The morning times., 1896-06-21

'I shall by marrying Frost-lake acquire
| great power. i am ambitious"
Because" answered the second brother
II shall by marrying Frost-lake acquire
| great power. l also am ambitious"
| Because" answered the third brother
"I shall by marrying FrOst-lake secure my
self in a castle OF great strength and live in
| peace and safety guarded by my soldiers
| am not ambitious"
BECAUSE" said Askeladen, Il once saw
| tho princess as she fed the poor at the
| castle gate and l care so much for her 1
| would give all / have and all l am to
| take away the shadow that darkens her
| life.''
The grandmother then presented Aske-
ladens three brothers with gifts which she
said would procure for them what they
wished for the most. To the first brother
she gave a sword whose edge would not
be turned and would never dull, but would
cut through the toughest steel as though it
were parchment. To the second she gave a
small bag or wairus hide containing seven
gold pieces that never became fewer, no
matter how many were taken from it. and
to the third she whispered n magic word
that would secure him from any bodily
danger when he pronounced it. Core
spending mental gifts accompanied these
presents. The sword rendered its owner
q magic wealth of learning TO its possessor
and the word made him who pronounced it
witty and sarcastic.
When his brothers had departed each by
a different road which, however, all met
again at the castle of Tavastehus and Aske
laden was left alone with his grandmother,
she took him by the hand and led him into
a series of vast underground vaults filled
with shelves upon which rested an in-
nf n
which contained human heart of hearts.
Some were swollen with pride, some
withered with selfishness, some were
drowned in wine and others embedded in
a mass OF coins of different sorts.
At last as they passed on they came TO
one that was as beautiful and pure as
crystal, but it did not palpitate like the
others. Indeed. II showed no signs of life;
il was as cold us ice and as hard as ada
mant. 1t was frozen. This said Aske-
laden's gra ndmother. sis Frozen flakes
heart of hearts. / shall give 1t into your
keeping. 1t is your task to soften. to
warm. and to bring it to life: to preserve
It pure and fla wless as it now is until
you journey eastward and meet her. II
you do this the heart of hearts will he
transformed into harp and yours into a
song. The gods be with thee, grandson,
for thou hast fed and loosed their raven.
Farewell"
WARMING THE HEART.
One day he fell asleep as he rested by
the waysde and awoke to find a hungry
of heats than by the sleeper, trying to
tear IL from his bosom. He was terribly
torn and bitten before he could draw his
knife and stab the fierce animal, which
vanished. Askeladen knew by
this it was no true wolf, but troll or
wood demon. Faint from pain and less
Of blood he could scarcely drag himself
further on his road When he came to
look at Frost flakes heart of hearts he
was at first dismayed to see it stained
with his blood, but how great his surprise |
and delight that all coldness and hardness |
had depa rted from it, and that il lay like |
a frightened bird, warm and palpitating in |
his hands.
once again BirgeD Jack tried to please |
his wayward daughter and brought to- |
rether all the wits and verse makers
and testers from all countries within n
journey. Among them all none |
was as witty as Askeladen's third brother.
But, alas! these pleased her least OF all. |
We have had bears, wolves, and owls"
the said, land here are apes and mag
lies, a congress OF fools.'' She declared
hey played with words as juGglers do
With eggs, and neither knew nor cared
however, came in youth in tattered gar
nents, weak and wounded, but who held
n his hands a magnificent golden harp
ncircled with priceless gems.
ASKELADEN'S VICTORY.
Striking the strings of the instrument
e sang the story of his life from the day
C saw Frost flake at her castle gate to
he very moment he now stood before her,
ouring out his heart in song. When she
irst met Askeladen's gaze she blushed
nd turned aside her head. When he sang
( his toisome journey and the pers he
ncountered she wept but when he sang
f difficulties and dangers passed and Of
is safe arrival at the castle, and his hope
nat as he touched the strings of his
arp the music would be echoed in her
oul, she laughed with delight. Great was
ne Joy on all sides. and especially keen
'as the Joy of old Birgen Jack that the !
cart of his daughter had become a warm,
wing, human heart and that he had with |
is daughter gained also SO worthy a son.
ven Askeladens brothers did not envy |
is good fortune, for had they not all
ley wished for without the princess!
nd as for the grandmother, although she
'as over ninety years old. she danced at
le wedding as lively as the best.