avour of the
marriage. Upon this Helge assembled his people to hear the word which
the messengers were to carry to their master, but unfortunately King
Halfdan gave way to his waggish humour, and made scoffing reference
to the advanced age of the royal suitor. These impolitic words
were reported to King Ring, and so offended him that he immediately
collected an army and prepared to march against the Kings of Sogn to
avenge the insult with his sword. When the rumour of his approach
reached the cowardly brothers they were terrified, and fearing to
encounter the foe unaided, they sent Hilding to Frithiof to implore
his help.

Hilding found Frithiof playing chess with Bjoern, and immediately made
known his errand.

"'From Bele's high heirs
I come with courteous words and prayers
Disastrous tidings rouse the brave;
On thee a nation's hope relies.

In Balder's fane, griefs loveliest prey,
Sweet Ing'borg weeps the livelong day:
Say, can her tears unheeded fall,
Nor call her champion to her side?'"

Tegner, Frithiof Saga (Longfellow's tr.).

While the old man was speaking Frithiof continued to play, ever and
anon interjecting an enigmatical reference to the game, until at this
point he said:

"Bjoern; thou in vain my queen pursuest,
She from childhood dearest, truest!
She's my game's most darling piece, and
Come what will--I'll save my queen!"

Tegner, Frithiof Saga (G. Stephens's tr.).

Hilding did not understand such mode of answering, and at length
rebuked Frithiof for his indifference. Then Frithiof rose, and
pressing kindly the old man's hand, he bade him tell the kings that
he was too deeply offended to listen to their appeal.

Helge and Halfdan, thus forced to fight without their bravest leader,
preferred to make a treaty with Sigurd Ring, and they agreed to give
him not only their sister Ingeborg, but also a yearly tribute.

At Balder's Shrine

While they were thus engaged at Sogn Sound, Frithiof hastened to
Balder's temple, to which Ingeborg had been sent for security, and
where, as Hilding had declared, he found her a prey to grief. Now
although it was considered a sacrilege for man and woman to exchange a
word in the sacred building, Frithiof could not forbear to console her;
and, forgetting all else, he spoke to her and comforted her, quieting
all her apprehensions of the gods' anger by assuri