At these words one of his Berserkers, Atle, caught up his
weapons and strode out of the hall, vowing that he would challenge
Frithiof, and thus satisfy himself concerning the veracity of the tales he
had heard of the young hero's courage.

[Sidenote: Atle's challenge.] Although still greatly exhausted, Frithiof
immediately accepted Atle's challenge, and, after a sharp encounter, threw
his antagonist, whom he would have slain then and there had his sword been
within reach. Atle saw his intention, and bade him go in search of a
weapon, promising to remain motionless during his absence. Frithiof,
knowing that such a warrior's promise was inviolable, immediately obeyed;
but when he returned with his sword, and found his antagonist calmly
awaiting death, he relented, and bade Atle rise and live.

"With patience long not gifted,
Frithiof the foe would kill,
And Angurvadel lifted,
But Atle yet lay still.
This touched the hero's soul;
He stayed the sweeping brand
Before it reached its goal,
And took the fall'n one's hand."
TEGNER, _Frithiof Saga_(Spalding's tr.).

Together these doughty warriors then wended their way to Angantyr's halls,
where they found a festal board awaiting them, and there they ate and
drank, sang songs, and recounted stories of thrilling adventure by land and
by sea.

At last, however, Frithiof made known his errand. Angantyr said that he
owed no tribute to Helge, and would pay him none; but that he would give
the required sum as a free gift to his old friend Thorsten's son, leaving
him at liberty to dispose of it as he pleased. Then, since the season was
unpropitious, and storms continually swept over the sea, the king invited
Frithiof to tarry with him; and it was only when the gentle spring breezes
were blowing once more that he at last allowed him to depart.

After sailing over summer seas, wafted along by favorable winds for six
days, Frithiof came in sight of his home, Framnaes, which had been reduced
to a shapeless heap of ashes by Helge's orders. Sadly steering past the
ruins, he arrived at Baldershage, where Hilding met him and informed him
that Ingeborg was now the wife of Sigurd Ring. When Frithiof heard these
tidings he flew into a Berserker rage, and bade his men destroy all the
vessels in the harbor, while he strode up to the temple alone in search of
Helge. He found him there before the god's image, roughly flung Angantyr's
heavy