The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-11-09
HRoLF KRAKE- A MORSE LEGEND.


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From Dickens Once Week.
The old Sasaman must have had som.
insight into iutnriy when he said. 'Thi,
name Of Hrolf Krake shall be famous as
long as the world lasts" The gallant do.
ings If the Danish iron clad are certainly
sufficient to bring the name Of the old here
| into prominence in these our times, and
probably will ensure the name being pr
pciuated. Few know anything Of the
original Hrolf Krake, though they may
have dim recollection o. having seen the
name in the pedigrees Of the old Danisl,
kings, among those whose history is
either wholly m thcal, ar so much mixed
up with able a. to tender their very *
,strnce uncertain. A little more iniorn,a
ton may be obtained from Saxo Graln'na
| ,icus, the Danish historian Of the middl,
ages; but most will be got from The Says
| themselves. trGm hich the mOuki>h Latin
historian drew his inflammation. 1t is froH,
'he sage OF Hr"l Krake, inaccessible I"
most IL ITS &c, lanh'c or 'lh Morse ior,n,
hat We pr"po>e supplying the readers o,
Once Week with sketch Of the old
warner king.
!. H",o H'o!f Krake angered Hing
| HjDrrdrd.
In the good old days, when Denmark
and the Isles were covered with fragrant
birch woods, there ruled in Leidre, on III,
Ice ijnrd, q mighty king called lIrolf His
grea, hall was Of wood, hung within VIII,
tapestry, aud gltlering with arms. Nra'
the high seat were extended the twelve
bucklers Of the kings champions; but the
twelve swords were not hung ut; IN, y
were ever in the hands Of the twelve
strong men. Next to the king, at one
time, sat twelve BerseIkrs, men whom,
neither sword or flame could hurt, who
| 'u>hcd to the battle iOaming at the mouth
and gnawi, & at their shi, Ids; and the rims
ni brass around the shields were many
lines bitten through.
The mother Of King Hrolf was Yrso,
and she was gu, Ell of Sweden, for Adj.
the Swedish king had taken her by violence
and had slain Hrolfs father, Helgi. Tn,
sister nf lIroli was Skulda, and she was o
evil heart, for her mother was an elf woman
She was married to King Iljpvard, with
the advice Of King Hroif aud OF King
! Ad'lS OF Sweden. Now it :tll out one dav
that Hrolf was standing on the sands b.!
he edge of the sea, ana Upward was be.
SIDE hun. Then hrolf SAID. MY belt is
unia>tened, hold my sword whilst burhl,
It tightly about my l"ins." So lijorvard
,rli the sword. Now when H,ot ha,
done eirding himself he said to his k,ns
man, Thou hast b. ID my sword whilst
buckled my belt; that is an act of an
under-kns so now thou art king unde,
ne and must pay me skat every year
Skat is tribute. King Hj,rva.d became IL.
red as blood he answer, d not, but thence
"rIh pad hun skat. Yet more came o
his as y'u shall pres, ntly hear:
II. How King Hrolf fought ,cith til
King IF Stcrdea.
Bndvar Bj ,rk urged the king often t,
make war with the King Of Sweden, nnr
aveugc The bl" d of his father, whom Kin,
| Adil> had ueachernu>ly slain. And whe,
tirolf thought that his might was .qua
to that al the Swedish king, he set out il
his long ships and landed on the fiat. whit,
heres Of Sweden. He aud his men wei.
up into the woods, and left few men t,
watch the vessels. The first night the,
came to little ia, III planted in ,hr midst q"
u E,rest, where no sound reached save tn
moan Of the wind among the pines. an,
the rattle M the, falling cones, aud the CT,
1T the ravens, or sometimes the song
glorious as trumpet hast-oi the swan
flving north to the lakes, where to rest an,
batch tn. ir young In this farm dwelt a,
old man with one eye, he went out an.
greeted the king. and a g him to be ii
guest with all his E:en for that night Nov
Hrnlf wondered whether the old ma,
would b. able 10 entertain them all, hut II
accepted; and SUR enough, Meth. r ale Ia,
beer was wanting, nor any mann r o. goo'
cheer K'ug Hroll had with him hi
rwrlve champions. his twelve Bers, ,ki,>
and one hundred fighting men and tie>,
and their horses were well fed and wei
Locked to, that night. Ai,r that the kin,
and bis u IN had teaStcd well, they went I,
rest. But they awake, for the COLI
h. came intense, aud their teeth chatterrvG
in their heads, and thry crept close TO ,act
other for warmth, and g'hcrrd all t.,
coverings they could find t. keep in heat
Yet the twelve champions lay still, am
,hev sought not fresh coverings; and the,
st their treth least they should chatter
When the morning came, the old farme,
ask d how all had Sl pit. Bolivar answered
Very WILL" Then said the bender to ,h.
king "Y"u ,hink Of attaching King Adil.
at UpSala with all these men, and ar,
about to lead them into fierce conflict, We,
hut few OF ,hcu have the courage to en-
dnre little cold There is q colder plac,
than nv hall, and that is the grave, an.
those who fear cold will fear the grave
+! S. nd back half your troops" '1
| "W-ll said" answered the king, and h,
sent fifty men to the ships. Then he bad.
farewell to the aged bonder, and went or
his way. After travelling all day, by
niehtfall they reached a little farm planted
in the midst Of the forest, where no SOUND
reached save the moan Of the wind among
The p.nss. and the patter Of the failing
cones, and now and then the song, gl.r.
ious ss a trumpet blast, Of the swans
flying north Outside this farm stood or
"ld man with one eye. and 10 the king and
his Company beheld before them the very
'arm and farmer they had left in the morn.
ing. The bondrr asked Why his guests o
the previous night had returned: and III.
king hc>itated about asking for another
nights lodging But the old man invited
all in, and feasted them right we'll: h,
stinted them neither in meat nor in drink
ard after they had fesstcd they went tc
krest. A great thirst came on all the sleep
IerS that night. so that their -tonyoes