Gripla - 20.12.2014, Side 207

207An ICELAnDIC CHrIStMAS HYMn
As mentioned previously, the longer version of the hymn varies in
length. Hallgrímur Pétursson’s version of the hymn consists of sixteen
stanzas, which is also the case for 68% of the longer versions (13 of 19
manuscripts).29 It should be noted here that in one manuscript, íBR 104
8vo, stanza 15 is added in the margin of the manuscript. the first five lines
of the stanza are barely legible; the manuscript is slightly defective because
the edges have been trimmed. In six instances, the hymn is only 15 stanzas
long.30 With the exception of Lbs 194 8vo, where stanza 9 is omitted, stanza
14 is omitted in all of these manuscripts, perhaps deliberately. In a number
of cases, the order of the stanzas as it appears in the printed edition of
Hallgrímur Pétursson’s text is reversed.31
the third stanza of the Latin original describes how the three wise
men bring gold, myrrh and frankincense. In the Icelandic translations,
an adjective is added to the last verse line of this stanza to rhyme with a
previous line:
Austr kongar komu þrijr
Christum finna vilja:
þessum fylgde fornin dyr:
þeir frjettu ad barne kjæru.
Sem stjarnan oskar æru:
Gullid best best best
gullid best best best
gullid best og myrran mest.
Med reykelse skiæru.32
this added adjective forms an important variant and groups certain manu-
scripts together. In all, there are four variant readings.33 the first reading,
“barni kæru / reykelsi skæru” [the cherished child / frankincense bright],
29 these are: EDL a and b 8vo, ÍB 380 8vo, ÍBr 104 8vo, JS 138 8vo, JS 208 8vo, JS 272 II
4to, JS 509 8vo, Lbs 238 b 8vo, Lbs 506 8vo, Lbs 1568 8vo, Lbs 1724 8vo, MS Boreal 113.
30 these are: JS 439 8vo, Lbs 194 8vo, Lbs 1422 8vo, Lbs 1485 8vo, Lbs 1530 8vo, Lbs 1536
8vo.
31 In ÍB 380 8vo, for example, verses 3 and 4 are switched, while verses 8 and 9 are reversed in
JS 439 8vo, Lbs 238 b 8vo and Lbs 1530 8vo. finally, verses 14 and 15 have switched places
in JS 509 8vo, Lbs 194 8vo, Lbs 238 b 8vo and MS Boreal 113.
32 stanza taken from thott 473 4to to serve as an example.
33 See also Margrét Eggertsdóttir, “Hljómi raustin barna best,” 173–175, for a thorough discus-
sion of these variant readings.