Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/85

 REIGN OF OLAF TRYGGVESON. 75 King Svein of the Double-Beard had not yet completed his conquest of England, — by no means yet, some thirteen horrid years of that still before him! — when, over in Denmark, he found that complaints against him and intricacies had arisen, on the part principally of one Burislav, King of the Wends (far up the Baltic), and in a less degree with the King of Sweden and other minor individuals. Svein earnestly applied himself to settle these, and have his hands, free. Burislav, an aged heathen gentleman, proved reasonable and conciliatory; so, too, the King of Sweden, and Dowager Queen Sigrid, his managing mother. Bargain in both these cases got sealed and crowned by marriage. Svein, who had become a widower lately, now wedded Sigrid; and might think, possibly enough, he had got a proud bargain, though a heathen one. Burislav also insisted on marriage with Princess Thyri, the Double-Beard's sister. Thyri, inexpressibly disinclined to wed an aged heathen of that stamp, pleaded hard with her brother ; but the Double-Bearded was inexorable ; Thyri's wailings and entreaties went for nothing. With some guardian foster-brother, and a serving-