Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1979, Side 80

88
The Case of »Hernilds kvæði
19 Og deð var Ille Hermoð
riste pá sylvgjurðe hnív,
var du inki Hæge fruga
láte sille du dit lív!
20 Og deð var Ille Hermoð
skreidde seg framtil með taki:
no gjorðe meg Hæges orði verr
hell alle míne loynde sakir!
21 Og deð var Ille Hermoð
skreidde seg framtil með borgi:
no gjorðe meg Hæges orði verr
hell alle mine loynde sorgir.
22 Dei gekk dá ivir den vestre brúi,
som Guð gav dei til ráðe
sá gave dei kvoraðre si trú
og eiðen svóre dei báðe.16
By sending a messenger to Hermoð when her father be-
trothes her to Hermoð’s brother, Hæge in Landstad’s B. text
remains true to the promises she made to her lover. Her be-
havior here is completely consistent with that of the first part
of the ballad. However, in the Faroese version from Fugloyar-
bók Halga’s sending for Hermundur is not so readily under-
stood. For one thing, there is no stanza (such as st. 32 above
from »Hermoð Ille«) telling the reason for her action. Further-
more, her behavior here is inconsistent, for in the first part of
the ballad she is quite hostile to Hermundur. The confusion
is compounded when the messenger, in answering Hermundur’s
questions about everyone back home, says that Halga misses
him, but has promised herself to another man:
49 »Enn livir jomfrú Halga
av so miklum villa,
allar sínar dagarnar
syrgir hon Hermund illa.«