uld have entered there hadst thou
given me another moment." "King, I doubt thou art _fey_; I do not quite
like that dream."

The actual fight began about one of the clock in a most bright last day
of July, and was very fierce and hot, especially on the part of Olaf's
men, who shook the others back a little, though fierce enough they too;
and had Dag been on the ground, which he wasn't yet, it was thought
victory might have been won. Soon after battle joined, the sky grew of
a ghastly brass or copper color, darker and darker, till thick night
involved all things; and did not clear away again till battle was near
ending. Dag, with his four hundred, arrived in the darkness, and made a
furious charge, what was afterwards, in the speech of the people, called
"Dag's storm." Which had nearly prevailed, but could not quite; victory
again inclining to the so vastly larger party. It is uncertain still how
the matter would have gone; for Olaf himself was now fighting with his
own hand, and doing deadly execution on his busiest enemies to right
and to left. But one of these chief rebels, Thorer Hund (thought to have
learnt magic from the Laplanders, whom he long traded with, and made
money by), mysteriously would not fall for Olaf's best strokes. Best
strokes brought only dust from the (enchanted) deer-skin coat of the
fellow, to Olaf's surprise,--when another of the rebel chiefs rushed
forward, struck Olaf with his battle-axe, a wild slashing wound, and
miserably broke his thigh, so that he staggered or was supported back to
the nearest stone; and there sat down, lamentably calling on God to
help him in this bad hour. Another rebel of note (the name of him long
memorable in Norway) slashed or stabbed Olaf a second time, as did then
a third. Upon which the noble Olaf sank dead; and forever quitted this
doghole of a world,--little worthy of such men as Olaf one sometimes
thinks. But that too is a mistake, and even an important one, should we
persist in it.

With Olaf's death the sky cleared again. Battle, now near done, ended
with complete victory to the rebels, and next to no pursuit or result,
except the death of Olaf everybody hastening home, as soon as the big
Duel had decided itself. Olaf's body was secretly carried, after dark,
to some out-house on the farm near the spot; whither a poor blind
beggar, creeping in for shelter that very evening, was miraculously
restored to sight. And, truly with a notable, almost miraculous, sp