The Fridthjof's Saga: A Norse Romance on Thorstein

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

• attestation: Thorstein is a peasant and companion-in-arms of King Bele; his son is Fridthjof.

  "Thorstein. (Tor'-stine.) A peasant, -friend and companion-in-arms of King Bele.

Fridthjof. (Freet'-yof.) Son of Thorstein."

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

• attestation: Thorstein gave dying counsel to Fridthjof emphasizing honor of the gods, obedience to the king, wisdom over strength, and the immortality of reputation.

  ""First, give the high gods honor; for good or ill, Storms come as well as sunshine, by Heaven's will. The gods perceive the secrets in thy possession. And years must make atonement for each transgression.

"Obey the king: most wisely rules one alone, The eyes of night are many, day has but one."

• attestation: Thorstein told Fridthjof that reputation is the one thing that never dies, and urged him always to strive for noble action.

  ""All men will surely perish with all they prize, But one thing know I, Fridthjof, which never dies,-- And that is reputation', therefore, ever The noble action strive for, the good endeavor.""

• attestation: Thorstein warned Fridthjof not to trust spring snow, night-old ice, the sleeping serpent, or a girl's advice, as the mind of changeful woman does not long abide.

  ""Trust not the snow of spring-time, nor night-old ice; The serpent when he sleepeth, nor girl's advice; The mind of changeful woman not long abideth, And fickleness of spirit, 'neath flower-tints hideth."

• attestation: Thorstein declared that he and Bele had stood together in life and would not be divided by death, as he wished to follow King Bele to Odin.

  ""King Bele unto Odin goes not alone; We've always stood together, whatever tried us, And death, now drawing near, shall not divide us."

• attestation: Thorstein said that words of wisdom from old men travel like birds to Odin, freighted with knowledge, and should not be slighted by the young.

  "Fridthjof, old age hath whispered in my rapt ear Full many words of wisdom, which thou must hear. Birds fly from graves to Odin, with wisdom freighted, The words by old men spoken, should not be slighted."

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

• attestation: At Framness, Thorstein would sit on a black bearskin holding court, entertaining guests by relating wonders of foreign lands seen on his viking voyages to the Baltic, White, and Northern seas.

  "'Twixt the two, on a bear-skin (black as a coal was this bear-skin, Scarlet the mouth, while the tips of the claws were with bright silver shining), Thorstein among his friends sat--hospitality ministering to Gladness.

Oft when the moon in the heavens was riding, the old man related Wonders of foreign lands seen by him when as a viking he journeyed, Far on the waves of the Baltic, the White, and the Northern seas tossing."

• attestation: Thorstein and Bele sailed together to Britain to recover the stolen arm-ring from Soti's burial mound, where a flaming demon guarded the treasure aboard a viking ship inside a great gravel tomb.

  "Hearing the rumor, Thorstein with Bele the dragon ship mounted, Dashed through the foaming waves, straight to the place of the sepulcher steering. Wide as a temple's arch, or a king's gateway, bedded in gravel, Covered with grassy turf, arched to the top, the tomb rose forbidding. Light issued from it. Through a small crevice within the closed portal, Peered the two champions. There the pitched viking ship Stood with its masts, its yards and its anchor."

• attestation: Thorstein insisted on fighting the demon in Soti's tomb alone, citing the rule of their fathers: one against one. Lots were cast and Thorstein's came first.

  ""One against one is the rule of our fathers. I fight well singly." Long they contended which first of the two the encounter should venture, Proving the perilous journey. Bele at last took his helmet, Shaking two lots therein. Watched by the stars Thorstein saw by their shimmer His was the lot first appearing."

• attestation: Thorstein's family pedigree on the mother's side traced back to Volund, the great ancestor.

  "On the side of the mother Traced they their pedigree back to old Volund, ancestor mighty."