In the Karlamagnus Saga, the very origin of how Karl came into possession of Dyrumdali is explained, partly because it is appropriate to the narrative (which has to do primarily with Karl and not with Roland) and partly, it seems, to explain the sword's name. A footnote in the Saga translation explains to us the origins of the Norse name: "[T]he saga apparently derives the name from Old Norse dyrum 'dear', 'precious,' and dali, from dalr 'valley,' which could be used of a dent. While it thus looks suspiciously as though the story here were invented to explain the meaning of the sword's name, it seems probable that a similar meaning might have been feasible in Old French, so the story is by no means necessarily a Norse addition." (Hieatt 133)
In the French Song of Roland, Durendal's origin is evoked by Roland himself who, at the end of his life, laments his inability to destroy the sword and his fear that it may be captured by the heathens and used for evil deeds. The long story of who made it, etc., present in the Karlamagnus Saga is irrelevant here, and so it is not invoked; what is, however, present is a long list of the conquests that Roland's magical weapon helped him accomplish.
Priest Konrad - who is, after all, merely retelling the anonymous French epic - evokes Durendart in much the same way as the Song of Roland does. To better suit his religious intentio auctoris, however, Konrad goes a step further and, after cataloguing the religious relics forged into its hilt (not uncommon in the corpus), has Roland vocalize a conscious realization of the sword's holiness as being the reason for its indestructability. Roland then, having taken off his glove, graciously (and gracefully, insofar as the narrative device to get rid of Durendart, assuring its safe distance from the heathens) offers it to God as His in the first place. (God's messenger accepts the return of God's own, also graciously.) The narrative device does not work - later, Konrad will forget that Durendart is supposed to be up in heaven with Roland, and has Karl bestow it on another knight.
In the Orlando Innamorato, Matteo Maria Boiardo - and after him Gianni Celati - do not recount the sword's history at all. All that matters for this tale is that Durindana is a most famous and powerful sword. Orlando's weapon, along with another paladin's horse, serves as the impetus for an Indian king's eventual attack on Carlo Magno's court.
