Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1981, Page 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