Original subtitles

The VIRGIN SPRING

Script by ULLA ISAKSSON based on a legend from the 13th century

God Odin, come !

God Odin, come !

I summon you to service.

God the father, Son and Holy Ghost

and all His angel host

keep us from the devil's wiles.

Let there befall us, God, Today

nor sin not shame nor harm.

It is friday, the day of Our Lord's passion.

God's mercy, they will be trampled to death

There, poor mite, live

just as God lets us all live.

Where have you been all night?

Leaving me to do the milking

and traipse about

with my poor legs...

what a sight you look !

what is it?

The usual things !

bastards get bastards brats.

Serve you right, you spitfire.

You should thank God for His mercy

in giving you a home here

you heathen foundling

Go and get the milk !

You must to church with the Virgin's candles.

Isn't Karin taking them?

She's not well.

She's shamming till early mass is over.

I think she has a fever.

She danced as if she had !

But she'll never follow in your filthy footsteps !

Always acting like a wildcat.

Even now when we ought to turn you out.

The Lord bless our daily bread. Amen.

Where's Karin? I thought she was going to mass?

Karin is not well.

But she danced last night.

She's slugabed, that's all.

Today she's sick.

Not so sick that's she can't ride to church?

Frida will take the candles.

But the virgin's candles must be brought by a maid.

You're always so strict with Karin !

And you're always so weak !

She is the only child I have left.

And the more reason to bring her up well.

I had bad dreams last night.

You mortify your flesh too hard.

Send Ingeri to wake Karin.

I'll go myself.

Yes, go and rouse the sluggard !

Ingeri, get Karin's food for the road.

Wheathen loaves with cheese and meat.

Are you ill, Karin?

No, only sleepy.

Can I have my morning meal in bed?

Father says you're to ride at once with Our Lady's candles.

No.

If you're sick Frida must go.

I'm not sick.

Then go you must !

If I can wear my silken shift.

But it's midweek !

Then I won't go !

Had I answered my parents in that tone

I'd have been whipped and made to fast.

Well, give me the birch and put me to fast !

You know I can't be strict with you.

Though I should be.

But Father's angry

and one day you'll put us to shame.

Get the yellow silk shift

and my best skirts and blue cape.

Then I'll be glad

then you'll be glad, then Father'll be glad !

I'll ride se seemly to church.

And tawny will lift his hooves as though in a pilgrim train

and I'll look neither to right nor left

but straight ahead

and think of the candles and the Holy Virgin.

The white stockings too

and the blue shoes with the pearls.

Careful, this is not everyday shift.

Fifteen maids stitched it.

Fifteen all at once?

Now sit down and I'll comb you.

No, I want it loose

to go with the fine clothes.

If you always get your way you'll please the devil so much

that the saints will punish you with boils.

You talk so much of the devil. Father never does !

The devil's the seducer of innocence.

He strives to destroy all good.

But I always say my prayers.

Whom did you dance with last night?

I danced with

him - and him - and him...

Why ?

I had such evil dreams.

What about ?

How I long to dream - big, wonderful dreams ...

But I never do.

Now the skirts !

The blue and the one with the gold thread.

Tighter ! Else it won't puff out as it should.

You've forgotten the clasp.

It's bad enough as it is. Today's not Sunday.

You're in my light.

It's Father - he's angry !

I thought Mother said you were ill.

Do I look pale and wasted ?

Sleeping after sunrise !

I'll ask absolution for not going to mass

I'll say you were all sick

and nobody woke me

and the candles were not dipped

and Tawny was not shod...

I'll ride to the mountains with the wicked maid

and say I don't want such a daughter !

I'll give her to the strolls for 7 years to chasten her

then I'll bring her back.

Perhaps !

Let Ingeri come too. She never gets out anywhere now.

It's a shame we've so far to church.

The likes of you need the confessional close at hand.

You can't talk ! Having to flee the country.

I know all about you - Monk indeed !

Flying birds find food, others only death.

I've seen women and churches...

How were the churches ?

As high as heaven !

Not of wood but of lime and stone.

With windows the colors of the rainbow.

You may come too.

Stir your stumps or you won't be at church until evening.

Hurry up. Ingeri !

Drink some hot ale.

It's a long way and you've had nothing.

Give it to Ingeri - she's coming too.

Who said so ?

Father

A farewell kiss at least.

The Lord Christ bless your young life !

The cheese and the thick candles

are for the priest from me.

Tell him they're for... well, he knows.

And he's to say five Pater Nosters and fifteen Ave Marias.

"I know an orchard sweet and fair"

"a maiden with virtues so true".

"Like gold, spun gold is her hair"

"her eyes like the sky are blue."

The streams do the run so joyously"

"under the green hillside."

"In springtime."

"In Springtime."

Is the child paining you ?

One day you'll know how it is.

Then I'll be mistress of a house and married with honor.

You'll forget about honor when a man starts fondling you.

No man will take me unless we're married.

And if one tumbles you behind a bush ?

I'll break loose !

But they are stronger !

You'll be late for mass !

But better adorn the road than languish in church.

I'm taking the candles.

So It's for the Virgin you put on your best ?

No, because Mother didn't want me to.

I certainly didn't do it to please you.

Last night you wanted to.

I did not !

What is it, Ingeri ?

I saw you two together.

I wanted him to find a way out for you and the child.

And he said if you lay in the hay he'd help.

But you danced with him.

I danced with all who gave me their hand.

Forgive me.

Don't ask my forgiveness.

Let's turn back !

But we're going to the church !

I can take the candles.

Why? Father and Mother wouldn't like that.

The forest's so black and I can't go on.

Stop crying. You might hurt the child.

Afraid of the forest?

Not I ! I'm riding to church.

May she rest here until I return?

This is enough for you both.

You didn't think I would strike you again?

Are you in labor ?

Worse than that.

Come. I have a remedy.

Sit down. It's long since anyone sat here with me

What's your name?

Nowadays I have no name.

What a lonely place.

I hear what I will.

And see what I will.

I hear what people whisper in secret.

and see what they think no one sees.

You can hear for yourself.

If you do as I do.

What thunders outside ?

Three dead men riding north.

It's long since a woman made my seat narrow.

Her is cure for you throes.

here is cure for your woes

blood, cease to flow

fish, high and dry

bird, drop from sky.

Here is the power.

You have sacrificed to Odin !

I recognized you at once on the road.

I knew you by your eyes, your mouth, your hands.

But you're afraid.

You must not be.

I shall give you strengh.

That's a quaint thing.

It was left me by my father

who got it from his father

who got it from his father.

May I look ?

Who are you ?

Three brothers, orphaned all too soon.

We're goatherds and live on roots from the forest.

Mother gave me food for the road.

My brother says...

Is he dumb ?

Wicked men cut out his tongue.

But I know his speech.

He says only if my lady keeps us company

can we accept.

I must to church with the Holy Mother's candles.

To early mass ?

No - I overslept.

If mass is past, then why the hurry.

And if your mother prepared food, she meant you to eat it.

My brother says there's a glade

warmed by the sun, if my lady deigns to come with us.

"Blessed Jesus, God the Father's son"

"Thou art the living bread that from heaven comes."

"Make me worthy to receive the body's bread"

"and preserve my soul when i am dead."

My brother wonders where my lady's home is.

East of the hills and west of the woods

and it's so big that the battlements reach to the sky.

Is my lady a king's daughter ?

Father wears silk on the weekdays and a golden helmet

and Mother has too many keys to wear at her belt

so they're carried on a cushion behind her.

And you are three enchanted princes

and the goats are really bears and wolves.

My brother says my lady has such white hands.

Princesses have no menial tasks to do.

My brother says my lady has such a white neck.

That's so that the gold will gleam all the brighter.

My brother says my lady has such a slender waist.

You can cut this. But perhaps you've no knife ?

But I know this earmark !

I'm on my way to church with the Virgin's candles.

Mind the goats till we return.

Do as I say, or you know what will happen.

What do you want ,

The night is cold and the way long.

Where are you from ?

From the North.

How was the winter ?

Hard . And disease is rife.

People are starving

and the cattle too weak to stand.

Yes, I heard you've had a cruel winter.

Where are you headed ?

South. To seek work.

You can sleep inside, there'll be frost.

Good evening.

The master bid us to come in.

Sit there till he comes.

Those shoes have seen some wear !

However well a day begins, it always ends in woe.

Seldom a morning of such fair promise as today.

The sun made one forget the black misery of winter.

One's legs wanted to dance.

But by dusk

She was dead.

The May Queen herself rode out into the sun

but didn't come back.

"Blessed Jesus, God the Father's son"

"Thou art the living bread..."

"... that from heaven comes"

"Make me worthy to receive the body's bread"

"and preserve my soul when I am dead."

Did you finish ?

One field is manured and ploughed.

Manure clay thick and sand thin, Father said.

Please bear with my poor brother.

Is he often so ?

Only if we've starved.

Rib his temples with salt and vinegar

and lay a hot wooden lid on, his stomach.

Thank you humbly.

but the less notice taken the better.

I may have work for you, but of that tomorrow.

Leave the fire, the night will be bitter cold.

Good Night.

You say your prayers, don't you

though there's no one to mind you ?

God is merciful more than you think.

Say them properly tonight, and other nights too.

See the smoke trembling under the roof

as if we fright ?

yet when it gets out in the air

it has the whole sky to swirl about in.

But it doesn't know that.

So it huddles and trembles in the soot under the roof.

It's the same with people.

They quiver like a leaf in the storm

afraid of what they know

and what they don't know.

You've to cross a narrow plank

so narrow there's barely room for your foot.

Below you a river roars

It is black

it wants to take you

but you cross unharmed.

A valley lies ahead of you

so deep you can't see the bottom.

Hands grope for you

but they cannot reach you.

Last - you stand in front of a ghastly mountain.

Flames shoot out like a furnace

and as its foot yawns a hideous chasm.

All kinds of colors flare up

copper and iron

blur vitriol and yellow sulphur.

The flashing fire eats into the rocks

and human beings leap about

as tiny as ants.

This is the furnace

which devours murderers

and other evil men.

But just when you think you are lost a hand shall grasp you

and a arm embrace you

and you'll be borne far away

to where evil no longer has power over you.

Karin is sure to be home by the morrow.

Be calm, M�reta !

Be calm ! That's all you've ever said !

How would we have fared if I had been as you ?

Had never worried, never been anguished

never cried to God.

Open your hands.

open your hands !

I know you're anxious for Karin.

She's all I have !

She has stayed in the village whithout leave before.

I have no one but her.

She's all I have.

They struck the lad.

I thought the boy screamed.

It was only the owl in the woods.

This silken shift

and what's in the bag belonged to our sister

who died at Candlemas.

It is dear to us

but we've no choice and so we offer it for sale.

We see that you value beautiful things

and this shift was the most precious thing our sister owned.

It's a bit torn and stained

but look at the embroidery !

It's surely the work of nine maids.

A deft hand like yours can soon put it to rights.

I shall ask the master

what might be a fitting reward

for such a costly garment.

Now you must take your rest -

you too.

What is it, M�reta ?

The herdsmen asked if I'd buy it.

It's Karin's.

There's blood on it.

What will you do ?

First, bar the door.

It's already done.

You'll take the men with you ?

Be careful !

Tell me what you know.

Kill me rather.

My guilt is greater.

I willed it.

Ever since I've been with child I've hated her.

The same day I prayed for it, God Odin did it.

It was he and I - not the herdsmen.

They were possessed by him

they fell on her like fiends.

And they flung her down and held her

then took her.

You saw it

I was in the forest - and I saw it

and I wanted it.

I had taken a stone to throw at them

but I let it drop.

When it was over they killed her with a cudgel.

I saw that too.

Heat the stone in the bath-house.

I'll get the birch whisks.

Bring me the slaughtering-knife.

No, no!

God have mercy on me for what I have done.

We must find Karin.

I loved her too dearly - more than God himself.

When she turned more to you than to me I began to hate you.

It is me he will punish by this.

The guilt is mine.

Not yours alone, M�reta.

Only God can judge.

You see it.

God, you see it.

The innocent child's death and my revenge,

You allowed it.

I don't understand you.

I don't understand you.

Yet now I beg your forgiveness

I know no other way to be reconciled with my own hands.

I know no other way to live.

I promise you, God

by the body of my only child

in penance for my sin

I vow to build you a church.

Here will I build it.

Of lime and stone

and with these hands