Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 18, 1907.djvu/63

 The Euroi)ean Sky -God. 35

Dacker, finds in fact his nearest analogue in Iwain or Owen ^ Ihis will appear from a perusal of the Yvain of Chretien de Troyes and the Twein of Hartmann von Aue side by side with The Lady of the Fountain, an Arthurian tale included in the Welsh Mabinogion.

Chretien's poem is summarised as follows by Prof A. C. L. Brown: 2 ^

Kil?I T' "Tl  ^^" '" ^""^ "^^^^ ^^^hur is holding court. ™' t?T T"" '^'^ "^'''^^"" '° ^^"^ ^h^-bers, and Calo-

grenant has begun a tale to the assembled knights, of whom Iwain is one. The queen enters to hear it also, and he begins again at her request. " About seven years ago, ' says Calogrenant, "I wandered all day through the Fores of Brocehande tdl I came to a strongly fortified place The lord of the forteresse gave me a splendid welcome, and a fair maid disarmed me and entertained me m a meadow till supper. The supper was entirely to my

L L cir T I ""' "'° "' °PP°^''^ ^° '"^- ^ ^P-t ^ Pl--t night ^.r I' M, """"^ ' "' °"^' ^"' "°' f^^ °ff I f-"d fierce bulls

fighting and a black creature with a head larger than a horse's, armed with a club, guarding them. Finding that this creature could speak. I asked him to direct me to some adventure. He showed me the path to a fountain, telling me also what I might do. I reached the fountain about noon B; It stood the most beautiful tree that ever grew on earth. I took a basin of gold that was attached by a chain to the tree, and, dipping up some water, I poured It on the rock. Forthwith there ensued a terrible storm of wind and ram; then a calm in which the birds sang sweetly on the tree. After this there appeared a knight on horseback, who attacked and overthrew me I came home on foot like a fool and like a fool have told my story »

During the talk that follows, Arthur comes out of his chamber, hears the story repeated, and declares that he will go with his knights within a fortnight namely just before St. John the Baptist's Day, to essay the adventure. Iwain' however, is anxious to try it alone; so he steals away secretly. He L entertained at night by the Hospitable Host; next morning he sees the Giant Herdsman, and he comes at last to the Fountain Perilous. He pours

' The similarity of the story of the Gilla Dacker to that of Iwain or Owen is pointed out by A. Nutt in The Celtic Magazine 1887 xii. 555, by Rhys Hibbert Lectures p. 186 ff., by F. Lot in Komania 1892 xxi. 67 ff., and by A C L Brown Iwain p. 103 ff. / • • •

2 A. C. L. Brown Iwain p. 13 ff. The most convenient text is that of W. Foerster-Kristian von Troyes Yvain (Der Lowenrztter) ed. 2 Halle a S I902 = liomanische Bibliothek vol. v. -with introduction, notes, and glossary' See also Foerster's large critical edition-Christian von Troyes vol. ii YvL rlalle Ioo7-