Fridthjofs Saga | Page 7

rivers longing for sea's caressing;?On you be Thor's and Odin's and Frey's rich blessing."
III
Buried were Bele and Thorstein together, as they had commanded; High rose their grave-mounds on each side the gulf by the blue rolling water, Death having sundered the hearts that in life were so closely united. Helge and Halfdan, by will of the people, took jointly the kingdom Left by their father; but Fridthjof, an only son, heired alone Framness, Took unmolested possession, and settled himself there in quiet.
Stretching around him for twelve miles unbroken his acres extended; Three sides were dale, hill and mountain, the fourth side looked out on the ocean;?Crowned were the hill-tops with forests of birch-wood, but, on their sides sloping,?Golden corn plentiful grew, and like billows the tall rye was waving. Many in number the lakes which their mirrors held up for the mountains; Held them up, too, for the woods in whose thickets the high-horned elks wandered,?Making there kingly roads, drinking from running brooks counted by hundreds. But in the valleys wide, on the smooth greensward were quietly grazing Glossy-skinned herds, which with udders distended now long for the milk-pail. Scattered among them were myriads of white-wooled sheep, constantly moving, Looking like fleecy clouds sailing serenely across the blue heavens, Wafted now hither now thither in crowds by the winds in the spring-time.
Twelve times two coursers, fierce whirlwinds, defiant though fettered, Stood in the rows of stalls, stamping and restless, the meadow-hay chewing, Knotted their long manes with red, and their hoofs were with iron shoes glistening.
Standing apart was the drinking-hall, built of the choicest fir timber; Counting ten twelves to the hundred, not five hundred warriors assembled Filled up the spacious apartment, when all met to drink mead at Yule-time. Down through the middle, from end to end, ran a strong table of stone-oak, Polished with wax and like steel shining; carved on two pillars of elm-wood, Far at one end, Frey and Odin supported the dais of honor,?Odin with lordly look, Frey with the sun for a crest on his bonnet.
'Twixt the two, on a bear-skin (black as a coal was this bear-skin, Scarlet the mouth, while the tips of the claws were with bright silver shining),?Thorstein among his friends sat--hospitality ministering to Gladness.
Oft when the moon in the heavens was riding, the old man related Wonders of foreign lands seen by him when as a viking he journeyed, Far on the waves of the Baltic, the White, and the Northern seas tossing. Mutely the company listened. Fixed were their eyes on the speaker, Even as bees upon roses; the poet was thinking of Brage,*
*(Bra'-gay)
Brage with silver beard flowing, and tongue clothed in wisdom the choicest, Sitting 'neath shadowy birches, telling a story by Mimer's?Unceasingly murmuring fountain, he too a saga unending.?Covered with straw was the floor, and upon a walled hearth in the center, Constantly burned, warm and cheerful, a fire, while down the wide chimney Twinkling stars, heavenly friends, glanced upon guest and hall, quite unforbidden.
Studded with nails were the walls, and upon them were hanging Helmets and coats-of-mail closely together; also between them Here and there flashed down a sword, like a meteor shooting at evening. Brighter than helmet or sword were the sparkling shields ranged round the chamber;?Bright as the time of the sun were they, clear as the moon's disc of silver. Oft as the horns needed filling, there passed round the table a maiden; Modestly blushing she cast down her eyes, her beautiful image Mirrored appeared in the shields, and gladdened the heart of each warrior.
Rich was the house, and the eye of the stranger, whichever way gazing, Rested on cellar well filled, or on pantry or press overflowing. Jewels the rarest, trophies of conquest, gleamed in profusion; Gold carved in runes with great skill, and wonderful things wrought in silver. Chief in this limitless treasure three things were most of all valued.
First of the three was a sword, which from sire and from grandsire descended. Called Angervadil, or grief-wader, sometimes, too, brother of lightning. Far, far away in the East it was forged--so at least says the story-- Tempered in fire by the dwarfs. Bjorn Bluetooth the first one who bore it.
Bjorn lost at once both the sword and his life in a bravely-fought battle, Southward in Groning Sound, where he struggled with Vifil the powerful. Vifil's possessions descended to Viking.
At Woolen-Acre,?Old and infirm, there lived a great king with a beautiful daughter. See, from the depths of the forest there cometh a giant misshapen, Higher in stature than man, a monster ferocious and shaggy, Boldly demanding a hand-to-hand combat, or kingdom and daughter.
No one, however, accepted the challenge, for none had a weapon Able his hard skull to pierce, and therefore they called him the Iron-skull.
Viking, whose winters scarce fifteen had