Editiones Arnamagnæanæ. Series B - 01.10.1968, Side 67

LXV
instead supplemented his narrative with the account
of the queen’s cloven feet, probably taken from the
same source as that used by the compiler of B.
The origin of the story of the queen’s cloven feet
is an ancient oriental tale. It exists in several ver-
sions but common for them all and for the Icelandic
version is that King Solomon suspects the Queen of
Sheba of having cloven feet and cunningly manages
to expose them. The mode of exposure in B and C
differs, however, from that in all the oriental versions.
In these it is said that Solomon had a throne-room
carpeted with glass24; some add that there was
water beneath the glass25. When the queen comes
to Solomon, she thinks that she is going to have to
wade through water and lifts her skirts. In some
versions she reveals the most beautiful feet borne
by woman26, in others her feet are covered in
hair like an animal’s, in still others she has cloven
hooves27. It is this last version which became attached
to Leg. in Europe28. New versions arose, e.g. Sibyllen
Weissagung, and in these the fresh feature is added
that her cloven hooves are transformed to human
feet29, when she, in reverence for the tree, refuses
to cross the bridge wearing shoes. Some Leg. versions
say that she walked over the bridge barefoot (thus
the Icelandic C Leg.), others that she waded through
24. W. Hertz, pp. 5, 6, 10; M. Gaster in Germania XXV, 1880,
pp. 292-93; M. Grimbaum: Neue Beitrage zur semitischen Sagen-
kunde, 1893, p. 214; G. Rösch in Jahrbiicher fur protestantische
Theologie VI, 1880, p. 547.
25. W. Hertz, p. 8; F. Vogt, p. 93; M. Gaster, p. 293; M. Griin-
baum, p. 219.
26. W. Hertz, p. 10; F. Vogt, p. 93; M. Gaster, p. 293.
27. W. Hertz, pp. 5-8, 11; M. Grunbaum, pp. 214, 219; G. Rösch,
p. 547 f.
28. W. Hertz, p. 19 ff.; G. Rösch, p. 550 f.
29. R. Köhler in Germania XXIX, 1884, pp. 53-58; W. Hertz,
p. 24; F. Vogt, p. 53.
B 26. — V