SAGA-BOOK - Viking Society Web Publications

Treatment of Sources in the Vgls1tnga saga 337
specifically at the creation of a natural prose style (d.
(7), (13), (18) and (34) above).
There are many instances of additional 'he said', 'she
said' phrases and similar expressions inserted in the
dialogue, e.g. Siguror meelti (VS 32/2 : Fm. II-12), pd
mcelti hon (VS 59/28 : d. Br. 15-16).
The compiler also adds a few 'statements of common
rumour' (see (34) above), e.g. Nu er pat sagt einhverja n6tt
at (VS 64/18 : Gor. II 36-37), ok pat srgou allir d einn veg
at (VS 69/21 : Am. 48-49).
Occasionally eaa is inserted by the compiler to introduce
a direct question, e.g. VS 17/10 : HH 48/9-IO; VS 35/II :
Sd. I - here the whole sentence is new (see above p. 336).
Some of the compiler's additions so far cited might also
seem to help avoid abrupt transitions (see just above on
VS 15/23-24, VS 73/10, and possibly the 'statements of
common rumour'). Further examples of such additions
are: Nu geroi at peim storm mikinn ok svd st6ran sj6
(VS 15/29-30 : HH 26-28) - in HH there is no such
introductory statement before the description of the
storm's rage. ok enn kom Gunnarr til hennar. pd mcelti
Brynhildr (VS 57/9 : Sg. IO) - in Sg. Brynhild suddenly
addresses Gunnar whose presence has not previously been
mentioned. 'Vel veroi per, d6ttir' (VS 63/21 : Gsr. II
24-25) - Grimhild's greeting, absent in Gar. II, makes her
offer to Gudnin rather less abrupt.
The compiler's desire to avoid abrupt transitions and to
attempt a smooth style is often shown in the way he rounds
off his prose paraphrases of the lays, or links them up, one
with another or with an original prose passage, e.g. the
addition at the end of the paraphrase of HH (VS 17/26-28)
brings the chapter to a close in a proper saga manner,
especially characteristic in the circumstances being: ok er
hann her ekki sloan vio [eesa sog«. The beginning of
chapter 32 (VS 57/7) which begins the paraphrase of Sg.
is made to follow on naturally from the preceding chapter
by the addition of Eptir petta gekk Brynhildr ut ok ...