Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1981, Blaðsíða 204

other hånd that some elements in the saga were changed in the transmis-
sion process. One thoughtful copyist must have considered Yvain’s beha-
vior in the romance irreconcilable with his standing as knight. A revision
removed some apparent incongruities in the episode. As in the French
source and in the vellum version, Iven comes upon the 300 maidens
working in a meadow. Iven responds to the sight by immediately inquir-
ing of one of the maidens concerning the cause of their misfortune. She in
turn relates how they came to be enslaved. In the account we recognize
basic elements from the romance (no. 3), albeit with a slight change at
the end of the speech. In Yvain the maiden informs the knight that he will
singlehandedly have to take on the miscreants in the morning whether he
wants to or not (vv. 5334-37). In the Stockholm 46 version of the saga her
words are changed into a request for help - if Iven is willing - and Iven
reassures the maiden that he intends to fight on her behalf and that of her
companions:
“En å morgun eigi fér fetta einvigi hefja, ef fér vilid oss
frelsa.” “Ek skal at visu,” segir Iven, “svå gera.” (ch. 8,
127:20-22)
(“But tomorrow you will have to fight this duel, if you want to
rescue us.” “I am certainly going to do that,” Iven declared.)
As in the romance and in the vellum version Iven spends the night with
the lord of the castle (no. 4), but the account of what transpires in the
morning differs in the two Icelandic manuscripts. In Stockholm 46 fven
does not ask for leave (no. 5), is not informed that he has to fight (no. 6),
and is not offered the daughter as reward for the service he is to render
(nos. 7, 8, 9, 10). Instead, Iven’s behavior in Stockholm 46 is a direct
consequence of his promise to the maiden to take up her cause. In the
paper manuscript - contrary to the vellum version, which concurs with
the French text - Iven immediately prepares for battie upon arising:
Um morguninn årla herklædisk Iven til fessa vigs, ok hleypr
hann å sinn hest, ok ridr fram å fann voll sem meyjarnar såtu
nu fyrir, allar bådu honum vel takask, ok jafnskjott
komu far tveir blåmenn ... (ch. 9, 127:28-128:21)
(Early in the morning Iven armed himself for this combat, jumped
on his horse and rode to the meadow where the maidens were
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