d to assist him, and accordingly he received Olaf into his court,
and treated him nobly, and as a king's son. Olaf was nine years old when
he came to Russia, and he remained nine years more (A.D. 978-981) with
King Valdemar. Olaf was the handsomest of men, very stout and strong,
and in all bodily exercises he excelled every Northman that ever was
heard of.

8. OF HAKON EARL OF HLADER.

Earl Hakon, Sigurd's son, was with the Danish king, Harald Gormson, the
winter after he had fled from Norway before Gunhild's sons. During the
winter (A.D. 969) the earl had so much care and sorrow that he took to
bed, and passed many sleepless nights, and ate and drank no more than
was needful to support his strength. Then he sent a private message to
his friends north in Throndhjem, and proposed to them that they should
kill King Erling, if they had an opportunity; adding, that he would come
to them in summer. The same winter the Throndhjem people accordingly, as
before related, killed King Erling. There was great friendship between
Earl Hakon and Gold Harald, and Harald told Hakon all his intentions. He
told him that he was tired of a ship-life, and wanted to settle on the
land; and asked Hakon if he thought his brother King Harald would agree
to divide the kingdom with him if he asked it. "I think," replied Hakon,
"that the Danish king would not deny thy right; but the best way to know
is to speak to the king himself. I know for certain so much, that
you will not get a kingdom if you don't ask for it." Soon after this
conversation Gold Harald spoke to the king about the matter, in the
presence of many great men who were friends to both; and Gold Harald
asked King Harald to divide the kingdom with him in two equal parts,
to which his royal birth and the custom of the Danish monarchy gave him
right. The king was highly incensed at this demand, and said that no man
had asked his father Gorm to be king over half of Denmark, nor yet his
grandfather King Hordaknut, or Sigurd Orm, or Ragnar Lodbrok; and he was
so exasperated and angry, that nobody ventured to speak of it to him.

9. OF GOLD HARALD.

Gold Harald was now worse off than before; for he had got no kingdom,
and had got the king's anger by proposing it. He went as usual to his
friend Hakon, and complained to him of his fate, and asked for good
advice, and if he could help him to get his share of the kingdom; saying
that he would rather try force, and the chance of wa