Now Earl Angantyr was at Effia whenas Frithiof and his folk came a-land
there. But his way it was, when he was sitting at the drink, that one
of his men should sit at the watch-window, looking weatherward from the
drinking hall, and keep watch there. From a great horn drank he ever:
and still as one was emptied another was filled for him. And he who held
the watch when Frithiof came a-land was called Hallward; and now he saw
where Frithiof and his men went, and sang a stave:
“Men see I a-baling
Amid the storm's might;
Six bale on Ellidi
Seven are a-rowing;
Like is he in the stem,
Straining hard at the oars,
To Frithiof the bold,
The brisk in the battle.”
So when he had drunk out the horn, he cast it in through the window, and
spake to the woman who gave him drink:
“Take up from the floor,
O fair-going woman,
The horn cast adown
Drunk out to the end!
I behold men at sea
Who, storm-beaten, shall need
Help at our hands
Ere the haven they make.”
Now the Earl heard what Hallward sang; so he asked for tidings, and
Hallward said: “Men are come a-land here, much forewearied, yet brave
lads belike: but one of them is so hardy that he beareth the others.
ashore.”
Then said the Earl, “Go ye, and meet them, and welcome them in seemly
wise; if this be Frithiof, the son of Hersir Thorstein, my friend, he is
a man famed far and wide for all prowess.”
Then there took up the word a man named Atli, a great viking, and he
spake: “Now shall that be proven which is told of, that Frithiof hath
sworn never to be first in the craving of peace.”
There were ten men in company with him, all evil and outrageous, who
often wrought berserksgang.
So when they met Frithiof they took to their weapons.
But Atli said:
“Good to turn hither, Frithiof! Clutching ernes should claw; and we no
less, Frithiof! Yea, and now may'st thou hold to thy word, and not crave
first for peace.”
So Frithiof turned to meet them, and sang a stave:
“Nay, nay, in nought
Now shall ye cow us.
Blenching hearts
Isle-abiders!
Alone with you ten
The fight will I try,
Rather than pray
For peace at your hands.”
Then came Hallward thereto, and spake: “The Earl wills that ye all be
made welcome here: neither shall any set on you.”
Frithiof said he would take that with a good heart; howsoever he was
ready for either peace or war.
So thereon they went to the Earl, and he made Frithiof and all his men
right welcome, and they abode with him, in great honour holden, through
the wintertide; and oft would the Earl ask of their voyage: so Biorn
sang:
“There baled we, wight fellows,
Washed over and over
On both boards
By billows;
For ten days we baled there,
And eight thereunto.”
The Earl said: “Well nigh did the king undo you; it is ill seen of
such-like kings as are meet for nought but to overcome men by wizardry.
But now I wot,” says Angantyr, “of thine errand hither, Frithiof, that
thou art sent after the scat: whereto I give thee a speedy answer, that
never shall King Helgi get scat of me, but to thee will I give money,
even as much as thou wilt; and thou mayest call it scat if thou hast a
mind to, or whatso else thou wilt.”
So Frithiof said that he would take the money.