Solomon and Marcolf

Salman and Morolf is the title of a Middle High German strophic narrative, which is expected to the group of so-called Spielmannsepen. Although lore until the last third of the 15th century used ( five manuscripts, two prints from 1499 and 1510), the epic is commonly dated already in the second half of the 12th century. Name and identity of the author is unknown.

The content of the narrative closes at the same time three traditions:

In Salman and Morolf is told how the Christian King of Jerusalem Salman is twice duped by his wife, the pagan princess Salme. King of Fore Wendelsee she desires to wife and kidnapped her by using a magic ring and by stratagem: she dies in appearance and is kidnapped from her grave. The brother of Solomon, the wily Morolf, the real hero of the story, makes dressed up to look for her. After years he finds her. A military expedition Salman can retrieve Salme after some complications; Fore is hung. Despite all the warnings Morolfs but happens after seven years again the same: King Princian Akers ( = Acre ) wins Salme with a magic ring for themselves. Morolf pulls out for the promise to be able to kill the unfaithful queen this time, and place of residence salmes on a rock in the sea. With the support of a mermaid and a small army he overwhelmed Princian and Salme this time alone. At home in Jerusalem he kills Salme hand.

The figure of the cynical, cunning Morolf and his relationship with King Salman provides a narrative transformation dar. early as the Early Middle Ages was in Latin dialogue form the proverbial wisdom of Solomon contrasts with the mad - peasant shrewdness of a Marcolfus. Texts of these didactic and satirical tradition, there were at least from the 10th to the 16th century, in German since the 14th century.

The Middle High German narrative is written in five-line stanzas 800. It comes within the singable as epic the Nibelungenlied. With some certainty the verse form suggests the emergence of the text in a more colloquial use situation; verschriftlichte the state of the text in the 15th century shows the stanza - as an apparently no longer alive and therefore misunderstood form template - on the other hand disintegrating. Accordingly, the seal is difficult to date. Neither can be determined, when was written down for the first time between the 12th and 15th centuries Salman and Morolf, nor as fixed or varied was the wording of the story before that date.