CHAPTER VI. FRITHIOF SAILS FOR THE ORKNEYS.

  SO when Frithiof and his men were come out of the Sognfirth there fell on them great wind and storm, and an exceeding heavy sea: but the ship drave on swiftly, for sharp built she was, and the best to breast the sea. So now Frithiof sang:

  “Oft let I swim from Sogn

  My tarred ship sooty-sided,

  When maids sat o’er the mead-horn

  Amidst of Baldur’s Meadows;

  Now while the storm is wailing

  Farewell I bid you maidens,

  Still shall ye love us, sweet ones,

  Though Ellidi the sea fill.”

  Said Biorn: “Thou mightest well find other work to do than singing songs over the maids of Baldur’s Meadows.”

  “Of such work shall I not speedily run dry, though,” said Frithiof. Then they bore up north to the sounds nigh those isles that are called Solundir, and therewith was the gale at its hardest.

  Then sang Frithiof:

  “Now is the sea a-swelling,

  And sweepeth the rack onward;

  Spells of old days cast o’er us

  Make ocean all unquiet;

  No more shall we be striving

  Mid storm with wash of billows,

  But Solundir shall shelter

  Our ship with ice-beat rock-walls.”

  So they lay to under the lee of the isles hight Solundir, and were minded to abide there; but straightway thereon the wind fell: then they turned away from under the lee of the islands, and now their voyage seemed hopeful to them, because the wind was fair awhile: but soon it began to freshen again.

  Then sang Frithiof:

  “In days foredone

  From Foreness strana

  I rowed to meet

  Maid Ingibiorg;

  But now I sail

  Through chilly storm

  And wide away

  My long-worm driveth.”

  And now when they were come far out into the main, once more the sea waxed wondrous troubled, and a storm arose with so great drift of snow, that none might see the stem from the stern; and they shipped seas, so that they must be ever a-baling. So Frithiof sang:

  “The salt waves see we nought

  As seaward drive we ever

  Before the witch-wrought weather,

  We well-famed kings’-defenders:

  Here are we all a-standing,

  With all Solundir hull-down,

  Eighteen brave lads a-baling

  Black Ellidi to bring home.”

  Said Biorn: “Needs must he who fareth far fall in with diverse hap.” “Yea, certes, foster-brother,” said Frithiof. And he sang withal:

  “Helgi it is that helpeth

  The white-head billows’ waxing;

  Cold time unlike the kissing

  In the close of Baldur’s Meadow!

  So is the hate of Helgi

  To that heart’s love she giveth.

  O would that here I held her,

  Gift high above all giving!”

  “Maybe,” said Biorn, “she is looking higher than thou now art: what matter when all is said?”

  “Well,” says Frithiof, “now is the time to show ourselves to be men of avail, though blither tide it was at Baldur’s Meadows.”

  So they turned to in manly wise, for there were the bravest of men come together in the best ship of the Northlands. But Frithiof sang a stave:

  “So come in the West-sea,

  Nought see I the billows,

  The sea-water seemeth As sweeping of wild-fire.

  Topple the rollers,

  Toss the hills swan-white,

  Ellidi wallows

  O’er steep of the wave-hills.”

  Then they shipped a huge sea, so that all stood a-baling. But Frithiof sang:

  “With love-moved mouth the maiden

  Me pledgeth though I founder.

  Ah! bright sheets lay a-bleaching,

  East there on brents the swan loves.”

  Biorn said: “Art thou of mind belike that the maids of Sogn will weep many tears over thee?”

  Said Frithiof: “Surely that was in my mind.”

  Therewith so great a sea broke over the bows, that the water came in like the in-falling of a river; but it availed them much that the ship was so good, and the crew aboard her so hardy.

  Now sang Biorn:

  “No widow, methinks,

  To thee or me drinks:

  No ring-bearer fair

  Biddeth draw near;

  Salt are our eyne

  Soaked in the brine;

  Strong our arms are no more,

  And our eyelids smart sore.”

  Quoth Asmund: “Small harm though your arms be tried somewhat, for no pity we had from you when we rubbed our eyes whenas ye must needs rise early a-mornings to go to Baldur’s Meadows.”

  “Well,” said Frithiof, “why singest thou not, Asmund?”

  “Not I,” said Asmund; yet sang a ditty straightway:

  “Sharp work about the sail was

  When o’er the ship seas tumbled,

  And there was I a-working

  Within-board ‘gainst eight balers;

  Better it was to bower,

  Bringing the women breakfast,

  Than here to be ‘mid billows

  Black Ellidi a-baling.”

  “Thou accountest thy help of no less worth than it is?” said Frithiof, laughing therewith; “but sure it showeth the thrall’s blood in thee that thou wouldst fain be awaiting at table.”

  Now it blew harder and harder yet, so that to those who were aboard liker to huge peaks and mountains than to waves seemed the sea-breakers that crashed on all sides against the ship.

  Then Frithiof sang:

  “On bolster I sat

  In Baldur’s Mead erst,

  And all songs that I could

  To the king’s daughter sang;

  Now on Ran’s bed belike

  Must I soon be a-lying,

  And another shall be

  By Ingibiorg’s side.”

  Biorn said: “Great fear lieth ahead of us, fosterbrother, and now dread hath crept into thy words, which is ill with such a good man as thou.”

  Says Frithiof: “Neither fear nor fainting is it, though I sing now of those our merry journeys; yet perchance more hath been said of them than need was: but most men would think death surer than life, if they were so bested as we be.”

  “Yet shall I answer thee somewhat,” said Biorn, and sang:

  “Yet one gain have I gotten

  Thou gatst not ‘mid thy fortune,

  For meet play did I make me

  With Ingibiorg’s eight maidens;

  Red rings we laid together

  Aright in Baldur’s Meadow,

  When far off was the warder

  Of the wide land ofHalf dan.”

  “Well,” said he, “we must be content with things as they are, foster-brother.”

  Therewith so great a sea smote them, that the bulwark was broken and both the sheets, and four men were washed overboard and all lost.

  Then sang Frithiof:

  “Both sheets are bursten

  Amid the great billows,

  Four swains are sunk In the fathomless sea.”

  “Now, meseems,” said Frithiof, “it may well be that some of us will go to the house of Ran, nor shall we deem us well sped if we come not thither in glorious array; wherefore it seems good to me that each man of us here should have somewhat of gold on him.”

  Then he smote asunder the ring, Ingibiorg’s gift, and shared it between all his men, and sang a stave withal:

  “The red ring here I hew me

  Once owned of Halfdan’s father,

  The wealthy lord of erewhile,

  Or the sea waves undo us,

  So on the guests shall gold be,

  If we have need of guesting;

  Meet so for mighty men-folk

  Amid Ran’s hall to hold them.”

  “Not all so sure is it that we come there,” said Biorn; “and yet it may well be so.”

  Now Frithiof and his folk found that the ship had great way on her, and they knew not what lay ahead, for all was mirk on either board, so that none might see the stem or stern from amidships; and therewith was there great drift of spray amid the furious wind, and frost, and snow, and deadly cold.

  Now Frithiof went up to the masthead, and when he came down he said to his fellows: “A sight exceeding wondrous have I seen, for a great whale went in a ring about the ship, and I misdoubt me that we come nigh to some land, and that he is keeping the shore against us; for certes King Helgi has dealt with us in no friendly wise, neither will this his messenger be friendly. Moreover I saw two women on the back of the whale, and they it is who will have brought this great storm on us with the worst of spells and witchcraft; but now we shall try which may prevail, my fortune or their devilry, so steer ye at your straightest, and I will smite these evil things with beams.”

  Therewith he sang a stave:

  “See I troll women

  Twain on the billows,

  E’en they whom Helgi

  Hither hath sent.

  Ellidi now

  Or ever her way stop

  Shall smite the backs

  Of these asunder.”

  So tells the tale that this wonder went with the good ship Ellidi, that she knew the speech of man.

  But Biorn said: “Now may we see the treason of those brethren against us.” Therewith he took the tiller, but Frithiof caught up a forked beam, and ran into the prow, and sang a stave:

  “Ellidi, hail!

  Leap high o’er the billows!

  Break of the troll wives

  Brow or teeth now!

  Break cheek or jaw

  Of the cursed woman,

  One foot or twain

  Of the ogress filthy?”

  Therewith he drave his fork at one of the skinchangers, and the beak of Ellidi smote the other on the back, and the backs of both were broken; but the whale took the deep, and gat him gone, and they never saw him after.

  Then the wind fell, but the ship lay waterlogged; so Frithiof called out to his men, and bade bale out the ship, but Biorn said:

  “No need to work now, verily!”

  “Be thou not afeard, foster-brother,” said Frithiof, “ever was it the wont of good men of old time to be helpful while they might, whatsoever should come after.” And therewith he sang a stave:

  “No need, fair fellows,

  To fear the death-day;

  Rather be glad,

  Good men of mine:

  For if dreams wot aught

  All nights they say

  I yet shall have

  My Ingibiorg.”

  Then they baled out the ship; and they were now come nigh unto land; but there was yet a flaw of wind in their teeth. So then did Frithiof take the two bow oars again, and rowed full mightily. Therewith the weather brightened, and they saw that they were come out to Effia Sound, and so there they made land.

  The crew were exceeding weary; but so stout a man was Frithiof that he bore eight men a-land over the foreshore, but Biorn bore two, and Asmund one. Then sang Frithiof:

  “Fast bare I up

  To the fire-lit house

  My men all dazed

  With the drift of the storm:

  And the sail moreover

  To the sand I carried .

  With the might of the sea

  Is there no more to do.”

  CHAPTER VII. FRITHIOF AT THE ORKNEYS.

  NOW Earl Angantyr was at Effia whenas Frithiof and his folk came a-land there. But his way it was, when he was sitting at the drink, that one of his men should sit at the watch-window, looking weatherward from the drinking hall, and keep watch there. From a great horn drank he ever: and still as one was emptied another was filled for him. And he who held the watch when Frithiof came a-land was called Hallward; and now he saw where Frithiof and his men went, and sang a stave:

  “Men see I a-baling

  Amid the storm’s might;

  Six bale on Ellidi

  Seven are a-rowing;

  Like is he in the stem,

  Straining hard at the oars,

  To Frithiof the bold,

  The brisk in the battle”

  So when he had drunk out the horn, he cast it in through the window, and spake to the woman who gave him drink:

  “Take up from the floor,

  O fair-going woman,

  The horn cast adown

  Drunk out to the end!

  I behold men at sea

  Who, storm-beaten, shall need

  Help at our hands

  Ere the haven they make.”

  Now the Earl heard what Hallward sang; so he asked for tidings, and Hallward said: “Men are come a-land here, much forewearied, yet brave lads belike: but one of them is so hardy that he beareth the others ashore.”

  Then said the Earl, “Go ye, and meet them, and welcome them in seemly wise; if this be Frithiof, the son of Hersir Thorstein, my friend, he is a man famed far and wide for all prowess.”

  Then there took up the word a man named Atli, a great viking, and he spake: “Now shall that be proven which is told of, that Frithiof hath sworn never to be first in the craving of peace.”

  There were ten men in company with him, all evil and outrageous, who often wrought berserksgang.

  So when they met Frithiof they took to their weapons.

  But Atli said:

  “Good to turn hither, Frithiof! Clutching ernes should claw; and we no less, Frithiof! Yea, and now may’st thou hold to thy word, and not crave first for peace.”

  So Frithiof turned to meet them, and sang a stave:

  “Nay, nay, in nought

  Now shall ye cow us.

  Blenching hearts

  Isle-abiders!

  Alone with you ten

  The fight will I try,

  Rather than pray

  For peace at your hands!”

  Then came Hallward thereto, and spake:”The Earl wills that ye all be made welcome here: neither shall any set on you.”

  Frithiof said he would take that with a good heart; howsoever he was ready for either peace or war.

  So thereon they went to the Earl, and he made Frithiof and all his men right welcome, and they abode with him, in great honour holden, through the wintertide; and oft would the Earl ask of their voyage: so Biorn sang:

  “There baled we, wight fellows,

  Washed over and over

  On both boards

  By billows;

  For ten days we baled there,

  And eight thereunto.”

  The Earl said: “Well nigh did the king undo you; it is ill seen of such-like kings as are meet for nought but to overcome men by wizardry. But now I wot,” says Angantyr, “of thine errand hither, Frithiof, that thou art sent after the scat: whereto I give thee a speedy answer, that never shall King Helgi get scat of me, but to thee will I give money, even as much as thou wilt; and thou mayest call it scat if thou hast a mind to, or whatso else thou wilt.”

  So Frithiof said that he would take the money.

  CHAPTER VIII. KING RING WEDDETH INGIBIORG.

  NOW shall it be told of what came to pass in Norway the while Frithiof was away: for those brethren let burn up all the stead at Foreness. Moreover, while the weird sisters were at their spells they tumbled down from off their high witch-mount, and brake both their backs.

  That autumn came King Ring north to Sogn to his wedding, and there at a noble feast drank his bridal with Ingibiorg.

  “Whence came that goodly ring which thou hast on thine arm?” said King Ring to Ingibiorg.

  She said her father had owned it, but he answered and said:

  “Nay, for Frithiof’s gift it is: so take it off thine arm straightway; for no gold shalt thou lack whenas thou comest to Elfhome.”

  So she gave the ring to King Helgi’s wife, and bade her give it to Frithiof when he came back.

  Then King Ring wended home with his wife, and loved her with exceeding great love.

  CHAPTER IX. FRITHIOF BRINGS THE TRIBUTE TO THE KINGS.

  THE spring after these things Frithiof departed from the Orkneys and Earl Angantyr in all good liking; and Hallward went with Frithiof.

  But when they came to Norway they heard tell of the burning of Frithiof’s stead.

  So when he was gotten to Foreness, Frithiof said: “Black is my house waxen now; no friends have been at work here.” And he sang withal:

  “Frank and free,

  With my father dead,

  In Foreness old

  We drank aforetime.

  Now my abode

  Behold I burned;

  For many ill deeds

  The kings must Ipay.”

  Then he sought rede of his men what was to be done; but they bade him look to it: then he said that the scat must first be paid out of hand. So they rowed over the Firth to Sowstrand; and there they heard that the kings were gone to Baldur’s Meads to sacrifice to the gods; so Frithiof and Biorn went up thither, and bade Hallward and Asmund break up meanwhile all ships, both great and small, that were anigh; and they did so. Then went Frithiof and his fellow to the door at Baldur’s Meads, and Frithiof would go in. Biorn bade him fare warily, since he must needs go in alone; but Frithiof charged him to abide without, and keep watch; and he sang a stave:

  “All alone go I

  Unto the stead;No folk I need

  For the finding of kings;

  But cast ye the fire

  Oer the kings’ dwelling,

  If I come not again

  In the cool of the even.”

  “Ah,” said Biorn, “a goodly singing!”

  Then went Frithiof in, and saw but few folk in the Hall of the Goddesses; there were the kings at their blood-offering, sitting a-drinking; a fire was there on the floor, and the wives of the kings sat thereby, a-warming the gods, while others anointed them, and wiped them with napkins.

  So Frithiof went up to King Helgi and said: “Have here thy scat!”

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 500 501 502 503 504 505 506 507 508 509 510 511 512 513 514 515 516 517 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 525 526 527 528 529 530 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 540 541 542 543 544 545 546 547 548 549 550 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 561 562 563 564 565 566 567 568 569 570 571 572 573 574 575 576 577 578 579 580 581 582 583 584 585 586 587 588 589 590 591 592 593 594 595 596 597 598 599 600 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 619 620 621 622 623 624 625 626 627 628 629 630 631 632 633 634 635 636 637 638 639 640 641 642 643 644 645 646 647 648 649 650 651 652 653 654 655 656 657 658 659 660 661 662 663 664 665 666 667 668 669 670 671 672 673 674 675 676 677 678 679 680 681 682 683 684 685 686 687 688 689 690 691 692 693 694 695 696 697 698 699 700 701 702 703 704 705 706 707 708 709 710 711 712 713 714 715 716 717 718 719 720 721 722 723 724 725 726 727 728 729 730 731 732 733 734 735 736 737 738 739 740 741 742 743 744 745 746 747 748 749 750 751 752 753 754 755 756 757 758 759 760 761 762 763 764 765 766 767 768 769 770 771 772 773 774 775 776 777 778 779 780 781 782 783 784 785 786 787 788 789 790 791 792 793 794 795 796 797 798 799 800 801 802 803 804 805 806 807 808 809 810 811 812 813 814 815 816 817 818 819 820 821 822 823 824 825 826 827 828 829 830 831 832 833 834 835