Page:Stories of Norse Gods and Heroes.djvu/81

Rh the Jarl said he was not King Helge's vassal, and he would not pay the tribute unless King Helge collected it with his sword.

Frithiof stayed until spring. Then Jarl Argantyr gave him a purse of gold and he returned to his home. There he found his house and his forest burned.

As he stood among the ruins, his falcon came and perched upon his shoulder. His dog leaped up to lick his hand, and his snow-white war-horse came and touched his cheek gently with its soft lips.

Soon old Hilding came and told him that King Ring had overcome King Helge and wasted the land.

To save his kingdom, King Helge had given Ingeborg to King Ring. At the wedding King Helge took Frithiof's arm-ring from his sister and put it upon the statue of Balder.

Frithiof hurried to the temple. There he saw the priests with the king among them. In a moment he stood before Helge and dashed the purse of gold into his face. The king fell to the floor. Frithiof tore the arm-ring from the statue.

The statue fell into the fire on the altar, and in a moment the temple was burning.

Frithiof sailed away in Ellida once more. Helge followed him with ten ships. But the