lsung, Sigmund, and
Sigurd in turn personify the glowing orb of day. They are all armed
with invincible swords, the sunbeams, and all travel through the world
fighting against their foes, the demons of cold and darkness. Sigurd,
like Balder, is beloved of all; he marries Brunhild, the dawn maiden,
whom he finds in the midst of flames, the flush of morn, and parts
from her only to find her again when his career is ended. His body is
burned on the funeral pyre, which, like Balder's, represents either
the setting sun or the last gleam of summer, of which he too is a
type. The slaying of Fafnir symbolises the destruction of the demon
of cold or darkness, who has stolen the golden hoard of summer or
the yellow rays of the sun.

According to other authorities, this Saga is based upon history. Atli
is the cruel Attila, the "Scourge of God," while Gunnar is Gundicarius,
a Burgundian monarch, whose kingdom was destroyed by the Huns, and who
was slain with his brothers in 451. Gudrun is the Burgundian princess
Ildico, who slew her husband on her wedding-night, as has already
been related, using the glittering blade which had once belonged to
the sun-god to avenge her murdered kinsmen.

CHAPTER XXVII: THE STORY OF FRITHIOF

Bishop Tegner

Probably no writer of the nineteenth century did so much to awaken
interest in the literary treasures of Scandinavia as Bishop Esaias
Tegner, whom a Swedish author characterised as, "that mighty Genie
who organises even disorder."

Tegner's "Frithiof Saga" has been translated once at least into every
European tongue, and some twenty times into English and German. Goethe
spoke of the work with the greatest enthusiasm, and the tale, which
gives a matchless picture of the life of our heathen ancestors in the
North, drew similar praise from Longfellow, who considered it to be
one of the most remarkable productions of his century.

Although Tegner has chosen for his theme the Frithiof saga only, we
find that that tale is the sequel to the older but less interesting
Thorsten saga, of which we give here a very brief outline, merely to
enable the reader to understand clearly every allusion in the more
modern poem.

As is so frequently the case with these ancient tales, the story begins
with Haloge (Loki), who came north with Odin, and began to reign over
northern Norway, which from him was called Halogaland. According to
Northern mythology, this god had two lovely daughters. They wer