----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2004 6:36
PM
Subject: [norse_course] Re: Hrafnkel 152
- 176/ Sarah
Hi Sarah!
Your translation looks fine to me.
Though I
only read through it rather quickly,
there were no obvious errors that I
could detect.
(which in no way is a guarantee, since I am only
beginning
to learn myself)
-- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com,
"Sarah Bowen" <sarahbowen@......>
wrote:
> Hello!
>
> Can anyone tell me the significance (if
any) of Hrafnkel wearing
blue when he goes out to confront Einar?
>
Thanks.
The blue clothing has something to do with revenge.
Actually
the "blár" may equally well be read as
the black color. Negroes, for
example, were called
"blámenn" by Snorri.
The blue-black dress may
perhaps be compared to
a similar dress-code we use today on some
special
occasions, such as college graduation or weddings.
(or better:
judges wearing black)
Later in Hrafnkells saga, there are described
other
customs that may perhaps be seen as belonginging
to a similar
catgory, such as the description of
the excecution of the
féransdómr.
In the Gísla saga Súrssonar, you can read in Ch.
16:
" Hann tekr spjótit Grásíðu úr örkinni ok er í kápu blárri
ok
skyrtu og í línbrókum "
And a few paragraphs later:
" Nú kallar hún
Þórdís og mælti: "Vaki menn í skálanum,
Þorgrímur er veginn, bóndi
minn."
There are other examples of the same in other sagas as
well.
Here from the Bjarnar saga Hítdælakappa:
" Hann þóttisk vita
at Þórður mundi vera ok menn með honum. Sjá
þóttisk hann sex menn. Björn
bjósk at verja sik ef þyrfti. Hann var í
blárri kápu og gyrti hann at utan
og brá síðan sverðinu. Hann hafði
spjót í hendi haft og sendir þat fram í
veginn þegar hann kom í
skotfæri við þá ok vart þar fyrir maðr er Steinn
hét ok var
Guðbrandsson ok stóð í gegnum hann ok fékk þegar bana.
"
Best regards
Xigung
> Here's my translation
attempt...
>
> 'Hvat mun garprinn vilja, er hann er heim
kominn?'
> What is the champion doing coming home?
> segir
Hrafnkell. 'Eigi mun þat góðu gegna.'
> asks Hrafnkel. This
does not look good.
>
> Síðan gekk hann út ok sér Freyfaxa ok
mælti við hann:
> Then he goes out and sees Freyfaxi and says to
him
> 'Illa þykkir mér, at þú ert þann veg til gõrr, fóstri minn,
> I think it's bad that you've been treated this way, my
fosterling,
> en heima hafðir þú vit þitt, er þú sagðir mér til,
>
but you had your wits (about you) when you told me (this) at home
> ok
skal þessa hefnt verða. Far þú til liðs þíns.'
> and this shall be
avenged. Go back to your herd.
>
> En hann gekk þegar upp
eptir dalnum til stóðs síns.
> And then he went back up the valley to
his stud.
>
> Hrafnkell ferr í rekkju sína um kveldit
>
Hrafnkel went to bed in the evening
> ok svaf af um nóttina.
> and
slept through the night.
> En um morguninn lét hann taka sér
hest
> And in the morning he had a horse brought to him
> ok
leggja á sõðul ok ríðr upp til sels.
> and saddled and he rode up to the
shieling.
> Hann ríðr í blám klæðum.
> He rode dressed in
blue.
> Øxi hafði hann í hendi, en ekki fleira vápna.
> He had an
axe in his hand, but no other weapons.
> Þá hafði Einarr nýrekit fé í
kvíar.
> Einar had just herded the sheep into the fold.
> Hann lá
á kvíagarðinum ok talði fé,
> He leant on the wall of the sheepfold and
was counting the flock,
> en konur váru at mjólka.
> and the women
were doing the milking.
>
> Þau heilsuðu honum.
> They
greeted him.
>
> Hann spurði, hversu þeim fori (foeri)
at.
> He asked them how they were.
>
> Einarr svarar:
'Illa hefir mér at farit,
> Einar replied: Things have gone badly
for me,
> því at vant varð þriggja tiga ásauðar nær viku,
> for 30
ewes went missing for nearly a week,
> en nú er fundinn.'
> but
now they've been found.
>
> Hann kvazk ekki at slíku
telja.
> He said not to talk of such things.
> 'Eða hefir ekki
verr at farit?
> Rather hasn't something worse happened?
> Hefir
þat ok ekki svá opt til borit sem ván hefir at verit,
> It hasn't
happened as often as was to be expected,
> at fjárins hafi vant
verit.
> that the sheep have gone missing.
> En hefir þú ekki
nõkkut riðit Freyfaxa mínum hinn fyrra dag?'
> And did you not ride my
Freyfaxi for a while the other day?
>
> Hann kvezk eigi þræta
þess mega.
> He said he could not deny it.
>
> Hrafnkell
svarar: 'Fyrir hví reiztu þessu hrossi,
> Hrafnkel replied: What
did you ride this horse for,
> er þér var bannat, þar er hin váru nóg
til,
> which you were forbidden to, when there were some others
around
> er þér var lofat?
> who you were allowed (to
ride)?
> Þar munda ek hafa gefit þér upp eina sõk,
> I would not
press charges against you,
> ef ek hefða eigi svá mikit um mælt,
>
if I had not stressed this so much,
> en þó hefir þú vel við
gengit.'
> even though you have freely confessed to (it).
>
> Now I've done mine, I shall read what the others made of it
and
learn from you!!
>
> Cheers,
>
Sarah.
A Norse funny farm, overrun by smart
people.
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