This poem is based on an old medieval ballad which was translated into
Swedish as early as 1312 and, together with similar versions of _Ivan
Lejonriddaren_ and _Hertig Fredrik av Normandie_, formed a group of
ballads of chivalry called _Eufemiavisorna_, Queen Euphemia of Norway
having caused them to be translated into the Swedish tongue. While the
source of "Ivan" appears to have been a French ballad and that of
"Henrik" a German one, both belonging to the Arthurian Tales, nothing is
said of the origin of "Flores," except that it was "turned into rhyme."
The ballad was probably based on the Norse prose saga, "_Flores ok
Blankiflur_," and a French redaction of the same. Critics have traced
the romance back to a late Greek source. The Swedish translator is
thought to have used the Old Norse prose version. A modern French
version, "Floire et Blanceflor" by E. Du Meril (1856) bears close
relation to the Old Swedish version. (GEETE and SCHÜCK.)
5. The line gives the title of the poem in Swedish words--_blomma och
vitblomma_.
24. Levertin's poem, as here indicated, merely hints at the full
contents of the original ballad.