The Meeker herald., 1906-06-23

king accepted the proffered RESPONSE
bilit:es, solemnly swore to support the
constitution of Norway, and as Kina
Haakon VII. became head of the ma.
ton. His formal coronation takes
place June %.
Haakoa is a name that has honored
placs in Norwegian history, and that
this title should have been chosen Is
significant of Noryays national pride.
The wife Of Haakon VII. will be known
as Queen Maragretha, another mama
highly honored in Norwegian history.
1t was Maragretha G353-1412) who
brought Denmark. Norway and Sweden
under ono rule, formed a great UNION
of all the northern countries. The lit
tie son OF the present king and queen
the Norwegians have requested should
be called Olaf, true Viking name.
Haakon vi. and Maragretha had lit
tie son Q.af, who died when but five
year; old. referred to by certain
writ n as "the least and last OF thu
kings of Norway"
King l4aakon and Queen Mara.
gretha! How far away these names
seem from the twentieth century, this
modern machine age. They suggest
old days and deeds, when Morse kings
wers giants indee.l and royal women
were other than mere figureheads. Let
us travel back through the centuries
and try to catch some glimpse of that
mysterious romantic past. ,
First let us speak of Norway as y
great mother country, not big enough
to keep oil her sons and daughters at
home, but sending them forth to help
people other lands. to Iceland, and
and ireland. Let us pause to contem-
plate Harald Fairhair. he who united
his country under one head and made
a kingdom of 1t. which it has since
continued. In his youth Harald
aspired to marry the beautiful Gyda. q
proud princess. who declared she
would not stoop to a mere Jarl; II he
would have her let him do as CORN Of
Denmark. Eric Of Sweden, Egbert of
England. subdue the contentious Jsrls
about him and become a great king.
Then Harald swore a mighty oath that
he would not cut his hair till he had,
accomplished the subsection of the
other kings. until Gyda was his own,
Twelve years passed ere Harald'si
name was shorn, Gyda came to his
home; y years 1t took to subdue the;
Jarls aud conquer the Vikings of the,
as Carlyle calls them, out-islands.;
Then Harald spent about go years in;
organizing government for his con-!
quests-Harald Fairhair had reign
long as his renowned name. After himi
came his son Eric Blood Axe, who was
unpopular in Norway and was sue
ceeded by the first Haakon, Haakoni
the Good.
Haakon the Good had been brought
up at an English court, and when he
began his rule over Norway tried to
teach the people something Of Chris
tianity, and practiced as well as
preached; did not. like his father. force
the boys to go to sea, did not take
from them In greed. King Haakon
spoke to the people assembled at u
Thing Ia sort of parliament) Of the
Great White Christ, and at the next
meeting at Yule refused to drink to the
god Thor. This mede great hubbut,
but the people had faith in Haakon the
Good and began to believe little in
the Christ, though they forced some OF
their heather observances ON the king.
The laws of Haakon made at a Thing
at Gula were good laws, and ever loved
dearly by the Morse folk. When Haa-
kon died he was lamented by boil,
friends and enemies: they said that
never again would Norway see such
king. 1t is told that the year Haakor
was chosen king the birds built their
nests twice. and the trees had two
crops of apples! r
There follow after Haakon the Good
Harald Fray Fell; Haakon Jarl; Olaf
Tryggveson; Jarls Eric and sveiu
QUASI sovereigns); Olaf the Thickset
a true Viking, in later years become
Olaf the Saint; Magnus the Good; Ola,
the Tranquil; Magnus Barefoot: sigurd
the Crusader: Magnus the Blind; Har.
aid Gyllie. and now the "Fairhairs"
rage among themselves and become ex.
tinct. We have the rise of Swerri, who
led the wretched Birchlegs in many
victories and became king of Norway;
founded new dynasty which was ia
last as long as Norway kept her in.
dependence.
Of newly Independent Norway is
Danish prince and Of close kin TO thu
royal family Of Sweden? May the
Danish Swedish Norwegian king bind
in peace and fraternal feeling the pso,
pie of Scandinavia.
CHRISTOPHER wEBeTBR