Persistent Motifs of Cursing from Old Norse Literature in Buslubœn

Abstract

Buslubœn shares some significant features with curse formulas preserved in Old Norse literature, as well as with texts belonging to genres that were partially distinct in form and intention, such as oath formulas, erotic magic and nið. Some scholars suggested that Buslubœn in its present form might have been more or less contemporary with the preserved version of Bosa saga ok Herrauðz. A comparison with other Old Norse texts allows to detect their generic resemblance with Buslubœn; it points out a few peculiarities as well, that apparently are due to the author’s choice to put together fragments of traditional texts, thus shaping a new one, whose mixed appearance is not at all infrequent among late texts intending to describe a heathenism that had already been forgotten in part.