Ellen of Villenskov, and Other Ballads

In this lively folk ballad the listener is drawn into the rugged landscape of Vester Haf, where a hardworking yeoman sets out to clear the woods and raise his home. His labor awakens a host of mischievous trolls who claim the trees as their own, stirring a tense standoff between the human and the unseen creatures of the hillside. The verses blend vivid natural imagery with a playful, almost tongue‑in‑cheek dialogue that captures the clash of ordinary toil and otherworldly mischief.

The story pivots on Ellen, the yeoman’s wife, whose quick wit and quiet strength become the focal point of the trolls’ designs. As the trolls intrude on the household, offering a strange bargain and demanding a place in the family, the couple must decide how far they will bend to protect their home and honour. The ballad’s rhythm and rhyme carry the listener through a suspenseful first act, hinting at both danger and the possibility of clever resolution.