Gripla - 2021, Side 277

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give an account of Blindur’s dreams in the rímur presumably underlying
19HsG, we would assume the following order: 7–9, 22–23, 10, 15–16, 21,
24, 19–20, 17, 25, 11–13, 27, 29, 31, 30, 32–33. With the exception of the
position of stanza 30 (after VI:31) and the omission of VI:25, the order is
the same in both 17HsG and 19HsG, which may be interpreted as further
evidence that the saga-writer of 19HsG had access to 17HsG.
There are also some textual variants which 19HsG shares with 17HsG
against Griplur, suggesting a close relationship between 17HsG and 19HsG.
For example, in Griplur we learn that Ólafur, together with his fleet,
stopped by Elfarsker, where the fight with Hröngviður took place: “Heldu
nú fyr Nóreg austr niflungs menn á ferjum, lofðungs herr á lægir traustr
legz að Elfarskerjum” (I:25). 17HsG, however, corrupts the name Elfarsker
to Úlfasker: “Eytt sinn hiellt olafr konungr, austur fyrir noreg med her
sinn, oc hielldo aþ Vlfaskerium” (1r:13–14), and the same corruption can
be found in 19HsG: “sva Kóngr hlaut at halda austr til Svíþjóþar, oc at eino
qveldi sigldo þeir undir Eyar þær er Ulfaskér heita” (107r:19–20). This
does not seem to be a potential place for polygenetic variation to appear,
as the place name Elfarsker is frequently attested in other fornaldarsögur,
including but not limited to Örvar-Odds saga (Rafn, ed., 1829–30, II:187),
Sörla þattur (Rafn, 1829–30, I:395), and Þorsteins saga Víkingssonar (Rafn,
ed. 1829–30, II:441), while no mention of Úlfasker is known to me be-
yond these two sagas of Hrómundur. Thus, it would be less surprising if
the name Úlfasker was changed to Elfarsker, rather than the other way
around; therefore, it is likely that 19HsG is borrowing from 17HsG.
Shared textual variants between 17HsG and 19HsG against Griplur
can also be found in the episode of the first meeting between Kári and
Hröngviður, when one of them tells how long he was in the battle. In
Griplur we read:
I:35. “Kant að segja Kára þú,
kappinn, það er vér beiðum,
hversu lengi hafi þér nú
hernað plágað á skeiðum?”
I:36. “Sextigi lét eg seggjum hætt
sumur í stála hjaldri;
og svó margar mútur grætt
minkan fekk eg aldri.”
HRÓ MUNDUR IN PROSE AND VERSE