Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1978, Page 42

50
Sniolvs kvæði
fights Sjúrð, aims a blow at Nornagest, and then everyone
fights with a dwarf. The chief difference between the two
stories is that Hildardalsstríð is about Grím’s successful activi-
ties, whereas Heljars kvæði is about Ásmund’s unsuccessful
courtship.
Both Gríms ríma and Heljars kvæði reflect the confusion
concerning the figure of Ásmund that is so typical for Sandoy
tradition. In the Skálavík text of Heljars kvæði the only
epithet used of Ásmund is »kellingarson«, even though he is
otherwise characterized as the evil Ásmund of Sniolvs kvæði.
In Gríms ríma both variants refer to Ásmund once as »illi«,
but it is only the Suðuroy text that contains any use of the
epithet »kellingarson«. Since the Suðuroy texts of Sniolvs
kvæði seem to contain a somewhat random, incoherent selection
of tættir from the first two layers of the cycle as it is known
on Sandoy (L. Rana táttur, Hildibrands táttur og Virgars
táttur, Hildar táttur, Golmars táttur; M. Rana táttur; and
N. Annar Sniolvs táttur [= Sniolvs táttur and Ásmunds
táttur]), it does not appear that this cycle is native to
Suðuroy, but rather derivative from Sandoy tradition. It is
therefore curious that the Suðuroy text contains the reference
kellingarson«, whereas the Sand text does not. A possible ex-
planation is that Gríms ríma is not native to Sand, but, just
like the Suðuroy text, it was introduced there by a village
singer who had learned it more or less well in the village on
Sandoy where it did belong. With regard to the stanza con-
taining the reference to »kellingarson«, the Suðuroy variant
is closer to the source text than the from Sand.
Trying to determine »birthdays« within Faroese ballad tra-
dition is tricky business, indeed.10 It is altogether possible for
a young ballad to be recorded soon after it is composed, and
it is just as possible for an ancient one to go unnoticed by gene-
rations of collectors. It is equally hazardous to try to develop
a set of criteria that will distinguish the young from the old
because, surely, a ballad man well versed in tradition is just
as capable of composing a new ballad in the old style as he