Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/95

 REIGN OF OLAF TRYGGVESON. 85 out new swords; and it was observed as lie did it, blood ran trickling from his wrist; but none knew where the wound was. Eric boarded a third time. Olaf, left with hardly more than one man, sprang overboard (one sees that red coat of his still glancing > in the evening sun), and sank in the deep waters to his long rest. Rumour ran among his people that he still was not dead ; grounding on some movement by the ships cf that traitorous Sigwald, they fancied Olaf had dived beneath the keels of his enemies, and got away with Sigwald, as Sigwald himself evidently did. *Much was hoped, supposed, spoken,* says one old mourning Skald; *but the truth was, Olaf Tryggveson was never seen in Norseland more.' Strangely he remains still a shining figure to us ; the wildly beautifullest man, in body and in soul, that one has ever heard of in the North.