WAY LAND SMITH S RENOWN. 34,5 



Gautier de Vascastein, in the legend ' De Prima Ex- 

 peditione Attilae regis Hunorum, in Gallias,' is said to 

 have carried arms fabricated by Veland. 



A chronicle of the 12th century relates that Count 

 William of Angouleme received the cognomen of ' Taille- 

 fer,' in consequence of his sword, which had been made 

 by ' Walander,' having cut in two a warrior covered with 

 armour.' The name of the sword was ' durissima.' This 

 Count William was the renowned minstrel Taillefer, who 

 struck the first blow at the battle of Hastings, and who is 

 described by his countryman Wace, in the following cen- 

 tury, as having dashed on horseback into the ranks of 

 the Saxons to meet a glorious death, while singing of 



De Karlemaigne et de Rollant, 

 E d' Oliver, et des Vassals, 

 C'y morureiit en Roncesvals. 



It is related of Geoffroy Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, 

 'Adultimum allatus est ei, ensis thesauro regio ab anti- 

 quo ibidem signatus, in quo fabricando fabrorum super- 

 latum Galanus multa opera et studio desudavit,''' 



In an English romance of the 14th century, it is said, 

 in reference to a sword, ' Of all swerdes it is king, and 

 Weland it wrought,' Godefroy of Strasbourg, in his 

 poem of 'Tristan and Isolde,' speaks of the smith as 

 ' Vilint; 



In Scandinavia, the strange personage is well known, 

 and the legends concerning him differ but little from 



' Adhemar. Chronic MS. 



"^ Hist. Gaufredi Ducis Norman. Recueil des Hist, de France. 

 See also C. Depping. De la Tradition Populaire sur FArmurier ou 

 Forgeron Veland. Mem. de la Soc. des Antiquaires de France. 



