Leggi in Italiano
Concealed Death (La Morte Occultata or Morte Occulta according to the archaicism by Constantine Nigra) is a ballad theme shared in folklore from Northern to Southern Europe.
The versions collected by Professor Child in his work on traditional Anglo-Scottish ballads could represent the junction point between the Scandinavian versions and those of Southern French and Northern Italy.
Originally it tells the story of a knight (Oluf, Olof or Olaf) and his meeting with a fairy creature asking him to dance (or to drink) with her. The knight refuses as he will be married in the morning, and the girl (elf or mermaid) places a curse on him (a quickly death for tomorrow).
The fairy is the fatal woman archetype, with her irresistible appeal, who kills her lover.
The real situation behind this tale is clear: a jealous woman because her lover has chosen to marry another one, kills him; in the norse version, he does not yield to the sexual charme, in the Scottish one he lets himself be tempted for the last time; but the result is always death: the man who let himself be guided by lust is entrapped and addicted by sex.
A derivation-conclusion of the story goes on in another red thread drawn for all Europe, “the poisoned testament“, in which the son on his deathbed after being poisoned by a mysterious lady, returns home to his mother and declares his last wishes.
SCANDINAVIAN VERSIONS
Der Erlkönigs (Germany)
Elveskud (Sweden)
Herr Olof och Alvorna (Sweden)
Herr Olof och Havsfrun (Sweden)
Olav Liljekrans (Norway)
Olavur Riddararos (Denmark)
Herr Mannelig (Sweden)
Sir Mannelig (Old England)
BRITUSH ISLES & AMERICA
Clerk Colven/Colvill Child ballad # 42 A/B
George Collins Child ballad # 42 D
George Collins/Lady Alice Child ballad # 85
Dance with me (England)
FRANCO-PIEDMONTESE AND BRETON VERSIONS
An Aotrou Nann hag ar Gorrigan (Brittany)
Ann Aotro Ar C’hont (Brittany)
Le Roi Renaud (France)
Le comte Arnaud (Occitain)
Re Arduin (Piedmont)
Re Giraldin (Piedmont)
Spanish versions
https://funjdiaz.net/joaquin-diaz-canciones-ficha.php?id=537
https://depts.washington.edu/hisprom/optional/balladaction.php?igrh=0080
