The Fridthjof's Saga: A Norse Romance on Bele

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• attestation: Bele is King of Sogn in Norway; his sons are Helge and Halfdan, and his daughter is Ingeborg.

  "Bele. (Pronounced Bay'-lay.) King of Sogn, in Norway.

Helge (Hel'-gay) and Halfdan. His sons.

Ingeborg. (Ing'-e-borg.) His daughter."

Pmb 113 > StartThe Small Print!For Public Domain EtextsStart** > Ii.

• attestation: King Bele summoned his sons Helge and Halfdan along with Thorstein's son Fridthjof to give them dying counsel, sensing his approaching death.

  ""The evening steals upon me," king Bele said, "The helmet now is heavy, and stale the mead; The fate of man grows darker, but all the clearer High Valhal shines before me, as death draws nearer.

"My sons I here have summoned, and Thorstein's son For they should cling together, as we have done"

• attestation: King Bele counseled his sons to rule together with unity, protect freedom, use the sword only for protection and not plunder, and shield peasants as if with locks.

  ""Together rule the kingdom and take the crown; For unity is power, and no endeavor, While lance with ring is circled, its stem can sever.

"Let power stand as sentry on every hand, And freedom bloom protected throughout the land: The sword is for protection, and not for plunder. And shields are locks for peasants no foe can sunder."

• attestation: King Bele warned Helge not to rely solely on divination and rune-stones for guidance, but to keep an honest heart with pure endeavor as Odin's runes that never mislead.

  "Not all runes monumental can we believe: But an honest heart, O Helge, of pure endeavor, With Odin's runes is written, misleading never."

• attestation: King Bele held that a ruler who oppresses his people is foolish because the people give kings their power, as sunshine feeds the mountain's green crown.

  ""How foolish is the ruler his land to oppress, For the people give the power which kings possess; The crown of leafy verdure which decks the mountain Will wither if the sunshine dries up the fountain."

• attestation: King Bele's dying wish was that his children bury him and Thorstein in two grave-mounds by the blue gulf, so their souls might listen to the sound of the waves.

  ""But lay us now, ye children, in two mound-graves. Close where the blue gulf tosses its ceaseless waves; Our souls shall then forever enjoy the ringing Of dirges which in breaking the waves are singing."

• attestation: King Bele charged Helge with protecting Ingeborg as a father would, warning that gentle manner leads both man and woman to right and honor better than restraint.

  ""I lay on thee, king Helge, a father's care, Love Ing'borg as a daughter, the jewel rare! Restraint galls noble spirits, but gentle manner Will lead both man and woman to right and honor."

• attestation: King Bele's dying blessing invoked Thor, Odin, and Frey upon his children, and expressed joy at going to the Allfather.

  ""And now, farewell, ye children, our work is done; Unto the Allfather gladly we hasten on, Like weary rivers longing for sea's caressing; On you be Thor's and Odin's and Frey's rich blessing.""

• comparison: The dying counsel given by Bele and Thorstein to their children later became known as the Hávamál tradition, transmitted through generations by skalds.

  "So warned the aged chieftains in the palace hall. As since the skald has chanted in Ha'vama'l, So passed these sayings pithy through generations; And still from graves they whisper 'mid northern nations."

• attestation: King Bele commanded that royalty and power kept unified are like a bright gold shield bordered with blue steel — strength through unity.

  ""But hold ye fast together, ye children three, The Northland then your conqueror shall never see; For royalty and power, when duly ordered, Are like a bright shield golden, by blue steel bordered."

Pmb 113 > StartThe Small Print!For Public Domain EtextsStart** > Iii

• attestation: Bele and Thorstein were buried together in grave-mounds on each side of a gulf by the blue rolling water, as they had commanded.

  "Buried were Bele and Thorstein together, as they had commanded; High rose their grave-mounds on each side the gulf by the blue rolling water, Death having sundered the hearts that in life were so closely united."