Abstract EN:

Of the old French épopée Aiol two independant middle Dutch adaptations have been fragmentarily preserved. One is called the limburger Aiol, because this adaptation has probably been realized in the south of the present province of Limburg at the end of the 12th or in the beginning of the 13th century. Eighteen fragments of this version of Aiol have been preserved ; they contain 780 verses. The different fragments contain episodes of the whole old French epopee, but they represent a very shortened version (the half) with regard to the only French version of Aiol that has been preserved. The assonanced laisses of the French epopee have been translated in pairs of rhyming verses. The translation varies from faithful to very free. The important reduction of the French text seems mainly due to the suppression of all redundant elements inherent in the structure of the old French epopee, like epical reprises and similar laisses. The second Middle Dutch adaptation of aiol is generally called the Flemish aiol, because it has probably been realized in Flanders about 1240. This version consists on three fragments and contains 1200 rhyming verses, that relate episodes of the second part of the French epopee. This adaptation represents rather a reworking because of the many deviations with regard to the French aiol : transformation of the proper names, alteration of the chronological order of the events, important omissions concerning the socio-feudal register and additions concerning the religious register. A fifth of the text does not figure in the old French epopee. . .