 Section 42 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 Tappen. Section 42 of the Madman of the North, Defended Himself at Bender. 1713 by François-Marie Avilaire Voltaire. When Charles XII was in his 15th year, he became by the death of his father, King of Sweden. He showed little interest in the affairs of the nation, and when he went to meetings of his council, he sat with his legs crossed on the table and was evidently dreaming of everything except the question in hand. He was willing to study and to carry on all sorts of out-of-door amusements, but he gave little promise of kingly qualities. And when it was known that Peter the Great of Russia, Augustus II of Poland, and Frederick IV of Denmark were preparing to attack Sweden, the councilors were in despair. Suddenly this boy of 18 started to his feet. Gentleman said, he, I've made up my mind. I intend to attack the first to declare his war against me. When I have conquered him, I hope to strike terror into the rest. From that day, he became a soldier, was ready to endure any hardships, and showed himself to have the qualities of a great commander. He promptly invaded Denmark and defeated the Russians at Narva, but was defeated by Peter the Great at Pultawa, and barely escaped into Turkey. There he tried his best to induce the Turks to attack Russia. When this proved impossible, he concluded that they meant to give him up to his enemies. He refused to obey the Sultan's command to leave the country and set to work to fortify his house. Even Charles could hardly have expected this defense to succeed, and he was taken prisoner, but in 1714 this unwilling and unwelcome guest made his escape, the editor. Charles, quite convinced that the Khan and the Pasha intended to hand him over to his enemy's order, Monsieur Funk, his envoy at the Ottoman court, to lay his complaints against them before the Sultan, to ask for one thousand purses more. His great generosity and his indifference to money hindered him from seeing the baseness of this proposal. He only did it to get a refusal, so that then he might have a fresh pretext for failing to depart. But a man must be reduced to great straits when he has recourse to such tricks. Savari, his interpreter, a crafty and enterprising character, carried the letter to Adrian Opel in spite of the Grand Vizier's care to have the roads guarded. Funk was forced to go and deliver this dangerous message, and all the answer he got was imprisonment. Thoroughly angry, the Sultan called an extraordinary divan and made a speech that it himself, his speech, according to the translation, then made of it, was as follows. I hardly knew the king of Sweden, but from his defeat at Potalva, and the request he made to me to grant him sanctuary in my empire. I'm under no obligation to him, nor have I any reason either to love or fear him. Yet thinking only of the hospitality of a Muslim man and my own generosity, which sheds the dew of its favor on small and greater like, I received and aided him, his ministers, officers, and soldiers in every respect, and for three years and a half have continually loaded him with presence. I've granted him a considerable guard to take him to his own country. He is asked for one thousand purses to defray expenses, though I am paying them all, and instead of one thousand, I've granted him twelve hundred. After getting these from the Saraskye of Bender he wants one thousand more, and refuses to go under the pretext that the guard is too small, whereas it is too large to pass through the country of a friend and ally. I ask you then, is it any breach of the laws of hospitality to send this prince away, and whether foreign princes would have any ground for accusing me of cruelty and injustice if I used force to make him go? All the demand answered that the sultan might lawfully do as he said. The mufti declared that muslimans are not bound to offer hospitality to infidels, much less to the ungrateful, and he granted his fester a kind of mandate, which generally accompanies the sultan's important orders. These festas are reviewed as oracles, though the persons who issue them are as much the sultan's slaves as any others. The order and the fester were taken to Bender by the master of the horse and the first usher. The pasha of Bender received the order at the cons, whence he went at once to the bar-nitsa to ask if the king would go away in a friendly way, or would force him to carry out the sultan's orders. Charles XII, not being used to this threatening language, could not command his temper. Obey your master if you dare, he said, and be gone. The pasha, in indignation, set off at a gallop, an unusual thing with a Turk. On the return journey he met Monsieur Fabricius and called out to him without stopping. The king won't listen to reason you will see strange doings presently. The same day he cut off the king's supplies and removed the guard of Janissaries. He also sent to the Poles and Cossacks to let them know that if they wanted to get any provisions, they must leave the king of Sweden's camp and come and put themselves under the protection of that port at Bender. They all obeyed and left the king with only the officers of his household and 300 Swedes to cope with 2,000 Tartars and 6,000 Turks. There was now no more provision in the camp for man or beast. The king at once gave orders that the 20 fine Arabian horses they had given him should be shot, saying, I will have neither their food nor their horses. This made a great feast for the Tartars who, as everyone knows, think that horse flesh is delicious. In the meantime, the Turks and Tartars invested the little camp on all sides. The king with no signs of panic appointed his 300 Swedes to make regular fortifications and worked with them himself, his chancellor, treasurer, secretaries, valets, and all his servants went to hand to the work. Some barricaded the windows, others took the bars behind the doors and placed them like buttresses. When the house was well barricaded and the king had reviewed his pretenses at fortifications, he began to play chess unconcernedly with his favorite, Grothusen, as if everything had been perfectly safe and secure. It happened very luckily that Fabricius, the envoy of Holstein, did not lodge at Varnitsa, but at a small village between Varnitsa and Bender, where Mr. Jeffries, the English envoy to the king of Sweden, lived also. These two ministers, seeing that the storm was about to break, undertook to mediate between the Turks and the king. The Khan, and especially the posh of Bender, who had no intention of hurting the monarch, were glad of the offers of their services. They had two conferences together at Bender, of which the usher of the Saraglio and the grandmaster of the horse, who had brought the order from the sultan, were present. Monsieur Fabricius owned to them that the Swedish king had good reason to believe that they intended to give him up to his enemies in Poland. The Khan, the posh and the rest swore on their heads, calling God to witness that they detested the thought of such a horrible piece of treachery, and which shed the last drop of their blood, rather than show the least lack of respect to the king in Poland. They added that they had the Russian and Polish ambassadors in their power, and that their lives should answer for the least affront offered to the king of Sweden, in a word they complained bitterly of the outrageous suspicions which the king was harboring about people who had received and treated him so well. And though oaths are often the language of treachery, Monsieur Fabricius allowed himself to be persuaded by these barbarians. He thought he saw that air of truth in their protests, which Balsud imitates but lamely. He knew that there was a secret correspondence between the Tartar Khan and Augustus, but he remained convinced that the object of this negotiation was only to force Charles to retire from the territories of the sultan. The weather Fabricius was mistaken or not, he assured them that he would represent to the king the unreasonableness of his jealousies. But do you intend to force him to go? he added. Yes, answered the Pasha, such are our master's orders. Then he desired them to consider again whether that order was to spill the blood of a crowned head. Yes, answered the Khan, with warmth, if that head disobeys the sultan in his own dominions. In the meantime, everything was ready for the assault, and Charles's death seemed inevitable. But as the sultan's command was not positively to kill him in case of resistance, the Pasha prevailed on the Khan to send a messenger that moment to Adrianople to receive his highnesses final orders. Mr. Jeffries and Monsieur Fabricius, having got this respite hurried to acquaint the king with it, they hastened like bears of good news and were received very coldly. He called them forward, meddling mediators, and still insisted that the sultan's order and the Mufti's fester were forged because they had sent for fresh orders to the port. The English minister withdrew resolving to trouble himself no further with the affairs of so obstinate of France. Monsieur Fabricius, a favorite of the king and more accustomed to his whims, and the English minister stayed with him to exhort him not to risk so valuable a life on so futile and occasion. The only reply the king made was to show him his fortifications and to beg him to mediate so far as to obtain provisions for him. Leave was easily obtained from the Turks to let provisions pass into the king's camp till the couriers should return from Adrianople. The Khan himself had forbidden the Tartars to make any attempt on the Swedes till a new order came so that Charles went out of his camp, sometimes with forty horse, and rode through the midst of the Tartar troops who respectfully left him a free passage, even marched right up to their lines, and they did not resist but opened to him. At last the sultans' order arrived with command to put to the sword all the Swedes who made the least resistance and not to spare the king's life. The Pasha had this ability to show the order to Monsieur Fabricius that he might make a last effort with Charles. Fabricius went at once to tell him his bad news. Have you seen the order you refer to, said the king? I have replied, Fabricius, tell them, said the king, for me, that this order is a second forgery of theirs and that I will not go. Fabricius fell at his feet in a transport of rage and scolded him for his obstinacy. Go back to your Turks, said the king, smiling at him. If they attack me, I know how to defend myself. The king's chaplains also fell on their knees before him, besieging him not to expose the wretched remnant over from Paltower and above all his own sacred person to death. Adding besides that resistance in this case was a most unwarrantable deed and that it was a violation of the laws of hospitality to resolve to stay against their will with strangers who had so long and generously supported him. The king who had showed no resentment with Fabricius became angry on this occasion and told his priests that he employed them to pray for him and not to give him advice. General Horde and General Dardov, who had always been against venturing a battle which in the result must prove fatal, showed the king their breasts covered with wounds received in his service and assured him that they were ready to die for him and begged him that it might be on a more worthy occasion. I know, said the king, by my wounds and yours, that we have fought valiantly together. You have hitherto done your duty, do it again now. The only thing remaining was to obey. They were all ashamed not to seek death with their king. He prepared for the assault, secretly gloating over the pleasure and honor of resisting with three hundred Swedes, the efforts of a whole army. He gave every man his place, his chancellor, Malern, his secretary, and Prius, and the clerks were to defend the chancery house. Baron Pfeiffer at the head of the officers of the kitchen was to defend another post, the grooms of the stables, and the cooks had another place to guard for with him every man was a soldier. He rode from his fortifications to his house, promising rewards to everyone, creating officers and declaring that he would make his humblest servant captain if he behaved with Valor in the engagement. It was not long before they saw the Turks and Tartars advancing to attack the little fortress with ten cannon and two mortars. The horsetails waved in the air, the clarions braided, and cries of Allah, Allah, were heard on all sides. Baron Grooth, Thucin, remarked that they were not abusing the king as they shouted but only calling him the Mirabash, that is iron head, so he resolved to go alone and unarmed out of the fort. He advanced to the line of the Janissaries who had almost all of them received money from him. What my friends, he said in their own language, have you come to massacre 300 defenseless Swedes? You brave Janissaries who have pardoned 100,000 Russians when they cried, Aman, pardon to you, have you forgotten the kindness you have received at our hands? And would you assassinate the king of Sweden whom you loved so much and who has been so generous to you? My friends, he asked only three days and the sultans' orders are not so strict as they would make you believe. These words had an effect which Grooth, Thucin himself had not expected. The Janissaries swore on their beards that they would not attack the king and would give him the three days that he demanded. In vain was the signal given for assault. The Janissaries far from obeying threatened to turn their arms against their leaders if three days were not granted to the king of Sweden. They came to the Pasha, a bender's tent and a band, crying that the sultans' orders were forged. To this sedition the Pasha could oppose nothing but patience. He pretended to be pleased with the generous resolve of the Janissaries and ordered them to retreat to Bender. The Khan of Tartary, who was a passionate man, would have made the assault at once with his own troops. But the Pasha, who would not allow the Tartars alone to have the honor of taking the king while he might perhaps be punished for the disobedience of the Janissaries, persuaded the Khan to wait till next day. The Pasha, returning to Bender, assembled all the officers of the Janissaries and the older soldiers. He read them and showed them the positive command of the sultan and the mandate of the Mufti. Sixty of the oldest of them, with venerable gray beards who had received innumerable presents from the king, proposed to go to him in person and entreat him to put himself into their hands and permit them to serve him as guards. The Pasha consented, for there was no stone he would leave unturned rather than be forced to kill the king. So these sixty old soldiers went next morning to Varnitsa, having nothing in their hands but long white staves, their only weapon when they intend not to fight for the Turks considered a barbarous custom of the Christians to wear swords in time of peace and to go armed to the churches or the houses of friends. They addressed themselves to Baron Grooth, Thucson and Chancellor Malurn. They told them that they had come with the intention of serving as faithful guards to the king and that if he pleased they would conduct him to Adrianople where he might speak to the sultan in person. While they were making the proposal, the king read the letters that had come from Constantinople and that Fabricius, who could not seem again, had sent to him privately by a Janissary. These letters were from Count Poniatowski, who could neither serve him at Bender nor at Adrianople having been detained at Constantinople by the Tsar's order from the time of the imprudent demand of 1,000 persons. He told the king that the sultan's order to seize his royal person was only too true that the sultan was indeed imposed upon by his ministers. But that the more he was imposed upon in the matter the more he would be obeyed that he must submit to the times and yield to necessity and that he took the liberty of advising him to attempt all that was possible in the way of negotiation with the ministers not to be inflexible in a case where the gentlest methods would prevail and to trust the time and diplomacy the healing of an evil which rough handling would aggravate beyond the hope of recovery. But neither the proposal of the old Janissaries, nor Poniatowski's letters, could in the least convince the king that it was possible for him to give way without injuring his honor. He would rather die by the hands of the Turks than be in any sense their prisoner. He dismissed the Janissaries without seeing them sending them word that if they did not hurry he would shave their beards for them which in the east is considered the most provoking affront that can be altered. The old soldiers in a rage returned home crying down with this iron head since he has resolved to die let him. They gave the Pasha an account of their mission and told their comrades at Bender of the strange reception they had met with then all swore to obey the orders of the Pasha without delay and they were now as eager for the assault as they had been adverse to it the day before. The word was given at once they marched up to the entrenchments the Tartars were already waiting for them and the ten cannon began to play. The Janissaries on one side and the Tartars on the other forced this little camp in an instant. Twenty Swedes had scarcely time to draw their swords. The three hundred were surrounded and taken prisoners without resistance. The king was then on horseback between his house and his camp with generals Huard, Dardov and Spar seeing that all his soldiers had suffered themselves to be taken before his eyes. He said with sang foie to those three officers let us go and defend the house we'll fight. He added with a smile pro aris at Phoses. With them he immediately galloped up to the house where he had placed about forty servants as sentinels in which they had fortified as best they could. These generals though they were accustomed to the obstinate courage of their master could not but be surprised that in cold blood they suggest he should propose that they should defend themselves against ten cannon and a whole army. They followed him with twenty guards and domestics. But when they were at the door they found it besieged by Janissaries besides nearly two hundred Turks and Tartars had already got in at a window and had seized all the rooms except a great hall wither the king's servants had withdrawn. Luckily this hall was near the door at which the king intended entering with his twenty men he threw himself from his horse pistol and sword in hand and his followers did the same. The Janissaries fell on him from all sides encouraged by the posh promise of eight gold ducats to any who did but touch his coat in case they could not take him. He wounded and killed all that came near him a Janissary whom he had wounded stuck his musket in the king's face and if the arm of a Turk had not jostled him in the crowd the king would have been killed. The ball grazed his nose and took off a piece of his ear and then broke the arm of General Hoard whose fate it was always to be wounded at his master's side. The king stuck his sword into the Janissaries breast and at the same time his servants who were shut up in the hall opened the door to him. He and his little troops slipped in as swiftly as an arrow they closed the door at once and barricaded it with all they could find. Behold Charles shut up in this hall with all his attendance about three score men officers, secretaries, valets and servants of all kinds. The Janissaries and the Tartars pillaged the rest of the house and filled the rooms. Come said the king let us go and drive out these barbarians. Then putting himself at the head of his men he with his own hands opened the door of the hall which opened into his bedroom went in and fired on his plunderers. The Turks laden with booty terrified at the sudden appearance of the king whom they had reverenced threw down their arms out of the window or fled to the cellars. The king taking advantage of their confusion and his own men being animated with their piece of success pursued the Turks from room to room. Kielder wounded those who had not made their escape and in a quarter of an hour cleared the house of the enemy. In the heat of the combat the king saw two Janissaries who had hidden themselves under his bed he thrust one through but the other asked pardon saying, Aman, I grant you your life said the king on condition that you go and give the Pasha a faithful account of what you have seen. The Turk readily promised to do as he was told and was then allowed to leap out of the window like the others. The Swedes were last masters of the house again and shut and barricaded the windows. They did not lack arms for a room on the ground floor full of muskets and powder had escaped the tumultuous search of the Janissaries. This day turned to good account firing close on the Turks through the window and killing two hundred of them in less than a quarter of an hour. The cannon played against the house but as the stones were very soft they only made holes in the wall but demolished nothing. The Khan of Tartary and the Pasha who wanted to take the king alive ashamed at losing time and men and employing a whole army against 60 persons thought it expedient to fire the house in order to force the king to surrender. They had arrows twisted with lighted matches shot onto the roof and against the door and windows by this means the whole house was soon in flames. The roof falling flames was about to fall on the Swedes the king quietly gave orders for extinguishing the fire and finding a small barrel full of liquor he took hold of it himself and with the help of two Swedes threw it on the place where the fire was most violent. Then he found that it was full of brandy the fire burned more furiously than ever the king's room was burned and the great hall where the Swedes were then was filled with terrible smoke mingled with tongues of flame that came in through the doors of the next rooms half the roof fell in and the other had fallen outside the house cracking among the flames a guard called Wahlberg ventured when things had got to this past to say that they must surrender what a strange man this is said the king to imagine that it is not more glorious to be burned than to be taken prisoner another guard called Rosen a true sweet cried the king then he embraced him and made him a colonel on the spot come on my friends he said take all the powder and ball you can carry and let us gain chancery sword in hand the Turks who were all this while around the house were struck with fear and admiration at seeing that the Swedes were staying inside in spite of the flames but they were much more astonished when they saw them open the doors and the king and his men fall on them desperately Charles and his leading officer were armed with sword and pistol everyone fired two pistols at a time at the instant that the door opened and in a flash throwing away their pistols and drawing their swords they drove back the Turks fifty paces but the next moment the little band was surrounded the king booted according to custom got his spurs and tangled and fell once one in twenty janissaries fell on him disarmed him and took him away to the quarters of the pasha some holding his arms and others his legs as a sick man as carried for fear of incommoting him as soon as the king saw himself in their hands the violence of his rage and the fury which so long and desperate a fight had naturally inspired gave way to gentleness and calm not one impatient word escaped him not one frown was to be seen he smiled at the janissaries with mingled indignation and respect his officers were taken at the same time and stripped by the Turks and Tartars this strange adventure happened on the 12th of February 1713 it had extraordinary consequences the pasha of Bender waited in state in his tent with a certain marco for interpreter expecting the king he received him with great respect and asked him to rest on a sofa but the king disregarded his abilities and continued standing blessed be the almighty said the pasha that your majesty is safe and grieve that you have forced me to execute the sultan's orders the king on the other hand was only vexed that his 300 men had allowed themselves to be taken in their entrenchments and said ah if they had fought like men we should have held out these 10 days alas said the pasha what a pity that so much courage should be misapplied then the king was taken on a fine horse with magnificent trappings to Bender all the Swedes were either killed or taken prisoners the kings equipped furniture and papers and the most needful of his clothes were pillaged or burned on the roads the Swedish officers almost naked and chained in pairs followed the horses of the Tartars and Janissaries the chancellor and the general officers were in the same condition becoming slaves to those of the soldiers to whose share they fell the pasha ish mail brought the king to his saraglio at Bender gave him his own room where he was served in the state but not without a guard of Janissaries at the room door they prepared a bed for him but he threw himself down on a sofa in his boots and fell fast asleep an officer and waiting nearby put a cap on his head the king threw it off directly he awaked and the Turk was amazed to see a king sleeping on a sofa in his boots and bareheaded in the morning ish mail brought the king and when he saw his princess clothes all rent his boots his hands and his whole person covered with blood and dust his eyebrows scorched yet even in this state smiling he threw himself on his knees unable to speak but soon reassured by the natural and gentle manner of the king he resumed his ordinary familiarity and they began to make sport of the battle they tell me said Fabricius that your majesty killed no fewer than 20 Janissaries no no the king you know a story always grows in the telling in the midst of the conversation the posh that brought to the king his favorite wrote Thucin and Colonel Ribbons whom he had generously ransomed at his own expense Fabricius undertook to ransom all the other prisoners Geoffrey's the English ambassador helped him with money in law the French noble who had come to Bender from curiosity to see him and who has written some account of these matters gave all he had the officers assisted by the czar's advice and money redeemed all the officers and their clothes from the Tartars and Turks next morning they took the king in a chariot decked with scarlet to Adrianople and his treasurer growth Lucin was with him the Chancellor Malern and some officers followed in another carriage many others were on horseback and could not restrain tears at the sight of the king's chariot the posture commanded the escort Fabricius remarked that it was a shame that the king had no sword God forbid that the posture he would soon be at our throats if he had a sword end of section 42 this recording is in the public domain section 43 of Norway, Sweden Denmark, Iceland Greenland and the search for the Poles read for LibriVox.org by Alan Mapstone bringing home the body of Charles XII by Gustav Olof Sedastrom Swedish painter 1845 painting page 208 the military ability of Charles XII Sweden had given his country a high rank among the nations he had met the armies of Russia, Poland and Denmark and had struck blow after blow his success however was of short duration he lost much territory to Peter the Great and while attacking Norway he came to his death this took place at Frederick's Hall it was midwinter and the ground was deep with snow but his loyal soldiers were determined that his body should rest in his native soil the illustration shows the sad procession making its way over a mountain pass towards the capital which he had never seen but as a boy his body now lies in a sarcophagus of black marble covered with a lion's skin and surmounted by a crown and scepter and as a fitter monument they flutter around hundreds of standards and banners in signs of many nations captured in his wars Sweden was now deep in trouble all around her were enemies in the confusion of war the nobles had regained the unfair powers which they had formally held and there was doubt in regard to the succession to the throne the younger sister of Charles agreed not to challenge the demands of the nobles and therefore they upheld her claim to the crown the aristocracy really ruled but they were divided into two parties the hats or french party and the caps or russian party disastrous wars followed and much territory was lost the nobles remained in control until the reign of Gustavus III who succeeded in restoring the royal authority end of section 43 this recording is in the public domain section 44 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 auto-volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Abahi in July 2019 the world's story volume 8 Norway, Sweden, Denmark Iceland, Greenland and the search for the Poles edited by Eva March Tappen section 44 the Nobel Prize by Vance Thompson the most familiar names of persons to whom Nobel prizes have been awarded since 1905 are William Marconi in Physics Madame Curie in Chemistry Rajat Kipling Selma Lagerlöf Maurice Mitterlink Gerhard Hauptmann and Thomas Hardy in Literature and Theodore Roosevelt and Elihu Root for the promotion of international peace the editor as you go from San Remo toward Taja and the Gulflinx you pass the big white villa in September 1896 the greater part of his life had been spent in inventing explosives and perfecting methods of manifold death his genius had made it possible to sink a fleet of battleships and obliterate half an army corps in one thorough going moment in his old age he thought of these things then too he felt under the influence of a very extraordinary woman the Baroness von Sutna in books and public lectures she has long preached the same doctrines of peace and it was her novel lay down your arms which inspired the tsar to summon the first peace congress at the Hague try and convince me Nobel wrote her once of the justice of your cause and I will furnish the means of action that is to say the funds in time the Baroness von Sutna succeeded and when Nobel died he left his huge red fortune to the cause of peace and the advancement of science it was in its way a grim philanthropic paradox the income of his eight millions and more is divided into five equal parts and awarded yearly in prizes to those who have done most to benefit humanity the five prizes are for discoveries in physics chemistry and medicine for distinguished work in imaginative literature and lastly for advancing the cause of peace among the nations the average value of a Nobel prize is 40,000 dollars it is worthwhile looking for a moment into the life of this strange old man the race of money-getters is always interesting of English origin he was born in Stockholm in 1833 his father constructed the first practical torpedoes and doubled for years in explosives working together father and son finally perfected nitroglycerin the successful experiment was made in their factory in Heleneborg it resulted in a terrible explosion which killed one of the sons and completely paralyzed the old father yet this very catastrophe was a successful demonstration of the value of the new explosive it spelled out success and fortune success came and the fortune having blood at the root of it grew into millions Alfred Nobel went to Paris to secure financial backing for the invention he told the French bankers that he had an oil that could blow up the globe the bankers thought their interests lay in leaving the globe but Napoleon III being less conservative provided the necessary funds a few years later the new explosive in German hands blew him off his throne the fluid nitroglycerin was ultimately developed into dynamite when Alfred Nobel had carried his invention to the perfect end he went to New York his luggage consisted of a few trunks he used to say that not a hotel would take him in and that the New Yorkers shunned him as though he had brought a pest in his pocket so he went to San Francisco where the first American plant for the manufacture of giant powder was established once before he had been in the United States as a boy he had worked in the shops of John Erickson to whom the world owes the modern battleship his last achievement was the creation of Palestine the first smokeless powder two inventions he left unfinished one was the preparation of artificial silk the other and this was anxiously awaited in all the industrial world was the production of artificial rubber he was a grim old man during his last illness he bought his figmograph and recorded the variations of his pulse I don't know whether I have a heart in the figurative sense of the word he said but physiologically I have a heart and it is a mighty bad one there was a sentimental side to this old millionaire whose life was spent in collaborating with violent death in his youth he loved a young girl but she died or married someone else all his days he mourned her writing endless poems to her memory in addition to these love verses he left a Swedish play Nemesis with all he had theories one of them was welcomed by Mr. Andrew Carnegie experience has taught me he said that no happiness goes with inherited fortunes they serve merely to deaden the faculties a man should leave to his heirs enough to start them in life and know more work is not only the law of life but a source of happiness a more questionable theory was that his explosives and formidable destroyers really made for peace since they rendered war so deadly that humanity would be forced to declare against it Ericsson, when he built the monitor said much the same thing it was his dream so to perfect the art of war that men would not dare to break the peace of course it is possible that these two great inventors were right but if you go to the bottom of their thought you will discover that it rests upon the assumption that at some fixed point human courage will fail that the machine will beat the man there is nothing in history to buttress up this contention nor in one's knowledge of human nature men have never hesitated to go up against any kind of weapon luggins and poisoned arrows were steel cartridges and cordite it has never met at much I do not think the cause of peace will gain much by changing weapons you will have to change the breed of men and you will have to find what has never yet been found the freezing point of human courage it was not until five years after his death that the Nobel institute was finally established in Stockholm and the first prizes awarded this was in 1901 the bestowal of the peace prize had been entrusted to a committee elected by the Norwegian parliament the most notable member of which was Björn Stjärn and Björnsson according to the will no one may apply directly for the prize he must be proposed by a statesman by a professor of law and political science or by some member of the international peace commission the first peace prize was divided between Jean-Henri de Nantes of Geneva and Frederic Passy of Paris two white-haired Apostles of Peace to Monsieur Dunon, more than to anyone else is due the creation of the Red Cross Society it was at the bloody battle of Solferino in 1851 that he first realized how little the doctors and nurses could do unless they were given the freedom of the battlefield within four years he had spread his ideas so far that he was able to convoke in Geneva an international congress and at the second congress in 1864 sixteen nations were officially represented the cross of Geneva was adopted as the sign of this new neutrality which covered the physicians, their aids and their ambulances in this work Dunon spent all his fortune by the time the Red Cross was established all the world over his last penny was gone then for years he wandered precariously over Europe writing and teaching languages in Paris, London, Stuttgart until in his old age Nobel's twenty thousand dollars lifted him from poverty now he lives at ease in a little Swiss town in the canton of Appenzell he is seventy four years of age and very feeble Frederic Passy who was honored with him has written and lectured for the last fifty years in France on economic questions he is one of the few free traders in that old protected land his first notable effort in the cause of peace was in 1867 when France and Prussia were at sorts point over the Luxembourg question he founded the first French peace society and so stirred up public opinion that no responsible statesmen dared declare for war his league of peace failed to prevent the great Franco-Prussian war of 1870 but it has not been without influence in later days lastly he was one of the creators of the inter-pallumentary union for international arbitration the peace propagandists love pompous phrases which met first in 1889 probably no one has done more than he to base the dreams of the peace lovers on sound methods of international discussion and concession the prize was again divided in 1902 two Swiss peace propagandists were honored Elis du Comar is secretary of the Permanent and International Bureau of Peace of Bern which serves as a sort of clearing house for the various peace associations in Europe and America he is a journalist and in prose and verse has preached the white crusade Dr. Charles Albert Gauba is director of the central bureau of the inter-pallumentary union at Bern he holds the threads of all the legislative efforts for peace in the parliaments of the world before taking up the work he gave himself to teaching and politics none of these men was widely known outside his own little circle of pacific friends Nor had the world heard much of William Randall Cramer the old English radical who was given the prize in 1903 in London he edits the arbitrator and was for a number of years a member of parliament sitting for one of the divisions of Shoreditch with Frederick Passy he founded the society for inter-pallumentary efforts toward arbitration and has been for years the secretary he was brought most prominently to the front by his agitation in favor of a treaty of arbitration between England and the United States twice he visited Washington presenting memorials signed by members of parliament to the president and to congress the prize of 1904 rewarded the anonymous piecework of the Institute of International Law of Ghent in Belgium and finally in September 1905 with strict justice the forty thousand dollars was given to the enthusiastic bohemian Baroness who converted Alfred Nobel to the grandeur of peace Madame Bertha von Sutna was 37 years old when she wrote her first book in its way it was as epoch making a novel as Uncle Tom's Cabin since it appeared in 1884 lay down your arms has made more friends for peace than all the polysyllabic societies of Europe the history of modern science might be written without going outside the names of the winners of the Nobel prizes for beneficent discoveries in physics, chemistry and medicine Röntgen was first with the raise that bear his name then Lorentz of Leiden and Peter Zeeman of Amsterdam for their researches into the effects of magnetism on the phenomena of radiation Becquerel and Monsieur and Madame Curie there was a just order in this distribution of awards Becquerel had worked for many years on phosphorescence and to him and his father was due the discovery of uranium which came after the Röntgen race out of which proceeded radium a great deal of nonsense has been said and written about the famous discovery of Madame Curie and her husband the properties of radium are not yet wholly known of all substances it is the most costly if all that has been produced in the world were brought together it would lie on the point of a knife blade nothing is so in doubt with radioactivity without apparent diminution it continues to emit light heat and various other rays of course the most interesting question is as to the source of this continuous output the theory that Madame Curie holds today is that radium is an unstable chemical element which does decompose in giving out heat but with extreme slowness in fact she has recently found that where radium is present there is constantly being formed a little quantity of helium gas so in reality what one sees is the first example of the transformation of a chemical element neither Lord Rayleigh's discovery of argon nor the discoveries of Professor Leonard of Kiel the later prize winners has such an air of magic as Madame Curie's radium a poll by birth she came to Paris long ago it was while studying in the schools that she met Professor Curie and married him he was a quiet dreamy man who came little before the public how much he had to do with the discovery of radium no one will ever know his recent untimely death left his wife to carry on the experiments alone the works for which the chemists were rewarded interest chiefly their fellow chemists Fundhoff's laws of chemical dynamics Fischer's work on sugars that of Arrhenius on electrolysis and that of Sir William Ramsey on the gaseous elements of the air lack dramatic interest of more human significance are the discoveries in the domain of medical science the first Nobel Prize was rightly awarded to Professor von Bering of Marburg for his discoveries in serum therapeutics and his special use in deftaria he placed in the hands of physicians a mighty weapon for combating disease and death since he received the Nobel Prize in 1901 he has gone far toward perfecting a cure for tuberculosis a little while must elapse he said the other day before I can give it to the public in a practical way when the next tuberculosis congress is held in Washington in 1908 I hope to demonstrate that at last the battle against human theses is in the way of being one Professor Koch was the first to discover the tuberculosis bacillus it was for this the Nobel Prize of 1905 was awarded him but if the cure of consumption be indeed found it is thanks to the serum of von Bering of almost equal benefit to humanity was Ronald Ross's discovery of the parasite of malaria of course he merely completed the labour of scores of illustrious men who had worked on the subject since the first Jesuit missionaries found out the specific properties of quinine Virchow, Pasteur and Koch were his immediate forerunners what the young English scientist made clear was the precise manner in which the malaria infection reaches the human blood physicians had long recognized the vague connection between malaria fever and stagnant water it was assumed even that the disease was due to miasmata exhaled from marshes and poisonous soil this theory has been thrown to the dustbin of science since Ronald Ross proved that the responsible author of malaria is the wicked little spotted-winged mosquito the Ross method was applied in Havana by assistant surgeon general Gorgas of the United States Army in the first year of his mosquito work he practically blotted out yellow fever there were only five cases and the second year there were none it was Nobel's wish that the literary prize should be awarded to the authors whose writings were of an idealistic tendency what he had in mind may be gathered from the fact that Shelley was his favourite poet the honour first went to Sully Prudhomme who is one of the most delicate poets of the last generation sweet and grave and calm his poetry differs from almost all the hectic verse of modern days its quiet beauty was worthy the award the second year Momsen's Roman history was chosen though its idealism is perhaps disputable in the succeeding years however the Swedish committee showed a clearly defined policy to reward those writers who had done most to keep alive the fine feelings of race, of country, of patriotism doubtless from an idealistic viewpoint they are quite right but in honouring patriotism they are bringing into eminence one of the most indefatigable enemies of peace the preservation of race, of national traditions is a stumbling block in the way of that internationalism of good feeling toward which the peace propagandists are jogging the patriot is always a fighting man Björnsson was given the prize in 1903 and he is not so much an author as a flag the symbol of that young Norway which has finally got itself free of its gentler Swedish sister and Björnsson with his rather narrow puritanism his intellectual energy, his vanity like that of a child is a fair type of young Norway you remember his famous remark there are two men of genius in Europe I and Ibsen admitting that is that Ibsen is a man of genius certainly no man of our day has left a broader mark upon the intellectual life of his own land as author, orator, statesman he has done more than any one man to make Norway what it is the laureates of 1904 were Echigarai and Mistral the great Spanish dramatist is known in the United States by one play only I think El Gran Galliato which was produced at the end of the last century by one of the short-lived free theatres but in Spain he is ranked with the masters of the drama and especially that drama which is essentially Spanish oddly enough he spent a good part of his life as a teacher of mathematics he wrote on geometry, tunnel building and sewers he was 40 when he wrote his first play Frédéric Mistral who received the other half of the prize is a strange old poet whose fame has gone half around the world though he writes in a dialect that is dying out even in his native Provence few Frenchmen can read Mireille safe in translation yet for a little while at least Mistral has saved his native land from the business-like equality that is sweeping away all that is picturesque in Europe he lives as he has always lived in the village of Mayane near Avignon it was there in the old square house that I saw him shortly after he had received his twenty thousand dollars a soldierly old man with gray moustaches and an imperial he sat in his huge study the many windows open on the garden he owned the far line of the Alps and talked of the Provençal Renaissance to which he has given his life on one occasion the emperor of Brazil, Dom Pedro, said to him all the languages which are not of the first order like English and German and French are in danger of dying out just as your native Provençal so in defending your own historic language and defending a crowd of little languages the Finnish, the Portuguese, the Swedish, the Dutch, the Spanish and the Norwegian all of which are menaced by the great commercial languages doubtless that is why the Swedes were glad to recompense his work the greater part of his prize money has been expended in the restoration of the ancient Palace of Arles where he hopes to install a Provençal museum not without a little pride in the universality of American interests I may state that Mistral's readers in the United States have already subscribed ten thousand dollars to help him in carrying out his work President Roosevelt was one of the subscribers and Mistral showed me a copy of Mireille which he was about to send to the White House Mistral will not, I fear, bring back the owl of old but he is doing all that can be done to preserve for his countrymen the heritage of art, literature and legend left by the mighty ancestors In Sienkiewicz, too, the Swedish Academy honoured racial and national patriotism it was not so much to the author of Kowadis that they gave the prize of 1905 as it was to the Polish patriot whose work has kept alive the Polish ideal it is not very well known that Henryk Sienkiewicz is a practical worker in the cause of Polish freedom and more than once has felt the snaffle of the law the author of Kowadis passed through Berlin some months ago on his way to Stockholm to receive the 40,000 dollar prize in person he travelled in state with a retinue of secretaries and translators for it is a part of literary history that Kowadis in book and play has proved as profitable as the ownership of a mind on the rant you have had a word with the various men honoured by the Nobel Institute and what do you think now of the use to which the Red Fortune has been put? wreaths have been laid upon the white heads of the stanchest old lovers of peace men already famous in the scientific world have been girdened with helpful money poets who have sung the old racial songs have been lifted into momentary notoriety writers who saw a duty in patriotism have been commended in a fine financial way but is the great white cause to which Alfred Nobel left his millions any further advanced? in Europe alone there are 16 millions of men under arms the fighting tonnage of the seas is over 4000 millions the annual military budgets of the great powers tower up into the billions of money that is one side of the picture and in the other you have a dozen amiable old Swedish gentlemen sitting in the library or on the balcony of the Nobel Stiftelsen in the Norlandsgatan of Stockholm dividing the two hundred thousand dollars a year among the five men of idealistic tendencies who have worked themselves into fame of some sort there seems to be an inequality between the two forces it is like fighting a city fire with a guilt-tipped bottle of rose water end of section 44 section 45 of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and the search for the polls read for LibriVox.org Denmark part one Tales of the Dark Ages historical note the Danes like to dream that their history goes back to one Dan who is fancy to have reigned in their land more than 1000 years before Christ and that the name Denmark signifies the marches of the followers of Dan unfortunately the proof is lacking for any such chapter in their history and for many centuries after Christ the most that is known of the land and its people comes from the old sagas or hero stories where in fact and fiction are poetically mingled Denmark was governed by a number of chiefs but about the year 900 one gorm the old is said to have subdued so many of these little kings that he may fairly be called the first ruler of the land there are stories of wild voyages over stormy seas to the south and the west of the invasion of England and of increasing power in that country until in the 11th century Sven of the Forked Beard and after him his son Knut or Knut became its rulers it was during the reign of Knut that Denmark was converted to Christianity never did a land undergo more abrupt changes than Denmark in Knut's time the Danes ruled Norway after his death Norway for a time ruled Denmark in the reign of Voldemar the second 1202 to 1241 Holstein Pomerania and other provinces north of the Elbe were under Danish control but Voldemar was captured by his enemies and to free himself was obliged to renounce his conquests his death was followed by a century of anarchy and civil wars in 1340 Voldemar the third came to the throne and by his vigorous policy restored the ancient boundaries of his kingdom the greatest struggle of Voldemar the third was with the Hansa or Hansiatic League of German cities which was determined that commerce should be free in the north of Europe on the other hand Denmark controlled the entrance to the Baltic Sea and was equally determined that merchant vessels should pay toll to her after varying fortune Voldemar was at last forced to grant the demands of the Hansa end of section 45 this recording is in the public domain section 46 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 as the narrator Helen Mapstone as Bernardo Jim Locke as Francisco Eva Davis as Horatio Thomas Peter as Marcellus and Nemo as Hamlet the world's story volume 8 Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and the search for the Poles edited by Eva Marstappen section 46 The Ghost of Hamlet's Father by William Shakespeare the scene of Hamlet is laid at Elsinor and the ghost appears on the platform of the castle of Kronberg Hamlet's grave and Ophelia's brook are shown at marine list been invented for anxious inquirers by the complacent inhabitants the editor Elsinor a platform before the castle Francisco at his post enter to him Bernardo Who's there? Nay, answer me stand and unfold yourself Long live the king Bernardo? He You come most carefully upon your hour It is now struck twelve Get thee to bed Francisco For this relief much thanks Tis bitter cold and I am sick at heart Have you had quiet guard? Not a mouse stirring Well, good night If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus the rivals of my watch bid them make haste I think I hear them Stand whole Who's there? Enter Horatio and Marcellus Friends to this ground And leisuremen to the Dane Give you good night Oh, farewell honest soldier Who hath relieved you? Bernardo has my place Give you good night Exit Holler Bernardo Say, what, is Horatio there? A piece of him Welcome Horatio Welcome good Marcellus What, has this thing appeared again tonight? I have seen nothing Horatio says to his but our fantasy and will not let belief take hold of him touching this dreaded sight twice seen of us Therefore I have entreated him along with us to watch the minutes of this night that if again this apparition come he may approve our eyes and speak to it Touch, touch, till not appear Sit down awhile and let us once again assail your ears that are so fortified against our story what we have two nights seen Well, sit we down and let us hear Bernardo speak of this Last night of all when Yon's same star that westward from the pole had made his course to elume that part of heaven where now it burns Marcellus and myself the bell then beating one enter ghost Peace break thee off look where it comes again in the same figure like the king that's dead thou art a scholar, speak to it Horatio looks it not like the king mark it Horatio most like it harrows me with fear and wonder it would be spoke to question it Horatio what art thou that you surpassed this time of night together with that fair and more like form in which the majesty of Barry Denmark did sometimes march by heaven I charge thee speak it is offended see it stalks away stay speak speak I charge thee speak exit ghost it is gone and will not answer how now Horatio you tremble and look pale is not this something more than fantasy what think you want before my god I might not disbelieve without the sensible and true avouch of my own eyes is it not like the king as thou art to thyself such was the very armor he had on when he the ambitious Norway combated so frowned he once when in an angry pearl smote the sletted polax on the ice to strange thus twice before and jump at this dead hour with marshal's stalker they gone by a watch while Horatio and Marcellus are discussing the ghost and fearing lest its appearance forbode some disaster to the state it suddenly appears again but soft behold lo where it comes again re-enter ghost I'll cross it though it blast me stay illusion if thou hast any sound or use of voice speak to me if there be any good thing to be done that may to thee do ease and grace to me speak to me cock crows if thou art privy to thy country's fate which happily for knowing may avoid oh speak or if thou hast abhorred in thy life extorted treasure in the womb of earth for which they say you spirits off to walk in death speak of it stay and speak stop it Marcellus shall I strike at it with my partisan do if it will not stand tis here tis here exit ghost tis gone we do it wrong being so majestical to offer it the show of violence for it is as the air invulnerable and our vein blows malicious mockery it was about to speak when the cock crew and then it started like a guilty thing upon a fearful summons I have heard the cock that is the trumpet to the mourn doth with his lofty and shrill sounding throat awake the god of day and at his warning whether in sea or fire in earth or air the extravagant and airing spirit lies to his confine and of the truth herein this present object may probation it faded on the crowing of the cock some say that ever against that season comes wherein our saviour's birth is celebrated the bird of dawning singeth all night long and then they say no spirit dares walk abroad the nights are wholesome then no planet strike no fairy it takes sheth power to charm so hallowed and so gracious is the time so have I heard and do in part believe it but look the mourn and russet mantle clad walks over the dew of yon high eastern hill break we are watch up and by my advice let us impart what we have seen tonight unto young Hamlet for upon my life this spirit dumb to us will speak to him do you consent we shall acquaint him with it as needful in our loves fitting our duty let's do it I pray and I this morning know where we shall find him most conveniently excellent thus it is that they tell the story to Hamlet two nights together had these gentlemen Marcellus and Bernardo on their watch in the dead vast in middle of the night been thus encountered a figure like your father armed to point exactly Cappapay appears before them and with solemn march go slow and stately by them thrice he walked by their oppressed and fierce surprised eyes within his truncheon's length whilst they distilled almost to jelly with the act of fear stand dumb and speak not to him this to me and dreadful secrecy in part they did and I with them the third night kept the watch whereas they had delivered both in time form of the thing each word may true and good the apparition comes I knew your father these hands are not more like but where was this my lord upon the platform where we watched did you not speak to it my lord I did but answer made it none yet once me thought it lifted up its head and did address itself to motion like as it would speak but even then the morning cock grew loud and at the sound it shrunk and haste away and vanished from her sight this is very strange as I do live my honored lord is true and we did think it would down in our duty to let you know of it indeed indeed sirs but this troubles me hold you the watch tonight we do my lord armed say you armed my lord from top to toe my lord from head to foot then saw you not his face oh yes my lord he wore his beaver up what looked he frowningly countenance more and sorrow than an anger pale or red nay very pale and fixed his eyes upon you most constantly I would I had been there it would have much amazed you very like very like state it long well one with moderate haste might tell a hundred longer longer not when I thought his beard was grizzly no it was as I have seen it in his life a sayable silvered I will watch tonight perchance it will walk again I warrant it will if it to soon my noble father's person I will speak to it though held self should gapen bid me hold my peace I pray you all if you have hitherto concealed this sight let it be tenable in your silence still and whatsoever else shall have tonight give it an understanding but no tongue I will requite your loves so fare you well upon the platform Twix 11 and 12 I'll visit you I'll do it to you your loves is mine to you farewell excellent all but Hamlet my father's spirit and arms all is not well I doubt some foul play with the night were come till then sit still my soul foul deeds will rise though all the earth or well them to men's eyes exit when night has come Hamlet goes out on the platform and in a few minutes the ghost appears look my lord it comes enter ghost angels and ministers of grace defend us be thou a spirit of health or goblin damned bring with thee airs from heaven or blast from hell be thy intense wicked or charitable thou comest in such a questionable shape that I will speak to thee I'll call thee Hamlet king father royal dain oh answer me let me not burst in ignorance but tell why thy canonized bones hearst and death have burst their sermons why the sepulcher wherein we saw thee quietly and earned hath oped his ponder some marveled jaws to cast thee up again what may this mean that thou dead course again in complete steel revisits thus the glimpses of the moon making night hideous and we fools of nature so horribly to shake our disposition with thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls say why is this wherefore what should we do ghost beckons Hamlet it beckons you to go away with it as if it's some apartment did desire to you alone look with what courteous action it waves you to a more removed ground but do not go with it no by no means it will not speak then will I follow it do not my lord why what should be the fear I do not set my life at a pin's fee and for my soul what can it do to that being a thing immortal as itself it waves me forth again I'll follow it what if it tempts you toward the flood my lord or to the dreadful summit of the cliff that beetles over his basin to the sea and there assume some other horrible form which might deprive your sovereignty of reason and draw you into madness think of it the very place puts toys of desperation without more motive into every brain that looks so many fathoms to the sea and hears it roar beneath it waves me still go on I'll follow thee you shall not go my lord hold off your hands bewooled you shall not go my fate cries out it makes each petty artery in this body as hardy as the nemen lion's nerve still am I called unhand me gentlemen by heaven I'll make a ghost of him that lets me I say away go on I'll follow thee exeunt ghost and hamlet the ghost then reveals the story that hamlet has already have suspected namely that his uncle who has just married his mother is guilty of his father's death upon hamlet is laid the burden of revenge end of section 46 this recording is in the public domain section 47 of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and the search for the Poles read for LibriVox.org by Sonya the play scene in Hamlet by Daniel MacLeese Irish painter 1806 to 1870 painting page 234 there is a legend that in the second century before Christ they lived in Newtland a prince by the name of Hamlet according to the story his father the king was murdered by Hamlet's uncle who then married the queen to save his own life the prince pretended to be insane later he succeeded in so terrifying his mother that she aided him in avenging the murder of the king this story many times retold and rewritten fell at last into the hands of Shakespeare who made of it his famous tragedy of Hamlet the illustration represents the scene in Hamlet showing the performance of a play of which Hamlet has said to his friend Horatio there is a play tonight before the king one scene of it comes near the circumstance which I have told thee of my father's death I prithee when thou seest that actor foot even with the very comment of thy soul observe, my uncle give him heedful note for I, mine eyes will rivet to his face the representation shows the act of murder by pouring poison into the ear the manner in which Hamlet's father is thought to have come to his death Hamlet in the front of the stage intently observes the king on the left sits Ophelia with Horatio behind her chair on the right the king and queen are seated End of Section 47 this recording is in the public domain 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 Story Volume 8 Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland Greenland and the Search for the Poles edited by Eva March Tappen Section 48 The Slaying of the Monster Grendel retold by Florence Holbrook from Beowulf an ancient epic poem of Denmark Rothgar, the aged king of Denmark built a lordly hall where he and his warriors might enjoy music and feasting together after their hard fought battles they would have been very happy had it not been for the horrible demon Grendel who night after night stalked up through the mist and darkness and dragged away many of the thanes to be devoured by the fiend by and by the story of the terrible slaughter came to the ears of the young hero Beowulf who dwelt in Sweden and he set out for Denmark to fight the monster and free the aged king and his men from terror he is welcomed by Rothgar and is left in charge of the hall the editor Beowulf then spoke to his men I do not think myself less in warlike strength than Grendel so I will not use the sword or shield he too shall fight tonight without weapons and the lord shall give the glory to whom glory belongs around him lay the warriors little thinking they would ever see their homes across the sea again for so many before that night had been slain by the cruel Grendel at last they slept all but one the mighty Beowulf in angry mood awaited the battle meeting now truly it is shown that God rules the race of men over the moor came the shadow walker stalking he strode under the clouds until he saw the golden hall of men this was not the first time he had come to the hall of Rothgar on the door he rushed he opened the mansion's mouth and trod on the floor when he saw the men sleeping on the benches he laughed thinking how he would take life from the body of everyone there the reform came nearer and nearer at last he stretched out his great hand to take Beowulf but with all his strength the brave warrior seized the arm of the monster then did the heart of Grendel fill with fear fearful was his mind but not for that could he escape the sooner then stood Beowulf upright and firmly grasped Grendel very angry were both the wonder was that the great hall did not fall to the ground but it was fast within and without with iron bands and not but fire could destroy it then the noise grew greater the Danes who had heard it were terrified never had such horrid noise filled the air for Beowulf the strength of men held Grendel fast not for anything would he let the dreadful one escape that day the warriors sought to help the warrior leader but he would not use any weapon with his hands with his bare hands he held fast the fearful foe on the shoulder of Grendel was a horrid wound and Beowulf tore the arm from the body well knew the monster then that his life's end had come glad was Beowulf that his strength had aided the Danes had cleaned the great hall and had healed the deep sorrow which had been theirs for so many years there was in the morning many a great warrior in the gift hall from far and near over distant ways they came to behold the wonder the arm of Grendel the joy killer away to the dark water his home had he gone with his death wound all the warriors rode in gladness to the great hall there was told the bravery of Beowulf his mother was so great so worthy of honor as he Hrothgar also they praised as a good king and famous in war all the Danes and the Goths were happy that the terror of the land had been destroyed care was removed from their hearts they were filled with joy and turned to games and plays some let their beautiful horses run in contest over the fair roads some who knew the famous stories of heroes told them to eager listeners laughter song and merry voices were heard once more in the hall soon one of the singers began a song in honor of this new deed the victory of Beowulf then over the meadow came the great king with many knights famed for their brave deeds with them also walked the fair queen and a company of maidens when Hrothgar entered the gold crowned hall and saw the great hand and arm of Grendel he said now let us give to the almighty thanks wonder after wonder can god work this one brave warrior has through the lord's might performed a deed which the Danes could not happy is the mother of such a son now Beowulf as a dear son will I hold you in my heart nothing shall you want which I have power to give you you have done a deed which will make your glory live through every age then replied Beowulf with great good will we fought the fight I seized the enemy quickly with hard hands and hoped to lay him on his deathbed but I have his hand and arm and he will surely die for pain has him in its deadly grip Hrothgar now gave the order that the hall should be adorned for the feast of joy men and women worked to make all clean and whole beautiful banners a wonder to all who beheld them decked the walls when all was ready the king himself came to the feast in honor of Beowulf never had a larger or a nobler company sat in the gift hall Mary at heart were they all and they had a merry feast then Hrothgar gave to Beowulf a golden banner in reward of victory a sword a cup and a helmet he gave four beautiful and wonderful gifts these were most precious gifts of which Beowulf need not be ashamed then Hrothgar the shield of warriors had eight war like steeds brought into the hall as gifts to Beowulf on one of the horses was the war seat the king himself used when going to battle so with steeds and treasures to the king of the Danes reward the brave prince to every man with the hero did the king give a precious gift then the song of praise was heard the wise god rules all therefore is understanding everywhere best wise forethought is best when the song was ended the queen took the mead cup to the king accept this cup my beloved lord be thou happy gold friend of men and to the goth speak with kind words as one should do be cheerful to thy guests and mindful of gifts the bright hall is made safe be happy with thy sons and friends then the gracious queen said to Beowulf receive as a gift this color dear prince has done that which men will praise throughout all time be noble and happy be brave and gentle in deeds here in this hall is every man to each other true and to his lord faithful the things unite to praise thee then the queen went to her seat and all the court united in praise of Beowulf who had driven Grindel from the great hall after the merry feast all except a few warriors who slept rejoicing thinking all their warfare was over but Grindel's mother did not close her eyes and sleep when her son came home with his death blow great was the sorrow and anger in her heart she would punish the Danes and the goths for her son's death in the middle of the night she crept to the hall where the Danes were sleeping all fear one she seized a brave man and dear to the king then rose a great cry in the hall when Grindel's mother saw her son's well-known hand and arm she seized it and bore it away to the dark lake together with the body of the warrior soon Frothgar was told the great sorrow and he grieved at the death of his friend the brave warrior whom Grindel's mother came in a way when Beowulf came to the hall Frothgar cried out speak not to me of rest or joy sorrow has come again my friend best in war and peace is dead the dread monster has killed him two shadows on the moor have my men seen one Grindel is the figure of a man and the other is the woman they dwell in the secret land where the wolf howls and the wind sweep where the flood flows under the earth about a mile away is this lake over which the dark trees bend every night can fire be seen over this waste of water no one knows how deep the lake is the noisy winds raise the black waves until the air grows gloomy shed tears you know not this dreadful place if you dare seek it and come back from the strife I will give you money and treasures of gold then the brave Beowulf replied better is it for everyone to avenge his friend than that he greatly mourn each of us must await the end of his life let them who can work high deeds of honor let us go quickly to seek Grindel's mother I promise you she shall not escape no not in the sea nor the bosom of the earth nor into the mountain would nor in the oceans ground then was the heart of the old king glad to hear the brave words horses were brought out and troops of men set forth towards the home of the dreadful shadows the road was narrow and dark an unknown way soon they saw the mountain trees leaning over the rock a joyless wood the water below was dark and gloomy many strange creatures could be seen moving in the deep pool now Beowulf clad himself in his war gear the coat of rings was about his breast so that no gripe could injure his life on his head he wore a bright helmet wrought with strength so that no battle axe could break it then a prince of Prathgar gave him a famous sword named Runting this was one of the old treasures never in battle had it failed those who dared to go in ways of terror this was not the first time that it had done brave deeds then said Beowulf now oh king I am ready for my journey bear in mind what you have said if I for your need should lose my life that you would be to me as a father if then war takes me off be a friend to my comrades send a high glick the treasures you have given to me so that he may know that I found a good king in you now with a good sword running will I seek out the foe with these words Beowulf leaped into the sea all that day he sank into the waves before he beheld that of the sea then he saw the fierce creature who for a hundred years had held the floods eager she seized him and bore him to her dwelling many a sea monster broke through his war-like coat at last the warrior found himself in a great room where the waters did not enter then a fierce light did shine brightly upon him and by its gleam he saw the sea wolf with a loud cry he struck her with his good sword but it would not bite or injure her this was the first time its power had failed Beowulf remembered his former deeds of bravery and threw down his useless sword to use the strength of his hands alone he seized the sea creature and made her bow to the earth but fiercely she grasped the brave warrior and overthrew him so that he was about to perish him she would have slain his good coat withstood her sword the ruler of the skies was his friend for he saw on the wall a great sword so heavy that other men could not use it this sword Beowulf seized gladly angrily he struck the sea wolf and the sword passed through her neck down on the ground she sank the warrior rejoiced in his work he looked through the great dwelling and saw a grendel lying lifeless with a strong blow Beowulf cut off the head of the monster but the hot blood melted the sword and nothing was left but the hilt the blade melted away as ice melts when the father who has power over the seasons unbinds the bands of the frost the men at the shore watching saw the water all colored with blood and feared their great leader was dead the king and noble Danes spoke of the brave hero with praise and sorrow when noon came they went back to the great hall sadly thinking Beowulf the daring had been killed by the fearful monster but the goth stayed by the shore though little hoping to see their dear lord again but soon the water cleared and they saw their brave leader swimming toward them with the head of grendel and the hilt of the great sword then they went toward him thanking god the stout band brave thanes rejoiced that their lord had returned forth they went on the well known road rejoicing four of the strong men bore the heavy head of grendel Beowulf proudly let his 14 brave men the prince of the thanes entered the great hall with glory crowned to greet Prathkar the warriors bore the great head of grendel into the hall before the king and his men behold oh king the head of the sea monster I hardly with life came from the battle under the water had not god helped me I had not conquered the good sword runting could not harm my foe but the ruler of men guided me to see on the wall an old strong sword and with it I slew her then I cut off the head of the monster grendel and his hot blood was the good sword melted and I brought only the hilt away I now promise thee that inherit all may sleep safe from harm for I have slain thy foes grendel and his mother and I have given peace to thy land and people then did Beowulf give the sword hilt to Prathkar the king said thy glory is exalted friend Beowulf over every nation long shall there be a comfort to thy people and a help to the warriors now is the flower of thy might long may it be before thy strength depart in fire's clutch or rage of flood or arrows flight or age or blindness take thee go now to thy seat at the feast as a guest of honor then Beowulf went to the seat of honor in great joy and all were merry all grew dark and the warriors left their seats they greeted Beowulf and wished him well to rest in the gold roofed hall well slept the prince until the black raven saw the coming of the bright sun at the first light the Goths hastened to the good ship eager to be gone to their homes when all were ready Beowulf said oh king we see fairers wish to seek our homes here and kindly treated if there is more than I can do oh lord of men I shall always be ready if when far away I hear that foes surround thee I shall come to help thee with many warriors well I know that my king Haigalic will send me to thy aid then Hrothgar spoke into thy mind has the wise lord sent these kind words never have I heard wiser words from one so young thou art strong and wise and I think that if death should take Haigalic the people would wish thee for their king so well has thou borne thyself and there shall be peace between the Danes and Goths and many a gift shall I send to thee over the great sea then Hrothgar gave to Beowulf rich gifts and bade him seek his home and safety the good king wept when he said goodbye to noble youth and was sad to have him go away over the deep sea end of section 48 this recording is in the public domain section 49 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 49 How King Rorik Regained the Tribute by Saxo Grammaticus when Prince Rorik first came to the throne the subject tribes Kurlanders, Swedes and Slavs thought it a favorable time to refuse to pay their regular tribute they planned a rebellion brought together their forces and made ready to attack the young ruler, the editor now among them the Slavs there was a man of remarkable stature a wizard by calling he when he beheld the squadrons of the Danes said suffer a private combat to forestall a public slaughter so that the danger of many may be bought off at the cost of a few and if any of you shall take heart to fight it out with me I will not flinch from these terms of conflict but first of all I demand that you accept the terms I prescribe the form whereof I have devised as follows if I conquer let freedom be granted as from taxes if I am conquered let the tribute be paid you as of old for today I will either free my country from the yoke of slavery by my victory or bind her under it by my defeat accept me as the surety and pledge for either issue one of the Danes whose spirit was stouter than his strength heard this and proceeded to ask Rorik what would be the reward for the man who met the challenger in combat Rorik chanced to have six bracelets which were so intertwined that they could not be parted from one another the chain of nods being inextricably laced and he promised them as a reward for the man who would venture upon the combat but the youth who doubted his fortune said Rorik if I prove successful let thy generosity award the prize of the conqueror do thou decide in allot the palm but if my enterprise go little to my liking what prize canst thou owe to the beaten who will be wrapped either in cruel death or in bitter shame these things commonly go with feebleness these are the wages of the defeated for whom not remains but utter infamy what girdon must be paid what thanks offer to him who lacks the prize of courage who has ever garlanded with Ivy the weakling in war or decked him with a conqueror's wage Valor wins the prize not sloth and failure lacks renown for one is followed by triumph and honour the other by an unsightly life or by a stagnant end I who know not which way the issue of this duel inclines dare not boldly anticipate that as a reward of which I know not whether it is rightly mine for one whose victory is doubtful may not seize the assured reward of the victor I forbear while I am not sure of the day to claim firmly the title to the wreath I refuse the gain which may be the wages of my death as much as of my life it is folly to lay hands on the fruit before it is ripe and to be feigned to pluck that which one is not yet sure is one's due this hand shall win me the prize or death having thus spoken he smote the barbarian with his sword but his fortune was tardier than his spirit for the other smote him back and he fell dead under the force of the first blow thus he was a sorry sight unto the Danes but the Slavs granted their triumphant comrade a great procession and received him with splendid dances on the morrow the same man whether he was elated with the good fortune of his late victory or was fired with the wish to win another came close to the enemy and set to girding at them in the words of his former challenge for supposing that he had laid low the bravest of the Danes he did not think that any of them would have any heart left to fight further with him upon his challenge also trusting that now one champion had fallen he had shattered the strength of the whole army he thought that not would be hard to achieve upon which his later endeavors were bent so Rorik was vexed that the general courage should be sapped by the impudence of one man and that the Danes with their role of victories should be met presumptuously by those whom they had beaten of old nay should be agnominously spurned further that in all that host not one man should be found so quick of spirit or so vigorous of arm that he longed to sacrifice his life for his country it was the high-hearted Ube who first wiped off this infamous reproach upon the hesitating Danes for he was of great bodily strength and powerful and incantations he also purposely asked the prize of the combat and the king promised him the bracelets then said he how can I trust the promise when thou keepest the pledge in thine own hands and thus not deposit the gift in the charge of another let there be someone to whom thou canst entrust the pledge that thou mayest not be able to take thy promise back for the courage of the champion is kindled by the irrevocable certainty of the prize of course it was plain that he said this in jest sheer courage had armed him to repel the insult to his country but Rorik thought he was tempted by avarice loathe to seem as if contrary to royal fashion he meant to take back the gift or revoke his promise so being stationed on his vessel he resolved to shake off the bracelets and with the mighty swing send them to the asker but his attempt was balked by the width of the gap between them for the bracelets fell short of the intended spot the impulse being too faint and slack and were reft away by the waters for this the nickname of blind swing bracelet plung to Rorik but this event testified much to the valor of ube for the loss of his drowned prize never turned his mind from his bold venture he would not seem to let his courage be tempted by the wages of covetousness so he eagerly went to fight showing that he was a seeker of honour and not the slave of lucre and that he set bravery before lust of pelt an intent to prove that his confidence was based on hire but on his own great soul not a moment is lost a ring is made the course is thronged with soldiers the champions engage a den arises the crowd of onlookers shout and discord each backing his own and so the valor of the champions blazes to white heat falling dead under the wounds dwelt by one another they end together the combat and their lives I think that it was a provision the fortune that neither of them should reap joy and honour by the other's death this event won back to Rorik the hearts of the insurgents and regained him the tribute end of section 49 this recording is in the public domain section 50 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 Phillip Watson the world's story volume 8 Norway, Sweden, Denmark Iceland, Greenland and the search for the Poles edited by Eva March Tappen section 50 the speaking of Prince Ufe the speechless by Saxo Grammaticus the long and leisurely tranquility of a most prosperous and quiet time flowed by and weremen in undisturbed security maintained a prolonged and steady peace at home he had no children during the prime of his life but in his old age by a belated gift of fortune he begat a son Ufe though all the years which had glided by had raised him up no offspring this Ufe surpassed all of his age in stature but in his early youth was supposed to have a soul and foolish a spirit as to be useless for all affairs public or private for from his first years he never used to play or make merry but was so void of all human pleasure that he kept his lips sealed in a perennial silence and utterly restrained his all-steer visage from the business of laughter but though through the years of his youth he was reputed for an utter fool he afterwards left that despise and became famous turning out as great a pattern of wisdom and hardyhood as he had been a picture of stagnation his father seeing him such a simpleton got him for a wife the daughter of Frawan the governor of the man of Sleswick thinking that by his alliance with so famous a man Ufe would receive help which would serve him well in administrating the realm Frawan had two sons Kett and Wigg who were youths brilliant parts and their excellence not less than that of Frawan Wormund designed to be the future advantage of his son when Wormund was losing his sight by infirmity of age the king of Saxony thinking that Denmark lacked a leader sent envoys ordering him to surrender to his charge the kingdom which he held beyond the due term of life lest if he thirsted to hold sway too long he should strip his country of laws and defense for how could he be reckoned a king whose spirit was darkened with age and his eyes with blindness not less black and awful if he refused but yet had a son who would dare to accept a challenge and fight with his son let him agree that the victor should possess the realm but if he approved neither offer let him learn that he must be dealt with by weapons and not by warnings and in the end he must unwillingly surrender what he was too proud at first to yield and compelled Wormund, shaken by deep sighs answered that it was too insolent to sting him with these taunts upon his ears for he had passed no temerous youth nor shrunk from battle that age should bring him to this extreme misery it was equally unfitting to cast in his teeth the infirmity of his blindness for it was common for a loss of time to accompany such a time of life as his and it seemed calamity fitter for sympathy than for taunts it were juster to fix the blame on the impatience of the king of Saxony whom it would have besiemed to wait for the old man's death and not demand his throne for it was somewhat better to succeed to the dead than to rob the living yet that he might not be thought to make over the honors of his freedom like a mad man to the possession of another he would accept the challenge with his own hand the envoys answered that they knew that their king would shrink from the mockery of fighting a blind man for such an absurd mode of combat was thought more shameful than honorable it would surely be better to settle the affairs by means of their offspring on either side the Danes were in consternation lost for a reply but Ufe who chanced to be there with the rest craved his father's leave to answer and suddenly the dumb as it were spake when Wormund asked who had thus begged leave to speak and the attendant said that it was Ufe he declared that it was enough that the insolent foreigner should jeer at the pangs of his misery without those of his own household vexing him with the same contrary but the courtiers persistently avert that this man was Ufe and the king said he is free whoever he be to say out what he thinks then said Ufe that it was idle for their king to covet a realm which could rely not only on the service of its own ruler but also on the arms and wisdom of most valiant nobles moreover the king did not lack a son nor the kingdom in air and they were to know that he had made up his mind to fight not only the son of their king but also at the same time whatsoever man the prince should elect as his comrade out of the bravest of their nation the envoys laughed when they heard this thinking it idle lip courage instantly the ground for the battle was agreed on and a fixed time appointed why standards were so amazed by the strangeness of Ufe's speaking and challenging that one can scare say if they were more astonished at his words or at his assurance but on the departure of the envoys weremen praised him who had made the answer because he had proved his confidence in his own valor by challenging not one only but two and said that he would sooner quit his kingdom for him than for an insolent foe but when one and all testified that he who with lofty self-confidence had spurned the arrogance of the envoys was his own son he bade him come nearer to him wishing to test with his hands what he could not with his eyes then he carefully felt his body and found by the size of his limbs and by his features that he was his son and then began to believe his assertions and to ask him why he had taken pains to hide so sweet and eloquence with such careful dissembling and had borne to live through so long a span of life without utterance or any intercourse of talk so as to let men think him utterly incapable of speech and a borne mute he replied that he had been hitherto satisfied with the protection of his father that he had not needed the use until he saw the wisdom of his own land hard-pressed by the glibness of a foreigner the king also asked him why he had chosen to challenge two rather than one he said that he desired this mode of combat in order that the death of king Athasil which having been caused by two men was a standing reproach to the Danes might be balanced by the exploit of one and that a new and sample of valor might erase the ancient record of their disgrace fresh honour he said would thus obliterate the guilt of their old dishonour Werman said that his son had judged all things rightly and bade him first learn the use of arms since he had been little accustomed to them when they were offered to Ufe he split the narrow links of the male coats by the mighty girth of his chest nor could any be found large enough to hold him properly for he was too hugely built to be able to use the arms of any other man at last when he was bursting even his father's coat of mail by the violent compression of his body Werman ordered it to be cut away on the left side and patched with a buckle thinking it mattered little if the side guarded by the shield were exposed to the sword he also told him to be careful and fixing on a sword which he could use safely several were offered him but Ufe grasping the hilt shattered them one after the other into flunders by shaking them and not a single blade was so hard a temper but at the first blow he broke it into many pieces but the king had a sword of extraordinary sharpness called Screp which had a single blow of the smiter struck straight through and cleft asunder any obstacle whatsoever nor would ought be hard enough to check its edge when driven home the king loathed to leave this for the benefit of posterity and greatly grudging others the use of it had buried it deep in the earth meaning since he had no hopes of his son's improvement to debar everyone else from using it but when he was now asked whether he had a sword worthy of the strength of Ufe he said that he had one which if he could recognize the lay of the ground and find what he had consigned long ago to earth he could offer him as worthy of his bodily strength then he bade them lead him into a field and kept questioning his companions over all the ground at last he recognized the tokens found the spot where he had buried the sword drew it out of its hole and handed it to his son Ufe saw it was frail with great age and rusted away and not daring to strike with it asked if he might prove this one also like the rest declaring that he must try its temper before the battle ought to be fought Werman replied that if this sword were shattered by mere brandishing there was nothing left which could serve for such strength as his he must therefore forbear from the act whose issue remains so doubtful so they repair to the field of battle as agreed it is fast encompassed by the waters of the river Eider which roll between and forbid any approach saved by ship hither Ufe went unattended while the Prince of Saxony was followed by a champion famous for his strength dense crowds on either side eager to see thronged each winding bank all bent their eyes upon this scene Werman planted himself on the end of the bridge determined to perish in the waters if defeat were the lot of his son he would rather share the fall of his own flesh and blood than behold with heart full of anguish the destruction of his own country both the warriors assaulted Ufe but distrusting his sword he parried the blows of both with the shield being determined to wait patiently and see which of the two he must be aware of most heedfully so that he might reach that one at all events with a single stroke of his blade Werman, thinking that his feebleness was at fault that he took the blows so patiently, dragged himself little by little in his longing for death forward to the western edge of the bridge meaning to fling himself down and perish should all be over with his son Fortune shielded the old father who loved so passionately for Ufe told the prince to engage with him more briskly and to do some deed of prowess worthy of his famous race lest the low-born squire should seem braver than the prince then in order to try the bravery of the champion he bade him not sculptemorously at his master's heels but required by noble deeds of combat the trust placed in him by his prince who had chosen him to be his single partner in the battle the other complied and when shame drove him to fight at close quarters Ufe clove him through with the first stroke of his blade the sound revived Werman who said that he heard the sword of his son and asked on what particular part he had dealt the blow then the retainers answered that he had gone through no one limb but the man's whole frame drew back from the precipice and came again on the bridge longing now as passionately to live as he had just wished to die then Ufe wishing to destroy his remaining foe after the fashion of the first incited the prince with vehement words to offer some sacrifice by way of requital to the shade of the servant slain in his cause drawing him by these appeals and warily noting the right spot to plant his blow he turned the other edge of his sword to the front fearing that the thin side of his blade was too frail for his strength and smote with a piercing stroke through the prince's body when Werman heard it he said that the sound of his sword scrap had reached his ear for the second time then when the judges announced that his son had killed both enemies he burst into tears from excess of joy thus gladness bedewed the cheeks sorrow could not moisten so while the Saxons sad and shame faced bore their champions to burial with bitter shame the Danes welcomed Ufe and bounded for joy then no more was heard the disgrace of the murder of Athasil and there was an end of the taunts of the Saxons thus the realm of Saxony was transferred to the Danes and Ufe after his father undertook government and he who had not been thought equal to administering a single kingdom properly was now appointed to manage both most men have called him Olaf and he has won the name of the Gentle for his forbearing spirit his later deeds lost in antiquity have lacked formal record but it may well be supposed that when their beginnings were so notable their sequel was glorious End of section 50 this recording is in the public domain