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ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON.
(From Percy's Eeliques, iii. 278.)
The following rhymed legend, which, like several other pieces in this Book, can be called a ballad only by an objectionable, though common, extension of the term, was printed by Percy (with some alterations) from two " ancient" black-letter copies in the Pepys collection.
Real popular ballads on St. George's victory over the Dragon exist in several languages, though not in English.* Such a ballad is known to have been sung by the Swedes at the battle of Brunkeberg in 1471, and one is still sung by the people both of Denmark and Sweden. Grundtvig gives three copies of the Danish ballad, two of the 16 th and 17th centuÂries, and one of the present. Four versions of the Swedish have been published, of various ages (e. g. Soenska Folkvisor, ii. 252). A German ballad is given by Meinert, Altdeutsche Volkslieder, p. 254; after him by Erlach, iv. 258; and Haupt and Schma-
* What follows is abridged from Grundtvig, Dammarit Gamle Folkeviser, ii. 554. |
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