The silver-bearded priests advanced to the scene of violence, but
Frithiof motioned them back, and his looks were so threatening that
they durst not disobey.

Then his eye fell upon the arm-ring which he had given to Ingeborg
and which Helge had placed upon the arm of Balder, and striding up
to the wooden image he said: "Pardon, great Balder, not for thee
was the ring wrested from Voelund's tomb!" Then he seized the ring,
but strongly as he tugged it would not come apart. At last he put
forth all his strength, and with a sudden jerk he recovered the ring,
and at the same time the image of the god fell prone across the altar
fire. The next moment it was enveloped in flames, and before aught
could be done the whole temple was wreathed in fire and smoke.

"All, all's lost! From half-burned hall
Th' fire-red cock up-swingeth!--
Sits on the roof, and, with shrilly call
Flutt'ring, his free course wingeth."

Tegner's Frithiof Saga (G. Stephens's tr.).

Frithiof, horror-stricken at the sacrilege which he had involuntarily
occasioned, vainly tried to extinguish the flames and save the costly
sanctuary, but finding his efforts unavailing he escaped to his ship
and resolved upon the weary life of an outcast and exile.

"Thou may'st not rest thee,
Thou still must haste thee,
Ellida!--out
Th' wide world about.
Yes! rock on! roaming
Mid froth salt-foaming
My Dragon good!

"Thou billow bold
Befriend me!--Never
I'll from thee sever!--
My father's Mound
Dull stands, fast-bound,
And self-same surges
Chaunt changeless dirges;
But blue shall mine
Through foam-flow'rs shine,
'Mid tempests swimming,
And storms thick dimming,
And draw yet mo
Down, down, below.--
My Life-Home given,
Thou shalt, far-driven!
My Barrow be--
Thou free broad Sea!"

Tegner, Frithiof Saga (G. Stephens's tr.).

Frithiof an Exile

Helge started in pursuit with ten great dragon-ships, but these had
barely got under way when they began to sink, and Bjoern said with a
laugh, "What Ran enfolds I trust she will keep." Even King Helge was
with difficulty got ashore, and the survivors were forced to stand in
helpless inactivity while Ellida's great sails slowly sank beneath the
horizon. It was thus that Frithiof sadly saw his native land vanish
from sight; and as it disappeared he breathed a tender far