Fridthjofs Saga | Page 7

Fridthjof's worth,
Heroic power
surpassing all royal birth;
And much was said by Thorstein, how
graces cluster
Round Northland's honored monarchs, with Asa-lustre.
"But hold ye fast together, ye children three,
The Northland then your
conqueror shall never see;
For royalty and power, when duly ordered,

Are like a bright shield golden, by blue steel bordered.
"Salute my daughter Ing'borg, the rosebud sweet,
In quiet was she
nurtured, as seemed meet:
Protect her, lest the storm-king, with cruel
power,
Should fasten in his helmet my tender flower.

"I lay on thee, king Helge, a father's care,
Love Ing'borg as a daughter,
the jewel rare!
Restraint galls noble spirits, but gentle manner
Will
lead both man and woman to right and honor.
"But lay us now, ye children, in two mound-graves.
Close where the
blue gulf tosses its ceaseless waves;
Our souls shall then forever
enjoy the ringing
Of dirges which in breaking the waves are singing.
"When the moon's pale beams the mountains and valleys fill, And
midnight's dew is falling on grove and hill;
Then will we sit, O
Thorstein, above our pillows,
And talk about the future, across the
billows.
"And now, farewell, ye children, our work is done;
Unto the Allfather
gladly we hasten on,
Like weary 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