Page:Stories of Norse Gods and Heroes.djvu/78

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
72
FRITHIOF.

borg Halfden sent a scornful message telling King Ring to come himself and ask.

When King Ring heard the message he smote with his sword on his shield as it hung on a tree before the door. All his vassals were called together, and they set out in their dragon-ships to make war on Helge and Halfden.

The two kings sent old Hilding to ask Frithiof to help them against King Ring. But Frithiof replied that they had dishonored him, and that he would not be their friend.

Ingeborg was sent to live in Balder's temple, so that she might be safe. There Frithiof found her and begged her to go away with him, saying that he would defend her with his sword until he fell dead in battle. But Ingeborg would not go. Then Frithiof went to King Helge and offered to be his friend, if he would allow Ingeborg to be his wife. A thousand warriors who heard him beat applause upon their shields with their swords.

But Helge would not listen. He said that if Frithiof wished to be his vassal he must go away to a distant land and collect tribute from Jarl Argantyr, who had refused to pay.

Frithiof hurried to Balder's temple and again begged Ingeborg to go away with him. The dragon-ship Ellida waited with her red sails set,