SAGA-BOOK - Viking Society Web Publications

334 Saga-Book of the Viking Society
compiler takes pains to cut out what seems to him
unnecessary detail in telling a straightforward narrative.
Sentimental passages might not have been to his taste ­
they were certainly not germane to his purpose.
Finally the compiler's attitude towards the gruesome or
cruel. Again, Wieselgren considers that the compiler
dislikes the gruesome and cruel as such 8 and that he tends
to avoid them. In the course of his work, Wieselgren
notes a few instances: Am. 41/3-4 give details of Vingi's
death that are not in the Saga" (VS 68/28); Am. 78-79 tell
how Gudnin murdered her sons (VS 72/24-27) and Wiesel­
.gren points out that the compiler omits Am. 78/3-410
and 79/1-2,11 and similarly Am. 83/8 where Gudrtin
reminds Atli how she told him that the hearts he had eaten
came from calves-s and Am. 83/6-8, omitted by the
compiler, dwell further on Atli's eating of his sons' hearts
(VS 72/33), though here Wieselgren, mentioning these
lines together with Am. 84, also omitted, refers to Gudnin's
boastfulness.P A further instance that Wieselgren might
have cited is the compiler's treatment of Gudnin's prowess
when she helps her brothers against Atli and hacks off his
brother's foot (Am. 50-51) - here, too, the details are
omitted from the Saga (VS 69/19-21).
But it is difficult to uphold Wieselgren's contention in
this matter. Is the compiler really against the gruesome
and cruel as such, or is it again a question of cutting out
unnecessary detail? Vingi had already been slain (Am.
41/1-2), and to mention his death-rattle might seem
superfluous. The lines omitted in the description of
Gudnin's murder of her sons can hardly be termed
horrific or particularly expressive of cruelty, while the
gory skar hon ahdl« bdoa (Am. 79/4) is retained (VS 72/27)
• op, cit., I 14, 120.
o op, cit., I 120.
,. op, cit., I 122: 'Ein weiteres Beispiel dafiir, dass der Sagaverfasser sich
nicht mehr als notwendig beim Grausamen aufhalt.'
11 ibid.
" ibid.
18 ibid.