Legends and Myths about
31 x Great-Grandfather of Wallace Joseph Jenkins
From "Children's Stories from the Northern Legends" by Dorothy Belgrave and Hilda Hart, 1916.
Frithiof and Ingeborg
In the
north country of Sognland there once stood a great white temple
dedicated to the god Baldur the Beloved. The strip of meadowland upon
which the temple had been built jutted out into the sea and was known
as Baldur's Mead. Eastward of the Mead stretched the realm of Bele,
King of Sognland, and to the west lay a fertile piece of land
belonging to a brave warrior named Thorsten. King Bele and Thorsten
had always felt great esteem and affection for each other, and they
were both very anxious that their children should follow their
example and live in a state of peace and friendship.
The King
had two sons called Helge and Halfdan, and one daughter, Ingeborg,
who was very beautiful.
Now as the
Queen died when Ingeborg was an infant, the little princess was sent
to the home of a worthy yeoman, named Hilding, and his wife, who were
chosen as her foster-parents because of their good sense and many
other virtues.
Strange to
say, Thorsten's wife died at the same time as the Queen, leaving her
husband with one sturdy little son, called Frithiof.
As Thorsten
was a Viking, and spent many months in the year upon the sea, he felt
that it would be difficult to bring up his son at home, so he
entrusted the yeoman Hilding with the care of Frithiof, knowing that
the boy would be in good hands.
Thus
Ingeborg and Frithiof lived under the same roof, although she was a
King's daugter and he but a Viking's son. Frithiof was stronger and
more courageous than any other youth in Sognland, so he was known as
"Frithiof the Bold." Ingeborg was the fairest and wisest of
all the maidens in the land, and people spoke lovingly of her as
"Ingeborg the Fair."
By degrees
their childish affection for each other grew deeper and more intense,
and when the time came for Ingeborg to return to her father's castle,
Frithiof longed to declare his love for her openly. But Hilding, who
had noticed with dismay the signs of devotion between his foster-children,
tried to put an end to Frithiof's hopes and longings.
"King
Bele will accept no suitor for his daughter unless he be of royal
blood," the old man declared; but Frithiof answered that, sooner
or later, he would prove himself as worthy of Ingeborg as any King's
son in the land.
Now King
Bele was very old, and feeling that his end was approaching, he
summoned the chiefs of his kingdom before Baldur's Temple. "My
two sons must now reign in my place," he cried, and turning to
Helge and Halfdan, he added solemnly -
"Govern
wisely, and be sure to live in friendship with Frithiof, for whom I
have great regard."
The people
cheered Helge and Halfdan somewhat half-heartedly. They did not love
the sons of King Bele, for Helge was of a stubborn and gloomy
disposition and Halfdan's nature was weak and pleasure-loving. There
were murmurs among the crowd that Frithiof, the son of Thorsten,
would make a better ruler, and indeed, as Frithiof stood there, head
and shoulders above most of the people, he looked far more kingly
than either Helge or Halfdan.
Unfortunately,
King Bele's sons happened to overhear the discontented whispers of
their subjects, and as they had never really liked Frithiof before,
you may be sure they were not disposed to love him better now.
That night
King Bele died peacefully, and his old friend Thorsten, who had long
been ailing, lingered but a few hours after him, so the next day
Helge and Halfdan were crowned Kings of Sognland, and Frithiof
returned to his home across the bay.
Although
Thorsten had no kingdom for his son to inherit, he was able to leave
him two valuable treasures.
The first
was a sword called Angurvadel, which never failed to inflict fatal
wounds, and the second was "Ellida," a great ship built in
the shape of a dragon, which could withstand the most turbulent seas.
Also, among Thorsten's jewels was a beautiful golden arm-ring, said
to have been forged by Wayland the Smith, and Frithiof put it away
carefully in the hope that he might offer it one day to Ingeborg as a
betrothal gift.
Yet in
spite of these new treasures Frithiof's thoughts were always across
the bay with Ingeborg, and at last, feeling that he could bear the
separation from her no longer, he determined to put his fate to the
test. One day when Helge and Halfdan were hearing petitions outside
the temple, Frithiof rowed across the bay which divided his land from
Baldur's Mead, and boldly presented himself before the two Kings.
"I
know that I am not of royal blood," he cried, "but your
father loved me. Give me the hand of Ingeborg the Fair, and I will
serve you for ever. I will help to guard your kingdom against
invasion as my father Thorsten aided King Bele in the past."
Halfdan
stared at Frithiof in astonishment, but Helge answered quickly in a
scornful tone -
"What!
Give our sister to a peasant's son! Your arrogance is beyond belief,
Frithiof. You can have a place at Court, if you will, as our vassal,
not as our brother, but as for your offer to guard us against
invasion, we can protect our own kingdom without your aid, thank you."
Frithiof
was enraged at these insults, and for one moment he was tempted to
slay Helge outright with the sword of Angurvadel. However, he
remembered in time that Baldur's Mead was holy ground and no deeds of
violence must be committed there.
"Very
well," he cried hotly, "but remember this: I will never
help you in the future, even if you are forced to implore my assistance."
Then he
strode back to his ship, while the Kings sneered, little dreaming how
soon they were to ask for his aid.
The Suit of King Ring
Almost
immediately after Frithiof's departure, a second suitor asked for
Ingeborg's hand. This was Sigurd Ring, the old King of Ringrealm in
Norway, who had heard much of Ingeborg's beauty and goodness.
Helge and
Halfdan consulted the soothsayers in Sognland as to the wisdom of
giving their sister to the old King, and the wise men one and all
declared that the gods were against this marriage.
Helge would
have been very glad to see his sister Queen of Ringrealm, if only to
spite Frithiof, but he dare not anger the gods, so a message was sent
to Sigurd Ring that the Kings of Sognland were obliged to decline his suit.
Unfortunately,
Halfdan had joked about Sigurd Ring's age in the presence of his
messenger, and when the old King heard of this incident, he was
extremely angry.
"Let
the Kings of Sognland see whether I am too old to take revenge,"
he cried furiously, and gathering together a mighty army, he set out
at the head of it for Sognland.
When Helge
and Halfdan heard of the strength of King Ring's forces they were
terrified, and in spite of the way they had treated Frithiof, they
were not ashamed to awsk for his help. Thinking that he would surely
listen to his old foster-father, they sent the yeoman to plead with him.
Hilding
found Frithiof playing chess with his foster-brother Biorn, and both
men seemed to intent upon their game.
"The
Kings of Sognland implore you to come to their aid," said the
old yeoman. "Forget what has passed, Frithiof, and gather your
men together to help them as in the old days your father Thorsten
would have helped King Bele."
Frithiof
paid no attention to Hilding's words, but cried to Biorn -
"Brother, you pursue my queen in vain. I'll save her, come what may."
"Leave
your game and listen to me," said Hilding impatiently, but
Frithiof only looked at the chessboard and said softly -
"Your
knave threatens, brother, but no matter. The game must be mine in the end."
Then
fearing that he had wounded the old man's feelings, Frithiof sprang
up and threw his arms around Hilding's neck.
"Your
entreaties can be of no avail, dear Hilding," he cried, "for
I have sworn never to help Helge and Halfdan."
Hilding had
to return to the Kings with this message, and when Helge, who
questioned the old man closely, heard of Frithiof's remarks over the
chessboard, he declared that there was a double meaning in the words.
"Frithiof
has designs upon our sister; he will try to carry her off while we
are fighting," Helge cried angrily. "But he shall not
succeed so easily. We will send Ingeborg to Baldur's Mead during our
absence. No one, not even Frithiof, would dare to profane the sacred
place with lovemaking."
Helge had
not rightly estimated the power of Frithiof's courage and devotion, however.
As soon as
the two Kings had gone to meet Sigurd Ring, Frithiof rowed across the
bay to Baldur's Mead. He found Ingeborg sitting outside the temple,
gazing wistfully over the moonlit sea.
When she
saw Frithiof approaching, she trembled with fear, for she knew that
it would be considered a deadly crime for him to meet her in this
sacred place.
But
Frithiof came to her with outstretched arms and cried tenderly -
"Ingeborg,
although I have never told you of my love, you must know that I have
worshipped you since the days when we dwelt in Hilding's house."
To his
great joy Ingeborg answered simply, "I have always loved you,
Frithiof, and I will marry no man but you."
So they
plighted their troth in the shadow of Baldur's Temple, and Frithiof
placed his precious golden ring upon Ingeborg's arm.
Nothing can
part us now but your own will," he said solemnly. "If your
love for me should die, or you feel that you cannot remain true to
me, send me back this ring and I will never trouble you again."
"My
love for you will never die," whispered Ingeborg, but her joy
could not quite stifle the fear in her heart.
"I
promised my father that I would never marry without the consent of my
brothers," she said sadly. "What can we do if Helge and
Halfdan refuse you again?"
"I
will force them to give you to me this time," cried Frithiof,
grasping his sword; but Ingeborg looked at him sorrowfully.
"Surely
we have done wrong in plighting our troth here?" she said,
shrinking from him. "Baldur will punish us for profaning his
sacred Mead. How can we hope for happiness in the future?"
"Have
no fear," answered Frithiof as he kissed her farewell.
"Baldur is the friend of all true lovers."
Meanwhile
Helge and Halfdan had encountered King Ring and his forces, and they
were cowardly enough to sue for peace without attempting to fight the enemy.
King Ring
declared that he would take his army back to Ringrealm upon one
condition only. This was, as no doubt you have guessed, that the
brothers should give him the hand of Ingeborg the Fair in spite of
their previous objections.
Helge and
Halfdan agreed to this condition at once, although they remembered
the soothsayers' warnings with some uneasiness. To their astonishment
and indignation, however, when they told Ingeborg, at Baldur's Mead,
what they had decided, their sister refused to obey them.
"I am
betrothed to Frithiof," she said, "and I will wed no other man."
Helge's
suspicion was aroused. "Have you seen Frithiof since our
departure?" he asked, and Ingeborg answered -
"We
plighted our troth here last eve."
"What!"
shouted Helge. "Do you not know that it is sacrilege to use
Baldur's Mead as a lovers' meeting-place? Frithiof shall be punished
for this."
Frithiof
was summoned before the angry Kings, and when he boldly avowed that
he had spoken to Ingeborg at Baldur's Mead, the brothers declared
that he must be punished severely to appease the wrath of Baldur,
which must surely fall upon Sognland if such a crime were overlooked.
"You
must leave the country," cried Helge, "and if you would
gain our pardon, go to the Orkney Islands and demand from Earl
Angantyr the tribute money he owes to us."
Now this
was a dangerous undertaking, for not only were the seas perilous at
this time of the year, but Earl Angantyr, although he had loved King
Bele, hated his sons and refused to pay tribute to them, and there
were rumours that he threatened to kill anyone who ventured to demand
the money.
Frithiof
was obliged to obey the King's command, and after he had made Helge
swear that his house and lands should remain unharmed during his
absence, he made rapid preparations for his voyage.
Before he
set sail in his Dragon-ship Frithiof contrived to meet Ingeborg
alone, and he begged her to accompany him, but Ingeborg sorrowfully refused.
"You
forget my promise to my father," she said, "but I will keep
true to you, and when you return with the tribute money, Helge and
Halfdan will surely look more favourably upon you."
With this
promise Frithiofwas obliged to content himself, and he sailed away in
his Dragon-ship, accompanied by Biorn, his foster-brother, and a
devoted crew.
As Ingeborg
stood on the shore watching the departure of her lover's ship, Helge
came to her and told her roughly that she must marry King Ring
without delay.
When she
proudly declared that she would die rather than be false to Frithiof,
Helge cried - "If you refuse, your bold lover shall be brought
back to Sognland and tortured to death."
Ingeborg
wept and entreated for her own death, but Helge continued -
"We
have pledged our word to Sigurd Ring that you shall marry him, and if
you refuse him now, he will ravage our beautiful country. Think of
the innocent people who must suffer through you."
At last,
after he had alternately coaxed and threatened her, Ingeborg yielded,
for she loved her country, and she felt that the people of Sognland
must be saved from slaughter, even at this heavy cost. Slowly and
sadly she drew Frithiof's betrothal ring from her arm.
"Send
this to Frithiof, I implore you," she cried, and Helge promised
to do so.
Instead of
keeping his word, however, he took the ring to Baldur's Temple and
placed it upon the statue of the god as an offering. This act had
very great consequences later on, as you will see.
King Ring
soon arrived to claim his bride, and as poor Ingeborg sailed across
the sea to Ringrealm she could not help thinking of Frithiof and
wondering whether she would ever see him again.
Frithiof's Voyage and Return
The
beginning of Frithiof's voyage to the Orkney Islands was quite
favourable, for the weather was calm and the good ship Ellida
travelled swiftly over the smooth waters.
However,
Helge was determined that Frithiof should not return alive from this
expedition, so after he had ordered his people to plunder and burn
Frithiof's home, the treacherous King invoked the aid of two witches.
"Stir
up a mighty tempest," he implored them, "and let it be
fierce enough to destroy the magic ship Ellida and all those who are
aboard her."
The witches
immediately began to cast their evil spells upon winds and waves, and
soon Frithiof and his men on board the Dragon-ship saw signs of a
terrific storm approaching.
"We
shall have a perilous voyage," cried Biorn, pointing to the
darkening skies, but Frithiof answered carelessly -
"What
does a storm matter, brother? My good Ellida will carry us safely
over the most turbulent seas, never fear."
And he
stood by the masthead, singing merrily of Ingeborg and Baldur's Mead
as he watched the swirling waters.
The wind
blew harder, and the Ellida rolled helplessly from side to side,
whilst blinding rain and sleet began to fall.
"Cease
your singing, Frithiof," cried Biorn impatiently. "It would
have been better for all of us if you had never met Ingeborg at
Baldur's Mead."
But
Frithiof only laughed and continued his song, until a huge wave
dashed over the ship with such violence that the masts were shattered.
"There
is some evil working against us," muttered Frithiof, and he
climbed the broken masthead, trying to peer through the gloom around him.
At that
moment a vivid flash of lightning streaked the sky.
"Ah,"
cried Frithiof, "now I understand. I see two horrible witches
riding towards us upon a whale's back. 'Tis they who have raised this
storm to destroy us, no doubt. On, my good Ellida!"
Then he
seized a heavy beam, and as Ellida, who seemed as if she understood
his words, leaped forward with a bound, Frithiof struck two violent
blows at the witches. Amidst shrieks and groans the horrible
creatures sank beneath the waves and the water was reddened with
their blood.
Instantly
the hurricane ceased and the sea was becalmed, but the Ellida was so
full of water that she could not move.
"Frithiof
worked very hard with his weary men to bale the water from the boat,
and after much labour the Ellida began to drift onward.
When the
Orkney Islands were sighted at last, Frithiof seized a couple of oars
and rowed the boat ashore. His men were too exhausted to climb the
cliffs, so one by one Frithiof carried them up the steep slope which
led to Earl Angantyr's Castle.
Now the old
Earl had remarked the arrival of a strange ship and he ordered the
newcomers to be brought before him immediately.
"What
men are you who have lived through such a terrible storm?" he
asked, looking with astonishment at the weary, weather-beaten voyagers.
"Hail
Angantyr," answered Frithiof boldly. "I am Frithiof, som of
Thorsten the Viking, and these are my trusty followers."
Angantyr's
face lighted up with pleasure.
"Welcome
Frithiof," he cried. "I knew your father well, and loved
him dearly. Gladly do I offer hospitality to you and your men, but
tell me, why do you visit me in the winter, when the seas are so perilous?"
Frithiof
explained that the Kings of Sognland had sent him to demand tribute
money, and Angantyr frowned at the mention of Helge and Halfdan.
"I
will never pay tribute to the sons of King Bele, although I loved
their father," he cried, but he listened attentively to
Frithiof's story, and at the end of it, he said thoughtfully -
"No
doubt it was a plot of Helge's to be rid of you for ever, but he
shall not attain his end so easily. Stay here awhile, Frithiof, until
you and your men have recovered from the hardships of the voyage, and
when you leave me, you shall have much gold and treasure for yourself."
Frithiof
gladly accepted the kind Earl's hospitality, but after a few days,
when his men were refreshed by their rest and the good ship Ellida
had been repaired, he told Angantyr that he must return to Ingeborg.
"Do
not set sail yet," advised the Earl. "You will encounter
fierce storms again. Wait until the spring comes; it would be madness
to rish your lives now."
So Frithiof
waited patiently until the boisterous winds gave place to the gentle
spring breezes; then one day he took leave of the old Earl, who gave
him much gold and treasure as he had promised.
"You
may call this tribute money, if you will," said Angantyr,
handing him a heavy purse of gold. "It matters little to me so
long as I can be of use to you."
Frithiof
thanked him joyfully for his great kindness, and at last the Ellida
set sail towards Sognland. The homeward voyage was uneventful, but it
seemed very long and wearisome to Frithiof, who could do nothing but
picture his meeting with Ingeborg.
"Surely
Helge and Halfdan will look favourable upon me now that I bring them
the tribute money they have always coveted," he told himself
again and again.
Soon the
Ellida landed Biorn and the crew at Sognland, and Frithiof rowed
across the bay to his own land. He sprang ashore gaily and looked
around him, then he turned deadly pale. Where was his house, and what
had happened to his fertile meadowlands? Alas! A black heap of ruins
lay before him - that was all. As he stood gazing at the desolate
scene an old man came towards him with a cry of recognition.
"Hilding, Hilding," poor Frithiof cried wildly, "what
has happened here?"
"Your
home has been destroyed by Helge's orders," answered his
foster-father sadly.
"The
traitor! He shall suffer for this," cried Frithiof, brandishing
his sword Angurvadel. "But - Ingeborg, where is she, Hilding?
Tell me, is she safe and well?"
"My
poor Frithiof," said Hilding compassionately, "Ingeborg is
lost to you for ever. After you had sailed away, Helge forced her to
marry Sigurd Ring, and she now dwells in Ringrealm."
Frithiof
stood as if he had been turned to stone. There was only one thought
in his mind now - revenge!
"Where
is Helge?" he asked with assumed calmness. "I will take him
his tribute money."
"The
King is offering a sacrifice to Baldur in the temple," answered
Hilding; "but Frithiof, promise me that you will do nothing rash."
Frithiof
gently pushed past the old man and hurried to his boat, then he rowed
across the bay to Baldur's Mead, and strode into the temple. There
was no one inside the building except Helge and an old priest, who
were offering a sacrifice on the altar before Baldur's statue.
"Here, traitor," cried Frithiof, flinging his purse of gold
in Helge's face, "take your tribute money." The heavy purse
struck Helge upon the mouth with such violence that he fell senseless
to the ground.
"Help,"
cried the old priest feebly, but Frithiof strode past him and stood
by Baldur's statue. His eyes at once fell upon the ring which Helge
had placed around the arm of the god.
"My
ring," he said fiercely. "Pardon, great Baldur, but I must
have what is mine." He tugged at the golden circlet, but it held
fast to the god's arm, until one mighty wrench managed to release it.
Frithiof waved the ring aloft in triumph, then a terrible thing happened.
The statue
of Baldur swayed upon its pedestal, fell forward, and the next
instant it lay in flames upon the altar fire.
"What
have you done?" screamed the old priest as the temple began to
fill with smoke and flames, and Helge, who had just regained
consciousness, cried -
"Help,
help! Frithiof is burning our sacred temple."
Streams of
affrighted people poured into the building, but in spite of all their
efforts, no one could put out the flames.
The
beautiful temple was soon reduced to a heap of ashes, and Frithiof,
feeling that the gods could never pardon this awful act of sacrilege,
fled back to his ship and sailed away with the faithful Biorn, who
had followed him. Helge started in pursuit of the Ellida, but the
Dragon-ship sailed too swiftly for the King's boats to overtake her,
so at last Helge was obliged to give up the chase. Careless as to
what became of himself now, Frithiof roved the seas as a Viking. He
won much fame for his daring deeds, and although Helge offered a
heavy price for his head, no one succeeded in capturing him. For four
years Frithiof led this wild life, extorting gold from rich merchant
ships until he had amassed a large fortune. Then at last he grew
tired of his roving existence, and one day he said to Biorn - "I
must know how Ingeborg fares. I will disguise myself and pay a visit
to Ringrealm."
"Do
not go," said Biorn. "If Sigurd Ring discovers who you are,
he will surely have you put to death." But Frithiof would not
listen to his foster-brother's warning, and after he had grown a
beard to disguise himself, he landed at Ringrealm one winter's day
and set out alone to find King Ring's Castle.
King Ring, Frithiof and the Queen
Meanwhile,
what was happening to Ingeborg in Ringrealm?
Her life
was not an unhappy one, for the old King was extremely good to her,
and she had a little son called Ragnar¹, whom she loved very
dearly. But at times she could not banish Frithiof from her thoughts,
and she longed to hear that he was alive and well.
One
winter's night King Ring held a feast in his great banqueting hall,
and the Queen sat at his side, thinking wistfully of the feasts which
her father King Bele had held long ago in Sognland, and how Frithiof
had always been an honoured guest there.
"I
hear that a stranger has arrived who is taller than any man in
Ringrealm," said King Ring suddenly.
"Indeed,"
answered the Queen indifferently, but her heart beat faster when she
saw a figure, wrapped in a long cloak, standing at the end of the
hall. She could not distinguish the stranger's features, but his
great height and broad shoulders reminded her forcibly of Frithiof's.
King Ring
commanded that the stranger should be brought to his side. "What
is your name?" asked the King genially, "and whence do you come?"
"I
have travelled from afar," answered the stranger in a husky
voice, "and I am very weary."
"Then
sit down and eat with us," cried the King; "but first take
off your cloak and hood so that we may see your face."
The
stranger raised his right arm, and as the cloak slipped back,
Ingeborg gave a stifled cry. Above the man's elbow she had seen a
golden circlet gleaming, and she knew at once that it was the ring
which Frithiof had given her at Baldur's Mead.
Then the
stranger threw back his hood and gazed steadily into the Queen's
eyes. Ingeborg turned her head away with a deep sigh, for in spite of
the beard disguising him, she knew that the man who stood before her
was Frithiof.
King Ring
apparently had not noticed any signs of recognition between his wife
and the stranger, for he treated Frithiof very cordially, and after
the banquet he begged him to remain at the Castle as his guest.
Frithiof was so delighted to see Ingeborg again that, after silently
vowing he would never speak to her of the past, he accepted the
King's invitation. Sigurd Ring seemed to understand that there was a
mystery about his guest that he did not wish revealed, for the King
made no further inquiries as to Frithiof's name, or whence he had
come, but called him "Friend" only.
One day an
incident occurred which helped to strengthen Sigurd Ring's attachment
to his guest. The King and Queen were travelling over the snowy
country when the royal sledge stuck fast upon a frozen lake.
Fortunately Frithiof had accompanied them, and just as the ice was
giving way beneath them, single-handed he dragged the sledge to a
place of safety.
"Well
done, my friend," said the King gratefully. "Not even
Frithiof the bold, of whose bravery I have heard so much, could have
acted better." Frithiof looked up sharply at these words, but he
could gather nothing from the King's expression, which was merely
benevolent as usual. After that day Sigurd Ring would not hear of
Frithiof leaving Ringrealm.
"I am
growing old and your presence is a delight to me," he said
constantly. "Surely you cannot refuse to stay with me a little
while longer." So Frithiof remained at the Court during the
whole winter, but he kept his vow and never spoke to Ingeborg of the
old days. When the spring came, the country looked very beautiful,
and Sigurd Ring loved to wander about with Frithiof, showing him the
most charming spots in his kingdom.
One
afternoon the two men strolled in a pleasant forest, and they had not
gone very far before the King complained of weariness.
"I
must rest awhile," he said, and he lay down under the trees with
his head upon Frithiof's knee, and soon he was fast asleep.
Frithiof
looked down at the King's sleeping form, and suddenly an evil thought
entered his heart.
"Why
should I not kill him," he cried to himself. "If he were
dead, Ingeborg and I might still find happiness together." The
thought vanished almost as quickly as it had come, but Frithiof,
dreading lest the temptation should recur to him, flung the sword
Angurvadel far out of his reach. The King stirred and opened his
eyes. "Frithiof," he called gently. "Why - you knew me
then?" stammered the astonished Frithiof.
"I
recognized you at once," answered the King, "but I wanted
to test your courage and honour before I revealed my knowledge. I
know what was in your heart just now, and how you resisted the
temptation to kill me. It is true that you and Ingeborg were cruelly
separated in the past, but listen, there is joy in store for you
still." Then the old King told Frithiof that it was his dearest
wish that the two lovers should be united after his death.
"My
time to die is close at hand, the gods have revealed it to me,"
explained Sigurd Ring, "and when I am gone you must marry
Ingeborg and remain in Ringrealm to guard the country for my little
son Ragnar¹ until he is of an age to govern for himself."
But
Frithiof shook his head. "I can never wed Ingeborg," he
said sadly,
"for I
have angered the gods past forgiveness. How can I, an outcast, hope
for happiness on this earth?"
"Have
you asked pardon of the gods, then, at Baldur's Mead?"
questioned the King, and when Frithiof confessed that he had never
visited that sacred place since the destruction of the temple, Sigurd
Ring said - "Then you must go there after my death. Surely, when
Baldur looks upon your repentance he will forgive you."
Frithiof
was soon to learn the wisdom of Sigurd Ring's advice. In the early
summer the old King died, after appointing Frithiof successor to the
Crown until little Ragnar should be old enough to reign; but Frithiof
would not remain at Ringrealm just yet, for he was impatient to seek
Baldur's pardon, so once again he set sail in his good ship Ellida,
and Ingeborg bade him farewell with a hopeful heart. Helge and
Halfdan were absent in a distant country when Frithiof landed at
Baldur's Mead, where the ruins of the temple lay unchanged. He sank
down on his knees and humbly offered a prayer to Baldur, while his
heart was full of remorse for his folly in the past. Suddenly a
vision floated before his eyes of a new temple rising from the ruins,
far more beautiful and majestic than the old building had been.
"A
sign!" cried Frihthiof joyfully. "I will build a new temple
to Baldur in this sacred place." He set to work with many
willing helpers, and in a short space of time a beatiful white temple
stood once again upon Baldur's Mead. The first ceremony performed in
the temple was the long-delayed marriage of Frithiof and Ingeborg,
and afterwards they returned to Ringrealm in accordance with Sigurd
Ring's desire. Helge never came back to harass Frithiof, for on his
return journey to Sognland he was killed by a falling rock; but when
Halfdan learned of his sister's marriage, he came to greet Frithiof
as a brother. Thus the old feud was ended, and, as if he desired to
make up for the years of separation that Frithiof and Ingeborg had
endured, the god Baldur showered blessings upon them ever after.
1. NOTE THAT WHILE SIGURD RING RANDVERSSON MAY VERY WELL HAVE MARRIED INGEBORG EYSTEINSDOTTIR, SHE WAS NOT THE MOTHER OF RAGNAR "LODBROG" SIGURDSSON. RAGNAR'S MOTHER WAS SIGURD RING'S FIRST WIFE ALFHILD GANDOLFDOTTIR, AND RAGNAR AND INGEBORG WERE CONTEMPORARIES. IT WAS, IN FACT, INGEBORG'S FATHER, KING EYSTEIN "OSTEN" BELE OF SOGNLAND, WHO HAD EARLIER APPROACHED RAGNAR LODBROG IN ORDER TO PERSUADE HIM TO MARRY INGEBORG RATHER THAN ASLAUG SIGURDSDATTER. THUS RAGNAR WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ADULT LONG BEFORE INGEBORG MARRIED HIS FATHER, LET ALONE BEFORE HER MARRIAGE TO FRITHIOF TORSTEINSSON.
The gravestone of Sigurd Ring Randversson