| Plot Summary |
In the days before Olaf Tryggreson had welded the kingdoms of Norway into one, Helga, called The Glorious, was queen of Drontheim. Under her sway, Drontheim flourished, and took its place among the nations of the earth. It happened once, while Helga was away, leading her armies to conquest against the Skrellings, that Ragnarr, jarl of Binskarr, swore by all the trolls in Midgar, that he would no longer submit to a woman's rule. So, with his barons and house karls, he entered into all manner of evil doing, ravaging and destroying throughout the land, and openly defying the queen's government. When Queen Helga returned, there came many to her crying out against Ragnarr and his wickedness. The Queen summoned a council before her and tried Ragnarr for his crimes. Finding him guilty, she commanded that his lands be declared forfeit to the state, and that he leave Drontheim forever. But even as the queen's guards were leading him forth to exile, friends of Jarl Ragnarr fell upon them and rescued him. Then, in the blackness of his evil heart, Ragnarr devised a plot against the queen's majesty. With bribes he won over Olaf, captain of Helga's guard, and that night Helga was seized, bound, and carried over seas to a lonely island. Ragnarr seized the throne, and ruled in her stead, and the courtiers, after their first shock of surprise at the queen's disappearance, submitted to his bloodthirsty reign. It happened a little later that the traitorous Olaf quarreled with Ragnarr because Ragnarr had not given him the money he had promised. In revenge Olaf proclaimed to the entire court that Ragnarr was the abductor of Queen Helga. Wild with rage, the people rose, and killed Ragnarr. Then, they sent a ship over seas to Queen Helga. They found her lying on the shore, with her face turned toward Drontheim and her eyes closed. With great wailing and mourning they bore her to her native land. But while the funeral cortege was passing through the streets of her capital Queen Helga started from her death-like trance, and like Balder, lived again to bring joy and happiness to her people.
Written by Moving Picture World synopsis
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