‘Væddemaalet,’ ‘Herr Lave og Herr Iver Blaa,’ Grundtvig, IV, 302, No 224, =A-L=, Kristensen, I, 319, No 118, X, 137, No 36; Prior, III, 28, No 104. Lange (Lave) and Peder (Iver) sit at the board talking of wives and fair maids. Peder asserts that the maid lives not in the world whom he cannot cajole with a word. Lange knows the maid so virtuous that neither words nor gold can beguile. Peder wagers life (gold, goods, house, land) and neck (halsbane) that she shall be his by the morrow. He rides straightway to Ingelil, Thorlof’s daughter, and makes love to her in honorable phrase. Ingelil reminds him of two ladies who have received the same professions from him and been betrayed. If she will be his dear, every finger shall wear the red gold: her father has nine gold rings, and would give them all to her if she wished. If she will be his, she shall have a train of servants, out and in: she is not halt or blind, and can go out and in by herself. If he cannot have his will with her, it will cost him his white halsbane: much better so than that he should cheat her, or any honorable maid. Peder rides away sorrowful, for lost is gold and his white halsbane besides.[28] We have already had the Scottish counterpart of this ballad, with variations for better or worse, in ‘Redesdale and Wise William,’ IV, 383, No 246, =A-C=. * * * * * 1 There were twa knights in fair Scotland, And they were brothers sworn; They made a vow to be as true As if they’d been brothers born. 2 The one he was a wealthy knight, Had lands and buildings free; The other was a young hynde squire, In rank of lower degree. 3 But it fell ance upon a day These squires they walkd alone, And to each other they did talk About the fair women. 4 ‘O wed a may,’ the knight did say, ‘For your credit and fame; Lay never your love on lemanry, Bring nae gude woman to shame.’ 5 ‘There’s nae gude women,’ the squire did say, ‘Into this place but nine;’ ‘O well falls me,’ the knight replied, ‘For ane o them is mine.’ 6 ‘Ye say your lady’s a gude woman, But I say she is nane; I think that I could gain her love Ere six months they are gane. 7 ‘If ye will gang six months away, And sail upon the faem, Then I will gain your lady’s love Before that ye come hame.’ 8 ‘O I’ll gang till a far countrie, And far beyond the faem, And ye winna gain my lady’s love Whan nine lang months are gane.’ 9 When the evening sun did set, And day came to an end, In then came the lady’s gude lord, Just in at yon town’s end. 10 ‘O comely are ye, my lady gay, Sae fair and rare to see; I wish whan I am gane away Ye keep your mind to me.’