Page 12 (1.) Hela presided over Nifelheim, the hell appointed for those who die ingloriously of sickness, or old age. Her gloomy mansion was strongly built, and defended by massive portals. Her hall, was anguish; her table, famine; her knife, hunger; her bed, leanness; the threshold of her door, precipice; her attendants were expectation and delay.' Hela was the daughter of Loke, (evil,) and Angebode, (messenger of death.)

Page 12. (2.) Likstronde, the shore of corpses, received the souls of assassins and murderers.

Page 12. (3.) 'There is an abode that the sun never visits; its gates open towards the North. Poisons rain in through a thousand crevices. It is formed of the bodies of snakes and scorpions, their heads turned inward. From this dismal abyss, the black smoke ever rises. There the souls of the wicked float on rivers of poison, black as pitch, colder than ice.' Edda.

Page 18. (5.) Olof Tryggvason, one of the most celebrated of the ancient Norwegian kings, was the son of Tryggve, who, as grandson of Harold Harfager, had excited the jealousy of Gunilda, and had fallen a victim to her cruelty. The youth of Olof was subjected to many vicissitudes of fortune. His mother, Astrida, fled with her infant son, from the fury of Gunilda, and attempted to join her brother, Sigurd, in Russia. The fugitives were captured by Esthonian pirates, who retained Olof among them for many years. He was at length discovered, and ransomed by his uncle Sigurd, who carried him to the court of Vladamir, at Novgorod, where he was distinguished for his strength and beauty, and his skill in all manly exercises. At the age of nineteen, he took the command of a small fleet of Russian pirates, and set forth in quest of adventures. While cruising in the Baltic, he was driven by a storm upon the coast of Pomerania, the country of the Vandals; here he married the daughter of Burislief, king of that country, and with his father-in-law, joined the emperor Otho, in his expedition against Denmark. On his return from Denmark, he lived in Pomerania until the death of his wife, when he resumed his former roving habits. The little fleet of Olof was known upon all the coasts of Europe; he made frequent descents upon Scotland and England, and even the more southern countries were not free from his depredations.

Olof had been instructed in the principles of the Christian religion, in Saxony; he had afterward studied its doctrines more carefully, in Greece, yet still hesitated to embrace them; but being thrown upon the Scilly islands, while engaged in one of his

piratical expeditions, he was there met by an aged monk, who predicted that he should one day reign over Norway, and that this country was, by his means, to be converted to Christianity. This prediction made a deep impression upon the mind of Olof, although he did not immediately endeavor to secure its fulfilment. After receiving the rite of baptism from the holy father, he passed to the Orkney islands, where he preached the Christian religion, sword in hand.

Norway was, at this time, governed by Jarl Hakon, who had possessed himself of the crown, after the death of Harold Grafeld, and the flight of Gunilda. This crafty prince, hearing that a hero of the race of Harold Harfager, yet lived, who might one day contest with him the crown of Norway, resolved to decoy Olof into his power. For this purpose, he despatched an emissary, who was, by false representations, to induce Olof to land in Norway. The artful messenger pretended to have fled from the tyranny of Hakon, whom he described as the most cruel and treacherous of princes. He represented to Olof, the discontent that prevailed in Norway, and the enthusiasm with which a descendant of Harold Harfager would be welcomed by the people. Olof, mindful of the monk's prediction, listened eagerly to these representations, and set sail for Norway, accompanied by his treacherous advisOn their arrival, they found the people actually in rebellion against Hakon, whose cruelty had indeed rendered him odious to his subjects. Olof placed himself at the head of the rebels, and soon compelled Hakon to seek safety in flight. He lay for some time concealed in a cave, where he was assassinated by a slave, to whom he had confided the place of his retreat. The faithless servant carried the news of his master's fate to Olof, by whose order his treachery was punished with instant death.

er.

The conversion of his subjects to Christianity was the first care of Olof, after he had established himself upon the throne. He secured the coöperation of some of the most powerful nobles, by giving them his sisters in marriage; he confirmed the fidelity of others, by bestowing upon them the confiscated estates of the refractory.

The inhabitants of the southern provinces received the new faith with little reluctance; but in the north it was met by more vigorous opposition. The dwellers in the mountain regions, strongly attached to their ancient religion, refused to renounce it at the command of their sovereign. Torture and death, or the adoption of the new faith, was the alternative offered them by the zealous Olof; but the hardy

Outward tranquillity, however, was now established in the kingdom of Olof. The nobles, finding that the new religion subjected them to no new restraints, readily adopted the faith of their king; and the people, if they still worshipped the gods of their fathers, worshipped in secret.

Olof stood now at the height of power and prosperity. He was the bravest warrior, the most fortunate prince, of his day; he had joined the glory of an apostle to the renown of a warrior; but even now the vengeance of a woman was preparing his downfall.

Olof had asked the hand of the fair Sigrid, of Sweden. This haughty princess, who had rejected many a royal suitor, consented to become the wife of the renowned Olof. She repaired to Norway, but in her first interview with her royal lover, he required her to embrace the Christian religion. The haughty Sigrid indignantly refused, and Olof, enraged at her disobedience, struck her with his gauntlet, at the same time loading her with reproaches. That she might at least receive the rite of baptism, he ordered her to be plunged into the sea, before she was sent back to Sweden. Sigrid vowed vengeance, and kept her word. She became the wife of Svend, king of Denmark, whose sister, Thira, had been married to Burislief, father of the first wife of Olof. Thira had fled from her husband, but dreading the anger of her brother, did not return to her own country, but took refuge in Norway, where she was kindly received by Olof, who soon made her his wife. When the news of this marriage reached Svend, who was already irritated against Olof, by the vindictive Sigrid, his indignation knew no bounds. He was easily prevailed upon by Sigrid, to form an alliance with Olof Skötkonung, king of Denmark, (her son by a former marriage,) with the view of humbling the power of Olof Tryggvason. To this confederacy, Eric, the son of Jarl Hakon joined himself, and the allies only wanted an opportunity, which might enable them to attack him with some chance of success. The occasion soon presented itself; Olof had undertaken an expedition to the country of the Vandals, to recover the possessions of his wife, in the island of Rugen. His enemies, with a considerable fleet, lay in wait for him, on his return. Olof had expected no attack; his ships were widely scattered, and unprepared for action. He was first made aware of his danger, when he found himself with a few of his ships nearly surrounded by the enemy. Olof disdained to fly. He sustained the unequal contest, until he had seen all his faithful Berserkers fall around him, and the 'Long Serpent,' the pride of his navy,

numbers, and fearing to be taken prisoner, he threw himself into the sea, where he probably perished, though some of the ancient chronicles assert, that he saved himself by swimming, and, after perform. ing a journey to the holy land, ended his life in a monastery. Olof reigned 995 — 1000.

Page 18. (4.) 'Blood-baptizer'- Olof second, was the son of Harold Graenske, who, during the reign of Jarl Hakon, had governed the southern part of Norway, with the title of king.

Olof, who was a lineal descendant of Harold Harfager, was not unworthy of his heroic descent. Even in boyhood, he had acquired the fame of a daring and successful Viking. He made many descents upon England, France, and Spain, and the rich spoils which he gathered in those countries, enabled him afterward to undertake his successful expedition against the usurpers of the crown of Norway.

After the battle of Swolderoe, in which Olof Tryggvason had perished, the allied princes divided the kingdom of Norway. The king of Denmark took possession of the southern part; the king of Sweden of all those provinces which bordered on his kingdom; the remainder was allotted to the two sons of Jarl Hakon, Eric and Svend, who also governed the other states of Norway, but as vassals of the kings of Sweden and Denmark. These princes ruled with great wisdom and humanity; though professing the Christian faith, they abstained from any attempt to force their religion upon their subjects.

But the attachment of the Norwegians to the family of Harold Harfager, made them still regard the sons of Hakon as usurpers, and the Christian party, now become powerful in the state, saw, with displeasure, the toleration which was extended to the ancient religion. The young Olof, informed of the disposition of the people, lost no time in availing himself of it. He landed in Norway, (1014,) where he was received with enthusiasm. Eric, the eldest son of Jarl Hakon, was at this time absent in England, whither he had been compelled, as a vassal of the crown of Denmark, to follow the banner of Canute the Great. Olof possessed himself, by a stratagem, of the person of the young son of Eric, but restored him to liberty, after obtaining from him a solemn renunciation of all his claims upon the crown. Svend, the brother of Eric, was defeated in a naval battle, by Olof, and fled, leaving him in undisputed possession of the kingdom. Olof established his court at Drontheim, which from this time became the residence of the Norwegian kings. He made many new laws for his subjects, and revised and improved the ancient code.

Olof was a zealous champion of the Christian religion, and, eager to propagate it among his subjects, he thought no means unjustifiable which tended to

the accomplishment of this object. He renewed the persecutions which had stained the reign of Olof Tryggvason, and even surpassed that prince in zeal and cruelty.

This unwise severity weakened the affection of his subjects. Several of the petty princes, who had assisted in placing him upon the throne, now conspired to deprive him of it, but Olof discovered their plot; he punished some of the conspirators with death, others with loss of sight, and banished the rest from the kingdom.

The exiled princes took refuge at the court of Canute, and persuaded this monarch that it would be easy to restore Norway to its former dependence upon Denmark. Canute sent an ambassador to Olof, requiring him to consider himself in future as his vassal. Olof indignantly rejected the claim of Canute, and formed an alliance with Anund, king of Sweden, whose daughter he had married; but finding himself unsupported by his own subjects, he was forced to quit his kingdom, which was subjected without difficulty by Canute. Olof passed into Russia, and was preparing to perform a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, there to assume the monastic habit, when he received, in a dream, a command from Heaven to return to Norway. Anund supplied him with troops, and he was joined by many of his own subjects. His little army soon amounted to three thousand men, though he rejected the services of all who refused to adopt the Christian faith. A cross was painted upon the helmets and shields of his soldiers, and their war-cry was, ' On! soldiers of the cross and the king.' Relying upon the justice of his cause, he would not wait for any further reinforcements, but went forward to attack his enemies, though their number was more than double that of his own army. Before the battle he summoned his three Skalds into his presence, and charged them to transmit to posterity the memory of the battle of that day.

But the courage and skill of Olof could not prevail over a force so superior to his own. This little army was cut to pieces; he himself perished in the combat; two of his poets fell by his side; the third, mortally wounded, chanted a poem in honor of his king, before he withdrew the arrow with which he was pierced.

After the death of Olof, his memory became dear to the Norwegian people. The remembrance of his heroic adventures, his wise laws, above all his tragic fate, effaced from their minds the recollections of his bigotry and his relentless cruelty. The Christian clergy, grateful for his services to the church, exalted him to the rank of a saint. Churches were dedicated to him not only in Norway but in Denmark, Sweden, Russia, and England. Even in Constantinople a shrine was consecrated to his memory, and his tomb was the resort of pilgrims from all the countries of Europe.

The battle of Stikklestadt, in which Olof II. was killed, was fought in 1030.

He

Page 18. (6.) Sverre was one of the most remarkable men whom Norway has produced. was educated as the son of a private man, and was destined to the ecclesiastical profession; but learning from his mother that he was the son of Sigurd the Second, he left the church, and turned his attention to the affairs of Norway, which was now governed by the young king Magnus, under the guidance of his father, the brave and sagacious Erling. The reign of this prince had already been disturbed by the claims of various pretenders to the crown. Eistein Mela, grandson of Harold Gille, asserted his right, as descendant of Magnus Barfoed; he assembled a considerable body of partisans, who received the name of Birkebeinians, because, being forced to retire into the forests, they had, for want of leather shoes, covered their feet with the bark of birch trees. This wild band maintained the war against Magnus for several years, with unequal success; but, in 1177, they sustained a sig nal defeat; Eistein, their general, was made prisoner, and soon after put to death.

After the death of their leader, the 'Birkebeinar' sent a deputation to Sverre, inviting him to become their chief. Sverre, after some hesitation, accepted their proposal, received the oath of allegiance, and was proclaimed king by this band of ill-armed and undisciplined outlaws, whose number, at this time, scarcely exceeded seventy. His force was rapidly augmented; but Sverre met with no success in the commencement of his enterprise. He was forced to fly into Sweden; but soon returning, collected the remnants of his little band, and made an attempt upon Drontheim, in which, however, he failed of success. Sverre now wandered long among the mountains and forests of Norway; he occupied himself in establishing order and discipline in his little army, which received daily accessions to its number. At length, being reinforced by a band of archers from Tellemark, he again approached Drontheim, and offered battle to the adherents of Magnus. Fortune was now on the side of Sverre. He gained a complete victory, and entered Drontheim, bearing in triumph the sacred banner of St. Olof. He convoked the assembly of deputies, and caused himself to be proclaimed king of Norway.

The war, however, was not yet concluded. The mildness and equity of Erling's administration secured to his son the adherence of a numerous party. The clergy, too, declared themselves on the side of Magnus, and promised eternal salvation to all who should fall in battle against the 'Birkibeinar.' At the end of two years the fate of the war was decided, by the death of Erling, who was surprised by a sudden attack from Sverre, and left mortally wounded on the field. Magnus was forced to leave the side of his dying father, and