gveson, detesting the traitor, useful as the
treachery was, cut off the slave's head too, had it hung up along with
Hakon's on the pinnacle of the Lade Gallows, where the populace pelted
both heads with stones and many curses, especially the more important of
the two. "Hakon the Bad" ever henceforth, instead of Hakon the Rich.

This was the end of Hakon Jarl, the last support of heathenry in Norway,
among other characteristics he had: a stronghanded, hard-headed, very
relentless, greedy and wicked being. He is reckoned to have ruled in
Norway, or mainly ruled, either in the struggling or triumphant state,
for about thirty years (965-995?). He and his seemed to have formed,
by chance rather than design, the chief opposition which the Haarfagr
posterity throughout its whole course experienced in Norway. Such
the cost to them of killing good Jarl Sigurd, in Greyfell's time! For
"curses, like chickens," do sometimes visibly "come home to feed," as
they always, either visibly or else invisibly, are punctually sure to
do.

Hakon Jarl is considerably connected with the _Faroer Saga_ often
mentioned there, and comes out perfectly in character; an altogether
worldly-wise man of the roughest type, not without a turn for
practicality of kindness to those who would really be of use to him. His
tendencies to magic also are not forgotten.

Hakon left two sons, Eric and Svein, often also mentioned in this Saga.
On their father's death they fled to Sweden, to Denmark, and were busy
stirring up troubles in those countries against Olaf Tryggveson; till at
length, by a favorable combination, under their auspices chiefly, they
got his brief and noble reign put an end to. Nay, furthermore, Jarl Eric
left sons, especially an elder son, named also Eric, who proved a sore
affliction, and a continual stone of stumbling to a new generation of
Haarfagrs, and so continued the curse of Sigurd's murder upon them.

Towards the end of this Hakon's reign it was that the discovery of
America took place (985). Actual discovery, it appears, by Eric the Red,
an Icelander; concerning which there has been abundant investigation and
discussion in our time. _Ginnungagap_ (Roaring Abyss) is thought to be
the mouth of Behring's Straits in Baffin's Bay; _Big Helloland_, the
coast from Cape Walsingham to near Newfoundland; _Little Helloland_,
Newfoundland itself. _Markland_ was Lower Canada, New Brunswick, and
Nova Scotia. Southward thence to Chesapeake Bay was