Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/186

 17(5 EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY. Lid originally made of mere opaque board, but changed latterly into a light frame, covered {glazed, so to speak) with entrails of animals, clarified into something of pellucidity. All this Olaf, I hope, fur- ther perfected, as he did the placing of the court ladies, court officials, and the like ; but I doubt if the luxury of a glass window were ever known to him, or a cup to drink from that was not made of metal or horn. In fact it is chiefly for his son's sake I men- tion him here ; and with the son, too, I have little real concern, but ouly a kind of fantastic. This son bears the name of Magnus Barfod (Bare- foot, or Bareleg) ; and if you ask why so, the answer is : He was used to appear in the streets of Nidaros (Trondhjem) now and then in complete Scotch High- land dress. Authentic tartan plaid and philibeg, at that epoch, — to the wonder of Trondhjem and us ! The truth is, he had a mighty fancy for those Hebrides and other Scotch possessions of his; and seeing England now quite impossible, eagerly speculated on some conquest in Ireland as next best. He did, in fact, go diligently voyaging and inspecting among