Viking Tales of the North
Saga of Fridthjof the Bold
The next spring Fridthjof departed from the Orkneys, and parted with Angantyr on the most friendly terms. Hallvard went with Fridthjof. But when they came to Norway they learned that his byre had been burnt up, and when Fridthjof came to Framness he said:
Stout fellows, we
Formerly did drink
At Framness
With my father.
Now burnt I see
That same byre;
Repay must I
The king’s ill deeds.
Then he consulted his men as to what was not to be done, but they bade him look to that himself; whereunto he made answer that he would first hand over tribute. Afterward they rowed the boat over and came to Syrstrand. There they learn that the kings were at Baldershage, sacrificing to the dises (goddesses). Bjorn and Fridthjof then went up thither; and the latter bade Hallvard, Asmund and the other men break in pieces all the ships, large and small, that were to be found thereabout. So they did. Fridthjof wanted to enter. Bjorn bade him go warily, as he wanted to go in alone. Fridthjof bade Bjorn remain outside and keep watch while he entered. Sang he then this stave:
Alone will I go
And enter the byre;
Little help do I need
The kings to find.
You shall throw fire
On the byre of the kings,
If I do not come
Back to-night.
Says Bjorn: That stave was well sung. Then Fridthjof went in and saw that there were but a few people in the hall of the dises: the kings were there at the time sacrificing, and sat drinking. Fire was burning on the floor, and the wives of the kings sat at the fires and warmed the gods, whereas other women were anointing the gods and wiping them with napkins. Fridthjof went before king Helge and said: Here you have tribute. Herewith he swung the purse wherein was the silver, and threw it at this nose so violently that two teeth were broken out of his mouth, and he fell into a swoon in his high seat; but Halfdan caught him, so that he did not fall into the fire. Sang Fridthjof then this stave:
Take here your tribute,
King of men!
Take it with your fore-teeth
Lest more you demand.
At the bottom of this belg
You find silver abounding,
O’er which have ruled together
Bjorn and I.
There were but few men in the room, for in another place there was drinking going on. But as Fridthjof walked over the floor toward the door, he saw that goodly ring on the hand of Helge’s wife while she was warming Balder by the fire. Fridthjof took after the ring, but it stuck fast to her hand, and so he dragged her along the floor toward the door, and then Balder fell into the fire. But when Halfdan’s wife caught after her quickly, the god that she had been warming also fell into the fire. The flame now blazed up around both the gods, as they had previously been anointed, and thence it ran up into the roof, so that the whole house was wrapped in flames. Fridthjof got hold of the ring before he went out. Asked Bjorn then what had taken place during his visit in the house. But Fridthjof held the ring up and sang this stave:
A blow received Helge;
Smote the purse the villain’s nose;
Down fell the brother of Halfdan
In the midst of the high seat.
Balder had to burn,
But first got I the ring.
Then from the fire-place I
Fearlessly wended by way.
People say that Fridthjof flung a flaming fire-brand at the roof, so that all the house was wrapped in flames, and that he then sang this stave:
Wend we our way to the strand!
Then let our aims be high!
For the blue flame is bickering
In the midst of Baldershage.
Hereupon they went down to the sea.
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