early kings of norway-第6节

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　994；　and；　by　the　order　they　put　it　in；　probably　soon　after　A。D。　975；　or　the　beginning　of　this　Kenneth's　reign。　　Buchanan's　narrative；　carefully　distilled　from　all　the　ancient　Scottish　sources；　is　of　admirable　quality　for　style　and　otherwise　quiet；　brief；　with　perfect　clearness；　perfect　credibility　even；　except　that　semi…miraculous　appendage　of　the　Ploughmen；　Hay　and　Sons；　always　hanging　to　the　tail　of　it；　the　grain　of　possible　truth　in　which　can　now　never　be　extracted　by　man's　art！＇6＇　In　brief；　what　we　know　is；　fragments　of　ancient　human　bones　and　armor　have　occasionally　been　ploughed　up　in　this　locality；　proof　positive　of　ancient　fighting　here；　and　the　fight　fell　out　not　long　after　Hakon's　beating　of　the　Jomsburgers　at　the　Cape　of　Stad。　　And　in　such　dim　glimmer　of　wavering　twilight；　the　question　whether　these　of　Loncarty　were　refitted　Jomsburgers　or　not；　must　be　left　hanging。　　Loncarty　is　now　the　biggest　bleach…field　in　Queen　Victoria's　dominions；　no　village　or　hamlet　there；　only　the　huge　bleaching…house　and　a　beautiful　field；　some　six　or　seven　miles　northwest　of　Perth；　bordered　by　the　beautiful　Tay　river　on　the　one　side；　and　by　its　beautiful　tributary　Almond　on　the　other；　a　Loncarty　fitted　either　for　bleaching　linen；　or　for　a　bit　of　fair　duel　between　nations；　in　those　simple　times。

Whether　our　refitted　Jomsburgers　had　the　least　thing　to　do　with　it　is　only　matter　of　fancy；　but　if　it　were　they　who　here　again　got　a　good　beating；　fancy　would　be　glad　to　find　herself　fact。　　The　old　piratical　kings　of　Denmark　had　been　at　the　founding　of　Jomsburg；　and　to　Svein　of　the　Forked　Beard　it　was　still　vitally　important；　but　not　so　to　the　great　Knut；　or　any　king　that　followed；　all　of　whom　had　better　business　than　mere　thieving；　and　it　was　Magnus　the　Good；　of　Norway；　a　man　of　still　higher　anti…anarchic　qualities；　that　annihilated　it；　about　a　century　later。

Hakon　Jarl；　his　chief　labors　in　the　world　being　over；　is　said　to　have　become　very　dissolute　in　his　elder　days；　especially　in　the　matter　of　women；　the　wretched　old　fool；　led　away　by　idleness　and　fulness　of　bread；　which　to　all　of　us　are　well　said　to　be　the　parents　of　mischief。　Having　absolute　power；　he　got　into　the　habit　of　openly　plundering　men's　pretty　daughters　and　wives　from　them；　and；　after　a　few　weeks；　sending　them　back；　greatly　to　the　rage　of　the　fierce　Norse　heart；　had　there　been　any　means　of　resisting　or　revenging。　　It　did；　after　a　little　while；　prove　the　ruin　and　destruction　of　Hakon　the　Rich；　as　he　was　then　called。　　It　opened　the　door；　namely；　for　entry　of　Olaf　Tryggveson　upon　the　scene；a　very　much　grander　man；　in　regard　to　whom　the　wiles　and　traps　of　Hakon　proved　to　be　a　recipe；　not　on　Tryggveson；　but　on　the　wily　Hakon　himself；　as　shall　now　be　seen　straightway。



CHAPTER　VI。

OLAF　TRYGGVESON。

Hakon；　in　late　times；　had　heard　of　a　famous　stirring　person；　victorious　in　various　lands　and　seas；　latterly　united　in　sea…robbery　with　Svein；　Prince　Royal　of　Denmark；　afterwards　King　Svein　of　the　Double…beard　（〃_Zvae　Skiaeg_〃；　_Twa　Shag_）　or　fork…beard；　both　of　whom　had　already　done　transcendent　feats　in　the　viking　way　during　this　copartnery。　　The　fame　of　Svein；　and　this　stirring　personage；　whose　name　was　〃Ole；〃　and；　recently；　their　stupendous　feats　in　plunder　of　England；　siege　of　London；　and　other　wonders　and　splendors　of　viking　glory　and　success；　had　gone　over　all　the　North；　awakening　the　attention　of　Hakon　and　everybody　there。　　The　name　of　〃Ole〃　was　enigmatic；　mysterious；　and　even　dangerous…looking　to　Hakon　Jarl；　who　at　length　sent　out　a　confidential　spy　to　investigate　this　〃Ole；〃　a　feat　which　the　confidential　spy　did　completely　accomplish；by　no　means　to　Hakon's　profit！　　The　mysterious　〃Ole〃　proved　to　be　no　other　than　Olaf；　son　of　Tryggve；　destined　to　blow　Hakon　Jarl　suddenly　into　destruction；　and　become　famous　among　the　heroes　of　the　Norse　world。

Of　Olaf　Tryggveson　one　always　hopes　there　might；　one　day；　some　real　outline　of　a　biography　be　written；　fished　from　the　abysses　where　（as　usual）　it　welters　deep　in　foul　neighborhood　for　the　present。　　Farther　on　we　intend　a　few　words　more　upon　the　matter。　　But　in　this　place　all　that　concerns　us　in　it　limits　itself　to　the　two　following　facts　first；　that　Hakon's　confidential　spy　〃found　Ole　in　Dublin；〃　picked　acquaintance　with　him；　got　him　to　confess　that　he　was　actually　Olaf；　son　of　Tryggve　（the　Tryggve；　whom　Blood…axe's　fierce　widow　and　her　sons　had　murdered）；　got　him　gradually　to　own　that　perhaps　an　expedition　into　Norway　might　have　its　chances；　and　finally　that；　under　such　a　wise　and　loyal　guidance　as　his　（the　confidential　spy's；　whose　friendship　for　Tryggveson　was　so　indubitable）；　he　（Tryggveson）　would　actually　try　it　upon　Hakon　Jarl；　the　dissolute　old　scoundrel。　　Fact　second　is；　that　about　the　time　they　two　set　sail　from　Dublin　on　their　Norway　expedition；　Hakon　Jarl　removed　to　Trondhjem；　then　called　Lade；　intending　to　pass　some　months　there。

Now　just　about　the　time　when　Tryggveson；　spy；　and　party　had　landed　in　Norway；　and　were　advancing　upon　Lade；　with　what　support　from　the　public　could　be　got；　dissolute　old　Hakon　Jarl　had　heard　of　one　Gudrun；　a　Bonder's　wife；　unparalleled　in　beauty；　who　was　called　in　those　parts；　〃Sunbeam　of　the　Grove〃　（so　inexpressibly　lovely）；　and　sent　off　a　couple　of　thralls　to　bring　her　to　him。　　〃Never；〃　answered　Gudrun；　〃never；〃　her　indignant　husband；　in　a　tone　dangerous　and　displeasing　to　these　Court　thralls；　who　had　to　leave　rapidly；　but　threatened　to　return　in　better　strength　before　long。　　Whereupon；　instantly；　the　indignant　Bonder　and　his　Sunbeam　of　the　Grove　sent　out　their　war…arrow；　rousing　all　the　country　into　angry　promptitude；　and　more　than　one　perhaps　into　greedy　hope　of　revenge　for　their　own　injuries。　The　rest　of　Hakon's　history　now　rushes　on　with　extreme　rapidity。

Sunbeam　of　the　Grove；　when　next　demanded　of　her　Bonder；　has　the　whole　neighborhood　assembled　in　arms　round　her；　rumor　of　Tryggveson　is　fast　making　it　the　whole　country。　　Hakon's　insolent　messengers　are　cut　in　pieces；　Hakon　finds　he　cannot　fly　under　cover　too　soon。　　With　a　single　slave　he　flies　that　same　night；but　whitherward？　　Can　think　of　no　safe　place；　except　to　some　old　mistress　of　his；　who　lives　retired　in　that　neighborhood；　and　has　some　pity　or　regard　for　the　wicked　old　Hakon。　　Old　mistress　does　receive　him；　pities　him；　will　do　all　she　can　to　protect　and　hide　him。　　But　how；　by　what　uttermost　stretch　of　female　artifice　hide　him　here；　every　one　will　search　here　first　of　all！　　Old　mistress；　by　the　slave's　help；　extemporizes　a　cellar　under　the　floor　of　her　pig…house；　sticks　Hakon　and　slave　into　that；　as　the　one　safe　seclusion　she　can　contrive。　　Hakon　and　slave；　begrunted　by　the　pigs　above　them；　tortured　by　the　devils　within　and　about　them；　passed　two　days　in　circumstances　more　and　more　horrible。　　For　they　heard；　through　their　light…slit　and　breathing…slit；　the　triumph　of　Tryggveson　proclaiming　itself　by　Tryggveson's　own　lips；　who　had　mounted　a　big　boulder　near　by　and　was　victoriously　speaking　to　the　people；　winding　up　with　a　promise　of　honors　and　rewards　to　whoever　should　bring　him　wicked　old　Hakon's　head。　　Wretched　Hakon；　justly　suspecting　his　slave；　tried　to　at　least　keep　himself　awake。　　Slave　did　keep　himself　awake　till　Hakon　dozed　or　slept；　then　swiftly　cut　off　Hakon's　head；　and　plunged　out　with　it　to　the　presence　of　Tryggveson。　　Tryggveson；　detesting　the　traitor；　useful　as　the　treachery　was；　cut　off　the　slave's　head　too；　had　it　hung　up　along　with　Hakon's　on　the　pinnacle　of　the　Lade　Gallows；　where　the　populace　pelted　both　heads　with　stones　and　many　curses；　especially　the　more　important　of　the　two。　　〃Hakon　the　Bad〃　ever　henceforth；　instead　of　Hakon　the　Rich。

This　was　the　end　of　Hakon　Jarl；　the　last　support　of　heathenry　in　Norway；　among　other　characteristics　he　had：　　a　stronghanded；　hard…headed；　very　relentless；　greedy　and　wicked　being。　　He　is　reckoned　to　have　ruled　in　Norway；　or　mainly　ruled；　either　in　the　struggling　or　triumphant　state；　for　about　thirty　years　（965…995？）。　　He　and　his　seemed　to　have　formed；　by　chance　rather　than　design；　the　chief　opposition　which　the　Haarfagr　posterity　throughout　its　whole　course　experienced　in　Norway。　　Such　the　cost　to　them　of　killing　good　Jarl　Sigurd；　in　Greyfell's　time！　　For　〃curses；　like　chickens；〃　do　sometimes　visibly　〃come　home　to　feed；〃　as　they　always；　either　visibly　or　else　invisibly；　are　punctually　sure　to　do。

Hakon　Jarl　is　considerably　connected　with　the　_Faroer　Saga_　often　mentioned　there；　and　comes　out　perfectly　in　character；　an　altogether　worldly…wise　man　of　the　roughest　type；　not　without　a　turn　for　practicality　of　kindness　to　those　who　would　really　be　of　use　to　him。　His　tendencies　to　magic　also　are　not　forgotten。

Hakon　left　two　sons；　Eric　and　Svein；　often　also　mentioned　in　this　Saga。　　On　their　father's　death　they　fled　to　Sweden；　to　Denmark；　and　were　busy　stirring　up　troubles　in　those　countries　against　Olaf　Tryggveson；　till　at　length；　by　a　favorable　combination；　under　their　auspices　chiefly；　they　got　his　brief　and　noble　reign　put　an　end　to。　Nay；　furthermore；　Jarl　Eric　left　sons；　especially　an　elder　son；　named　also　Eric；　who　proved　a　sore　affliction；　and　a　continual　stone　of　stumbling　to　a　new　generation　of　Haarfagrs；　and　so　continued　the　curse　of　Sigurd's　murder　upon　them。

Towa