Agneta and the Merman Get Back Together
One sad thing about the old stories is that when the culture became Christian, the stories suffered for it. It’s hard to say by how much, but know the tampering is there. One such story that not only was hit but even had a late rewrite-addition is Agneta and the Sea King. In some traditions it’s Agneta and the Merman.
The story starts out beautifully. A knight’s daughter, Agneta , meets a merman. He woos her successfully and she lives with him for a while. Then comes the day she wishes to visit home. Her husband tells her she must never do certain things in order to go, like bowing to the priest, and off she goes. But when the church bells ring, and she kneels to pray, she is lost to the man who’d loved her for years and had multiple children with. She won’t even look at him. The power of Christ compelled her.
Uggggh it pisses me off!!!
This is folklore. Folktales have variants because details change over time. And because of people like me. I managed to get my hands on what I thought might be the oldest version and fixed it by adding to the ending without changing any lines. You’re welcome. Spread the joy in the land.
Agneta and the Sea King Agneta walks on the highland bridge, Up came a merman from the bottom. “And hear you, Agneta, what I say to you: Will you now be my dearest?” “Oh yes indeed, that I will, If you take me with you to the bottom of the sea.” He stopped her ears, he stopped her mouth, Then he led her to the bottom of the sea. They were together for eight years, Seven sons she had with the merman. Agneta sat by the cradle and sang, Then she heard England’s bells ringing. Agneta goes to stand before the merman: “And may I go to the church?” “Yes, you may go to the church, If you come back again to the little children. But when you come to the graveyard, You must not let down your fair golden hair. And when you come to the church floor, You must not sit with your dear mother. When the priest names the Highest, You must not bow down.” |
He stopped her ears, he stopped her mouth,
Then he led her to England’s ground.
When she came to the graveyard,
She let down her fair yellow hair.
When she came to the church floor,
She went to sit with her dear mother.
When the priest named the Highest,
She bowed down deeply.
“And hear you, Agneta, what I say to you:
Where have you been for eight years from me?”
“In the sea I have been for eight years,
Seven sons I have had with the merman.”
“And hear you, Agneta, my dear daughter:
And what did he give you for your honor?”
“He gave me the red gold band,
There is no better on the Queen’s hand.
He gave me a pair of gold-buckled shoes,
There is no better on the Queen’s foot.
And he gave me a harp of gold,
That I should play when I was sorrowful.”
The merman made a path so wide,
From the beach up to the churchyard stone.
The merman stepped in through the church door,
And all the small images turned around.
His hair was like the purest gold,
His eyes were so sorrowful.
“And hear you, Agneta, what I say to you:
Your small children long for you.”
“Let them long, let them long as much as they will,
I will never come there anymore.”
“Oh, think of the big ones and think of the small ones,
Yes, think of the little one who lay in the cradle.”
“I never think of the big or small,
Far less of the little one who lay in the cradle.”
She turned her face to the cold church stone,
But the Sea King saw that her lip trembled.
He saw how she looked at her frail father, old;
Knew she was trapped between her love and duty.
He returned to the water and cradled his child,
And called for a loyal and wise nursemaid.
He gave her a sack full of pearls and gold.
He gave her a carriage to take her above the water.
He opened her mouth, he opened her ears.
And he bade her to leave the deep sea.
The moon it did wax and the moon it did wane,
While Agneta wept in the keep by the shore.
When the moon was full and the tide rose high,
The nursemaid walked where the land was dry.
She came to the castle where Agneta lay weeping,
Longing for her baby and the good sea king.
“Hear me, Lady, what I say to you.
Your husband sends me from his halls.
I will care for your father and your mother.
Go back to your children who are crying for you.”
Agneta did kiss the crown of her father’s head.
She walked past the graves, bound her golden fair hair.
The merman waited where she stepped in the water.
He stopped her mouth, he stopped her ears
She went back to her children under the waves.
But on full moons she kisses her father’s cheek
Brings gold for the nursemaid, loyal and true.
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