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Page 44
_Kolbein_.--It will never do that a lout insult a high-born woman with
impunity. Therefore, I decree that Alf of Grof shall leave the country,
never more to return whilst she is in living life.
_Alf_.--Why not rather have me put to death?
_Helga_.--You fear death too much, you coward!
_Broddi_.--And under what conditions shall I make peace with you?
_Kolbein_.--You shall have your sword back, and sit in the high seat
for the remainder of the evening, but as soon as the sea is open again
(_slaps_ BRODDI _on his shoulder_) we shall, both of us, go to meet
Thord Kakali and his Westfirthings.
_Brand_.--Much has your fame grown through these happenings, kinswoman
Helga! Exceeding precious must be all your finery, if every spot on the
fringes of your veil shall cost a man's life.
_Helga_.--You will remember, kinsman, that I am a descendant in the
fourth generation from King Magnus Bareleg. Lady Jorun, come hither and
share the dais with us women. (_Woman's garments are put on_ JORUN _when
she joins the women_. BRAND _and_ BOTOLF _share the lower seat of
honor. The men sheathe their swords, hang up their shields, and seat
themselves_. KOLBEIN THE YOUNG _takes up a drinking-horn; horns are
passed among the men_.)
_Kolbein_.--To-day we have brought to a happy end a feud, the like of
which has not been within this district.
_Brand_.--And the quarrel has ended with full reconciliation.
_Alf_.--Indeed, we have been fully reconciled, Helgi Skaftason and I; he
going to hell and I into exile.
_Helga_.--Worse condition you might have got, Alf of Grof.
_Kolbein_.--And to-morrow we shall accompany Bishop Botolf to Holar
together, with five hundred men, and shall reinstate him with the
greatest honors. Then we shall furlough the greater part of our men.
(_The men raise shouts of joy_.) And after that we hope that we may
dwell in peace for some time.
_Salvor_.--Meanwhile we women shall heal the wounds of the men.
_Botolf_.--And then there will be peace on earth.
_Sigurd_.--And good will among men!
(_Curtain_)
INDRIDI EINARSSON: ICELANDIC DRAMATIST AND HIS SAGA DRAMA
BY LEE M. HOLLANDER
Indridi Einarsson's 'Sword and Crozier' is the first Icelandic play
to be done into English. Very probably, the well-informed reader
will wonder, not so much that a translation 'should be so late in
forthcoming,' but that, of all things, there should exist a dramatic
literature worthy the name in that Ultima Thule. He is, indeed, not
in any way to be blamed for not suspecting the possibility of a highly
developed drama under conditions such as obtain in Iceland, even though
he may well be aware that lyric poetry has been cultivated there with
ardor and success.
When authors of small nations, such as Denmark and Holland, have been
known to complain about the limited circle they can hope to reach, how
true, how pathetically true, is this of Iceland, with its scant eighty
thousand inhabitants of poor fishermen and farmers thinly spread over
the lordly spaces of their far-away, rugged and barren island! What
audience can an author expect there? Nor is it to be thought that his
very difficult mother-tongue will permit a comprehension of his work
among the reading public of the other Scandinavian lands.
It stands to reason--whatever enthusiasts on the subject have said to
the contrary--that, by its very nature, the drama can attain independent
and legitimate growth only in centers of human habitation, where the
stage--very necessarily--epitomizes the tendencies of the times, and, if
occupied by a real literature in every sense, is the self-expression of
a great community. As late as 1886 a sober-minded author on Scandinavian
literature was able to say, with some justice, 'Iceland lacks all
conditions for a dramatic literature.' And the situation has not changed
essentially since. Whatever has been done in that line in recent times
is to all intents and purposes due to stimulation from abroad and, in so
far, artificial. So far, none of the more ambitious native efforts have
been on the program of the stage of Reykjavik to be performed by the
very estimable amateur players of that town.
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