The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-10

but she refused. whereupon the king
very uf gallo ntly-struck her In the face
with his glove and called her "a fade'
heather bag" The fury OF q woman
scorned" was as terrible In those daya
| AZ later. when II passed into a proverb
70 she quietly remarked: This will som'
day prove your. DEATH" and as the gen
tie dame had. some years before, ross'e.
two kings in their beds. because she nae
| tired of their attentions. IL would seem ~
| have been a trifie dangerous 10 arouse neI
anger. ard so Il proved For years she
meditated over her revenge, and many
| persuaded her husband. King erenu VI
| Denmark-"Srend OF the Forked Beaio
whom she had married. 10 join WIN .ne
| King of Sweden and Earl Eric. anu iaS
| In wait for Olaf and attack nm, az "e
| returned laden with plumber from 80.
land. whittier he had gone TO eoIlev., us
wife's dover. Aided by Ear S'e az, o.
noted viking. who was Jealous OF o,ai'
,bis was accomplished. Sigvald treache-
rousIv piloted the unsuspecting KING INTO
the ambush. first persuading him 10 sehu
on the lighter sailing craft aheau' then
basely deserted him, and drew over anu
Joined the enemy. 80,
Tn The effects of the World" by the late
Commodore Parker u. s. Navy, an eX-
tremely interesting account IS given o,
this famous sea fight, which the saga OF
King Olaf" has made familiar to us AL
Olaf, flashing his vessels together as was
the custom in those days, made a most
gallant faint In this great battle OF the
vikings. off stralsund, but overwhelming
numbers and the genius Of Eric over
came him. The famous Long serpent
did wonders that day and ne Drasoh
flag was still dehantly flying as the
enemy succeeded at last, in boarding her,
the orly defenders Of her decks pelns
Olaf wounded 10 the death, Kolbiorn, The
Marshal, and Ulf Rode, the Kings stand
ard bearer, with the standard wrapped
Ground his body.
Now yield thee, King, my prisoner"
cried Eric.
ITO a traitor. never" repll I'd Olaf. and
throwing his sword overheard, he sprans
after II. clad in all his heavy armor, fol-
lowed by INF and Kolbiorn, and sank
full five fathoms deep In the sea.
The sound of the strife was over and
Eric leaned exhausted against the rail. /
when Sigvald. accompanied by Astrid, his /
wife, approached end offered his hand. I
King Srend received him graciously, but /
Eric haughtily refused the greeting, say |
ing: II fought against the King Of Nor
way because / had to avenge my fathers 1
death; but / fought openly You, Earl |
q,
him the good-luck ale, and then betrayed t
him; and l would rather be that main
mast of battle, Olaf Trygguesson dead,
than Earl Sigvald, his betrayer, alive"
The Earl's wife was dumbfounded.
and wept bitterly II thought strange"
she said. addressing her husband, that
you went not to the King Of NGrway's
assistance, but l had no idea you lured
him into the snare. Nor did / know that
Viking, the defcendant of Vikings, had
ALLEN so low as 10 become a spy. Hence
orth you are dead TO me, and | will live
n my fathers house a widow TO my dy-
ug day." and she sprang into one of
H. Vendland cutters, and was soon far
lway."
The most wonderful stories are told of
)iafs prowess, and his good looks, Snorri,
he old Icelandic historian. says: "He was
landsomer and more expert in all exer-
Uses than any nan whose memory is
preserved to us In story, and he was
stronger and more agile than most men,"
according to him, he could run across the
'ars, outside of his vessel, while the men
we're rowing; walk all around the rail;
play with three daggers in the air.
atching the falling one by the handle;
ut and strike equally well with both
lands, and cast two spears at once.
derry, gay and social; the bravest Of
he brave; a firm friend, though a bitter
nemy. Even Carlyle says Of him that he
vas "the wildly beautfullest man that
me has ever heard of in the North"
1t was said by some that Olaf succeeded
n making his escape with Astrid, and
lied a Palmer in the Holy Land
But the young grew old and grey,
And never by night or by day,
In his kingdom Of Norroway,
Was King Olaf seen again"
What a pity that his body could not |
ave been inferred I'm his own beloved
'essel, the Long Serpent" and a gigantic
hound raised over them both 10 last
through all the centuries. a fitting sepul- !
hire for this Viking Of the Vikings,-whie
Scanned with many scars.
Bursting its prison bars,
Up TO its native stars
His soul assembled:
There. from the flowing bowl,
Deep drinks the warriors soul.
Skoal! 10 the Northland Skoal
Thus, the tale ended'