Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 14, 1903.djvu/484

 442 Reviews.

Niniane is much the most satisfactory, the texts are simpler and less contaminated, and the study is proportionately clearer and more definite.

There are one or two errors to which attention should be drawn. On p. 178 the writer says that the son of Gawain by the sister of Brandelis, whose story is related in the Perceval, is there nameless, but that we may presume his identity with the " Bel Inconnu." He is twice named, or rather names himself. When he meets Perceval he says :

" Zz biax desconeus at non ainsi mapelent It bretonsP

And again when he meets his father for the second time we read :

" Sire fait il ie sui Gtiiglains votre fis que li roi Artus mist non li biax desconetis."

A statement which agrees with our English poem, but not with Gautier's version.

On p. 142 Ewaine Blancemains is identified with"Ywain" filz Urien. The two are never confused in the romances. Miss Baton does not seem to be aware that there are four distinct knights of this name (indeed, that curious text. Bib. Nat. 337, gives five) : Ywain, the chevalier au lion, found in the earliest Arthurian texts, and never confused with the others ; his half- brother, Ywain the Bastard ; Ywain B lance-mains ; and Ywain de Lionel ; this latter is probably the Ywdn de Nonel oi the Parzival, and the Lanzelet. The position of these two last varies, sometimes the one is placed first, sometimes the other. Morgain is never treated as Ywain's mother in the poems, but I think it is possible to explain her connection with King Urien. We know that in the Bel Inconme. poems we find two enchanters, Mabon and Evrain, or Yrain ; in the Erec we find one enchanter, Mabonagrain ; and there has been much discussion whether the original tradition gave one or two. Now the Perceval texts make Mabonagrain son, or nephew, to King Evrain, or Urien, the readings vary. Given this confusion between the enchanter and the better-known king, it is, I think, easy to understand how Morgain, the enchantress, might come to be looked upon as the wife of Urien ; but it is sig-