“Cease! cease!” cried Frithiof with deep emotion, as he clasped the maiden’s hand. “Forgive me that my sorrow did assume the garb of anger. Thou art right. I see it now, my better angel. ’Tis true that only noble minds can teach us what is noble, and thy pure heart was quicker far to see the right than mine. Alone I’ll go, and part from thee—but never from my hope, whate’er betide! Next Spring shall Helge see me here again, the crime with which he charges me atoned. Then in full circle of the warriors, ’mid glittering steel will I demand thee from thy brother as my wife. Till then farewell, and keep me ever in thy thoughts. In memory of our childhood’s love take thou this arm-ring, a treasured heirloom of my father’s house: all the wonders of the heavens are carved upon it—but the world’s best wonder is a faithful heart. See! how it gleams on thy white arm like a glow-worm upon a lily’s stem!” Thus they parted, and “Ellida” bore the hero swiftly away, while Ingeborg, sad and hopeless, betook her to her bower. Chapter X Frithiof’s Voyage Cold blew the wind; day by day the skies darkened; deck and mast, sail and rudder were covered thick with ice and frost. Frithiof was already far from his native shores when suddenly black storm clouds overspread the heavens and a fearful tempest arose. The sea was stirred to its depths; waves mountain-high threatened to engulf the ship, which tossed helplessly amid the boiling surges. But Frithiof exulted in the fury of the elements; the wild scene upon which he gazed was but a reflection of the storm that raged within his breast. Still the tempest increased; showers of hailstones rattled down upon the deck and on the numbed hands of the warriors at the helm. A gust of wind tore away the cordage; planks and timbers groaned and creaked; huge billows swept the deck; and higher and higher rose the water in the hold despite all the efforts of the ship’s people, who now gave themselves up for lost. Even to Frithiof it seemed death was nigh. “It is Helge that hath sent this storm upon us,” said one, “and who may withstand witchcraft?” “Look!” cried another, “yonder swims a whale and bears on its back two sea-fiends! One is wrapped in the hide of the ice-bear; the other hath the shape of a sea-eagle, with black wings flapping. Woe unto us! ’tis the sea trolls, Heid and Ham! We are lost!” But Frithiof, summoning his friend Björn to take the helm, hastened to reassure the terror-stricken crew. His words put fresh courage in their hearts, and with redoubled strength they began once more to struggle against the fury of the storm. “Courage, friends!” he shouted; “those who trust in the gods are safe from the power of evil spirits.” Then, springing to the ship’s prow, he chanted: