Bremen says, the English got as
much gold plunder from Harald's people as was a heavy burden for twelve
men; [18] a thing evidently impossible, which nobody need try to believe.
Young Olaf, Harald's son, age about sixteen, steering down the Ouse at
the top of his speed, escaped home to Norway with all his ships, and
subsequently reigned there with Magnus, his brother. Harald's body did
lie in English earth for about a year; but was then brought to Norway
for burial. He needed more than seven feet of grave, say some;
Laing, interpreting Snorro's measurements, makes Harald eight feet in
stature,--I do hope, with some error in excess!

CHAPTER XII. OLAF THE TRANQUIL, MAGNUS BAREFOOT, AND SIGURD THE
CRUSADER.

The new King Olaf, his brother Magnus having soon died, bore rule in
Norway for some five-and-twenty years. Rule soft and gentle, not like
his father's, and inclining rather to improvement in the arts and
elegancies than to anything severe or dangerously laborious. A
slim-built, witty-talking, popular and pretty man, with uncommonly
bright eyes, and hair like floss silk: they called him Olaf _Kyrre_ (the
Tranquil or Easygoing).

The ceremonials of the palace were much improved by him. Palace still
continued to be built of huge logs pyramidally sloping upwards, with
fireplace in the middle of the floor, and no egress for smoke or ingress
for light except right overhead, which, in bad weather, you could shut,
or all but shut, with a lid. Lid originally made of mere opaque board,
but changed latterly into a light frame, covered (_glazed_, so to speak)
with entrails of animals, clarified into something of pellucidity. All
this Olaf, I hope, further perfected, as he did the placing of the court
ladies, court officials, and the like; but I doubt if the luxury of a
glass window were ever known to him, or a cup to drink from that was
not made of metal or horn. In fact it is chiefly for his son's sake I
mention him here; and with the son, too, I have little real concern, but
only a kind of fantastic.

This son bears the name of Magnus _Barfod_ (Barefoot, or Bareleg); and
if you ask why so, the answer is: He was used to appear in the streets
of Nidaros (Trondhjem) now and then in complete Scotch Highland dress.
Authentic tartan plaid and philibeg, at that epoch,--to the wonder of
Trondhjem and us! The truth is, he had a mighty fancy for those Hebrides
and other Scotch possessions of his; and seeing England now quite
i