E NOMINE Der Ring Der Nibelungen ##BEST##

Frequent economical, political and cultural exchanges between German and Scandinavian people during the Middle Ages led to the large scale changes that affected many parts of people's lives and resulted in the appearance of German-Scandinavian frontier culture with its specific features.

E NOMINE Der Ring der Nibelungen

But as if fighting one dragon is not enough, the protagonist once more has to face a serpent adversary: Kriemhild, the princess of Burgundy, has been abducted by a dragon so the hero once again sets on a dragon-killing journey. Siegfried doesn't even have to arrive in Worms to learn about the news - while hunting in the forest he comes upon the beasts' tracks which lead him to a rock where the beautiful prisoner is kept. A terrible fight ensues and Siegfried does away with one more dragon, brings Kriemhild to her father's realms and falls in love with her.

N-manuscript was found in 1976 in a codex of texts composed around 1449 (or probably 1470-1480). Apart from the version of "Das Nibelungenlied" the codex contains a Berlin manuscript of "Alfartus Tod" and a text entitled "Wilhelm von Osterreich". The text of the manuscript deals only with the Lay of Burgundians, it describes the demise of the nibelungs as the result of Kriemhild's revenge. The introduction provides a short summary of the preceding events and joins the text (as we know it from the other manuscripts) at the 25th Aventiure (how the Burgundians crossed the Danube and travelled to the Hunnish lands and how Hagen met the mermaids). The n-manuscript deals with the poem quite liberally, partly following B-version, partly preferring C-version. The text is restructured, partly abridged, partly expanded.

What makes the n-vesrion special is the motives not found in the canon text, but circulating in the oral tradition and the number of literary works of the same plot. Besides the story about Kriemhild's abduction by the dragon, which, though not told explicitly, is referred to in the heroine's speech, we find here the ancient idea of how the murderer dealt with Siegfried's body. The North version, reflected in the songs of the "Elder Edda" speaks of Siegfried being killed in his own bed, so Kriemhild awoke by the side of her dead husband, covered with his blood. The West German tradition has Siegfried killed in the forest, Hagen leaving his body at the widow's doorstep. N-manuscript tries to combine both motives: here Siegfried is killed during the hunting expedition in the forest, in accordance with Hagen's elaborate plan, but then Hagen would not only bring his body to Kriemhild's door - he takes troubles to enter the chamber and put the corpse into her bed. This episode in fact corresponds to how the events are

Faeroe Islands are a group of eighteen islands belonging to Denmark since 1948. It is an autonomous region inhabited by approximately 50,000 people by now. The islands have a great number of cliffs and are enclosed by Scotland, Iceland and Norway. The population of these islands enjoy the same high standard of living as the rest of Scandinavians. What makes these islands special is an 800 hundred year-old culture of ballad singing and ring dancing, still vividly alive. The rich tradition of folklore ballads attracts the interest of literary scholars, medievalists and musicians.

By nowadays around 250 ancient ballads have been recorded here since 18th century, when the folk culture of Faroe first attracted scholarly attention. The verses are chanted by a leader standing in the middle of the ring of dancers who move round him and sing the refrain which follows each verse. The steps are simple - four to the left, two to the right - but with gestures and bodily movements, as well as with their voices, the dancers enact in mime the story of the ballad. There is no musical accompaniment. During the performance men and women alternately play the role of lead singers and dancers, and the ring joins them. This kind of "square dancing" presumably originated in medieval France, spread all over Europe but survived only in marginal regions (Eder 2002). Outside of the Germanic language family it is known in Balkans and in Greece.

The community dances are held on special occasions, for example, following a whale kill, around religious holidays, at New Year's, and so forth. Lenora Tim suggests that the ring dance is metaphorical (Timm 1982, 688), because dancers - with arms linked as they move, forming nearly parallel rows that wind back and forth through the dance-hall - may be said to symbolize the islands' sinuous topography and the eddies and whorls of the surrounding waters. Moreover, as Jonathon Wylie and David Margolin see it, the dancers' ring represents "the Faroese adaptation of large forms to a land of closely known neighbours and landscapes, the complex inward turnings of culture, and its tortuous sense of wholeness" (Wylie 1981,12).

The ballads, partly Faeroese and partly Danish, have various contents: history, heroic legends, love, magic, social criticism, fairy-tale motifs. Even to the present day the popular tradition keeps such prominent medieval plots as the stories of Siegfried and the Nibelungs, Charlemagne and Roland, Dietrich von Bern and Tristan. The Faeroese ballads were kept alive by the geographical isolation of the islands. Moreover, they survived because they played a very important function - they saved the identity of the small Faeroese people during the Danish occupation and through the years that followed (Eder 2002, 307).

("Love for someone another possesses-that can bring no luck") Her solicitude for Grani, Sigurd's horse, after the death of his master, was held up as a model for the considerate treatment of animals: "Tad er satt, sum talad er, mong er konan eym; Gudrum gongur um allan beim, hon belduri Grana teym" ("It is true, as they say, many a woman is pitiful; Gudrun wanders through the wide world, holds fast to Grani's rein).

During his visits to Faeroe Islands at the end of 20th century, Lockwood stayed at Josefina Poulsen's house on Hestur. Josefina, a poor widow in her sixties, was well-versed in the unwritten literature of the Faroe Islanders and was a remarkable dancer and singer of the ballads, of which the stories of Gudrun and of Sigurd's death were her favourites. While chanting the lyrics, she grieved with Gudrun and sighed over Sigurd cruelly murdered in the woods. While listening to the ballads the scholars "realised we were listening to a voice from the Middle Ages, the authentic voice of the thirteenth century, echoing the Nibelungenlied" (Lockwood 1979, 271-272).

Dame Grimhild prepares a feat and convokes her vassals on a tournament and on a fight with the hero Hagen. Hagen on the seashore meets a mermaid and asks her what waits for him in "Hvenild's lands". The mermaid answers that there he would meet his death, and Hagen beheads her. Further he meets a ferryman and asks to transport him through the sea in exchange for a golden ring. The ferryman too warns him about the trap, Hagen kills him as well and gives a ring to his wife as an atoning gift. Lords Gunter and Gernot push their vessel onto water. A terrible storm breaks the oars, and the travellers use their gilded shields instead. On the bank a beautiful proud maiden meets them, but they go further and at the gate of Norborogh castle demand to be let in. Hagen says that he is Dame Grimhild 's brother. The gatekeeper reports to the

Dame Grimhild prepares a feast and convokes her vassals on bloody fight where many will lose their lives. Hagen's mother has an ominous dream: her son's horse stumbles when crossing a stream. She warns Hagen that his sister is sly, he shouldn't trust her. Hagen goes to the sea coast and meets a mermaid who can predict future. Hagen asks whether he will win the prize at the forthcoming tournament. The mermaid dissuades him from the trip, reminding that he has enough riches at home; it is his death that he will win in Hvenland. Hagen kills the mermaid - he knows how to cope with his enemies himself. The narration is transferred to Grimhild's house: two noblemen ride up to her castle and demand that the gatekeeper opens the gates for them. The latter refuses to open and reports about visitors to the queen. She says that these people are her brothers Hero Hagen and Folker the musician. With elegantly dressed ladies she goes down to greet them and demands that they leave their weapons - she can't bear seeing naked blades since king Siegfried's death. Hagen admits that he has killed king Siegfried and king Otelin, the same time when he lost his jacket and a gray stallion, those cold winters "when we stormed Troy". Grimhild escorts them to the hall, then hundred people with naked blades rush towards them. Grimhild promises gold to the one who will kill Hagen. Folker strikes fifteen people straight off, Hagen - twenty. Indignant queen reproaches brothers that they have killed so many soldiers, to which Hagen replies it is her own fault. Excited with the fight, Hagen lifts his helmet - he is tormented by thirst and he quenches it with the blood of the slain enemies in nomine Domini. At the end of the fight two heroes kill all the attackers. Dying of his wounds, Hagen thanks

Bodild, Hagen's mother, sobbing, tells about her vision - all horses in the country have died, it means that in Hvenish lands heroes will meet their death. Brave brothers Hagen and Folker go to the river bank and see a sleeping mermaid. They awake her with a question: what dangers wait for them in Hvenish lands. The mermaid advises them to return back, otherwise they will lose their lives. Hagen kills the mermaid, and the brothers go on. They find the house of the ferryman and demand that he transports them to the island in exchange for a golden ring. The ferryman refuses, for his Lady has forbidden him. Hagen, naturally, kills this one too and throws his body into the river Oresund. Lords Gunter and Gernot steer the boat off, a storm overtakes them on the way, the oars break, Hagen rows with his shield and moors ashore. There a certain guard sees them and identifies as "proud Atelings" - Folker is especially distinguished among them. He reports to the queen that the visitors are clad in armour, one of them carries a violin, another - a falcon. Grimhild explains that the violinist is not a hired musician, he is of a noble family, both of them are her brothers. Count Gunselin volunteers to battle against Hagen, promising his retainers to reward them with gold and woods. Hagen accepts the challenge, the fight between guests and hosts begins at once. Folker kills seven with a spear and boasts of how his violin cheerfully dances in the fray. Count Gunzelin falls on his knees at Grimhild's feet and begs to exempt him from the fight with the fierce strangers, but she forces him to continue the fight "until Folker lies down dead". Folker addresses her with the speech: the battle continued for seven days, he is emaciated and covered with wounds, his weapon has broken in spills. Young Hubba Yern offers him the sword of his brother, the hero (by that moment two protagonists of the ballad - Hagen and Folker - merge into one) thanks him and promises his eternal friendship for this gift. Fight continues with a new force, the protagonist is ready to die as a hero (Borrow 2014, 21-27). The ballad breaks abruptly. 041b061a72