The Boyhood of Frithiof the Bold
_This is the tale the Northmen tell of how Frithiof
the Bold asked for the hand of Ingeborg the Fair._
Once upon a time there lived in Norway a king named Bele, who had
three children. Helge and Halfdan were his sons, and his daughter was
called by the name of Ingeborg.
Now Ingeborg was the fairest of maidens, and had moreover such a fine
wit and understanding that all men said she was the first and best of
the good king's children.
To the west of the settlement in which King Bele lived rose up a great
white temple, hedged around with a lofty wall of wood. This temple was
sacred to Balder the Beautiful; and so much did men honour him in
those days of old, that they made strict laws that within the
enclosure in which his temple stood no man should hold converse with a
woman, nor should any harm be done to man or beast.
On the other side of the inlet on which stood the abode of Bele was a
village ruled by a mighty man of valour named Thorsten. This Thorsten
had a son called Frithiof, who at the time of his birth was bigger and
stronger than all other babes, and grew up not only tall but also bold
and brave of heart; so that men named him Frithiof the Bold.
Now Thorsten was a sea-rover. So he sent his little son to a sturdy
yeoman called Hilding, that he might be brought up by him and taught
all that a Viking ought to know. For the education of a Viking was no
small thing. He might not claim the title till he had lifted the
mighty stone that stood before the door of the king and had borne it
across the pathway. And he had to learn what was meant by the "triple
oath"--that he would not capture woman or child in battle, nor seek
refuge in a tempest, nor wait to bind up his wounds before the fight
was spent.
Now it so happened that, while the children of the king were still
young, their mother died, and the little princess was also placed in
the care of Hilding and his wife. Thus Frithiof and Ingeborg grew up
together, and were more beautiful and brave and clever than all the
other boys and girls of that place.
Thorsten, Frithiof's father, was the king's right hand, and now that
Bele was grown old and feeble he managed most of the affairs of the
kingdom. And Frithiof too was useful to the king, more so, indeed,
than were his own two sons.
Thorsten had a famous swift ship, called _Ellida_, which was rowed by
fifteen men on each side, and each oar required the strength of two
men to pull it; but Frithiof was so strong that he would row two oars
at once.
The king's two sons, Helge and Halfden, differed much from each other
in their appearance and characters, but they were alike in their
jealous dispositions. In particular they grudged Frithiof his growing
renown, and hated him in their hearts for his great strength, which
far exceeded theirs.
At length King Bele fell very sick, and, knowing that he was about to
die, he sent for Thorsten and their three sons and said:
"I know that this sickness will be to my death, and I have called you,
my children, to hear the last counsel of your father.
"My sons, govern the realm in peace, and let force stand sentinel at
the borders. The king is helpless who hath not the confidence and
affection of his people, and the throne is insecure if it rest not on
a foundation of just and equal laws.
"Choose not the forward for your counsellors, but confide, rather, in
the wisdom and valour of one tried friend. Thorsten and I have
faithfully kept friendship's troth in steadfast union, so do ye, in
weal or woe, wend together with Frithiof. If ye three will hold
together as one man, your match shall not be seen through all our
Northland.
"Let my last words be for my beloved Ingeborg. She hath grown lovely
in peace as the rose. Helge, be thou her guardian, and let no
storm-wind scatter those fair petals."
Then Thorsten, in his turn, addressed Frithiof:
"My son, I too must shortly wend to Valhalla, and I rejoice to think
that Odin has bestowed upon thee much strength and courage of heart.
It is good, but remember that strength without wit is soon brought to
naught, even as the bear, who wields in his paw the strength of twelve
men, is laid low by a thrust from the sword of one. Beware of
arrogance, which goes before a fall, and bend before the will of the
king's sons. Above all, will noble deeds and do thou every right."
After this the old men gave directions for their burial, and they
charged their sons to lay them beneath two barrows or mounds, one on
each side of the narrow firth, whose murmurs would ever be sweet music
as they slept, and across whose waves their spirits would hold
converse as of yore.
After the death of Thorsten, Frithiof took his land and ruled in his
stead, with the aid of his two foster-brothers, Björn and Osmund. And
he was now the owner of _Ellida_, the good ship which understood every
word that was spoken to her, as though she were alive; and of two
other heirlooms of priceless value. The first was a sword, Angurvadel
it was named, which tradition said had been forged in Eastern lands by
the dwarfs. Its hilt was of hammered gold, and the blade was covered
with magic runes, which in peace were dull, but which flamed blood-red
when the sword was brandished in war. The other was a marvellous
arm-ring, carved with all the wonders of the heavens.
It had always been the custom of the House of Thorsten to invite the
household of the king each year to a banquet, and so, soon after he
had succeeded to his father's place, Frithiof gave a feast more
magnificent than any that had been given hitherto. For he knew that,
with her two brothers, would come also Ingeborg the Fair, whom he
loved with his whole heart. And while the two young kings sat at the
board with hostile looks and downcast faces, this sweet princess
laughed among her maidens like a sunny day in June. Her hair was as
golden as the butter-cups in the spring meadows, her eyes were blue
like a summer sea, and her face fair as a hawthorn bush when it first
opens its buds of red and white.
But Frithiof was silent in her presence, for he had no words save "I
love thee" in his mind.
After this festival, the two kings turned home again in deeper wrath
than ever, for they saw how all men loved Frithiof and had him in
honour.
But after their departure, Frithiof grew silent and sad of
countenance, and when his foster-brother Björn questioned him as to
the cause he answered: "Sad am I because I love the Princess Ingeborg
with all my heart, and now would I ask for her in marriage. But I am
not of royal birth, and much I fear that my suit will be refused."
"Let us at least make trial," said practical Björn; and so, together
with a band of followers, they set off in the swift dragon-ship
_Ellida_ to the strand where, upon their father's burial mound, the
kings sat in judgment with their people.
Then Frithiof stood forth and in manly words made his request for the
hand of Ingeborg the Fair. But the kings said scornfully:
"Think not that we would give our sister to a peasant's son. She is
for a proud Northland chieftain, not for such as you, though all men
may boast of your wondrous deeds."
"Then," said Frithiof, in slow-gathering wrath, "my errand is soon
finished. Remember, that if this is your final answer, I will never
give you help in trouble, however much you may require it."
"Our kingdom requires not your service," they answered jeeringly, "we
can protect it ourselves. But if you need employment, why, we can give
you a servant's place among our household men."
Then Frithiof reared his great head, saying proudly:
"No man of yours am I, but, as my father was, I am a man for myself.
And now, were it not for the honour I bear to our fathers' graves,
your words would cost you dear. Hereafter come not within range of my
sword."
And as he spoke, with one blow he cleft the golden war shield of Helge
with his good sword, and the two halves fell clashing to the ground.