f Tryggveson, and of that fine Irish Princess who
chose him in his low habiliments and low estate, and took him over to
her own Green Island,--this royal young Tryggve Olafson had invaded the
usurper Svein, in a fierce, valiant, and determined manner; and though
with too small a party, showed excellent fight for some time; till
Svein, zealously bestirring himself, managed to get him beaten and
killed. But that was a couple of years ago; the party still too small,
not including one and all as now! Svein, without stroke of sword this
time, moved off towards Denmark; never showing face in Norway again. His
drunken brother, Harda-Knut, received him brother-like; even gave him
some territory to rule over and subsist upon. But he lived only a short
while; was gone before Harda-Knut himself; and we will mention him no
more.

Magnus was a fine bright young fellow, and proved a valiant, wise, and
successful King, known among his people as Magnus the Good. He was only
natural son of King Olaf but that made little difference in those times
and there. His strange-looking, unexpected Latin name he got in this
way: Alfhild, his mother, a slave through ill-luck of war, though nobly
born, was seen to be in a hopeful way; and it was known in the King's
house how intimately Olaf was connected with that occurrence, and
how much he loved this "King's serving-maid," as she was commonly
designated. Alfhild was brought to bed late at night; and all the world,
especially King Olaf was asleep; Olaf's strict rule, then and always,
being, Don't awaken me:--seemingly a man sensitive about his sleep. The
child was a boy, of rather weakly aspect; no important person present,
except Sigvat, the King's Icelandic Skald, who happened to be still
awake; and the Bishop of Norway, who, I suppose, had been sent for in
hurry. "What is to be done?" said the Bishop: "here is an infant in
pressing need of baptism; and we know not what the name is: go, Sigvat,
awaken the King, and ask." "I dare not for my life," answered Sigvat;
"King's orders are rigorous on that point." "But if the child die
unbaptized," said the Bishop, shuddering; too certain, he and everybody,
where the child would go in that case! "I will myself give him a name,"
said Sigvat, with a desperate concentration of all his faculties; "he
shall be namesake of the greatest of mankind,--imperial Carolus Magnus;
let us call the infant Magnus!" King Olaf, on the morrow, asked rather
sharply how Sigva