Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-06-28
A Vikings Voyage.
Il FOLKLORE Saga Of Norland.
BY JESSIE NJ. E. SAXBY.


plain that "Viking" has no connection
with "King" as is generally supposed
1t comes from "Vik" wick or bay.
When Norseman rebelled or wished tC
evade customary and tyrannous dues
they put off from the remote Viks,
not the lawful Harbors, where much
ceremony attended the departure and
return of the boats Thus the Viking
ers became outlaws AMI pirates, though
in many cases they were good men and
true.
The Legend of Balder, Prince oi
Peace, is without DOUBT figure or
type of a great and unknown God; oi
Christ the Prince of Peace.
''Art thou Viking" the man o!
Farce asked.
81 am perforce Viking, but come
in peace" answered Aeriolf.
"The good faith of Viking we trust.
Tell us thy tale"
Il have sailed many kingdoms; l
have found new lands: but | bring no
plunder home. l take no captives. /
follow the Sun whence descended Odln,
whence shall return Balder, Prince Of
Peace. Because / go not out to
conquer, nor to bring home spoil, the
Sea Kings deny me honor, because L
refuse tribute to tyrant. Thus I can
only put to Sea from some sequestered
Vlk; can find shelter on my return
only in the same obscure haven, as
pirates do.
"Not for me the holy sacrifice and
blessing hands when my ship sets her
prov G the Sea. Not for me the song
of triumph wnen my ship rides home.
THUS l am a Viking.
"Yet have dreams which tell that my
peaceful voyages of discovery may be
OF more value than the cruel conquest
of the Sea Kings. love not Thor. L
worship Balder.
"But mists hang over the Sun, and
when the night-birds scream, when the
storm-fends haunt the main, when the
might thunderer (even Thor whom you
Worship speaks and the north wind
raves, l pray to Him who dwelleth
in light, and l ask for a sign.
I say to Him, how long oh,
Balder the beautiful, shall men wait
for thy coming again? How long shall
the clouds hide the? Is there not a
land where thy sun shines forever?
"He gives no sign. But his sun rises
bids me follow and | follow"
Such was the speech of Heriolf
They made him welcome in the Farce
Isles, though they had not known u
Ser king who followed Balder rather
than Thor; though they had not known
a Viking that was not q ruthless war
rior. They had heard of Herjolf as
one possessed and as such he was
cafn 10 90 w hara hn HgfA1
Men called him a dreamer, a Scald, a
Prophet. The men of Farce smiled at
his words, and accorded him hospitaii-
ty. So he rested in Farce many days.
Then he said: "rhe spirit of the sun
is upon me. 1t warns my blood, snd
stirs my limbs. Onward is its mora
whisper. Thus ever shall it move the
Peoce. Thus ever shall his followers
be stirred to carry tidings of him from
east to west. With his sun shall the
news go. l must follow the sun"
The men of Farce heard. and laugh
ing said-"FoIlow thy dreams, oh,
dreamer" Then Vala Sibyl of
those isles brought from her mystic
cave three sacred ravens. They were
descended from the bird which Odin
brought to Norland, and they could
speak the language of scald and Valky-
rur.
al will give thee. Herjolf," said Vala,
"fhese birds cODsecrated to Odln, to
Thor, and to Balder. Henceforth thou
shalt be known as Herjulf Hrafn, and
the story of thy wanderings shall ever
more be associated with the sacred
L
left far behind thy back, see thou let
fly those ravens three, and follow them
rs they lead.
"First send the bird l dedicated to
Odin, as is most meet, for OdIn Is the
All-Father. Next let loose the bird
given to Thor, for he has lent power
to thy nation, and they make his ham
mer resound in many lands. Last set
free the bird sacred TO Balder, whom
thou lowest, of whom Scalds sing, and
for whom woman weep. The Gods be
about thy path. HerIolf Hrafn."
So He jOlf Hrafn sailed from Farce,
and rs he sailed he hearkened to the
words of the ravens, who talked TO each
other in Runic speech.
When the lofty cliffs of Stromoe
we're wrapped in a veil of distance, and
morning vas breaking over the eastern
horizon, us the sun leaped from the
sea like Ia vouug giant going forth to
conquer, the Viking bade the bird Of
Odin fly.
1t rose from his hand, stately and
slow, and lowered over the ship for a
short time, then stopped and settled on
the rigging, and would not depart from
thence.
"Odin with MS, and will be with
us, said the VIkinger. But the way We
arc to follow, lie leaves for another to
show"
Then the bird OF Thor was sent ont,
md eager eyes watched to mark the
course of its flight 1t rose sullenly
over the vessel, and croaked as the
ravens do. 1t had lost the language
of mystic lore in a moment. 1t wheel
cd around and round the ship, and
then scared away back to Thorshaven
in Farce, leaving the Vikinger per-
olexed and dismsyed.
care we then to return from our
1uest?" the men asked OF their leader,
who answered:
"Nay for saw ye not the bird could