worn out by the battle with the
elements and had to be carried ashore by Frithiof and Bjoern when they
reached the Orkney Islands.

Now the watchman at Angantyr's castle had reported the ship and the
gale, and Angantyr had declared that only Frithiof and Ellida could
weather such a storm. One of his vassals, Atle, caught up his weapons
and hurried forth to challenge the great hero.

Frithiof had no weapons, but with a turn of his wrist he threw his
opponent.

"Go and get your weapons," Atle said, when he saw that Frithiof would
have killed him.

Knowing that Atle was a true soldier and would not run away, Frithiof
left him in search of his sword; but when he returned and found his
opponent calmly awaiting death, he was generous, and bade him rise and
live.

Angantyr vowed that he owed no tribute to Helge, and would pay him
none, but to Frithiof he gave a vast treasure, telling him that he
might dispose of it as he would.

So Frithiof sailed back to the kings of Sogn, confident that he could
win Ingeborg. What was his dismay, therefore, to learn that Helge and
Halfdan had already given their sister in marriage to Sigurd Ring. In
a rage he bade his men destroy all the vessels in the harbor, while he
strode toward the temple of Balder where Helge and his wife were. He
flung Angantyr's purse of gold in Helge's face, and seeing the ring he
had given to Ingeborg on the hand of Helge's wife snatched it roughly
from her. In trying to get it back she dropped the image of the god,
which she had just been anointing, into the fire. It was quickly
consumed, while the rising flames set fire to the temple.

Horror-stricken, Frithiof tried to stop the blaze, and when he could
not, hurried away to his ship.

So Frithiof became an exile, and a wanderer on the face of the earth.
For many years he lived the life of a pirate or viking, exacting
tribute from other ships or sacking them if they would not pay
tribute; for this occupation in the days of Frithiof was considered
wholly respectable. It was followed again and again by the brave men
of the North.

But Frithiof was often homesick, and longed to enter a harbor, and
lead again a life of peace.

At last he decided to visit the court of Sigurd Ring and find out
whether Ingeborg was really happy. Landing, he wrapped himself in an
old cloak and approached the court. He found a seat on a bench near
the door, as beggars usually did; but when one insulting courtier
mocked him h