Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1981, Side 252

Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1981, Side 252
refuses to believe that his cowherd can be the long sought-after hero. The climax of the chivalric folk tale arrives as Vfgkænn, accompanied by his lion, engages in a duel with Rodgeir, the king’s favorite retainer, in full view of the king and his court. Vfgkænn is victorious and demands of the king the princess and the entire kingdom - not half of the kingdom, as the king had promised; should the king refuse to accede to his request, Vfgkænn challenges him to holmgang on the following day. Neither choice pleases the king; he considers it a disgrace to bestow daughter and kingdom on a cowherd, but finally he consents - provided the daughter is in accord: Ef \>ad sé hennar vilji (p. 25). The words are reminiscent of those spoken by Evida’s father in Erex saga under similar circumstances. The wedding is celebrated with great pomp. Vigkæns saga kuahirdis con- cludes as a proper fairy tale - and romance - should. The king and his retainers escort the conquering hero to the castle where he receives the place of honor beside the king. The feasting reaches a high point with the entrance of the princess, accompanied by her maidens. The latter are radiant in their loveliness, but compared to the princess, they appear like iron next to gold. The gold-iron simile is not unfamiliar; the author of the Icelandic Tristram chose it to depict the radiance of Isodd’s hair (ch. 8). The wedding feast, concomitantly Vfgkæn’s coronation as king of Fin- land, reaches Arthurian proportions: Voru framdir ymislegir leikir og hljodfæraslåttur. Sumir Jjeyttu lu5ra, sumir léku å horpu, saltarann og simfon. Var nu veitt af kappi miklu, og stod veizlan f hålfan månud. En ad henni endadri eru allir leystir ut med godum gjofum. (p. 27) (There were moreover various players and performers on musical instruments. Some blew on trumpets, others played on harps, psal- teries, and cymphans. Food and drink were to be had in abun- dance, and the feasting went on for a fortnight. And at the end all were dismissed with good gifts.) In the post-medieval folk tale of the cowherd who becomes king by dint of his bravery and self-acquired skili at arms, the spirit of Arthurian romance can still be detected. One need only recall in what manner King Arthur’s own coronation was celebrated: Far var alls kyns strengleikar: fidlur ok gfgjur, bumbur ok pfpur ok symfoniam ok horpur. Riddarar foru ut af borginni 238
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Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana

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