Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/62

 52 EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY. Wretched Hakon, justly suspecting his slave, tried to at least keep himself awake. Slave did keep himself awake till Hakon dozed or slept, then swiftly cut off Hakon's head, and plunged out with it to the presence of Tryggveson. Tryggveson, detesting the traitor, useful as the treachery was, cut off the slave's head too, had it hung up along with Hakon's on the pinnacle of the Lade Gallows, where the populace pelted both heads with stones and many curses, especially the more important of the two. * Hakon the Bad* ever henceforth, instead of Hakon the Rich. This was the end of Hakon Jarl, the last support of heathenry in Norway, among other characteristics he had : a strong-handed, hard-headed, very relent- less, greedy and wicked being. He is reckoned to have ruled in Norway, or mainly ruled, either in the struggling or triumphant state, for about thirty years (965-95 ?) He and his seemed to have formed, by chance rather than design, the chief opposition which the Haarfagr posterity throughout its whole course experienced in Norway. Such the cost to them of killing" good Jarl Sigurd, in GreyfelFs time ! For