Northland Heroes
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[Frontispiece: Ingeborg the Fair]
Northland Heroes
By
FLORENCE HOLBROOK
Author of
"The Hiawatha Primer" "A Book of Nature Myths" etc.
LONDON: GEORGE G. HARRAP & CO. LTD.
2 & 3 Portsmouth St. Kingsway WC
AND AT CALCUTTA AND SYDNEY
First published January 1909
by GEORGE G. HARRAP & Co.
2 & 3 Portsmouth Street, Kingsway, London, W.C.2
Reprinted: April 1911; May 1913;
May 1914; October 1919; July 1922
PREFACE
For centuries the songs of Homer, the blind poet of Greece, recounting
the heroic deeds of great Hector and lion-hearted Achilles, have
delighted the children, young and old, of many lands. But part of our
own heritage, and nearer to us in race and time, are these stories of
Beowulf and Frithiof.
The records of lives nobly lived are an inspiration to noble living.
With the hope that the courage, truth, endurance, reverence, and
patriotism shown by these heroes of the Northland will arouse interest
and emulation, this little book is offered to our children.
"The Story of Frithiof" is based upon Holcomb's translation of Bishop
Tegner's poem, "The Saga of Frithiof," and the quotations are used by
the kind permission of Mrs Holcomb and the publishers.
FLORENCE HOLBROOK.
CONTENTS
THE STORY OF FRITHIOF
IN HILDING'S GARDEN
KING BELE AND THORSTEN
FRAMNESS
KING HELGE AND FRITHIOF
IN THE COUNTRY OF KING RING
FRITHIOF'S ANSWER
IN BALDER'S GROVE
THE PARTING
FRITHIOF AND ANGANTYR
THE RETURN
BALDER'S FUNERAL PILE
ON THE SEA
THE VIKING'S CODE
FRITHIOF'S RETURN
KING RING AND THE STRANGER
THE RIDE ON THE ICE
IN THE FOREST
KING RING'S DEATH
THE NEW KING
PRITHIOF AT HIS FATHER'S GRAVE
THE RECONCILIATION
THE STORY OF BEOWULF
THE COMING OF SHEAF
THE YOUNG BEOWULF
THE HARPER'S STORY
BEOWULF AND HIS MEN
THE WARDER OF THE SHORE
BEOWULF RECEIVED BY HROTHGAR
THE CONTEST WITH GRENDEL
THE FEAST OF JOY
GRENDEL'S MOTHER
THE WAY TO THE POOL
BEOWULF IN THE POOL
BEOWULF'S RETURN
HROTHGAR HONOURS BEOWULF
BEOWULF AND HYGELAC
THE DRAGON OF THE MOUNTAIN
BEOWULF GOES AGAINST THE DRAGON
WIGLAF AIDS HIS KING
THE DEATH OF BEOWULF
ILLUSTRATIONS
Ingeborg the Fair . . . . . . . . . _Frontispiece_
King Bele and his sons
Burial mounds
Viking ship
Frithiof asking for Ingeborg
Ingeborg at Balder's temple
Frithiof's song
Into the hall came a man unknown to any there
King Ring's sleigh
The boy on the shield
Ingeborg given to Frithiof
The departure of Beowulf
The landing of Beowulf in Hrothgar's realm
Beowulf presenting his gifts to Hygelac
The dragon
Pronouncing vocabulary of proper names
THE STORY OF FRITHIOF
In Hilding's Garden
So they grew up in joy and glee,
And Frithiof was the young oak tree;
Unfolding in the vale serenely
The rose was Ingeborg the queenly.
In the garden of Hilding, the teacher, were two young children.
Ingeborg was a princess, the daughter of a King of Norway. The boy,
Frithiof, was a viking's son. Their fathers, King Bele and Thorsten,
were good friends, and the children were brought up together in the
home of Hilding, their foster-father and teacher.
Hilding was very fond of them both. He called the boy Frithiof an oak,
for he was straight and strong. The little Ingeborg he called his
rose, she was so rosy and sweet.
All day roaming over field and grove the strong lad cared for the
little maid. If they came to a swift-flowing brook he would carry her
over. When the first spring flowers showed their pretty heads Frithiof
gathered them for Ingeborg. For her he found the red berries and the
golden-cheeked apples.
In the evening they sat at the feet of their kind teacher and together
they learned to read. Often they danced on the sward at twilight, when
they looked like golden-haired elves in a fairy dance.
When Frithiof had grown into a sturdy youth he often hunted in the
forests. He was so strong that he needed neither spear nor lance.
When he met the wild bear they struggled breast to breast. Both bear
and youth fought bravely, but at last Frithiof won. Home he went
gaily, carrying the great bear-skin, which he gave to Ingeborg. She
praised his bravery and strength, for every woman loves courage.
While Frithiof roamed the forest for game, Ingeborg, at the loom, wove
beautiful tapestries. Pictures of sea and grove, blue waters and
waving trees, grew under her deft fingers. Then she wove warriors on
horseback, with their shining shields and their bright red lances.
Soon the face of the leader was seen; 'twas the face of her brave
playmate, Frithiof.
In the long winter evenings around the fire, Ingeborg heard the story
of the gods. The light shining upon her fair face made her lovely as
one of the goddesses. Frithiof thought her hair as golden as Freya's
treasure.
When darkness held the quiet earth
They gathered round the welcome hearth,
And Hilding told them stories old
Of gods and kings and heroes bold.
So Frithiof and the lovely Ingeborg grew to love each other. But when
Hilding saw that the viking's son dared to love the daughter of a king,
he said: "Frithiof, my dear foster-son, in vain are your hopes.
Ingeborg is a king's daughter. Your reason should tell you that you
cannot marry her. Proud is King Bele of his family descended from the
great god Odin. He will have his daughter marry a prince, not a
yeoman. Well do I love you; brave and handsome are you and strong as
any prince, but you must forget your love for Ingeborg."
Then the brave youth smiled and said: "I am free-born, and never will I
yield. I killed the forest chief, and honour is mine for the deed.
All power is noble--Thor who hurls the thunderbolts is noble, although
Odin is king of the gods. So free-born men shall never yield though
kings are on the throne. In Thor's kingdom, where all strength is,
worth is king, not lineage. The sword always speaks with power; never
will I forget Ingeborg, but will fight all the world for her."
The free-born man will never yield,
He owns the world's unconquered field;
Where worth and not descent is leader
The sword is e'er a valiant pleader.
King Bele and Thorsten
The words by an old man spoken should not be slighted
In the great palace stood the old King Bele and his friend, Thorsten
the faithful. Both had lived brave lives and longed for Valhalla, the
home of heroes.
"The evening of life comes over me," said King Bele, "but as death
draws nearer, the glory of heaven seems brighter. I have called our
sons to the throne room, dear friend, to speak words of warning and
help. To-morrow it may be that I shall sleep in death, and it will be
too late."
[Illustration: King Bele and his sons]
Into the throne room came the two princes obedient to their father's
command. Helge, the elder, was dark and gloomy. Halfdan, the younger,
fair and gay, came with untroubled heart, thinking only of games and
hunting.
After these came Frithiof, son of Thorsten, taller and stronger than
the princes. He stood between the brothers, shining in beauty like the
sun.
"Sons of my heart," said the king gently, "my life on earth is ending.
Rule the kingdom together. While you are united no power can destroy
you. Let freedom bloom through all the land, and use your power, O
Helge, as a shield for your people.
"The power the king possesses comes from the people, and foolish is the
ruler who is cruel and hears not their cry. The great and good king is
merciful, and kindness can do more than cruelty. Boast not of the
greatness of your ancestors. Each man uses but one bowstring, and that
is his own. Who cares for the worth that is buried? The good man is
true to his own heart, and thus makes himself great.
"A joyous spirit is yours, O Halfdan, and it is good. But idle talk is
needless and weakens kings. Hold fast to your friend and choose the
best, but do not give your love and faith to all men. Fools win no
praise though they be kings, but the wise are loved and honoured by all
men, no matter how lowly they may be."
Then Thorsten spake: "Not alone, O Bele, shall you go to Odin. Always
have we stood together, and death shall not divide us.
"Hear me, my son, my Frithiof, and slight not the words of the old.
"First, give the gods high honour, for good or ill,
Storms come as well as sunshine, by Heaven's will.
Great strength is Heaven's dower; but, Frithiof, learn
That power devoid of wisdom, can little earn.
"Obey your king. One must be king, and others are happiest when
obeying wise directions. The shields of brave men are the best
protection for a country against the swords of an enemy, and law is the
best defence against treason. Young men should listen to advice and
should test the strength of friendship by use.
"All men will surely perish, with all they prize,
But one thing know I, Frithiof, which never dies,--
And that is reputation! therefore, ever
The noble action strive for, the good endeavour."
It was pleasant to hear Bele and Thorsten talk of their lives together.
Much they told of the wonderful adventures of their youth, when they
travelled to strange lands in their swift-moving boats. They had been
friends through good fortune and ill, with hands clasped together and
hearts united. In battle they had stood back to back, facing their
enemies. If one was threatened by an enemy, the other was on guard and
defended his friend.
The king spoke much of the bravery of Frithiof, and said that his
heroic power was better than all royal birth. Thorsten in return
praised the gifts of Helge and Halfdan. Thus did they give an example
of friendship between a king and his man. With the memory of their
long friendship King Bele urged his sons and Frithiof to be friends too.
"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."
Then again spoke Bele: "These are my last commands. On you, O Helge,
my eldest son, I place a father's care. Guard and love your sister
Ingeborg. Be gentle and guide her with loving words. Noble spirits
fret under harshness, but loving and gentle manners win all to right
and honour.
"And now, farewell, my children. Together Thorsten and I go to the
All-father gladly. Lay us in mounds close to the waves of the restless
gulf singing the song of the sea."
[Illustration: Burial mounds]
Framness
So the old king and his faithful friend were united in death as they
had been in life, and were buried on the shore of the loud-singing sea.
Together by the wish of the people did his sons, Helge and Halfdan,
rule the kingdom.
Frithiof, the son of Thorsten, went to his father's hall, the mighty
Framness. For twelve miles in all directions stretched his broad
acres. The hilltops were covered with birch forests. On the sloping
sides grew the golden corn and the tall rye. Many blue lakes gleamed
like mirrors. Streams rippled over the pebbly beds. In the wide
valleys herds of oxen and sheep were quietly grazing, and in the
stables were twenty-four steeds swift as the whirlwind.
In the great hall built of choicest fir more than five hundred warriors
gathered at Yule-time. A great table of oak, polished and shining, ran
through the middle from end to end. The floor was covered with straw,
and on the hearth in the centre of the hall a warm and cheerful fire
was always burning.
On the great nails in the hall hung helmets and coats-of-mail. Between
them flashed swords and sparkling shields. Round the table sat the
warriors, and as often as the drinking-horn needed filling fair maidens
came with the joyous mead.
All this and other vast treasures did Frithiof receive from
his father,
Scarce was there found in the Northland any with richer
possessions,
Save were he heir to a kingdom, for of kings is the wealth
always greatest.
Though from no king he descended, yet was his mind
truly royal,
Courteous, noble, and kind. Daily became he more famous.
Rich was the house of Framness. Everywhere plenty and beauty, gleaming
jewels, gold and silver, met the eye of the stranger. But three things
in Framness were most prized by Frithiof and his brave men. First of
the three was a sword which had descended from father to son. The
sword was called Angurvadel, grief-wader, and brother of lightning.
Made in the far east, it had finally come into the hands of Viking, the
father of Thorsten.
When Viking was a youth of fifteen he heard of a monster ferocious and
shaggy, misshapen and higher in stature than man, who came from the
wood to the palace of a weak old king. This king had a lovely
daughter, and the monster boldly demanded her hand and the kingdom,
offering to meet in hand-to-hand combat any who would say him nay. No
one dared to meet him, for no one had a weapon that could pierce his
hard skull.
Then came Viking gladly to the combat with Ironskull, and with one blow
of his good sword Angurvadel cleft the head of the monster and rescued
the maiden. Viking gave the sword to his son Thorsten, and Thorsten
gave it to Frithiof. The hilt was of hammered gold, covered with
mystic red letters. Whenever he drew the sword light filled the hall,
as when the northern lights gleam or the bright lightning flashes.
Lost was the warrior
Who met, on the field of encounter, the blade with its red
letters glowing.
Widely renowned was that sword, and of swords was the
chief in the Northland.
The second prize in Framness was the wonderful arm-ring forged by
Volund, the lame blacksmith. This ring was made of gold and was very
heavy, and upon it Volund had carved pictures. First he showed the
house of the gods, with twelve high castles. In one was the sun rising
over the ocean. In the second castle were 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 the Northland. The people
loved him well and named him in their evening prayers. His good queen
had died, and long had he mourned for her. But the people begged him
to marry again.
At last the old king said: "King Bele often visited me and spake of his
fair daughter. Her would I choose for my bride. Take gold and jewels
rare from my coffers. Have minstrels go and with their songs win for
me the fair Ingeborg."
In gay company they went to Helge's court and asked him for his sister
Ingeborg. Here they remained three days, singing and feasting. On the
fourth morning they asked for a reply from King Helge for their king.
[Illustration: Ingeborg at Balder's Temple]
In the grove of Balder Helge offered bird and beast and asked the
priest what answer he should give. The priest, frightened by evil
omens, replied that Ingeborg must not be given to King Ring. Then
Helge said nay to the messengers, for men must obey when the gods have
spoken.
Angry were the messengers, and angry was King Ring when he was told
that Helge would not give the lovely Ingeborg to be his queen. He
struck his bright shield and seized his warlike weapons.
Over the sea many a dragon ship came hurrying and the plumes of the
warriors waved in the breeze.
"Let us teach the proud Helge a lesson," they cried.
When King Helge heard of the ships and the warriors hurrying over the
sea, he said: "Long and bloody will be the strife, for King Ring is a
mighty king. To protect my sister we must place her in the temple of
Balder the holy."
Frithiof's Answer
While King Helge gathered his warriors to fight King Ring, the angry
Frithiof was playing chess with his friend Bjorn. Hilding urged him to
forget his anger and go into battle to fight for his king and his
country. "The times are evil, dear foster-son," said the good Hilding,
"and you are all the people's hope."
Kindly but firmly said the youth: "My resolve is firm. I will not obey
Helge. He and Halfdan may be angry and threaten. They are kings, but
I bid defiance to their power and their threats."
Then said Hilding sadly: "Is this the reply to my pleading?"
Frithiof then arises, laying
Hilding's hand in his, and saying:
"My resolve is firm and steady,
And my answer you have heard.
"Go to Bele's sons and warn them
Peasants love not those who scorn them;
To their power I bid defiance,
Their behests will not obey."
"In thy chosen way abide thee,
For thy wrath I cannot chide thee;
Odin must be our reliance,"
Hilding said, and went his way.
In Balder's Grove
While King Bele's sons were preparing for war with King Ring, Frithiof
sought Ingeborg in the grove of Balder. Most beautiful was this temple
of the sun-god, and here the sunshine seemed lovelier than in other
groves. The flowers glowed in the friendly rays and seemed more
beautiful. At night, when evening drew the rosy curtain, the brooks
and breezes whispered softly to one another and the stars gleamed like
pearls upon the dark blue robe of night.
The wonderful boat, _Ellide_, sped over the waves sparkling in the
moonlight. "Glide on, _Ellide_, over the deep gulf and bear me swiftly
to the grove of Balder. I hail thee, moon, with thy pale light
streaming over grove and dale. Upon the shore I leap with joy and
salute thy brown cheek, smiling earth."
So spake Frithiof as he landed on the shore. The earth seemed
friendly, the red and white flowers smiled upon him, and he was happy
and free from care. With Ingeborg the brave youth knelt at the shrine
of Balder, the mild, radiant god of the sun whom all gods and men love,
and prayed for happiness and peace. They prayed not for princely
honours, but for a home near the dark blue sea. Then, amid flowers and
under the shade of the leafy trees, their lives would be happy and free
from envy and care.
But they feared the king, the cold and cruel Helge. He would never
consent to Frithiof's request for the hand of Ingeborg. If he learned
that Frithiof had dared to visit Ingeborg in Balder's grove, his anger
would be greater than ever. But Ingeborg begged Frithiof to go to her
brother and to offer his hand in friendship. She could not leave the
grove of Balder, where Helge had placed her for protection during the
war with King Ring.
At last Frithiof yielded. He said farewell to Ingeborg with sadness in
his heart.
"Like Balder are you, Ingeborg! Like him your hair is golden, and your
eyes are blue as his skies, while your soul is as pure as the morning
light!"
The Parting
A meeting of all the warriors had been called by King Helge. They were
to gather at the mound of Bele to decide upon the war and upon the fate
of Ingeborg.
The princess had urged Frithiof to go and offer his hand to the haughty
king and join him in battle. It had been very hard for Frithiof to
consent, for he felt that Helge would not receive him kindly. Now in
Balder's grove Ingeborg waited to hear how her lover had fared. Sad
was she, for she feared her haughty brother, and she knew he would be
angry because Frithiof and she had met in the temple of the great god
Balder without his consent. Bravely, however, she resolved to meet her
fate, and when she saw Frithiof returning with angry look she cried:
"Tell me, Frithiof, for I have foreseen the worst and am prepared for
all."
Then Frithiof spake: "To the council at Bele's mound I went. There,
gathered ring after ring, sat the great chiefs of Helge's kingdom.
Upon the judgment seat sat your brother, dark fate upon his brow. Near
by was Halfdan, careless and like a child. To the king I spake: 'Thy
kingdom is in peril and every strong arm is needed in the war. Give me
thy sister and I will lend to thee mine arm. Let us forget ill-will.
Here is my hand.'
"Loud cheered the throng. A thousand swords struck upon a thousand
shields and the freemen cried: 'To him give Ingeborg! Strong his sword
and well he deserves our fair lily.'
"Hilding spoke words of peace and wisdom, and Halfdan rose with
pleading looks and words. But all in vain. King Helge replied:--
"'A peasant's son might gain my sister, but he who profanes a holy
temple seems unfit for Bele's daughter. Say, Frithiof, have you not
stolen into Balder's temple, against our laws, to see my sister? Speak
yes or no.'
"'Say no!' shouted the brave men; 'we believe thee, son of Thorsten.
Say no, and Ingeborg is thine!'
"Fear not, O Helge,' I replied; 'I would not lie to gain the joy of
heaven, and I shall not now to gain thy sister. I have seen Ingeborg
in Balder's temple, but the laws I have not broken.'