So then they rode home from the wood, and the king"s folk came flocking to him, and home they fared to the hall and drank joyously; and it was made known to all folk that Frithiof the Bold had been abiding there through the winter-tide.
CHAPTER XIV. King Ring"s Gift to Frithiof.
Early of a morning-tide one smote on the door of that hall, wherein slept the king and queen, and many others: then the king asked who it was that called at the hall door; and so he who was without said: "Here am I, Frithiof; and I am arrayed for my departure."
Then was the door opened, and Frithiof came in, and sang a stave:
"Have great thanks for the guesting Thou gavest with all bounty; Dight fully for wayfaring Is the feeder of the eagle; But, Ingidiorg, I mind thee While yet on earth we tarry; Live gloriously! I give thee This gift for many kisses."
And therewith he cast the goodly ring towards Ingibiorg, and bade her take it.
The king smiled at this stave of his, and said: "Yea, forsooth, she hath more thanks for thy winter quarters than I; yet hath she not been more friendly to thee than I."
Then sent the king his serving-folk to fetch victuals and drink, and saith that they must eat and drink before Frithiof departed. "So arise, queen, and be joyful!" But she said she was loth to fall a-feasting so early.
"Nay, we will eat all together," said King Ring; and they did so.
But when they had drank a while King Ring spake: "I would that thou abide here, Frithiof; for my sons are but children and I am old, and unmeet for the warding of my realm, if any should bring war against it."
Frithiof said: "Speedily must I be gone, lord." And he sang:
"Oh, live, King Ring, Both long and hale!
The highest king Neath heaven"s skirt!
Ward well, O king, Thy wife and land, For Ingibiorg now Never more shall I meet."
Then quoth King Ring:
"Fare not away, O Frithiof, thus, With downcast heart, O dearest of chieftains!
For now will I give thee For all thy good gifts, Far better things Than thou wottest thyself."
And again he sang:
"To Frithiof the famous My fair wife I give, And all things therewith That are unto me."
Then Frithiof took up the word and sang:
"Nay, how from thine hands These gifts may I have, But if thou hast fared By the last way of fate."
The king said: "I would not give thee this, but that I deem it will soon be so, for I sicken now. But of all men I would that thou shouldst have the joy of this; for thou art the crown of all Norway. The name of king will I give thee also; and all this, because Ingibiorg"s brethren would begrudge thee any honour; and would be slower in getting thee a wife than I am."
Said Frithiof: "Have all thanks, lord, for thy goodwill beyond that I looked for! but I will have no higher dignity than to be called earl."
Then King Ring gave Frithiof rule over all his realm in due wise, and the name of earl therewith; and Frithiof was to rule it until such time as the sons of King Ring were of age to rule their own realm. So King Ring lay sick a little while, and then died; and great mourning was made for him; then was there a mound cast over him, and much wealth laid therein, according to his bidding.
Thereafter Frithiof made a n.o.ble feast, whereunto his folk came; and thereat was drunken at one and the same time the heritage feast after King Ring, and the bridal of Frithiof and Ingibiorg.
After these things Frithiof abode in his realm, and was deemed therein a most n.o.ble man; he and Ingibiorg had many children.
CHAPTER XV. Frithiof King in Sogn.
Now those kings of Sogn, the brethren of Ingibiorg, heard these tidings, how that Frithiof had gotten a king"s rule in Ringrealm, and had wedded Ingibiorg their sister. Then says Helgi to Halfdan, his brother, that unheard of it was, and a deed over-bold, that a mere hersir"s son should have her to wife: and so thereat they gather together a mighty army, and go their ways therewith to Ringrealm, with the mind to slay Frithiof, and lay all his realm under them.
But when Frithiof was ware of this, he gathered folk, and spake to the queen moreover: "New war is come upon our realm; and now, in whatso wise the dealings go, fain am I that thy ways to me grow no colder."
She said: "In such wise have matters gone that I must needs let thee be the highest."
Now was Biorn come from the east to help Frithiof; so they fared to the fight, and it befell, as ever erst, that Frithiof was the foremost in the peril: King Helgi and he came to handy-blows, and there he slew King Helgi.
Then bade Frithiof raise up the Shield of Peace, and the battle was stayed; and therewith he cried to King Halfdan: "Two choices are in thine hands now, either that thou give up all to my will, or else gettest thou thy bane like thy brother; for now may men see that mine is the better part."
So Halfdan chose to lay himself and his realm under Frithiof"s sway; and so now Frithiof became ruler over Sogn-folk, and Halfdan was to be Hersir in Sogn and pay Frithiof tribute, while Frithiof ruled Ringrealm.
So Frithiof had the name of King of Sogn-folk from the time that he gave up Ringrealm to the sons of King Ring, and thereafter he won Hordaland also. He and Ingibiorg had two sons, called Gunnthiof and Hunthiof, men of might, both of them.
AND SO HERE ENDETH THE STORY OF FRITHIOF THE BOLD.