Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1981, Blaðsíða 127
The description of the steward in the Norwegian Tristrams saga bears
many points of similarity with King Arthur’s steward who plays a not
insignificant role in Parcevals saga, Mottuls saga, and I vens saga. More-
over, one of the opponents whom Erex takes on is this same Kay. A nasty
tongue is Kay’s hallmark, and this quality is retained in the translated
sagas. In Ivens saga Kay’s mocking words to Iven earn him the queen’s
rebuke:
Hvårt ert Jju ærr, Kæi, er tunga |nn talar æ )?at er illt er, ok
kannt eigi Joat er gott er, ok verdi fnn tunga bolvud er hon
kann aldri yfir sinni illsku at |jegja, ok jafnan spottar fm |}ér
betri menn, ok allir hata Joik fyrir Jnna tungu, |)eir er til J5i'n
spyrja, ok æ man jjins nafns getit at illu, medan heimrinn
stendr. (ch. 3, 21:9-22:5)
(Can it be that you are mad, Kay, that your tongue always speaks
that which is evil, and you do not know what is fitting? May your
tongue be cursed since it can never refrain from expressing ill will.
You always mock men who are better than you. Everyone who
hears of you hates you because of your tongue. Your name will
always be known for evil as long as the world remains.)
In Parcevals saga there are references to Kay’s foolishness and bragging -
heimska ok gabb (ch. 13, 37:24; ch. 14, 39:3). King Arthur reminds him
that his mockery ill becomes him - illa samir pér at spotta dugandi menn
(ch. 14, 39:7), and condemns his wicked and foolish tongue - illgirndar
ok heimsku tungu (ch. 10, 26:34). The general reaction of the court to
Kay is one of fear and repugnance; all want to avoid him because no one
is safe from his spiteful behavior:
Viku allir undan er å hans veg våru, j^viat engi vildi fyrir
honum verda sakir hads ok spotts er hann hafdi vid alla med
illgirnd, ofund, ok undirhyggju. (ch. 10, 26:6-8)
(All got out of his way because no one wanted to be exposed to his
scoffing and mocking that he used against all with wickedness, ill-
will and guile.)
Although the ladies are the focus of interest in Mottuls saga, Kay none-
theless plays a not inconsiderable role in this humorous satire of Arthur’s
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