Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 11, 1900.djvu/204

 1 94 Reviews.

free scope to the imagination of the story-teller; the other a work of historic accuracy, in which names and incidents are so numerous that they often tend (as in Sturlungd) to confuse the reader and obscure the main issue. Hence Olaf is a heroic, almost mythic, figure ; Sverri is only a remarkable personage in the medieval history of Norway. In consequence of this, there is perhaps a little danger that some readers of the book may agree with the preface by the priest Magnus, when he says, " Now, this narrative will seem to many tedious enough;" but Mr. Sephton has cer- tainly, by his smooth and readable translation, made the path as inviting as possible for those who might have such an opinion, while those who find an interest in the struggles and final triumph of a brave warrior and intelligent statesman, will not be disap- pointed with the story of King Sverri.

In the introduction Mr. Sephton explains briefly and clearly the state in which the text of the saga now exists. As a rule, every MS. of a saga represents a fresh recension, and this is the case here. Unfortunately, we think, Mr. Sephton has followed the example of the editors of Fornmamta Sogur in endeavouring to construct a complete text out of the different versions. It is quite true that a genuine passage may exist in only one MS., and that it would be a loss to omit it, but it does not necessarily follow that it ought to be inserted in the text. The only satis- factory way is to translate one definite version, and give the variations of the others either within brackets or as footnotes. This would not only have made clear the relation of the different versions to each other, but would have saved the reader from referring to the Introditctio7t or the Notes on Some Readings (pp. 261-268) to find out the exact authority for any statement.

As indicated above, the saga is a piece of pure history, unmixed with legendary elements (the numerous dreams are hardly excep- tions to this), and therefore wanting in some of the interest which attaches to the more characteristic Icelandic writings. The author, Abbot Karl, was contemporary with the events he nar- rates, and his authority for the earlier part of the saga was Sverri himself. With regard to Karl's work, and the general character of the saga, we miss any reference to Professor Finnur J6nsson's De7i oldnorske. . . Literafurs Historie (vol. ii. pp. 3S6-394), where there are some interesting remarks on the subject.

One of the chief attractions of Sverris Saga in the original lies