Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/41

 HARALD GREY-FELL AND BROTHERS. 31 sons of Eric at this time, or till long afterwards at all, from one of their kin, as it chanced. On the con- trary, he fled to Denmark now, and by and by managed to come back, to their cost. Among their other chief victims were two cousins of their o^vn, Tryggve and Gudrod, who had been honest under-kings to the late head-king, Hakon the Good; but were now become suspect, and had to fight for their lives, and lose them in a tragic manner. Tryggve had a son, whom we shall hear of. Gudrod, son of worthy Bjorn the Chapman, was grandfather of Saint Olaf, whom all men have heard of, — who has a church in Southwark even, and another in Old Jewry, to this hour. In all these violences, Gunhild, widow of the late king Eric, was understood to have a principal hand. She had come back to Norway with her sons ; and naturally passed for the secret ad- viser and Maternal President in whatever of violence went on ; always reckoned a fell, vehement, relentless personage where her own interests were concerned. Probably as things settled, her influence on affairs grew less. -At least one hopes so ; and, in the Sagas, hears less and less of her, and before long nothing.