Northvegr
Search the Northvegr™ Site



Powered by   Google.com
 
Get Dreamhost to Host Your Domain!
  Home | Site Index | Heithinn Idea Contest |
Viking Tales of the North


Fridthjof's Saga


Canto XXIV.

Page 1

The Reconciliation.

I.

Finish’d great Balder’s temple stood;
Round it no palisade of wood
Ran now as erst;
A railing stronger, fairer than the first,
And all of hammer’d iron — each bar
Gold-tipp’d and regular —
Walls Balder’s sacred house. Like some long line
Of steel-clad champions, whose bright war-spears shine
And golden helms afar — so stood
This glitt’ring guard within the holy wood.


II.

Of granite blocks enormous, join’d with curious care
And daring art, the massy pile was built, and there
        (A giant-work intended
        To last till time was ended)
It rose like Upsal’s temple, where the North
Saw Valhal’s hall fair imag’d here on earth.


III.

Proud stood it there on mountain steep, its lofty brow
Reflected calmly on the sea’s bright-flowing wave;
But around about, some girdle like of beauteous flow’rs,
Went Balder’s dale, with all its groves soft murmur’d sighs,
And all its birds’ sweet-twitter’d songs, — the home of peace!


IV.

High was the bronze-case portal, and two rows
        Of circling columns on their shoulders strong
The dome’s arch’d round bore up; and fair as shows
                A gold shield bright
                All vaulted light, —
        So far, so light, above the fane that dome it hong.


V.

Fartherest within, the god’s high altar rested,
        Hewn all of one sole block
        From northern marble rock;
And round thereon tis scroll the serpent twisted,
        With solemn rune
        Each fold thick strewn.
Whose words, from Hávamál and vala taken,
Deep thoughts in ev’ry human bosom waken;
        While in the wall above
A niche was seen, with stars of gold
On dark-blue ground; and there, behold!
All mild and gentle as the silver moon
Stilling heav’n’s blue aboon,
        The silver image stand of Balder, god of love!


VI.

So seemed the sanctuary. Froth in pairs now tread
Twelve temple virgins; vests of silver thread
Adorn each slender form, and roses red
O’er ev’ry innocent heart a fragrant, fair rose-bed,
Before the White God’s image; and around
The late-bless’d altar dancing, light they bound
As spring-winds leap where rippling fount-waves sound,
Skimming the high-grown grass
        Which morning’s dew
        Still hangs with sparkling gems of ev’ry hue; —
Ah! how those jewels tremble as the fairies pass.


VII.

And, while the dance went round, a holy song they sung
Of Balder — that mild god — and how he was belov’d
By ev’ry creature, till he fell by Hoder’s dart,
And earth and ocean wide, and heav’n itself, sore wept!
How pure, how tender that song it pealeth!
        Sure never sprang
        Such tuneful clang
From mortal breast! No! heav’n revealeth
Some tone from Breidablik, from out the god’s own hall,
All soft as lonely maiden’s thoughts on him she loves,
What time the quail calls deeply ‘mid the peace of night;
The North’s tall birches bath’d i’ th’ moon’s pale-quiv’ring sheen.


VIII.

And Fridthjof, leaning on his sword, whose glance
Shines far around, stood lost as in a trance,
And charm’d, and silent, gaz’d upon the dance.
Thereat his childhood’s mem’ries how they throng
Before his raptur’d eye! A jocund train, and long,
        And innocent, and glad, and true,
        With eyes like heav’n’s own blue,
And heads rich-circled by bright-golden tresses;
His former youth-friend, each with some sweet sign addresses.
        Then all his viking life,
        With scenes of murd’rous strife
And bold adventure rife,
Like some dark, bloody shadow sinketh
Fast down to night. Ah! glad he drinketh
Forgetfulness’ sweet cup, and thinketh,
“Repose at last those sea-king exploits have;
I stand a flow’r-crown’d bauta-stone upon their grave.”



<< Previous Page       Next Page >>





© 2004-2007 Northvegr.
Most of the material on this site is in the public domain. However, many people have worked very hard to bring these texts to you so if you do use the work, we would appreciate it if you could give credit to both the Northvegr site and to the individuals who worked to bring you these texts. A small number of texts are copyrighted and cannot be used without the author's permission. Any text that is copyrighted will have a clear notation of such on the main index page for that text. Inquiries can be sent to info@northvegr.org. Northvegr™ and the Northvegr symbol are trademarks and service marks of the Northvegr Foundation.

> Northvegr™ Foundation
>> About Northvegr Foundation
>> What's New
>> Contact Info
>> Link to Us
>> E-mail Updates
>> Links
>> Mailing Lists
>> Statement of Purpose
>> Socio-Political Stance
>> Donate

> The Vík - Online Store
>> More Norse Merchandise

> Advertise With Us

> Heithni
>> Books & Articles
>> Trúlög
>> Sögumál
>> Heithinn Date Calculator
>> Recommended Reading
>> The 30 Northern Virtues

> Recommended Heithinn Faith Organizations
>> Alfaleith.org

> NESP
>> Transcribe Texts
>> Translate Texts
>> HTML Coding
>> PDF Construction

> N. European Studies
>> Texts
>> Texts in PDF Format
>> NESP Reviews
>> Germanic Sources
>> Roman Scandinavia
>> Maps

> Language Resources
>> Zoëga Old Icelandic Dict.
>> Cleasby-Vigfusson Dictionary
>> Sweet's Old Icelandic Primer
>> Old Icelandic Grammar
>> Holy Language Lexicon
>> Old English Lexicon
>> Gothic Grammar Project
>> Old English Project
>> Language Resources

> Northern Family
>> Northern Fairy Tales
>> Norse-ery Rhymes
>> Children's Books/Links
>> Tafl
>> Northern Recipes
>> Kubb

> Other Sections
>> The Holy Fylfot
>> Tradition Roots



Search Now:

Host Your Domain on Dreamhost!

Please Visit Our Sponsors




Web site design and coding by Golden Boar Creations