Northland Heroes | Page 4

Odin and Saga, drinking together from a golden shell. That shell is the ocean gilded by the glow of morning. Balder, the beautiful king of summer, was seen, the good, kind god. Next was shown the castle of Giltner, the home of peace. Within was Forseti, god of justice, holding the scales. Many more pictures were graven on the great ring, showing the conflict between light and darkness. High in the centre was a cluster of rubies bright as the sun in the heavens. This circlet was a family heirloom, for Frithiof's mother was a descendant of Volund, its maker.
[Illustration: Viking ship]
The third of the family treasures was Ellide, the famous ship, of which this story is told. When Viking was returning from the wars he saw a sailor adrift on the billows. Noble and tall he seemed, borne on the waves as if he were at home on the sea. He wore a mantle of blue bound by a golden girdle. His hair was sea-green and his beard as white as the foam of the ocean.
Viking took him home and cared for him right courteously; but soon he sailed away in his broken boat, thanking Viking warmly for his kindness. "If I could only leave thee a gift!" said he. "Perhaps in the morning the ocean will waft thee a token."
The next day Viking stood on the shore, when, lo! swiftly over the billows came a dragon ship. There was no leader, no sailor, no steersman. The wonderful ship drew near, the sails were furled by unseen hands and the anchor dropped into the firm sand.
Viking was speechless with wonder. Then he heard the winds murmur softly: "Aeger never forgetteth a kindness. He giveth thee this dragon."
Kingly the gift and beautiful. Its throat was ablaze with gold, and bordered with red were its inky black pinions. When they were unfolded, the boat flew in a race with the whirlwind and left far behind the swift eagle. Widely renowned was the ship, the chief of all ships of the Northland.
Of chieftains Frithiof had many around his hearth. One youth whom he greatly loved was Bjorn. Frithiof and Bjorn were of the same age and dear to each other, brothers in joy and grief. In the days of their boyhood they had mingled their blood, thus becoming brothers in good Northern fashion, in peace and in war sworn to help and avenge each other.

King Helge and Frithiof
In the spring Frithiof sailed in his dragon ship proudly over the billows to the palace of King Helge. The kings had met at the mound of their father to give justice to their people.
To them came Frithiof and proudly he spoke: "Ye kings, I choose here from all women your sister, the lovely Ingeborg, to be my bride. The good king, your father, wished us to marry, and therefore reared us together in the garden of Hilding. My father was of peasant birth, yet his memory will live in the songs of the poets, for he and his father were the bravest of heroes.
"Full easily could I win a kingdom for myself, but I choose to stay in my own country and serve ye, my kings.
"On King Bele's grave we are standing now, He hears every word in the grave below, With thee he pleadeth.-- A dead father's counsel a wise son heedeth."
[Illustration: Frithiof asking for Ingeborg]
But King Helge refused Frithiof's words with scorn, saying: "Our sister was not for a peasant born! Kings should strive to win our Ingeborg. Boast not of your strength--women are won by words and not by force. As for my kingdom, I will defend that myself and do not need your help. If you wish to be my man your place is among my servants."
"Thy servant! No, never!" cried Frithiof. "My father had no master, nor shall I. Fly from your silver dwelling to avenge this insult, my good Angurvadel! You, at least, are royal. Were we not at the grave of thy father, O King, here would I teach thee not to come where my sword can reach."
With these words he struck the gold shield of Helge, and it fell in halves with a clang to the ground.
"Well done, my sword! Lie still and dream of great deeds to come! Now will we go home over the foaming billows."
So in anger did the noble Frithiof leave the presence of King Helge, and return to Framness, the house of his fathers.

In the Country of King Ring
Far in the north lived the good King Ring. His words were wise and kind. In his land no war cast its dark shadow and everywhere in his kingdom blossomed fair flowers. Justice and right clasped hands, and peace lived with plenty in the golden fields.
For thirty years King Ring had ruled in