The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-24


end of the great apartment-no smoke re-
manned In TIE hall. no SCOT besmirched the
walls There were panes of glass In the
| windows and the door had lock- In
stead of the smoky but fragrant pine
| chips stuck In the chinks of the planking
| light was given by wax candles placed In
| silver sconces, which stretched out their
| arms from the walls. On round table to
| itself was a whole roasted deer its ant
| lers twined with green boughs and its
hoofs gilded. By each reveler's chair was
a handmaiden, lily-cheeked and rosy
Tipped, with flowing locks of gold or
brown, of eyes dark or azure, prompt and
willing in waiting upon the guests.
| On a dais at the upper end of the hall
sat the earl upon his chair of solid silver,
his helmet flashing golden and his corse-
| let too of gold. His ample mantle was
| of purple, embroidered with stars and
bordered with ermine. Many a breaker
| have l drained with Thorsten in this very
hail." he said. and filled a cup with wine
| of Sicily, hot as flame and foaming like
| the sea wave. sWelcomer' he cried. This
| cup to Thorsten's memory!' Then a
skald of high renown tuned his harp and
sang in martial notes in praise of Thors-
| tens deeds. When at length Frthjof told
| the story of his mission to Orkney the
old earl laughed. Tribute l never paid"
said he. IT held Belle in high esteem, but
was never vassal of HIS. If they have a
claim let them enforce 1t by the sword.
We shall know how to meet them. But
Thorsten was my friend. and this is for
welcome to his son." He then handed
Frithjof purse Of green silk. beautifully
worked with tassels of spun gold and a
clasp of rubes. 1t was filled with gold.
do with it as thou pleasest." said he,
"but stay with us this winter"
Frithjof did stay at the court of the
great earl that winter and the earl
treated him as son. But with the first
touch of spring Frithjof and his crew
went merrly aboard Ellde and drew the
silver furrow across the dark blue plain.
At length Frithjof saw his own shores,
his own woods and the flashing of the
| waterfall down the naked rock where
the river dashed into the sea- But when
he landed in the cove-his cove-a scene
of ruin and devastation met his sight OF
his great hall nothing remained except
heaps of ashes, cinders, stones. His
faithful dog, that had worried many a
bear for him. ran out from the ruins and
fawned upon his master. His favorite
steed came running from the neighboring
wood and nbbled at his hand for bread.
He did not know how long he stood.
stunned, before the ruins of his home.
Looking around he spied his foster faith
| err, old Hiding. by his side. Then he
learned the story
King Ring had invaded the realm of
Hedge. There was not much fighting, for
Hedge had fed In his flight he passed
by Bramnas and set fire to It. Peace
was made and King Ring had his bride
Wild with grief and rage Frthjof heaped
imprecations upon the faith of woman,
| and. with Bjorn and his men, sought out
| Hedge, who was celebrating solmen rites
In the temple of Balder. Breaking into
the temple Frithjof confronted the King
and upbraided him. wild scene ensued,
In which the King was struck to the
earth by Frithjof and the temple was
on fire. The King was borne fainting
from the blazing building by his men,
who, Mortified by what he had done In
his wrath. strove to quench the flames,
the temple and the sacred grove were
destroyed. Then Frithjof fed on board
ship and sailed away, rowing viking
seeking what he might require in many
strange and distant seas.
Three years passed when one day Ell
Tide was slowly sailing over those very
Grecian seas to which he would once
have lured Ingeborg, and his thoughts
went back to her. She had been right
in saying that he would weary of those
mild chimes. those golden days, those
pictured Shores those shining seas. He
felt a great longing come over him to
see again the pale sun of the north and
hear the rushing surges break upon the
iron coast of Norseland. And Ingeborg!
Once more would he see her at any risk.
He would seek the court OF King Ring
and take one last look upon the woman
he loved Fair blew the winds as home
ward bound the good ship flew and at
last cast anchor in harbor near the
capital of Ring.
Disguised as an old man, Frithjof
sought the hall of Ring and saw him
sitting there upon his chair of state. with
Ingeborg by his side. 1t was Yuletide
and a great company was assembled.
Frithjof took seat by the door among
the lowly One of the young men made
sport of him and Frthjof, turning angrily
seized the youth and stood him upon
his head-upside down. The king, hear
ing the commotion, called out to know
what was happening there at the lower
end of the hall. "Come here old man.
said the king. what is thy name. thy
ccr~ try?" ,rMy name is nothing to thee"
replied Frithjof, my country Is misery,
| my patrimony want" Then Frithjof told
him what had happened on his coming
into the hall. The king laughed and
said: "Sit down here by me. old man.
and drop that clumy disguise. Deceit Ill
suits with pleasure"
Frithjof at this doffed his disguise and
stood arrayed as viking, tall and strong
and in the very prime of life. A muir
from the company at the sight of him
When the boars head was brought in
King Ring made. as was the custom,
vow upon 1t. And his VOW was this: II
will find and capture Frithjof, even
though there should be no champion to
compare with him; so help me Frey and
| Odin and the mighty Thor" With scorn-
full laugh Frithjof sprang to the boar's
| head and said .'Hear my VOW o I<inei