Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1959, Qupperneq 243
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five knights, and each of them is to try to open one of Roland’s fingers, but it is no
use. The eraperor says: “No wonder it was difficult to take Roland’s sword when he
was alive, when you cannot take it now.” He faints. Naimes comforts him, and ad-
vises him to pray, “methinks that Roland will not let go the sword until a knight
who is his equal touches it.” Charlemagne prays, then takes the sword, and then
knows that Naimes was right. He takes off the hilt because of the holy relics in it,
but throws the blade into the water, far from the shore, for he knows that it befits
no one to carry it afterwards (p. 5288-29, cp. S p. 28631-28721, S3 ed. Kornhall p.
10518-10713).
The Danish and Swedish versions have the same scene, with only minor
stylistic variants.
The faet that Charlemagne faints, and is reproached by Naimes, is a
fairly good indication that the story is of French origin, not invented by
the translator.
The assonanced version shows no particular interest in the fate of
Durendal: just before he dies, Roland
Desuz lui met s’espee e l’olifan (v. 2359),
and from that moment nothing is heard of it until in vv. 3014-22 Charle-
magne orders Rabel and Guineman to take the places of Oliver and Roland
in the battie against Baligant:
3015: Co dist li reis: “Seignurs, jo vos eumant,
Seiez es lius Oliver e Rollant:
L’un port l’espee e l’altre l’olifant.
The sword and the olifant have apparently been found where they were
left57, and the emperor has taken them. The trampet is later presented
by the emperor as an offering to the altar of St. Seurin in Bordeaux (vv.
3684-87), but O does not say what happened to the sword. According to
M. Horrent the explanation is that both the trampet and the sword were
meant to become the property of Rabel and Guineman. The latter was
killed by Baligant (vv. 3463-68), and the trumpet then presumably re-
verted to Charlemagne, while Rabel, who was not killed in the battie,
was alloved to keep Durendal58. The version rimée follows O in all
essentials, as far as the fate of the sword is concerned. This seems to be
a fairly strong indication that the original author of the poem was not
greatly interested in the whereabouts of the sword after the death of
” Horrent: La Chanson de Roland, etc., p. 143, with references.
“ La Chanson de Roland, etc., p. 144.