Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 1.djvu/431

 to him; and after keeping them a week or two as concubines, he sent them home. He drew upon himself the indignation of the relations of these girls; and the bonders began to murmur loudly, as the Drontheim people have the custom of doing when any thing goes against their judgment.

Earl Hakon, in the mean time, hears some whisper Chapter that to the westward, over the North sea, was a man called Ole, who was looked upon as a king. From the conversation of some people, he fell upon the discover suspicion that he must be of the royal race of Norway. It was, indeed, said that this Ole was from Russia; but the earl had heard that Tryggve Olafsson had had a son called Olaf, who in his infancy had gone east to Russia, and had been brought up by King Valdemar. The earl had carefully inquired about this man, and had his suspicion that he must be the same person who had now come to these western countries. The earl had a very good friend called Thorer Klakke, who had been long upon viking expeditions,—sometimes also upon merchant voyages; so that he was well acquainted all around. This Thorer Earl Hakon sends over the North sea, and told him to make a merchant voyage to Dublin, as many were in the habit of doing, and carefully to discover who this Ole was. Provided he got any certainty that he was Olaf Tryggvesson, or any other of the Norwegian royal race, then Thorer should endeavour to ensnare him by some deceit, and bring him into the earl's power.

On this Thorer sails westward to Ireland, and Chapter hears that Ole is in Dublin with his wife's father King Olaf Quaran. Thorer, who was a plausible man, immediately got acquainted with Ole; and as they often met, and had long conversations together, Ole began to inquire about news from Norway, and above all of the Upland kings and great people,—