A STORM AT SEA. \ , .", 



" Bjorn said: 'ThinUrst tliou the maidens of Sogn will weep 

 much over thee ? ' Fridthjof said : ' Surely, that is in my 

 mind.' Then the waves rose at the stem so that they rushed 

 into the ship; Imt the ship was good, and hardy men were in 

 it. Bjorn sang : 



It is not like when a maiik-n Salt is in my eyes; 



Wants to drink to thee, They are bathed ; 



A bright rhi'4-wearing one My strong arms fail ; 



That asks thee to come nearer ; My eyelids are smarting. 



" Asrnund said : ' It matters not though you try your arms 

 (baling, rowing), for you did not excuse us when we rose so 

 early in Baldrshagi '(sacred grove of Baldr), and we rubbed 

 our eyes.' ' Why doest f t\iou not sing, Asmund ? ' asked 

 Fridthjof. ' I will,' said Asmund. 



Here was it rough round the mast A meal to women iu their room 



When the sea fell on the ship ; (dyngja) 



I with eight men Than to bale Ellidi 



Had to work on board ; On the high wave. 



Easier was it to carry 



"Fridthjof said with laughter: 'Thou callest not thy help 

 less than it is, though thy thrall-kin did appear now as thou 

 didst wish to carry food.' Then the wind grew stronger again, 

 so that the white sea-drifts 1 which burst on the ship from all 

 sides were more like mountains and mountain-peaks than 

 waves. 



" Bjorn : ' Now thou art afraid, foster-brother, and there is 

 fear in thy words ; it is bad of a good warrior like thee.' 

 Fridthjof answered : ' It is neither fear nor fright, though our 

 journeys of merriment are sung, but it may be they are men- 

 tioned oftener than is needed ; most men would think death 



likelier than life if they were situated as we are now.' 



***** 



" Bjorn : ' We must take this, foster-brother, as it is.' Then 

 came a wave dashing so strongly that it carried away the 

 gunwales and part of the bows, and flung four men overboard 

 who were all lost. Fridthjof sang : 



Both the bows were smashed Four warriors sank 



In the great wave of the sea ; Down into the deep " 



(Fridthjof's Saga, c. 6). 





The sea is compared to suo\v lying in heaps or drifts. 



