Chapter 7

The sum total of well-being and blessedness, the fulness of all graces, seems in our ancient language to have been expressed by a single word, whose meaning has since been narrowed down; it was named wunsch (wish). This word is probably derived from wunja, wunnja, our wonne, bliss; wunisc, wunsc, perfection in whatever kind, what we should call the Ideal. Thus, Er. 1699 'der wunsch was an ir garwe,' wish was in her complete; Iw. 3991 'daz mir des wunsches night gebrast,' nought of wish was wanting; Iw. 6468 'der rât, des der wunsch an wîbe gert,' such store as wish can crave in wife; Gerh. 1754 'an der got wunsches niht vergaz,' in whom God nought of wish forgot (left out); Parz. 742, 15 'der wunsch wirt in beiden'; Trist. 3710 'dir ist der wunsch gegeben'; Frauend. 87 'der wunsch von edlem obze,' the pick of noble fruit; Parz. 250, 25 'erden wunsches rîche,' rich in all gifts of the earth; 235, 24, 'erden wunsches überwal'; Trist. 4696. 4746 'der wunsch von worten, von bluomen'; Trist. 1374 'in dem wunsche sweben,' i.e., in perfect satisfaction. And the magic wand, by whose impact treasures are acquired, was a wunschligigerta, wishing-rod; conf. Parz. 235, 22 'wurzel unde rîs des wunsches,' root and spray of wish. The (secondary) meaning of 'desiring and longing for' these perfections would seem to have but accidentally attached itself to the wunsc, ON. ôsk [[wish]] (see Suppl.).

Among other Eddic names of Oðinn, appears Osci, Sæm. 46. Sn. 3, 24, i.e. he who makes men partakers of wunsch, of the highest gift. Osk, gen. Oskar, a woman's name, Fornm. sög. 1, 246. Eyrbyggja saga cap. 7. Laxd. p. 12.

Another thing seems to me to be connected with this, and therefore to be a relic of the heathen religion: the fact that our poets of the 13th century personify wunsch, and represent it as a mighty creative being. Instances in proof of this are found chiefly in Hartmann, Rudolf and Conrad:

Got erloubte dem Wunsche über in, About him, God gave to Wish full leave,

daz er lîb unde sin that he body and mind

meistert nach sîm werde. fashioned according to his worth.

swâ von ouch ûf der erde Of whatsoever upon earth,

deheinem man ze loben geschiht, to any man, praiseworthy falls,

desn gebrast im niht; thereof lacked him nought;

der Wunsch het in gemeistert sô Wish had him fashioned so,

daz er sîn was ze kinde vrô, that he was glad of him for child,

wande er nights an im vergaz: for he nought in him forgot:

er hetn geschaffet, kunder, baz. he had him shapen, if he could, better. Greg. 1091- 1100

man sagt daz nie kint gewan They say that never a child won

ein lîp sô gar dem Wunsche glîch. a body so wholly equal to Wish (or, exactly like Wish).

Ex. 330

alsôwas ez (daz phert) gestalt, So was it wrought (the horse),

und ob er (der werltwîse man) that if he (the wright) had had

danne den gewalt

von dem Wunsche hæte, the command from Wish,

daz ez belibe stæte that (his work) should be left unaltered,

swes er darzuo gedæhte, whatever he attempted thereon,

und swenne erz volbræhte, and when he had completed it,

daz erz für sich stalte that he should set it before Him,

und er von sînem gwalte and He at his discretion

dar abe næme therefrom should take away

swaz daran im missezæme, whatever therein misliked him,----

alsô was ez volkomen so perfect was it

daz er dar abe nigt hete genomen that he therefrom nought would have taken

alse grôz als umb ein hâr. so great as a hair.

Er. 7375-87.

Als ez der Wunsch gebôt (bade). Er. 8213.

was ein Wunschkint (was a child of wish). Ex. 8277

Enîte was des Wunsches kint,

der an ir nihtes vergaz. Er. 8934.

dâ was ir hâr und ir lîch (lyke, lych, body)

so gar dem Wunsche gelîch (like). Iw. 1222.

diz was an ir (zuht, schæne, jugent) und gar der rât (all the store)

des der Wunsch (or wunsch?) an wîbe gert (desires.) Iw. 6468.

wande sie nie gesâhen (for they never had seen)

zwêne riter gestalt (two knights fashioned)

sô gar in Wunsches gewalt

an dem lîbe und an den siten (manners). Iw. 6913.