Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/132

 122 EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY. Besides blind Eserik, Olaf had in his household one Thorarin, an Icelander ; a remarkably ngly man, says Snorro, but a far-travelled, shrewdly observant, loyal-minded, and good-humoured person, whom Olaf liked to talk with. ' Eemarkably ugly,' says Snorro, - ' especially in his hands and feet, which were large ' and ill-shaped to a degree.* One morning Thorarin, who, with other trusted ones, slept in Olaf 's apart- ment, was lazily dozing and yawning, and had stretched one of his feet out of the bed before the king awoke. The foot was still there when Olaf did open , his bright eyes, which instantly lighted on this foot. " Well, here is a foot," says Olaf, gaily, " which one seldom sees the match of; I durst venture there is not another so ugly in this city of Nidaros." "Hah, king!" said Thorarin, "there are few things one cannot match if one seek long and take pains. I would bet, with thy permission. King, to find an uglier." " Done ! " cried Olaf. Upon which Thorarin stretched out the other foot. " A still [uglier," cried Ja.e ; " for it has lost the Httle toe."