Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/83

 EEIGN OF OLAF TRYGGVESON. 73 another Thing held ; in which King Olaf testified re- gret for the quarrel that had fallen out, readiness to pay what mulct was due by law for that unlucky homicide of Ironbeard by his people; and, withal, to take the fair daughter of Ironbeard to wife, if all would comply and be friends with him in other matters ; which was the course resolved on as most convenient : accept baptism, we ; marry Jaernskaegg's daughter, you. This bargain held on both sides. The wedding, too, was celebrated, but that took rather a strange turn. On the morning of the bride-night, Olaf, who had not been sleeping, though his fair partner thought he had, opened his eyes, and saw, with astonishment, the fair partner aiming a long knife ready to strike home upon him ! Which at once ended their wedded life ; poor Demoiselle Ironbeard immediately bundling off with her attendants home again ; King Olaf into the apartment of his servants, mentioning there what had happened, and forbidding any of them to follow her. Olaf Tryggveson, though his kingdom was the smallest of the Norse Three, had risen to a renown over all the Norse world, which neither he of