Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.2003, Page 327
“Mansgngr” revisited
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various episodes is an episode of love which conforms to the love tri-
angle in the sagas of skalds. Here the hero Bjgm BreiSvikingakappi, on
parting from his mistress (for years, it would seem), improvises a sad
stanza of foreboding:
Guis mundum vit vilja
vibar ok blås i mi51i,
grand fæ’k af stod stundum
strengs, ]renna dag lengstan,
alls i aptan, f>ella,
ek tegumk sjalfr at drekka
opt horfinnar erfi,
armlinns, giedi minnar. (Islenzkfornrit 4:78)
(This might be paraphrased: We two should wish this day to last as long as
possible between the woods when they are gold and when they are dark
blue - sometimes the woman makes me sad - since tonight, lady, I am go-
ing to drink to my often disappeared joy.) Even here the skald does not
omit the typical complaint. On the other hånd the impression can hardly
be avoided that we hear here an echo of the famous alba of the trouba-
dours. The difference is that the troubadour fears the sunrise, while the
skald wishes the sunset to be delayed as he is visiting the lady during the
day. The troubadour Raimbaut de Vaqueiras (c. 1155-1205) sings:
Domn’ adeu! que non puis mais estar;
Malgrat meu, me.n coven ad annar;
Mas tan greu m’es de l’albe
Que tan leu la vei levar.
Enganar
Nos vol l’albe, l’albe, oc l’albe.
(Translated:)
Lady, goodbye; for I can’t stay;
Despite myself, I have to go;
How I hate to see the dawn,
Harsh to us, lightly rise.
The dawn would like
To trick us, yes, the dawn, the dawn. (Wilhelm 1965:201).