The Dalby Bear, and Other Ballads

"The Dalby Bear, and Other Ballads" by George Borrow is a collection of folk ballads written in the early 20th century. Reflecting a blend of traditional storytelling and poetic form, the book delves into themes of adventure, love, and supernatural transformations. It captures the essence of tales from folklore with a rich narrative style characteristic of Borrow's work. The book opens with "The Dalby Bear," where a bear terrorizes the locals until a knight vows to help break the bear's curse, revealing a prince trapped in animal form due to his stepmother's malice. The subsequent ballads introduce various characters and their romantic and heroic exploits, such as Sir Tygge Hermandsen, who is thwarted in his attempts to fetch his bride, leading to unexpected twists in love. The collection weaves these narratives to highlight human emotions, relationships, and the resilience of the spirit against malevolent forces, ultimately celebrating love and redemption. Each ballad serves as a standalone story, yet they are connected through themes of fate and human folly. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

George Henry Borrow was an English writer of novels and of travel based on personal experiences in Europe. His travels gave him a close affinity with the Romani people of Europe, who figure strongly in his work. His best-known books are The Bible in Spain and the novels Lavengro and The Romany Rye, set in his time with the English Romanichal (Gypsies).