Alf and Alfhild
According to the
As a young princess, Alfhild's chamber was guarded by a lizard and a snake, which scared away unworthy suitors. A
Alf and his Scanian comrade, Borgar, together with their Danish sea-warriors, searched for and eventually found Alfhild and her fleet by the coast of southern Finland. After some deadly fighting aboard the ships, Alfhild's helmet was knocked off, and she was recognised. Alf and Borgar ordered their men to stop fighting, and Alf embraced Alfhild, happy to finally have found her. She then decided to lay off her warrior clothes and follow Alf to Denmark, where they got married.
Some years later, in a war fought against a revolting Danish clan, Alf and his brothers and their father king
Context
According to the details in the saga, this would have taken place in the 5th century.
The account in Saxo Grammaticus' Gesta Danorum[1] is the original story of Alf and Alfhild, based on one of the old folktales or songs he gathered for his work.
In popular culture
There are some variations to the story in later popular culture. Here Alfhild is most often called Awilda. (Other spellings: Alwilda, Alvilda, Alvild, Alvilde, Alfhilda, Avilda, Alvida, Altilda, Ælfhild).
During the 1800s, Alfhild/Awilda was a popular subject for scrimshaw carved by members of whaling crews.[2]
Here, under the name of Alvida, she's figuring in a modern Dutch musical.[3]
The story about Alf And Alfhild has also been made into Italian operas.
In 1686, "L'Amazzone Corsara, ovvero L'Alvilda, regina de Goti", by Carlo Pallavicino.[4]
In 1731, "Alvilda regina de' Goti", by Antonio Vivaldi.
See also
References
- ^ "The Danish History: Book Seven". mcllibrary.org. Archived from the original on August 5, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
- ^ Maryland Historical Society News, p. 8[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Tekst en Muziek - Kindermusicals - Alvida de schone piraat". 24 July 2011. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011.
- ISBN 9780804744379– via Google Books.
External sources
- Gesta Danorum in Latin
- Another version of Gesta Danorum (in Danish)
- The Pirates Own Book: Authentic Narratives of the Most Celebrated Sea Robbers, by Charles Ellms, Marine Research Society