 Section 1 of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and the Search for the Poles. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Sonja. The World's Story. A history of the world in story, song and art. Volume 8. Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and the Search for the Poles. Edited by Eva-Marc Teppen. Section 1. The humiliating entry of Sonnavarter and Knud in To Stokholm. By C. G. Helquist. Swedish artist 1851-1890. Frontispiece. Early in the 16th century, the Scandinavian kingdoms were united and ruled by King Christian of Denmark. Sweden was not happy in this union, and to force its obedience, Christians seized and carried away to Denmark Gustavus and other young nobles as hostages. Gustavus escaped, returned to Sweden and aroused the people to revolt. In 1523 Sweden won its freedom from Denmark, and Gustavus was made king. In his new kingdom he found much to reform. The nobles and clergy were rich and powerful, the peasants were poor and oppressed, and the laws were not observed. When Gustavus attempted to improve matters, the nobles and clergy grew rebellious. Two bishops, Peter Sonnavarter and Master Knud, were leaders of a revolt, and after it failed in 1526 they fled to Drontheim to Archbishop Olaf. The Archbishop, however, proved faults to their trust and betrayed them to some servants of the king. These servants dressed them in rags, put a crown of straw upon Sonnavarter's head and a mitre of birch bark on Knud, mounted them, faced to the tail on two raw-bone steeds, and bled them through Uppsala to Stockholm in a shrove-type procession among the scoffs and insults of the people. When the marketplace was reached they were made to drink the health of the executioner and were then broken on the wheel. End of Section 1 This recording is in the public domain. Section 2 of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and the Search for the Poles Read for LibriVox.org by Sonja Norway Part 1 Stories from Scandinavian mythology Historical note There are two old Icelandic books called the Eddas, which are famous the world over. The first, known as the Elder Edda, consists of poems and songs of heroic and mythical import, collected probably from oral tradition about the middle of the 13th century, but composed at different periods between this century and the 9th. It was partly from these poems that the Völtsunga Saga, the northern version of the Nibelungen Lied, was derived, probably in the 12th century. The younger Edda is in prose. This is ascribed to Snorri Sturluson, who lived in the first half of the 13th century. Here are found many stories of the myths of northern lands. According to this book, the principal deities were the powerful Odin, the great all-father, his wife Frigga, their son Baldr the beautiful, the friend of everyone and beloved by everyone, Thor the thunderer, who defended Asgard the home of the gods from the giants and the treacherous Loki, full of malicious mischief and hatred. Heroes who fell in battle were born by the battle maidens, the Valkyries, straight to Valhalla, where they joyed in fighting through the day and feasting through the night. It was believed that at some time in the future, gods and men would be destroyed, the sun would become pale, the earth would sink into the sea, and the stars would drop from the heavens. After this destruction had taken place, a new heaven and a new earth would be created. Misery and wrongdoing would vanish, and the gods and men would live in the utmost harmony together for unknown ages. Volume 8 Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, and the Search for the Poles edited by Eva-Marge Tappen Section 3 The Wolf Fenris from the younger Edda The father of Fenris was Loki, the personification of evil, Thor was one of the sons of Odin, the editor. Then said Har, the wolf Fenris was bred up among the gods, but Tyr alone had the daring to go and feed him. Nevertheless, when the gods perceived that he every day increased prodigiously in size and that the oracles warned them that he would one day become fatal to them, they determined to make a very strong iron fatter for him, which they called leading. Taking this fatter to the wolf, they bait him to try his strength on it. Fenris, perceiving that the Enterprise would not be very difficult for him, let them do what they pleased, and then, by great muscular exertion, extinguished the chain and set himself at liberty. The gods, having seen this, made another fatter, half as strong again as the former, which they called dromy, and prevailed on the wolf to put it on, assuring him that by breaking this he would give an undeniable proof of his vigor. The wolf saw well enough that it would not be so easy to break this fatter, but finding at the same time that his strength had increased since he broke leading and thinking that he could never become famous for running some risk, voluntarily submitted to be chained. When the gods told him that they had finished their task, Fenris shook himself violently, stretched his limbs, rolled on the ground, and at last versed his chains, which flew in pieces all around him. He thus freed himself from dromy, which gave rise to the proverb to get loose out of leading, or to dash out of dromy when anything is to be accomplished by strong efforts. After this the gods disbared of ever being able to bind the wolf, wherefore all father sent Skilnir, the messenger of Frey, into the country of the dark elves to engage certain dwarves to make the fatter called Glypnir. It was fashioned out of six things, to it the noise made by the footfall of a cat, the beards of women, the roots of stones, the sinews of bears, the breath of fish, and the spittle of birds. Though thou mayest not have heard of these things before, thou mayest easily convince thyself that we have not been telling the lies. Thou must have seen that women have no beards, that cats make no noise when they run, and that there are no roots on the stones. Now I know what has been told thee to be equally true, although there may be some things thou art not able to furnish a proof of. I believe what thou hast told me to be true, replied Gangler, for what thou hast adused in corroboration of thy statement is conceivable. But how was the fatter smithed? This I can tell thee, replied Har, that the fatter was as smooth and soft as a silk string, and yet, as thou wilt presently hear, of very great strength. When it was brought to the gods, they were profuse in their thanks to the messenger for the trouble he had given himself, and taking the wolf with them to the island called Lingvi, in the lake Amsvartnia, they showed him the court and expressed their wish that he would try to break it, assuring him at the same time that it was somewhat stronger than its thinness would warrant a person in supposing it to be. They took it themselves, one after another in their hands, and after attempting in vain to break it, said, Thou alone, Fenris, art able to accomplish such a feat. Me things, replied the wolf, that I shall acquire no fame in breaking such a slender court, but if any artifice has been employed in making it, slender though it seems, it shall never come on my feet. The gods assured him that he would easily break a limba-silken court, since he had already burst the slender iron fetters of the most solid construction. But if Thou should not succeed in breaking it, they added, Thou will show that Thou art too weak to cause the gods any fear, and we will not hesitate to set the at liberty without delay. I fear me much, replied the wolf, that I shall find me so fast that I shall be unable to free myself by my own efforts, he will be in no haste to un-lose me. Loth I am therefore to have this court wound round me, but in order that ye may not doubt my courage, I will consent. Provided one of you put his hand into my mouth, as a pledge that ye intend me know this seat. The gods wistfully looked at each other, and found that they had only the choice of two evils, until Tyr stepped forward and intrepidly put his right hand between the monster's jaws. Hereupon the gods having tied up the wolf, he forcibly stretched himself as he had formally done, and used all his might to disengage himself, but the more efforts he made, the tighter became the court, until all the gods, except Tyr who lost his hand, burst into laughter at the sight. When the gods saw that the wolf was effectively bound, the chain called Gergja, which was fixed to the fetter, and drew it through the middle of a large rock named Yul, which they sank very deep into the earth. Afterwards, to make it still more secure, they fastened the end of the court to a massive stone called Twiti, which they sank still deeper. The wolf made in vain the most violent efforts to break loose, and opening his tremendous jaws endeavored to bite them. The gods, seeing this, thrust a sword into his mouth, as under jaw up to the hilt, so that the point touched the pallate. He then began to howl horribly, and since that time the foam flows continually from his mouth in such abundance that it forms the river called Vong. There will he remain until Ragnarok. Footnote. The destruction of the world. End of footnote. Verily, said Gengler, an evil progeny instead of Loki, yet most mighty and powerful, but since the gods have so much to fear from the wolf, why did they not slay him? The gods have so much respect for the sanctity of their peace-steads, replied Har, that they would not stain them with the blood of the wolf, although prophecy had intimated to them that he must one day become the bane of Odin. End of section three. This recording is in the public domain. Section four of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, and the search for the Poles. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Devorah Allen. The World's Story, Volume 8. Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, and the search for the Poles. Edited by Eva March-Tappen. Section four. The Horse Sleipnir. From the younger era. Thou madest mention, said Gangler, of the horse Sleipnir. To whom does he belong, and what is there to say respecting him? Thou seemest to know nothing either about Sleipnir or his origin, replied Har, but thou wilt no doubt find what thou wilt hear worthy of thy notice. Once upon a time, when the gods were constructing their abodes, and had already finished Midgard and Valhalla, a certain artificer came and offered to build them in the space of half-years, a residence so well fortified that they should be perfectly safe from the incursion of the frost giants and the giants of the mountains, even although they should have penetrated within Midgard. But he demanded for his reward, the goddess Freya, together with the sun and moon. After long deliberation, the Aesir agreed to his terms, provided he would finish the whole work himself without anyone's assistance, and all within the space of one winter. But if anything remained unfinished on the first day of summer, he should forfeit the recompense agreed on. On being told these terms, the artificer stipulated that he should be allowed the use of his horse, called Svadilfari, and this, by the advice of Loki, was granted to him. He accordingly set to work on the first day of winter, and during the night let his horse draw stone for the building. The enormous size of the stones struck the Aesir with astonishment, and they saw clearly that the horse did one half more of the toil some work than his master. Their bargain, however, had been concluded in the presence of witnesses, and confirmed by solemn oaths, for without these precautions a giant would not have thought himself safe among the Aesir, especially when Thor returned from an expedition he had then undertaken towards the east against evil demons. As the winter drew to a close, the building was far advanced, and the bulwarks were sufficiently high to render this residence impregnable. In short, when it wanted but three days to summer the only part that remained to be finished was the gateway. Then sat the gods on their seats of justice and entered into consultation, inquiring of one another who among them could have advised to give Freya away to Jotunheim, or to plunge the heavens in darkness by permitting the giant to carry away the sun and moon. They all agreed that no one but Loki, and the author of so many evil deeds, could have given such bad counsel, and that he should be put to a cruel death if he did not contrive some way or other to prevent the artificer from completing his task and obtaining the stipulated recompense. They immediately proceeded to lay hands on Loki, who in his fright promised upon oath that let it cost him what it would he would so manage matters that the man should lose his reward. That very night, when the artificer went with Svidilfuri for building stone, a mare suddenly ran out of a forest and began to neigh. The horse, being thus excited, broke loose and ran after the mare into the forest, which obliged the man also to run after his horse, and thus between one and the other the knight was lost, so that at dawn the work had not made the usual progress. The man, seeing that he had no other means of completing his task, resumed his own gigantic stature, and the gods now clearly perceived that it was in reality a mountain giant who had come amongst them. No longer regarding their oaths, they therefore called on Thor who immediately ran to their assistance, and lifting up his mallet Mjolnir paid the workman his wages not with the sun and moon and not even by sending him back to Jotunheim, for with the first blow he shattered the giant's skull to pieces and hurled him headlong into Niflel. Shortly after, the mare bore a grey foal with eight legs. This is the horse Slipnir, which excels all horses ever possessed by gods or men. End of section four. Section five of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, and the search for the poles. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Thomas Peter. The World Story Vol. 8 Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, and the search for the poles edited by Avermarch Tappen. Section five. Thor or fishes for the midgard serpent from the younger Edda. According to Scandinavian mythology midgard, the earth was held together by the midgard serpent which lay at the bottom of the ocean with its tail between its jaws. Across the ocean was the land of giants with whom the gods were perpetually at war. The editor. He, Thor, went out of midgard under the semblance of a young man and came at dusk to the dwelling of a giant called Heimer. Here Thor passed the night, but at break of day when he perceived that Heimer was making his boat ready for fishing he arose and dressed himself and begged the giant would let him row out to sea with him. Heimer answered that a puny stripling like him could be of no great use to him. Besides he had it thou wilt catch thy death of cold if I go so far out and remain so long as I am accustomed to do. Thor said that for all that he would row as far from the land as Heimer had a mind and was not sure which of them would be the first he might wish to row back again. At the same time he was so enraged that he felt sorely inclined to let his mallet ring on the giant's skull without further delay but intending to try his strength elsewhere he stifled his wrath and asked Heimer what he meant to bait with. Heimer told him to look out for a bait himself. Thor instantly went up to a herd of oxen that belonged to the giant and seizing the largest bull that bore the name of himinbriort wrung off his head and returning with it to the boat put out to sea with Heimer. Thor rowed aft with two oars and with such force that Heimer who rowed at the prow saw with surprise how swiftly the boat was driven forward he then observed that they were come to the place where he was wanted to angle for flat fish but Thor assured him that they had better go on a good way further they accordingly continued to ply their oars until Heimer cried out that if they did not stop they would be in danger from the great midgard serpent notwithstanding this Thor persisted in rowing farther and in spite of Heimer's remonstrances was a great while before he would lay down his oars he then took out a fishing line extremely strong furnished with an equally strong hook on which he fixed the bull's head and cast his line into the sea the bait soon reached the bottom and it may be truly said that Thor then deceived the midgard serpent not a whit less than Utgard Loki had deceived Thor when he obliged him to lift up the serpent in his hand for the monster greedily caught at the bait and the hook stuck fast in his pallet Stung with the pain the serpent tugged at the hook so violently that Thor was obliged to hold fast with both hands by the pegs that bear against the oars but his wrath now waxed high and assuming all his divine power he pulled so hard at the line that his feet forced their way through the boat and went down to the bottom of the sea whilst with his hands he drew up the serpent to the side of the vessel it is impossible to express by words the dreadful scene that now took place Thor on one hand darting looks of ire on the serpent whilst the monster rearing his head spouted out floods of venom upon him it is said that when the giant hymn beheld the serpent he turned pale and trembled with fright and seeing more over that the water was entering his boat on all sides he took out his knife just as Thor raised his mallet aloft and cut the line on which the serpent sunk again under water Thor however launched his mallet at him and there are some who say that it struck off the monster's head at the bottom of the sea but one may assert with more certainty that he still lives and lies in the ocean Thor then struck Haimia such a blow with his fist, nigh the ire that the giant fell headlong into the water and Thor wading with rapid strides soon came to the land again end of section 5 this recording is in the public domain section 6 of Norway Sweden Denmark Iceland Greenland and the search for the poles this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Philip Watson the world's story volume 8 Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and the search for the poles edited by Eva March Tappen section 6 Thor among the giants from the younger Edda Thor and his companions went their way and continued their journey until noon then they saw a burg standing on a plane and it was so high that they had to bend their necks clear back before they could look over it they drew nearer and came to the burg gate which was closed Thor finding himself unable to open it and being anxious to get within the burg they crept between the bars and so came in they discovered a large hall and went to it finding the door open they entered and saw their many men the most of whom were immensely large sitting on two benches thereupon they approached the king Utgard Loki and greeted him he scarcely deigned to look at them smiled scornfully and showed his teeth saying it is late to ask for tidings of a long journey but if I am not mistaken this stripling is Oku Thor is it not? it may be however that you are really bigger than you look whose feet are you and your companions prepared? no one can stay with us here unless he is skilled in some craft or accomplishment beyond the most of men then answered he who came in last namely Loki I know the feet of which I am prepared to give proof that there is no one present who can eat his food faster than I then said Utgard Loki that is a feat indeed if you can keep your word try it immediately he then summoned from the bench a man by name Loki and requested him to come out on the floor and try his strength against Loki they took a trough full of meat and set it on the floor whereupon Loki seated himself at one end and Loki at the other both ate as fast as they could and met at the middle of the trough Loki had eaten all the flesh off from the bones but Loki had consumed both the flesh and the bones and the trough too all agreed that Loki had lost the wager then Utgard Loki asked what game that young man knew Dalfe answered that he would try to run a race with anyone that Utgard Loki might designate Utgard Loki said this was a good feat and added that it was to be hoped that he excelled in swiftness if he expected to win in this game but he would soon have the matter decided he arose and went out there was an excellent race course along the flat plain Utgard Loki then summoned a young man whose name was Hüge and bade him run a race with Dalfe then they took the first heat and Hüge was so much ahead that when he turned to the goal he met Dalfe said Utgard Loki you must lay yourself more forward Dalfe if you want to win the race but this I confess that there has never before come one hither who was swifter a foot than you then they took a second heat and when Hüge came to the goal and turned there was a long bolt shot to Dalfe then said Utgard Loki Dalfe seems to me to run well still I scarcely think he will win the race but this will be proven when they run the third heat then they took one more heat Hüge ran to the goal and turned back not yet gotten to the middle of the course then all said that this game had been tried sufficiently Utgard Loki now asked Thor what feats there were that he would be willing to exhibit before them corresponding to the tales that men tell of his great works Thor replied that he preferred to compete with someone in drinking Utgard Loki said there would be no objection to this he went into the hall called his cup bearer to take the sconce horn that his thanes were wont to drink from the cup bearer immediately brought forward the horn and handed it to Thor said Utgard Loki from this horn it is thought to be well drunk if it is emptied in one drought some men empty it in two droughts but there is no drinker so wretched that he cannot exhaust it in three Thor looked at the horn and did not think it was very large though it seemed pretty long but he was very thirsty he put it to his lips and swallowed with all his might thinking that he should not have to bend over the horn a second time but when his breath gave out and he looked into the horn to see how it had gone with his drinking it seemed to him difficult to determine whether there was less in it than before then said Utgard Loki that is well drunk still it is not very much I could never have believed it if anyone had told me that Asa Thor could not drink more but I know you will be able to empty it in a second drought Thor did not answer but set the horn to his lips thinking that he would now take a larger drought he drank as long as he could and drank deep as he was wont but still he could not make the tip of the horn come up as he would like and when he set the horn away and looked into it it seemed to him that he had drunk less than the first time but the horn could now be born without spilling then said Utgard Loki how now Thor are you not leaving more for the third drought than befits your skill it seems to me that if you are to empty the horn with the third drought then this will be the greatest you will not be deemed so great a man here among us as the Asas gods call you if you do not distinguish yourself more and other feats then you seem to me to have done in this then Thor became wroth set the horn to his mouth and drank with all his might and kept on as long as he could and when he looked into it its contents had indeed visibly diminished but he gave back the horn and would not drink anymore said Utgard Loki it is clear that your might is not so great as we thought would you like to try other games it is evident that you gain nothing by the first answered Thor I should like to try other games but I should be surprised of such a drink at home among the Asas would be called small what game will you now offer me answered Utgard Loki young lads here think it nothing but play to lift my cat up from the ground and I should never have dared to offer such a thing to Asa Thor had I not already seen that you are much less of a man than I thought then there sprang forth on the floor a grey cat and it was rather large Thor went over to it put his hand under the middle of its body and tried to lift it up but the cat bent its back in the same degree as Thor raised his hands and when he had stretched them up as far as he was able the cat lifted one foot and Thor did not carry the game any further then said Utgard Loki this game ended as I expected the cat is rather large and Thor is small and little compared with the great men that are here with us said Thor little as you call me let anyone who likes come hither and wrestle with me for I am now Roth answered Utgard Loki looking about him on the benches I do not see anyone here who would not think it a trifle to wrestle with you and again he said let me see first call hither that old woman El my foster mother and let Thor wrestle with her if he wants to she has thrown to the ground men who have seemed to me no less strong than Thor then there came into the hall an old woman Utgard Loki bade her take a wrestle with Asa Thor the tale is not long the grapple was that the more Thor tightened his grasp the firmer she stood then the woman began to disturb herself and Thor lost his footing they had some very hard tussles and before long Thor was brought down on one knee then Utgard Loki stepped forward bade them cease the wrestling and added that Thor did not need to challenge anybody else to wrestle with him in his hall besides it was now getting late he showed Thor and his companions to seats and they spent the night there enjoying the best of hospitality at daybreak the next day Thor and his companions arose dressed themselves and were ready to depart then came Utgard Loki and had the table spread for them and there was no lack of feasting both in food and in drink when they had breakfasted they immediately departed from the Berg Utgard Loki went with them out of the Berg but at parting he spoke to Thor and asked him how he thought his journey had turned out or whether he had ever met a mightier man than himself Thor answered that he could not deny that he had been greatly disgraced in this meeting and this I know he added that you will call me a man of little account brat I am much mortified then said Utgard Loki now I will tell you the truth since you have come out of the Berg that if I live and may have come away you shall never enter it again and this I know for Seuth that you should never have come into it had I before known that you were so strong and that you had come so near bringing us into great misfortune now then that I have deceived you with illusions in regard to the first contest in which Loki took part the facts were as follows he was very hungry and ate fast but he whose name was Yue was wildfire and he burned the troth no less rapidly than the meat when Diaofei ran a race with him whose name was Yue that was my thought and it was impossible for him to keep pace with his swiftness when he drank from the horn and thought it diminished so little then by my troth it was a great wonder which I could never have deemed possible one end of the horn stood in the sea that you did not see came to the seashore you will discover how much the sea has sunk by your drinking that is now called the ebb furthermore he said nor did it seem less wonderful to me that you lifted up the cat and to tell you the truth all who saw it were frightened when they saw that you raised one of its feet from the ground for it was not such a cat as you thought it was in reality the midgard serpent which surrounds all lands it was scarcely long enough to touch the earth with its tail and head and you raised it so high that your hand nearly reached to heaven it was also a most astonishing feat when you wrestled with L for none has ever been and none shall ever be that L, L old age will not be able to get the better of him though he gets to be old enough to abide her coming then now the truth is that we must part and it will be better for both of us that you do not visit me again I will again defend my burg with similar or other delusions so that you will get no power over me when Thor heard this tale he seized his hammer and lifted it into the air but when he was about to strike he saw Utgard Loki nowhere and when he turned back to the burg and was going to dash that to pieces he saw a beautiful and large plane but no burg so he turned and went his way back to end of section 6 this recording is in the public domain section 7 of Norway Sweden, Denmark, Iceland Greenland and the search for the polls this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Phillip Watson the world's story volume 8 Norway, Sweden, Denmark Iceland, Greenland and the search for the polls edited by Eva March Tappen section 7 the death of Baldur from the younger Eda the beginning of this tale is that Baldur dreamed dreams great and dangerous to his life when he told these dreams to the Asas gods they took council together and it was decided that they should seek peace for Baldur against all kinds of harm so Frigg mother of Baldur created an oath from fire, water, iron and all kinds of metal stones, earth, trees sicknesses, beasts, birds and creeping things that they should not hurt Baldur when this was done and made known it became the pastime of Baldur and the Asas that he should stand up at their meetings while some of them should shoot at him others should hew at him while others should throw stones at him but no matter what they did no harm came to him it was a great honour when Loki, Laofi's son, saw this it displeased him very much that Baldur was not scathed so he went to Frigg in Fencil having taken on himself the likeness of a woman Frigg asked this woman whether she knew what the Asas were doing at their meeting she answered that all were shooting at Baldur but that he was not scathed thereby then said Frigg neither weapon nor tree can hurt Baldur I have taken an oath from them all then asked the woman have all things taken an oath to spare Baldur? Frigg answered West of Valhalla there grows a little shrub that is called the mistletoe that seemed to me too young to exact an oath from then the woman suddenly disappeared Loki went and pulled up the mistletoe and proceeded to the meeting Hodor stood far to one side in the ring of men because he was blind Loki addressed himself to him and asked why do you not shoot at Baldur? he answered because I do not see where he is and furthermore I have no weapons then said Loki do like the others and show honor to Baldur I will show you where he stands shoot at him with this wand Hodor took the mistletoe and shot at Baldur under the guidance of Loki the dark pierced him and he fell dead to the ground the greatest misfortune that has ever happened to gods and men when Baldur had fallen the assas were struck speechless with horror and their hands failed them to lay hold of the corpse one looked at the other and all were of one mind toward him who had done the deed but being assembled in a holy peace-stead no one could take vengeance when the assas at length tried to speak the wailing so choked their voices that one could not describe to the other his sorrow Odin took this misfortune most to heart since he best comprehended how great a loss an injury the fall of Baldur was to the assas when the gods came to their senses Frig spoke and asked who there might be among the assas who desired to win all her love and goodwill by riding the way to hell and trying to find Baldur and offering hell a ransom if she would allow Baldur to return home again to Asgard but he is called Hermod the nimble Odin Swayne who undertook this journey Odin's steed, Slaipnir was led forth Hermod mounted him and galloped away the assas took the corpse of Baldur and brought it to the seashore Hringhorn was the name of Baldur's ship and it was the largest of all ships the gods wanted to launch it and make Baldur's bail fire thereon but they could not move it then they sent to Jotunheim after the giantist whose name is Hyroken she came riding on a wolf and had twisted serpents for reins when she alighted Odin appointed four berserks to take care of her steed but they were unable to hold him except by throwing him down to the ground Hyroken went to the prow and launched the ship with one single push but the motion was so violent that fire sprang from the underlaid rollers and all the earth shook then Thor became rough grasped his hammer and would forthwith have crushed her skull had not all the gods asked peace for her Baldur's corpse was born out on the ship and when his wife Nanna daughter of Nep saw this her heart was broken with grief and she died she was born to the funeral pile and cast on the fire Thor stood by and hallowed the pile before his feet ran a dwarf whose name is Lit him Thor kicked with his foot and dashed into the fire and he too was burned but this funeral pile was attended by many kinds of folk first of all came Odin accompanied by Frigg and the Valkyries and his ravens Frey came riding in his chariot drawn by the boar called Gulenbürste or Slidrugtane Heimdall rode his steed Gultop and Freya drove her cats there was a large number of frost giants and mountain giants Odin laid on the funeral pile his gold ring Draupner which had the property of producing every ninth night eight gold rings of equal weight Baldur's horse fully comparison was led to his master's pile but of Hermod it is to be told that he rode nine nights through deep and dark valleys and did not see light until he came to the Gjallar river and rode on the Gjallar bridge which is thatched with shining gold Moldgud is the name of the man who guards the bridge she asked him for his name and of what kin he was saying that the day before there rode five Valkys kingdoms bands of dead men over the bridge but she added it does not shake less under you alone you do not have the hue of dead men why do you ride the way to hell he answered I am to ride to hell to find Baldur have you seen him pass this way she answered that Baldur had ridden over the Gjallar bridge adding but downward and northward lies the way to hell then Hermod rode on till he came to hell's gate he alighted from his horse drew the girth's titer remounted him the horse leaped over the gate with so much force that he never touched it thereupon Hermod proceeded to the hall and alighted from his steed he went in and saw there sitting on the foremost seat his brother Baldur he tarried there overnight in the morning he asked hell whether Baldur might ride home with him and told how great weeping there was among the asas but hell replied that it should now be tried whether Baldur was so much beloved as was said all things said she both quick and dead will weep for him then he shall go back to the asas but if anything refuses to shed tears then he shall remain with hell Hermod arose and Baldur accompanied him out of the hall he took the ring dropner and sent it as a keepsake to Odin Nana sent Frig a kerchief and other gifts and to Fulla she sent a ring thereupon Hermod rode back and came to Asgard where he reported the tidings he had seen and heard then the asas sent messengers all over the world praying that Baldur might be wept out of hell's power all things did so men and beasts, the earth, stones trees and all metals just as you must have seen that these things weep when they come out of frost and into heat when the messengers returned home and had done their errand well they found a certain cave wherein sat a giantist whose name was Thok they requested her to weep Baldur from hell but she answered Thok will weep with dry tears for Baldur's burial neither in life nor in death gave he to me gladness let hell keep what she has it is generally believed that this thought was Loki, Laofi's son who has wrought most evil among the asas for this in a way that he will long remember the gods became exceedingly wroth as might be expected so he ran away and hid himself in a rock here he built a house with four doors so that he might keep an outlook on all signs often times in the day time he took on him the likeness of a salmon and concealed himself in franinger force then he thought to himself what stratagems the asas might have recourse to in order to catch him now as he was sitting in his house he took flaxen yarn and worked them into meshes in the manner that Nets have since been made but a fire was burning before him then he saw that the asas were not far distant Odin had been seen from Hldskjalf where Loki kept himself Loki immediately sprang up cast the net on the fire and leaped into the river when the asas came to the house he entered first the wisest of them all and whose name was Kvassar and when he saw in the fire the ashes of the net that had been burned he understood that this must be a contrivance for catching fish and this he told to the asas thereupon they took flaxen made themselves a net after the pattern of that which they saw in the ashes in which Loki had made when the net was made the asas went to the river and cast it into the force Thor held one end of the net and the asas laid hold of the other thus jointly drawing it along the stream Loki went before it and laid himself down between two stones so that they drew the net over him although they perceived that some living thing touched the meshes they went up to the force again and cast out the net a second time this time they hung a great weight to it making it so heavy that nothing could possibly pass under it Loki swam before the net and when he saw that he was near the sea he sprang over the top of the net and hastened back to the force when the asas saw wither he went they proceeded up to the force dividing themselves into two bands but Thor waited in the middle of the stream and so they dragged the net along to the sea Loki saw that he now had only two chances of escape either to risk his life and swim out to sea or to leap again over the net he chose the latter and made a tremendous leap over the top line of the net Thor grasped after him and caught him but he slipped in his hand so that Thor did not get a firm hold before he got to the tail and that is the reason why the salmon has so slim a tail now Loki was taken without truce and was brought to a cave the gods took three rocks and set them up on edge and bored a hole through each rock then they took Loki's sons Vale and Nare or Narfe Vale they changed into the likeness of a wolf whereupon he tore his brother Narfe to pieces with whose intestines the asas bound Loki over the three rocks one stood under his shoulders another under his loins and a third under his hams and the fetters became iron Skade took a serpent and fastened up over him so that the venom should drop from the serpent into his face his wife stands by him and holds a dish under the venom drops whenever the dish becomes full she goes and pours away the venom and meanwhile the venom drops upon Loki's face then he twists his body so violently that the whole earth shakes and this you call earthquakes there he will lie bound until Ragnorok end of section 7 this recording is in the public domain section 8 of Norway Sweden, Denmark, Iceland Greenland and the search for the Poles read for LibriVox.org by Sonya Proverbs from the Eddas he who travels has need of wisdom the more the drunkard swallows the less is his wisdom till he loses his reason no one ought to laugh at another until he is free from false himself one's own home is the best home though never so small love both your friends and your friends friends but do not favor the friend of your enemies riches pass away like the twinkling of an eye of all friends they are the most inconstant praise the fineness of the day when it is ended praise a woman when she is buried a sword when you have proved it a maiden after she is married the ice when once you have crossed it and the liquor after it is drunk trust not to the ice of one day's freezing be not the first to break with your friend sorrow knows the heart of him who has no one to advise with but himself end of section 8 this recording is in the public domain section 9 of Norway Sweden, Denmark, Iceland Greenland and the search for the poles Bo Innes Glacier and river photograph page 28 the scenery of Norway is most thrilling the mountains are dignified and somber and vast there are many lakes thousands of feet above the sea there are broad spreading fields of perpetual snow and there are deep valleys and glaciers which forming in the heights slide slowly down huge rivers of ice cutting their own channels growling and grumbling as they go and marching resistlessly onward to the sea or to the line of warmth which forbids further advance the Norwegian rivers dash swiftly to the sea filling the land with furious waterfalls of strange which plunge from heights of a thousand feet or more or leap from rock to rock in a wild abandon of delight most fascinating of all Norwegian scenes are the fjords deep narrow channels by which the water pierces its way far up into the land each of these has at least one waterfall but they afford also a glorious panorama of rugged mountains hills valleys and homesteads of fresh green meadows and gloomy forests of these fjords Harriet Martino has well said it is difficult to say whether these fjords are the most beautiful in summer or in winter in summer they glitter with golden sunshine and purple and green shadows from the mountain and forests lie on them and these may be more lovely than the faint light of the winter of those latitudes and the snowy pictures of frozen peaks which then show themselves on the surface but before the day is half over outcome the stars the glorious stars which shine like nothing that we have ever seen there the planets cast a faint shadow as the young moon does with us and these planets and the constellations of the sky as they silently glide over from peak to peak of these rocky passes are imaged on the waters end of section 9 this recording is in the public domain tales of the sea rovers historical note our first knowledge of the history of Norway comes from the sagas or hero stories handed down from one generation to another by word of mouth until the time came when they were put into writing far less is known than might be wished for little that can be trusted goes back to the 9th century the tiny kingdoms which were scattered over the land were then united by Harold Fairhair and a rude feudal system was introduced a great number of the Charles were nobles unwilling to submit to any authority set out in their stout ships to conquer homes for themselves and other lands from Archangel to Constantinople these viking sea rovers roamed in their dragon proud galleys thirsting for battle and for plunder until their name grew terrible throughout western Europe until the 11th century Christianity was introduced by King Olaf Trigveson 996-1000 and Olaf the saint 1015-1030 Royal missionaries who relied not on argument but on the sword for the conversion of their subjects the last of these kings was driven from his throne by Canute King of Denmark and England but the rule of Denmark passed and for 300 years Norwegian submarines wore the Norwegian crown in the middle of the 12th century a civil war broke out which devastated the country until the accession in 1217 of Haken the fourth an energetic monarch who restored the county's prosperity and conquered Iceland end of section 10 this recording is in the public domain section 11 of Norway, Sweden, Denmark Iceland, Greenland and the search for the poles this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by NEMA the world story volume 8 Norway, Sweden, Denmark England, Greenland and the search for the poles edited by Eva March-Tappen section 11 The Discoverer of the North Cape about 890 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow this story of the discovery of the North Cape was told to Alfred the Great by the old sea captain Otheir Longfellow in his poem has followed closely the account set down by Alfred in his notebook the editor Otheir, the old sea captain who dwelt in Helgoland to King Alfred the lover of truth brought a snow-white walrus tooth which he held in his brown right hand his figure was tall and stately like a boy's his eye appeared his hair was yellow as hay the hands of a silvery gray gleamed in his tawny beard hearty inhale was Otheir his cheek had the color of oak with a kind of laugh in his speech like the sea tide on a beach as unto the king he spoke and Alfred king of the Saxons had a book upon his knees and wrote down the wondrous tale of him who was first to sail through the Arctic seas so far I lived to the northward no man lives north of me to the east a wild mountain chains beyond them mirrors and planes to the westward all is sea so far I lived to the northward from the harbor of scaring his hail if you only sail by day with a fair wind all the way more than a month would you sail I own six hundred reindeer with sheep and swine beside I have tribute from the fins whalebone and reindeer skins and ropes of walrus hide I plowed the land with horses but my heart was ill at ease for the old seafaring men came to me now and then were the sagas of the seas of Iceland and of Greenland and the stormy hebrides and the undiscovered deep oh I could not eat nor sleep for thinking of those seas to the northward stretched the desert how far I feign would know so at last I salied forth and three days sailed due north as far as the whale ships go to the west of me was the ocean to the right the desolate shore but I did not slacken sail for the walrus or the whale till after three days more the days grew longer and longer till they became as one and northward through the haze I saw the sullen blaze of the red midnight sun and then up rose before me upon the water's edge the huge and haggard shape of that unknown north cape whose form is like a wedge the sea was rough and stormy the tempest howled and wailed and the seafog like a ghost haunted that dreary coast but onward still I sailed four days I steered to eastward four days without a night round in a fiery ring went the great sun O. King with red and lurid light here Alfred King of the Saxons ceased writing for a while and raised his eyes from his book with a strange and puzzled look and an incredulous smile but O. Theer the old sea captain he neither paused nor stirred till the King listened and then once more took up his pen and wrote down every word and now the land said O. Theer bent southward suddenly and I followed the curving shore at ever southward bore into a nameless sea there we hunted the walrus the narwhale and the seal ha! it was a noble game like the lightning's flame flew our harpoons of steel there were six of us all together Norsemen of Helgoland in two days and no more we killed of them three score and dragged them to the strand Here Alfred the truth teller suddenly closed his book and lifted his blue eyes with doubt a strange surmise depicted in their look and O. Theer the old sea captain stared at him wild and weird and smiled till shining teeth gleamed white from underneath his tawny quivering beard and to the King of the Saxons in witness of the truth raising his noble head he stretched his brown hand and said behold this walrus tooth end of section 11 section 12 of Norway, Sweden Denmark, Iceland Greenland and the search for the Poles this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the world's story volume 8 Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland Greenland and the search for the Poles edited by Eva March Toppen section 12 the story of Hekon the Good 934 to 961 from the Heimskringla the Heimskringla is the history of the kings of Norway it was written early in the 13th century by the Icelanders the story is still thing is an assembly or a public meeting bonders are peasants or farmers the editor Kettle, Jemta, a son of Earl Onand of Sparbo went eastward across the mountain ridge and with him a great multitude who took all their farm stock and goods with them they cleared the woods and established large farms and settled the country afterwards called Thorir, Helsing, Kettle's grandson on account of a murder ran away from Jemtland and fled eastward through the forest and settled there many people followed and that country which extends eastward down to the sea coast was called Helsingland and its eastern parts are inhabited by Swedes when Hekon Har Fager took possession of the whole country many people fled before him both people of Dröntheim and of Numedal districts and thus new settlers came to Jemtland and some all the way to Helsingland the Helsingland people traveled into Sweden for their merchandise and thus became altogether subjects of that country the Jemtland people again were in a manner between the two countries and nobody cared about them until Hekon entered into friendly intercourse with Jemtland and made friends with more powerful people then they resorted to him and promised him obedience and payment of taxes and became his subjects for they saw nothing but what was good in him and being of Norwegian race they would rather stand under his royal authority than under the king of Sweden and he gave them laws and rights to their land all the people of Helsingland did the same that is all who were of Norwegian race from the other side of the great mountain ridge King Hekon was a good Christian when he came to Norway but as the whole country was heathen with much heathenish sacrifice and as many great people as well as the favor of the common people were to be conciliated he resolved to practice his Christianity in private but he kept Sundays and the Friday fast and some token of the greatest holy days he made a law that the festival of you should begin at the same time as Christian people held it every man under penalty should brew a meal that is a measure of grain of malt into ale and therewith keep the you holy as long as it lasted before him the beginning of you or the slaughtered night was the night of midwinter and you was kept for three days thereafter it was his intent as soon as he had set himself fast in the land and had subjected the whole to his power to introduce Christianity he went to work first by enticing Christianity the men who were dearest to him and many out of friendship to him allowed themselves to be baptized and some later side sacrifices he dwelt long in the dronthime district for the strength of the country lay there and when he thought that by the support of some powerful people there he could set up Christianity he sent a message to England for a bishop and other teachers and when they arrived in Norway Hacom made it known the people of mora and romsdahl referred the matter to the people of dronthime King Hacom then had several churches consecrated and put priests into them and when he came to dronthime he summoned the bonders to a thing and invited them to accept Christianity they gave an answer to the effect that they would defer the matter until the frost of thing at which there would be men from every district of the dronthime country and then they would give their determination upon this difficult matter Sigurd Earl of Lada was one of the greatest men for sacrifices and so had Hacom his father been and Sigurd always presided on account of the king at all the festivals of sacrifice in the dronthime country it was an old custom that when there was to be sacrifice all the bonders should come to the spot where the temple stood and bring with them all that they required while the festival lasted this festival all the men brought ale with them in all kinds of cattle as well as horses were slaughtered and all the blood that came from them was called lout and the vessels in which it was collected were called lout vessels lout staves were made like sprinkling brushes with which the hole of the altars and the temple walls both outside and inside were sprinkled over and also the people were sprinkled with the blood but the flesh was boiled into savory meat for those present the fire was in the middle of the floor of the temple and over it hung the kettles and the full goblets were handed across the fire and he who made the feast and was a chief blessed the full goblets and all the meat of the sacrifice at first Odin's goblet was emptied for victory and power to his king thereafter Njords and Friars goblets for peace and a good season then it was the customer of many to empty the braga goblet footnote over which vows were made into footnote and then the guests emptied a goblet to the memory of departed friends called the Remembrance Goblet Sigurd the Earl was an open handed man who did what was very much celebrated namely he made a great sacrifice festival at Lada of which he paid all the expenses Kormak Agmansam sings of it in his ballot of Sigurd of cup or platter need has none the guest who seeks the generous one Sigurd the generous who can trace his lineage from the giant race for Sigurd's hand his bounty is free the guardian of the temple he he loves the gods his liberal hand scatters his swords gains or the land King Haekon came to the frosty thing at which a vast multitude of people were assembled and when the thing was seated the king spoke to the people and began his speech was saying it was his message and treaty to the bonders and householding men both great and public in general young and old rich and poor women as well as men that they should all allow themselves to be baptized and should believe in one God and in Christ the son of Mary and refrain from all sacrifices and heathen gods and should keep holy the seventh day and abstain from work on it and keep a fast on the seventh day as soon as the king had proposed this to the bonders great was the murmur and noise among the crowd they complained that the king wanted their old faith from them and the land could not be cultivated in that way the laboring men and slaves thought that they could not work if they did not get meat and they said it was the character of King Haekon and his father and all the family to be generous enough with their money but sparing with their diet as Bjorn of middle house in the galartal stood up and answered us to the king's proposal we bonders King Haekon when we elected thee to be our king and got back our oodle rights at the golden dawn time thought we had got into heaven but now we don't know whether we have really got back our freedom or whether thou wishes to make vassals of us again by this extraordinary proposal that we should abandon the ancient faith which our fathers and forefathers have held from the oldest times in the times when the dead were burnt as well as since that they are late under mounds and which although they were braver than the people of our days has served us as a faith in the present time we have also held thee so dear that we have allowed thee to rule and give law and right to all the country and even now we bonders will unanimously hold by the law which thou give us to us here in the frost of thing and to which we have also given our ascent and we will follow thee and have thee for our king as long as there is a living man among us bonders here in this thing assembled but thou king must use some moderation towards us and only as we can obey thee in and as are not impossible for us if however that will take up this matter with a high hand and will try thy power and strength against us we bonders have resolved among ourselves to part with thee and to take to ourselves some other chief who will so conduct himself towards us that we can freely and safely enjoy that faith that suits our own inclinations now king thou must choose one or other of these conditions before the thing is ended the bonders gave loud applause to this speech and said it expressed their will and that they would stand or fall about what had been spoken when silence was again restored Earl Sigurd said it is king Hague Hans will to give way to you the bonders and never to separate himself from your friendship the bonders replied that it was their desire that the king should offer a sacrifice for peace and a good year as his father was want to do and there upon the noise and tumult ceased and the thing was concluded Sigurd spoke to the king afterwards and advised him not to refuse altogether to do as the people desired saying there was nothing else for it but to give way to the will of the bonders for it is as thou hast heard thyself the will and earnest desire of the head people as well as of the multitude hereafter we may find a good way to manage it and in this resolution the king and Earl agreed the harvest thereafter towards the winter season there was a festival of sacrifice at Lauda and the king came to it it had always been his custom before when he was present at a place where there was sacrifice to take his meals in a little house by himself or with some few of his men but the bonders grumbled that he did not seat himself on his throne at these the most joys of the meetings of the people the Earl said that the king should do so this time the king accordingly sat upon his throne now when the first goblet was filled Earl Sigurd spoke some words over it blasted in Odin's name and drank to the king out of the horn and the king then took it and made the sign of the crossover then said Kara of gritting what does the king mean by doing so will he not sacrifice Earl Sigurd replies the king is doing what all of you do who trust to your power and strength he is blessing the full goblet in the name of Thor by making the sign of his hammer over it before he drinks it on this there was quietness for the evening the next day when the people sat down to table the bonders pressed the king strongly to eat of horse flesh footnote the special sign of devotion to Odin end of footnote and as he would on no account do so they wanted him to drink of the soup and as he would not do this they insisted he should at least taste the gravy and on his refusal they were going to lay hands on him Earl Sigurd came and made peace among them by asking the king to hold his mouth over the handle of the kettle upon which the fat smoke of the boiled horse flesh had settled itself and the king first laid a linen cloth over the handle and then gaped over it and returned to the throne but neither party was satisfied with this the winter there after the king prepared a youth feast in Moira and eight chiefs resolved with each other to meet at it four of them were from without the dramthime district namely Kara of Gritting as beyond of middle house Thorberg of Barney and a warm from Lyra and from the dramthime district Blohtal of Albus Hoog Narfa of Stath and Virdal Thrand Haka from Ege and Thora Geg from Husebo in Indoran these eight men bound themselves the four first to root out Christianity in Norway and the four others to oblige the king to offer sacrifice to the gods the four first went in four ships southwards to Moira and killed three priests and burnt three churches and then they returned now when King Haekon and Earl Segerd came to Moira with their court the bonders assembled in great numbers and immediately on the first day of the feast the bonders insisted hard with the king that he should offer sacrifice and threatened him with violence if he refused Earl Segerd tried to make peace between them and brought it so far that the king took some bits of horse liver and emptied all the goblets the bonders filled for him but as soon as the feast was over the king and the Earl returned to Lada pleased and made himself ready to leave Drontheim forthwith with all his people saying that the next time he came to Drontheim he would come with such strength of men in arms that he would repay the bonders for their enmity towards him Earl Segerd and treated the king not to take it amiss of the bonders adding that it was not wise to threaten them or to make war upon the people within the country and especially in the Drontheim district where the strength of the land lay but the king was so enraged that he would not leave from anybody he went out from Drontheim and proceeded south to Mora where he remained the rest of the winter and on to the spring season and when summer came he assembled men and the report was that he intended with his army to attack the Drontheim people war rose however and instead of King Hakon's attacking the people of Drontheim he was glad of their help to defend his kingdom peace therefore was made and the enemy was driven from the land that linked their enemies came upon them again and the king was sorely wounded when King Hakon came out to his ship he had his wound bound up but the blood ran from it so much and so constantly that it could not be stopped and when the day was drawing to an end his strength began to leave him then he told his men that he wanted to go northwards to his house at Alras Stad but when he came north as far as Hakon's hill they put in towards the land for by this time the king was almost lifeless then he called his friends around him and told them what he wished to be done with regard to his kingdom he had only one child a daughter called Thor and had no son now he told them to send a message to Eric's sons that they should be kings over the country but asked them to hold his friends in respect and honor and if fate added he should prolong my life I will at any rate leave the country and go to a Christian land independence for what I have done against God but should I die in heathen land any burial you think that shortly afterwards Hakon expired at the little hill on the shore side at which he was born so great was the sorrow over Hakon's death that he was lamented both by friends and enemies and they said that never again would Norway see such a king his friends removed his body to Seeheim in north Horteland and made a great mound in which they laid the king in full armor and in his best clothes but with no other goods they spoke over his grave as he then people are used to do and wished him in Valhalla Ivan Skaldespiller composed a poem on the death of King Hakon and on how well he was received in Valhalla the poem is called Hakon Armall in Odin's hall an empty place stands for a king of Ingvis Rays go my Valkyries Odin said go forth my angels of the dead gondol and skogel to the plain drenched with the battle's bloody rain and to the dying Hakon till Valhalla he shall dwell atstored so late a lonely shore was heard the battle's wild uproar the lightning of the flashing sword burned fiercely at the shore of stored from leveled halberd and spearhead lifeblood was dropping fast and red and the keen arrows biting sleet upon the shore at stored fast beat upon the thundering cloud of shield flashed bright the sword storm or the field and on the plate mail rattled loud the arrow showers in Odin's tempest weather there swift whistling through the angry air and the spear torrent swept away ranks of brave men from light of day with battered shield and blood smeared sword sits one beside the shore at stored with armor crushed and gashed sits he a grim and ghastly sight to see and round about in sorrow stand the wars of his gallant ban because the king of Durgland's race in Odin's hall must fill a place then up spade gondrel standing near resting upon her long ash spear Hacon the god's cause prospers well and now in Odin's halls shall dwell the king beside the shore of stored the speech of the Valkyrie herd who sat there on her cobalt steed with shield on arm and helm on head thoughtful it said Hacon tell me why ruler of battle's victory is so dealt out on stored's red plane have we not well deserved to gain and is it not as well dealt out said gondrel here is thou not the shout the field is cleared the foe men run the day is ours the battle won then Skogal said my cobalt steed home to the gods I now must speed to their green home to tell the tidings that Hacon's self is hither riding to Hermod and to Braga then said Odin here the first of men brave Hacon comes the Norseman's king go forth my welcome to him bring fresh from the battle field came in dripping with blood the Norseman's king me thinks that he great Odin's will is harsh and bodes me further ill thy son from off the field today from victory to snatch away but Odin said be thine the joy Valhalla gives my own brave boy and Braga said eight brothers here welcome thee to Valhalla's cheer to drain the cup or fights repeat where Hacon erics Earl's beat quote the stout king and shout my gear helm sword and mail coat axe and spear be still at hand it is good to hold fast by our trusty friends of old well was it seen that Hacon still has saved the temples from all ill footnote although a Christian Hacon spared the heathen temples into footnote for the whole council of gods welcome the king to their bodes happy the day women are born like Hacon who all base things scorn win from the brave and honored name and die amidst an endless fame sooner shall Fenris Wolf devour the race of man from shore to shore than such a grace to kingly crown as gallant Hacon want renown life land friends riches all will fly and we in slavery shall sigh but Hacon in the blessed abodes forever lives with the bright gods end of section 12 this recording is in the public domain section 13 of Norway Sweden Denmark Iceland Greenland and the search for the polls this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Devorah Allen the world's story volume 8 Norway Sweden Denmark Iceland Greenland and the search for the polls edited by Eva March Tappan section 13 stories of Olaf Trigvason king of Norway from 996 to 1000 the father of Olaf Trigvason grandson of Harold Fairhair was an independent chief in vegan after his murder his wife Astridha fled to a tiny island in a lake and there her son Olaf was born the mother still in danger from the murderers of her husband took refuge in Russia with a kinsman an outline of her son's adventurous career is given in the following pages in the year 1000 Olaf contended with the Danes in a furious fight at sea when most of his veins had been killed and he himself was sorely wounded he sprang overboard his foes tried to capture him but he threw his shield over his head and sank beneath the blood reddened waters the story of this battle in Sweden under the title the revenge of Sigrid the haughty Olaf was never seen in Norway again but his people could not believe that he was dead and soon a story arose that he had not been killed but had dived under the vessel and escaped furthermore he had according to legend put upon himself the grey cloak of a pilgrim had journeyed to Rome in the Holy Land and had finally become a hermit dying in the odor of sanctity after much prayer and fasting the editor Olaf's youthful adventures by Henry Wheaton after residing for nine years at the Russian court Olaf left in the 19th year of his age and cruised in the Baltic sea as a Viking he afterwards espoused the daughter of a vend prince and with his father-in-law joined the final expedition of the Emperor Otho against Denmark he returned to his wife's country where he remained three years and on her death resumed his sea-roving life he cruised for several years on the coasts of England Scotland, Ireland and France and on his arrival at Sealy was converted to Christianity by a solitary monk or hermit in that remote and sequestered island but he had probably acquired some notions of the Christian religion as it was understood and practiced in those barbarous times in Russia and both the English and Norman chronicles assure us that he was solemnly baptized at London and at ruin in Normandy probably like most of the northern adventurers of that age he might not be unwilling to give repeated proofs in different countries and at different times of his determination to renounce the errors of paganism the fame of the exploits of Olaf Trigvason reached the ear of the tyrant of Norway who heard with terror that there was a youthful hero of the race of Harold Harfager still surviving who might challenge his claim to the Norwegian subter Hakon sent one of his subtlest agents Thorur Klaka to Dublin in Ireland where Olaf had married a Northman princess of that country to discover and circumvent him with artful wiles Thorur who had before visited Ireland both as a merchant and a sea-rover presented himself to Olaf as one of the victims of Hakon's tyranny and represented that his countrymen would receive with open arms the descendant of their ancient princes as a deliverer from a yoke which had become insupportable encouraged by these solicitations Olaf set sail for Norway accompanied by his pretended friend Thorur on their arrival in that country they found that the greater part of the chieftains and people had actually risen in arms against Hakon Thorur was confounded at finding what he had deceitfully represented to Olaf actually realized during his absence he endeavored in vain to find out Hakon who had fled before the rising storm and sought a refuge in a distant part of the country with a woman of illustrious birth named Thorur who provided him a hiding place in a secret grotto where he remained concealed from his enemies in the meantime Thorur returned to the ship and advised Olaf to land his position of the people in his favor intending however to lead him into an ambush and thus consummate his treachery by slaying the young prince but Olaf anticipated the designs of Thorur and caused him to be put to death before he could accomplish his intentions there was now a general rising of the Norwegians against Hakon who was assassinated by one of his own slaves the bloody head of his enemy was brought to Olaf who commanded the slave to be instantly put to death both their heads were then fixed up at the place of execution for common malifactors and exposed to the gaze of the multitude who expressed their hate by covering them with a shower of stones the people of Norway immediately elected Olaf to fill the vacant throne he was recommended to their choice not only by his birth being a lineal descendant of Harold I and what was scarcely of less importance with the northern nations manly beauty but also by his heroic spirit valor and reputation for wisdom and knowledge acquired in foreign lands how Gira chose Olaf for a husband from the Heimskringle while Olaf Trigveson lay in the Seely Isles he heard of a seer or fortune teller on the islands who could tell beforehand things not yet done and what he foretold many believed was really fulfilled Olaf became curious to try this man's gift of prophecy he therefore sent one of his men who was the handsomest and strongest clothed him magnificently and bade him say he was the king for Olaf was known in all countries as handsomer, stronger and braver than all others although after he had left Russia he retained no more of his name than that he was called Ola and was Russian now when the messenger came to the fortune teller and gave himself out for the king he got the answer thou art not the king but I advise thee to be faithful to thy king and more he would not say to that man the man returned and told Olaf and his desire to meet the fortune teller was increased and now he had no doubt of his being really a fortune teller Olaf repaired himself to him and entering into conversation asked him if he could foresee how it would go with him with regard to his kingdom or of any other fortune he was to have the hermit replies in a holy spirit of prophecy thou wilt become a renowned king and do celebrated deeds many men wilt thou bring to faith and baptism and both to thy own and others good and that thou mayest have no doubt of the truth of this answer listen to these tokens when thou comeest to thy ships many of thy people will conspire against thee and then a battle will follow in which many of thy men will fall and thou wilt be wounded almost to death and carried upon a shield to thy ship yet after seven days thou shalt be well of thy wounds and immediately thou shalt let thyself be baptized soon after Olaf went down to his ships where he met some mutineers and people who would destroy him and his men a fight took place and the result was what the hermit had predicted that Olaf was wounded and that his wound was healed in seven days then Olaf perceived that the men had spoken truth that he was a true fortune teller and had the gift of prophecy Olaf went once more to the hermit and asked particularly how he came to have such wisdom in foreseeing things to be the hermit replied that the Christians God himself let him know all that he desired and he brought before Olaf many great proofs of the power of the Almighty and the consequence of this encouragement Olaf agreed to let himself be baptized and he and all his followers were baptized forthwith he remained here a long time took the true faith and got with him priests and other learned men in autumn Olaf sailed from Sealy to England where he put into a harbor but proceeded in a friendly way for England was Christian and he himself had become a Christian at this time a summons to a thing that went through the country that all men should come to hold a thing now when the thing was assembled a queen called Gida came to it a sister of Olaf Quarren who was king of Dublin in Ireland she had been married to a great Earl in England and after his death she was at the head of his dominions in her territory there was a man called Alphen who was a great champion and single combat man he had paid his addresses to her but she gave her answer that she herself would choose whom of the men in her dominions she would take in marriage and on that account the thing was assembled that she might choose a husband Alphen came there dressed out in his best clothes and there were many well dressed men at the meeting Olaf had come there also but he out on his bad weather clothes and a coarse overgarment and stood with his people apart from the rest of the crowd Gida went round and looked at each a suitable man now when she came to where Olaf stood she looked at him straight in the face and asked what sort of man he was he said I am called Olaf and I am a stranger here Gida replies will thou have me if I choose thee I will not say no to that answered he and he asked what her name was her family and descent I am called Gida said she and am daughter of the king of Ireland she married in this country to an Earl who ruled over this territory since his death I have ruled over it and many have courted me but none to whom I would choose to be married she was a young and handsome woman they afterwards talked over the matter together and agreed and Olaf and Gida were betrothed Alphen was very ill pleased with this it was the custom then in England if two strove for anything to settle the matter by single combat so Alphen challenges Olaf Trigvison to fight about this business the time and place for the combat were settled and that each should have twelve men with him when they met Olaf told his men to do exactly as they saw him do he had a large axe and when Alphen was going to cut at him with his sword he hewed away the sword out of his hand and with an X blow struck Alphen himself he then bound him fast it went in the same way with all Alphen's men they were beaten down bound and carried to Olaf's lodging thereupon he ordered Alphen to quit the country and never appear in it again and Olaf took all his property Olaf in this way got Gida in marriage and lived sometimes in England and sometimes in Ireland King Olaf orders a poem from the Heimskringler as King Olaf one day was walking in the street and the men met him and he who went the foremost saluted the king the king asked the man his name and he called himself Halfred Art thou the scald? said the king I can compose poetry, replied he wilt thou then adopt Christianity and come into my service? asked the king if I am baptized, replied he it must be on one condition the king replied that I will do and Halfred was baptized the king holding him during the baptism afterwards the king said wilt thou enter into my service Halfred replied I was formerly in Earl Haken's court but now I will neither enter into thine nor into any other service unless thou promise me it shall never be my lot to be driven away from thee it has been reported to me said the king so prudent nor so obedient as to fulfill my commands in that case, replied Halfred put me to death thou art a scald who composes difficulties, said the king but into my service Halfred thou shalt be received Halfred said if I am to be named the composer of difficulties what dost thou give me king on my name day the king gave him a sword without a scabbard and said cast me a song upon this sword and let the word sword be in every line of the verses Halfred saying thus this sword of swords is my reward from him who knows to wield a sword and with his sword to serve his lord yet wants a sword his lot is hard I would I had my good lords leave for this good sword's sheath to choose I'm worth three swords where men's swords use but for the sword sheath now I grieve then the king gave him the scabbard observing that the word sword was wanting in one line of his strophe but there are three swords in at least two other lines said Halfred so it is replied the king out of Halfred's lays we have taken the most of the true and faithful accounts that are here related about Olaf Trigvason end of section 13 section 14 of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland Greenland and the search for the Poles this is the LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Sandra Schmidt the world's story volume 8 Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland Greenland and the search for the Poles edited by Ewa March Teppen section 14 Ironbeard by Henry Watsworth Longfellow Olaf the king one summer morn blew a blast on his bugle horn sending his signal through the land of drum time and to the hoosting held at me gathered the farmers far and near with their war weapons ready to confront him plowing under the morning star old Ironbeard in Irial heard the summons chuckling with a low laugh he wiped the sweat drops from his brow unharnessed his horses from the plow and clattering came on horseback to King Olaf he was the churliest of the churls little he cared for king or earls bitter as homebrewed ale were his foaming passions hot and grey was the garpy war and by the hammer of Thor he swore he hated the narrow town and all its fashions but he loved the freedom of his farm his ale at night by the fireside warm Gudrun his daughter with her flexant tresses he loved his horses and his herds the smell of the earth and the song of the birds his well-filled barns his brook with its watercresses huge and cumbersome was his frame his beard from which he took his name frosty and fierce like that of himir the giant so at the hoosting he appeared the farmer of Irial iron beard on horseback in an attitude defiant and to King Olaf he cried aloud out of the middle of the crowd that tossed about him like a stormy ocean such sacrifices shall thou bring to Odin and to Thor oh king as other kings have done in their devotion King Olaf answered I command this land to be a Christian land here is my bishop who the folk baptizes but if you ask me to restore your sacrifices stained with gore then I will offer human sacrifices not slaves and peasants shall they be but man of note and high degree such man as aum of lyra and car of gritting then to the temple strode he in and loud behind him heard the din of his men at arms and the peasants fiercely fighting there in the temple carved in wood the image of great Odin stood and other gods with Thor supreme among them King Olaf smottom with the blade of his huge war axe gold inlaid and downward shattered to the pavement flung them at the same moment rose without from the contending crowd a shout a mingled sound of triumph and of wailing and there upon the trampled plain the farmer iron beard lay slain away between the assailed and the assailing King Olaf from the doorway spoke choose you between two things my folk to be baptized or given up to slaughter and seeing their leaders dark and dead the people with the murmur said oh king baptize us with thy holy water so all the drontime land became a christian land in name and fame in the old gods no more king and trusting and as a blood atonement soon king Olaf with the fair Gudrun and thus in peace ended the drontime hosting end of section 14 this recording is in the public domain