Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-06-29
HROLF KRAKE.
From Dickens Once a Week

The old sagaman must have had some in
sight into futurty when he said This name
of Hrolf Krake shall be famous as long as the
world lasts" The gallant doings of the Dan
ISL iron-clad are certainly sufficient to bring
the name of the old hero into prominence in
these our times, and probably will ensure the
name being perpetuated Few know any
thing of the original Hrolf krake, though
they may have dim recollection of having
seen the name in the pedigrees of the OIL
Danish kings among those those whose his
tory is either wholly mythical or so much
mixed up with fable as TO render their very
existence uncertain. A little more informa-
ton may be obtained from Saxo Grammati-
Gus, the Danish historian of the middle ages !;
but most will be got from the sagas them
selves, from which the monkish Latin his
torian drew his information. 1t is from the
saga of HrOlf krake, inaccessible to most in
its Icelandic or Old Morse form, that we pro
pose supplying the readers of ONCE a WEEK
with a sketch of the old warrior king
|. Holc Hrolf KroEe aagered King Hjorua3d
IN the good old DAYS, when Denmark and
the isles were covered with fragrant birch
woods, there ruled in Leidre, on the Ice-fjord
a mighty king called HrolG His great hall
was Of wood, hung within with tapestry, and
gltterng with arms. Near the high seat
were extended the twelve bucklers of the
kings champions; but the twelve swords
were not hung up; they were ever in the
hands of the twelve strong men. Next to
the king at one time, sat twelve Berserkirs,
men whom neither sword or flame could hurt,
who rushed to the battle foaming at the
mouth and gnawing at their shields and the
rims of brass around the shields were many
times bitten through.
The mother of King Hrolf was Yrsa, and
she was queen of Sweden, for Adils the Swe-
dish king had taken her by violence, and had
slain Hrolf's father, Helgi The sister of
Hrolf was Skulda, and she was of evil heart
for her mother was an elf-woman. She was
married to King Howard with the advice
of King Hrolf and of King Adi,s of Sweden
Now 1t fell out one day that Hrolf was stand
ing on the sands by the edge of the sea- and
Hjoryard was beside him. Then Hrolt said,
My belt IS unfastened, hold my sword whilst
/ buckle it tightly about my loins SO Hjor-
ward held the sword. Now when Hrolf had
done girding himself he said to his kinsman.
Thou hast held my sword whilst | buckled
my belt that is the act of under king so
now thou art king der me, and must pay
me skat every year" Skat is tribute King
HJOryard became as red az blood he an
sweaed not, but thenceforth paid him skat
Yet more came of this, as YOU shall present
" hear.
II; Hon King Hro!t, fought ,eiM the Hing Of
!Slcedeq.
Bodyar Bark urged the king often to make
war with the king of Sweden, and aveuge the
blood Of his father, whom King Adils had
treacherouslv slain. And when Hrolf thought
that his might was equal to that of the Swed-
ish king, he set out in his long ships and land
ed on the hat white shores of Sweden. He
and his men went up into the woods and left
tew men TO watch the vessels. The first night
they came to a little farm planted in the midst
IL ch.ara M bod
the moan of the wind among the pines, and
the rattle OF the falling cones, and the cry of
. the ravens, or sometimes the Song-glorious
as trumpet blast-of the swans flying north
TO the lakes, where TO nest and hatch their
young. In this farm dwclt an old man with
one eye; he went out an greeted the king,
and babe him be his CUES with all his men
for that night Now Hrol wondered whether
the old man would be able entertain hem
ALL but he accepted; and 81 enough, neither
ale nor beer was wanting, n any manner of
good cheer. King Hrolf b.: with him his
twelve champions, his twelve .,erserkirs, and
one hundred fighting men; q these and
their horses were well fed and ell looked TO
that night After that the kin. md his men
HAD feasted WELL they went TO ct But they
awoke, for The cold became inter, and their
teeth chartered in their heads, al hey crept
close to each other for warmth, a. gathered
all the coverings they could find 10 keep in
heat. let the twelve champions lay still, and
they sought not fresh coverings and they set
their teeth lest they should chatter When
the morning came, the old farmer asked how
all had slept Bodvar answered, every WELL
Then said the bender to the king You think
of attacking King Adils at Upsala with all
these men, and are about to lead them into
serce conflict, yet but few of them have the
courage 20 endure little cold. There is
colder place than my hall, and that is the
grave, and those who fear cold will fear the
grave. Send back half your troops"
"Well said" answered the king, and he
sent fifty men TO the ships Then he babe
farewellso the aged bonder, and went on his
way. After travelling all day, by nightfau
they reached little farm planted in the
midst of the forest, where no sound reached
save the moan of the wind among the pines
and the patter of falling cones, and now and
then the song, glorious a trumpet blast, of
the swans flying north. Outside this fern
stood old man with one eye, and 10 the
king and his company beheld before them
the very farm and farmer they had left in the
morning. The bender asked why his guests
of the previous night had returned; and the
king hesitated about asking for another
nights lodging. But the old man invited all
in, and Toasted them right well; he stinted
them neither in meat nor in drink and after
they had feasted they went to rest A great