Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1981, Síða 102
One can take either position - that the longer text is original, or that the
younger text is original - and argue one’s point of view by adducing sup-
porting evidence from other romances, both translated and indigenous.
One can argue for scribal condensation in the text of the vellum frag-
ment of Mottuls saga (AM 598) from the Stockholm 46 redaction of /vens
saga, or the Reeves Fragment of Tristrams saga. One can argue just as
forcefully for scribal amplification in AM 179 by pointing to the Icelandic
continuation of EUs saga. Furthermore, long and short redactions of
Icelandic riddarasogur are preserved, such as Sigurdar saga pogla and
Mågus saga. The older and shorter recension of Mågus saga dates from
around 130045; the younger and longer version, also known as Bragda-
Mågus saga dates from around 1350.46 The younger redaction diverges
from the original composition in that it contains additional episodes and
stylistic modifications. In the older redaction the classical, somewhat
laconic style of the indigenous sagas predominates, but in the younger
version synonymous collocations, not infrequently alliterating, are in evi-
dence. The expansive narrative of Mågus saga is stylistically similar to the
leisurely account in Mottuls saga. That the author of the younger redac-
tion of Mågus saga is a conscious manipulator of style is attested by an
epilogue in which he explains the existence of variant versions by assert-
ing that those who are skilied with words tend to augment stories that
seem to them too briefly told (see p. 131). Unfortunately we come upon
no similar editorial comments in the Arthurian riddarasogur. Nonethe-
less, now and then the hånd of the redactor in shaping and transforming
the material he was supposedly copying can be detected. A case in point
is an episode in Ivens saga, in which the vellums reflect in reduced form
the content of the French Yvain, whereas the Stockholm 46 version diver-
ges in a manner that reveals the pen of a rather thoughtful and independ-
ent redactor.
In one of Iven’s many adventures he champions the cause of a lady
whose domain has been under siege for some time. When Iven learns that
Earl Alies is attacking the very castle in which he, Iven, is a guest, he
offers to lead the army of his hostess against the earl. As Iven engages in
combat he is admired by the maidens of the castle who exclaim:
45 Gustaf Cederschiold, ed. “Magus saga jarls,” in Fornsogur Sudrlanda (Lund, 1884),
1-42.
46 Gunnlaugur Vordarson, ed. Bragda-Mågus saga med tilheyrandi f>åttum (Copenha-
gen, 1858).