Studia Islandica - 01.06.1956, Blaðsíða 31

29
5.1. When confronted with the question regarding the
relationship between the extant texts, we have to reckon
with nine possibilities. For every supposition: V, M or
R. being the most original version, three possibilities
exist:
both the other versions derive from the first inde-
pendently,
or: the relation is of a chronological order, one of the
two other versions being the intermediary between
the original and the last one.
In graphic form the schemes are:
V 2. V 3.
i i 1
R.-+M M->R. R.
R. 5. R. 6. R. —> M
1 i i
V->M M-+V V
M 8. M 9. M-+R.
i i i
V->R. R.-+V V
As it stands all nine schemes are virtually impossible,
each of the three extant texts agreeing on several points
with one of the others against the third.
The conclusion must be drawn: other texts, now lost,
were once in existence.
As will be shown in the case of V, this is a corrupt
version, which implies the existence of a more original
longer V.Gl. (section 9). Even without such knowledge
we can be sure beforehand that the interrelation of all
texts, extant and lost, is more complicated than we can
ever hope to clear up in full. It may well be that not
only V, but all three texts are the representatives of
others. Where exactly the missing links are to be
drawn will remain a matter of uncertainty.