & SONS, 3 PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS, E.C.
1889

PREFACE TO THE TRANSLATION.

The works of the late poet Ewald are deservedly popular in Denmark. The
present tragedy, and the opera of "The Fishermen" ("Fiskerne"), in which
occurs the bold lyric which has become the national song of the Danes,
are esteemed his best productions.

For the fidelity with which the present version has been made I appeal to
those of my countrymen who understand the original, and demand whether I
have given a thought or expression equivalents to which are not to be
found in the Danish tragedy.

I have imitated the peculiar species of blank verse in which the original
is composed, in order that the English reader may form an exact idea
thereof, and though by having done so my poetry may have somewhat of a
cramped, embarrassed gait, I have a firm hope that I shall not meet very
severe reprehension for having sacrificed elegance to fidelity.

GEORGE BORROW.

THE PERSONS.

Balder. Hother.
Thor. Nanna.
Loke. The Three Valkyrier.

The place of action is a pine-wood on the Norwegian mountains. Round
about it are seen steep and uneven rocks. The top of the hindermost and
highest is covered with snow.

ACT THE FIRST.

BALDER and THOR are seated upon stones at some distance from each other.
Both are armed--THOR with his hammer, and BALDER with spear and sword.

BALDER. Land whose proud and rocky bosom
Braves the sky continually!

THOR. Where should strength and valour blossom,
Land of rocks, if not in the