THE VIKING AND HIS ENCHANTED SHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 267, 10 November 1928, Page 21 (Supplement)

THE VIKING AND HIS ENCHANTED SHIP.

Four children were once Drought up together in the kingdom of Sogn. The Princess ingeborg and her brothers Helge and Halfdan were, the children of the king. Frithiofs father . was a'-Viking exiled from lis own land, who owned little, but a keen sword and an enchanted ship called Ellida. This Viking had helped the king to . wrest this throne from a usurper. They were such friends that when one old man died the other pined "for him, and soon their funeral mounds stood side by side. Now the young princes, who loved pleasure before all else, ruled the kingdom together,' while' Frithiof lived on his-homestead near a fiord. One day he came into the king's presence. All the company were struck anew; by the comeliness of the young man, who was the foremost warrior in all the land. "Foster-brothers," he said bluntly, "though-1 have no crown to offer her, I have .won your sister's Jieart. If you will give her to mo in marriage I.will be your true man, and fight with all my strength, for your glory to my last breath.". ..:_ ... '~ - .... •-■■:• The princes smiled, and made answer: "On r sister does not wed a vassal. Take your madness away, Landless One." Wrath flamed up in Frithiofs heart like a fire in a dry forest; but he strode out of the hall with his sword unstained by a. foster-brother's blood. The. neighbouring country was ruled by an old man named Ring. He sent a messenger.' to" the princes asking for Ingcborg's' hand. They feared that refusal would bring war, yet they dreaded Frithiofs anger almost as much as invasion.. Therefore, they'deeided to send him.on an errand (from which they felt certain he would never return. • ' . In an island like a fortress there lived, a fierce old warrior named Jarl Angantyr,'who had refused to pay tribute ever since the death of the king, their father:, They' challenged the highspirited" Frithiof to go and demand tribute from this sea-wolf face to face. Then, as he set sail in the dragon-ship Ellida,* the kings; bade two witches raise a. storm. • Never was there" such a tempest. The sky seemed to faE upon the sea, and the huge waves to . knock their heads \ against the clouds. Although they were seasoned •• Vikings, although Frithiof cheered and taunted them, his men gave themselves up foe lost. No ship could like long in. .such'® storm, not even an enchanted one, Frithiof himself. saw • that the end must! soon come. He took off his gold ornaments, and breaking them up, gave a piece to each of his men that they might pay toll to Ran, the sea-goddess, and be well treated by her when they reached her gloomy realm under the waves. v ;■ ■*■.:/■ . ■'.'■.'; ■ ■•■ - Then he climbed the swaying mast to see if there was the least hope that the storm would abate its fury. From this height he saw two' witches riding a whale and invoking the clouds with waving arms. He understood now the terrible nature of the .storm, and he whispered the thing to his magical ship. •Then the good vessel lifted her prow from the waves, and shook herself, and set off in pursuit. Like a faithful horse she sped, and ran down the whale and its riders, so that the sea grew red round her bows. Immediately the storm began-to die away, and before long the Jarl's island appeared scowling on the horizon. '..".'....'■'., They arrived in safety, but so exhausted that Frithiof had to carry his men ashore. - As he set down the last, a tall warrior came striding down the rocks . and challenged him to single combat.. The weary .Frithiof threw off his seadrenched cloak, and drew his fatheris sword. After a sharp encounter he

broke his adversary's blade, and tossed away his own. Then a long wrestling bout began, which would have ended sooner if Frithiof had not been wellnigh exhausted by the storm. In th'e end he threw his enemy, who now lay at his mercy. • "Fetch your sword: I will not stir," said the challenger proudly. But when Fiithiof returned with the weapon he only gave the fallen man his hand, and helped him to his feet. "Take me to the Jarl," he said; and the other, sighing to the fate of this generous foe, led hiin to the hall. The place was richly furnished, and full of Vikings in splendid armour. Frithiof. advanced boldly toward a stern old man who sat on the'highest seat. Suddenly the Jarl's;, stern look vanished, and he cried: "I knew a- man like you in my, youth—a', noble friend. Can you be the son of the Viking Thorsten?" When Frithiof told him that this was indeed Ks father's name the Jarl wrung .Frithiof W hands and could hardly keep the tears from his eyes. He laughed to hear of Frithiofs errand. :."I.will never pay tribute to' those weaklings," he said. . "They" never beat mis in fair fight, like their father. But I will make you a free gift of the gold, and you may do what you like with it. Now you shall stay here, and we will talk of your and I shall recall my youth." After many pleasant days Frithiof returned. The first thing he saw was the ruins of his home, which the princes had bunied to the ground. The first thing he heard was that Ingeborg was married to her elderly suiter Ring. Then the storm in Frithiofs heart was as great as the storm raised by the witches. Ho cursed the land of his childhood, and put out to sea to find death. For long years he adventured up and down the coasts of the world, fighting and raiding, giving away all he gained, sleeping on his shield, courting danger. At length he felt that he must discover whether Ingeborg was.well treated or no, and came fn disguise to Ring's court. He found her the happy mother' of a little boy, and. the wife of a just and generous man. The , famous. searover was quickly recognised, and welcomed with honour. The king and queen besought him to stay with them and be their brother. Although he fretted for the sea, ho sojourned at their court for some years, and his sword did Ring good sen ice. At length the king died. All the people loved Frithiof, and held him to be the greatest man in the realm. So on the morrow the warriors assembled about him, and said: "We areyour men, Frithiof. Take the crown' and rule us. You were born for kingship:" Frithiof picked up the king's little son, and licit! him high on his shield. "Hero is. my king," he said. "Who speaks treason of him is my sworn foe. Who refuses' to.do him homage now?" Half in regret, half in content, the .warriors obeyed. Then Frithiof*-gov-erned the land for the child till he was of age, while Ingeborg spent her days in teaching the little one to be worthy of the high office to which he had been called. '.:... Thus did the sorrows and wanderings of Frithiof end at length in the blessings' of peace, friendship, and honour.