Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 1.djvu/475

 to Gunhild, a daughter of Burislaf king of the Vends. But in the times we have just been speaking of it happened that Queen Gunhild fell sick, and died. Soon after King Swend married Sigrid the Haughty, a daughter of Skoglar Toste, and mother of the Swedish king Olaf; and by means of this relationship there was great friendship between the kings and Earl Eric, Hakon's son.

Burislaf, the king of the Vends, complained to his relation Earl Sigvald, that the agreement was broken which Sigvald had made between King Swend and King Burislaf, by which Burislaf was to get in marriage Thyri, Harald's daughter, a sister of King Swend: but that marriage had not proceeded, for Thyri had given a positive no to the proposal to marry her to an old and heathen king. "Now," said King Burislaf to Earl Sigvald, "I must have the promise fulfilled." And he told Earl Sigvald to go to Denmark, and bring him Thyri as his queen. Earl Sigvald loses no time, but goes to King Swend of Denmark; explains to him the case; and brings it so far by his persuasion, that the king delivered his sister Thyri into his hands. With her went some female attendants, and her foster-father, by name Otsur Aakeson, a man of great power, and some other people. In the agreement between the king and the earl, it was settled that Thyri should have in property the possessions which Queen Gunhild had enjoyed in Vendland, besides other great properties as bride-gifts. Thyri wept sorely, and went very unwillingly. When the earl came to Vendland, Burislaf held his wedding with Queen Thyri, and received her in marriage; but as long as she was among heathens she would neither eat nor drink with them, and this lasted for seven days.

It happened one night that Queen Thyri and Otsur ran away in the dark, and into the woods, and, to be short in our story, came at last to Denmark. But