A Tale of the Days of the Vikings
By H. BEDFORD-JONES
PUBLISHED BY
DAVID C. COOK PUBLISHING Co.
ELGIN, ILLINOIS
COPYRIGHT, 1912.
BY DAVID C. COOK PUBLISHING Co.,
ELGIN, ILLINOIS.
CONTENTS.
I. How the Vow Was Made
II. The Shooting Match
III. Jarl Hakon of Norway
IV. The Rescue in the Bay
V. The Escape from Thrandheim
VI. Hiorunga Bay
VII. How Vagn Kept His Vow
VIII. "Skoal to King Olaf!"
IX. How Astrid Fared Forth
X. Farewell to Dublin
XI. At Ethelred's Court
XII. The Flight From London
XIII. Alfred of Mercia
XIV. In Bretland
XV. In Winter Quarters
XVI. An Ambuscade
XVII. Ketil Turns Up
XVIII. A Mission for the King
XIX. At King Svein's Court
XX. The King and the Towel
XXI. The Death of Hakon
XXII. The Sacrifice To Thor
XXIII. How the Chiefs Were Baptized
XXIV. Olaf's Atonement
XXV. The Wrestling Match
XXVI. The Cross and the Hammer
This is a story about the very realpeople and events; if ever you chanceto read the old Sagas of Norwayyou will come upon most of the charactersof this tale. The viking age was not Christian,it was full of the clash of arms and ofunknightly deeds, yet its story is vitallyinteresting.
The Hammer of Thor, the War-god ofnorthern Europe, did not yield to the Crossof Christ without a struggle, and the storyof Norway's conversion is intenselydramatic. King Hakon the Good, a foster-sonof the English King Athelstan, was forcedto recant his faith in order to hold histhrone; King Olaf Triggveson lost hiskingdom, or rather gave it up, at SvoldeSound, because he refused to do the like;and King Olaf the Thick, who followedhim, fell beneath the heathen weapons ofhis subjects, becoming the patron saint ofNorway.
It was the first King Olaf who broke thepower of the old gods and who introducedChristianity into his realm. Short as washis reign, he was the greatest king Norwayever had. He built the first church in theland, and sent the first missionaries toIceland; during his reign Thangbrand, thepriest, won that island to the true faith.
Many of the incidents narrated aretaken direct from the Sagas, and althoughKing Olaf is said to have died at Svolde,the story of his escape is well authenticated;I give his own words in r