Bold could not have done
better had he been here."

The winter passed away, and one day, when the woods were full of green
leaves, the king went forth into them with Frithiof as his only
companion. Presently said the king: "Heavy am I with sleep, and here
must I rest."

But Frithiof said: "Not so; let my lord journey home, for here is
danger to those who sleep in the open air."

"I care not," said the king, and so laid himself down to sleep.

And as he slept Frithiof came and looked on him, and then quickly took
his sword from its scabbard and flung it away.

Then the king opened his eyes and said: "Well hast thou resisted that
temptation, Frithiof; for Frithiof I knew thee to be when first thou
camest into my hall. Now stay with me, for my heart yearns towards
thee and I am far stricken in years, and if thou wilt be my right hand
for the days that are left, thou shalt have my land after my death for
thine own."

But Frithiof shook his head sadly, saying: "not so, O king, for even
now must I journey away from these shores."

Shortly after this Frithiof prepared to depart, and his dragon-ship
lay at her moorings tugging as though eager to breast the waves of
ocean once again. Then came he to Ring and Ingeborg, but the old king
was at the point of death. "Valhalla calls to me," said he, "and my
weary spirit would fain be at rest. Frithiof, take thou my kingdom and
guard the crown." He then placed the hand of his queen in that of
Frithiof, and a moment later his spirit was borne by the Valkyrs into
the Regions of the Blessed.

So they raised a mighty cairn above King Ring, and great was the
mourning and lamentation in the land. Then all men looked to Frithiof
as his successor, but he bade them give their allegiance to the son of
King Ring, who was a right noble boy, and when they looked upon him
they saw that he was worthy to wear his father's crown.

But because the people loved Frithiof, they cried: "Govern thou the
realm while our king is young, and let us celebrate thy marriage with
Ingeborg, as King Ring desired."

But Frithiof answered sadly: "I must fare over the seas to Balder's
sacred grove. The mild god's wrath still burns against me. He took, he
only can restore, my cherished bride."

The farewells have been spoken, the swift ship has cleaved the waves,
and the hero stands in the desolate grove where once stood the temple
of Balder, but where wild animals are now in hiding.

"Mild, blue-eyed Bald