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Rh The old chieftain spoke again: “Wilt thou swear it? We will take thy word touching this king.”

Olaf looked down at the old man. The great viking’s face was radiant, as he answered: “The word of Olaf Tryggevesson is the strongest word among men today. It hath never been broken. With this word I swear to thee that Christ the White who hung upon the cross, is King of heaven and earth and is the strong overlord of every other king.”

He laid the crucifix upon his lips. Then he lifted it up and repeated solemnly and slowly, “I swear it!”

“Then,” shouted the chiefs, “we will take thy Christ. We will renounce Odin and Thor and take the Nazarene!”

“And thou?” Olaf turned to Erling, who had been silent. The young chief was gazing intently at the king. “Wilt thou accept the Christ? Wilt thou be baptized in the Christian faith?”

Erling answered with deliberation: “If I renounce my old gods for thy Nazarene, wilt thou give me a pledge of our mutual faith?”

“What pledge dost thou require?” asked Olaf.

Erling asked even more deliberately: “I would sue from thee, King Olaf, thy sister, the fair young Aastrid, who sits by the side of thy noble mother. The maiden hath not listened unwillingly to some words of mine, and I would ask her of thee to be my faithful wife, even as I shall be her faithful lord.”