Fridthjofs Saga | Page 6

too;
He stood between the brothers, by contrast
seeming
Like noon 'twixt night and morning, in splendor beaming.
"Ye sons," the king said gently, "my son goes down;
Together rule
the kingdom and take the crown;
For unity is power, and no endeavor,

While lance with ring is circled, its stem can sever.
"Let power stand as sentry on every hand,
And freedom bloom
protected throughout the land:
The sword is for protection, and not
for plunder.
And shields are locks for peasants no foe can sunder.
"How foolish is the ruler his land to oppress,
For the people give the
power which kings possess;
The crown of leafy verdure which decks
the mountain
Will wither if the sunshine dries up the fountain.
"On four gigantic pillars is heaven's throne--
The throne of nations

resteth on law alone!
Destruction waits on judgment; if misdirected;

By right are men ennobled and kings perfected.
"In Disarsal, O Helge, the high gods dwell--
Not pinioned as the snail
is within his shell;
As far as daylight flieth, or thought's swift pinion,

Far as resound the echoes, is gods' dominion.
The offered hawk gives tokens which oft deceive.
Not all runes
monumental can we believe:
But an honest heart, O Helge, of pure
endeavor,
With Odin's runes is written, misleading never.
"Be not severe, king Helge, but firm and staid;
The sword that bites
the sharpest has the limberest blade.
Kings are adorned by mercy, as
shields by flowers,
And spring can more accomplish than winter's
powers.
"A man, however mighty, deprived of friends,
Like tree of bark
denuded, how soon life ends!
But he by friends surrounded, like trees
shall flourish,
Whose crowns, in groves protected, the brooklets
nourish.
"Boast not ancestral wisdom; each man alone
A single bowstring uses,
and that his own;
What matters it to any the worth that's buried?
By
its own waves the current o'er seas is carried.
"A joyous spirit, Halfdan, advantage brings,
But idle talk is needless,
and most, to kings;
Of hops, as well as honey, is mead compounded,

Let sports on vigor, lances on steel, be founded.
"No man has too much wisdom, though learned he be,
And much too
little, many less learned than he;
To fools, though high in station, no
praise is meted,
The wise hy all are honored, though lowly seated.
"The steadfast friend, O Halfdan! of mingled blood,
Lives near
indeed, though distant be his abode;
But to thy foeman's dwelling the

way is weary,--
Though standing by thy pathway, 'tis far and dreary.
"For friend choose not the first one that's so disposed,--
An empty
house stands open, a full one closed;
Choose one, the best, O Halfdan,
nor seek another,
The world soon knows the secrets of three
together."
These words then Thorstein uttered in clearest tone:
"King Bele unto
Odin goes not alone;
We've always stood together, whatever tried us,

And death, now drawing near, shall not divide us.
"Fridthjof, old age hath whispered in my rapt ear
Full many words of
wisdom, which thou must hear.
Birds fly from graves to Odin, with
wisdom freighted,
The words by old men spoken, should not be
slighted.
"First, give the high gods honor; for good or ill,
Storms come as well
as sunshine, by Heaven's will.
The gods perceive the secrets in thy
possession.
And years must make atonement for each transgression.
"Obey the king: most wisely rules one alone,
The eyes of night are
many, day has but one.
The better are contented by best directed,--

The blade must have a handle to be perfected.
Great strength is heaven's dower; but, Fridthjof, learn
That power
devoid of wisdom, can little earn.
Strong bears by one are taken,--one
man of reason;
Set shields to turn the sword stroke, let law stop
treason.
"A few may fear the haughty, whom all despise,
And with the proud
in spirit, destruction lies:
Those once flew high, who're now on
crutches creeping;
The winds rule fortune, weather, time of reaping.
"The day thou'lt rightly prize, whose sun has sunk,
Advice when it is
followed, and ale when drunk.
The hopes of youth on shadows are

often rested,
But strength of sword and friendship, by use are 'tested.
"Trust not the snow of spring-time, nor night-old ice;
The serpent
when he sleepeth, nor girl's advice;
The mind of changeful woman
not long abideth,
And fickleness of spirit, 'neath flower-tints hideth.
"All men will surely perish with all they prize,
But one thing know I,
Fridthjof, which never dies,--
And that is reputation', therefore, ever

The noble action strive for, the good endeavor."
So warned the aged chieftains in the palace hall.
As since the skald
has chanted in Ha'vama'l,
So passed these sayings pithy through
generations;
And still from graves they whisper 'mid northern
nations.
Then many words and heartfelt, these warriors found
To tell their
lasting friendship, so wide renowned.
How friends till death, if
fortune or frowned or slighted.
Like two hands clasped together they
stood united.
"And back to back in battle we held the field,
And which way norns
did threaten, they smote a shield;
Before you now to Valhal we old
men hasten,
And may their fathers' spirit our children's chasten."
The king said much concerning brave