xchanged a glance. "What is that?" exclaimed Queen Sigrid.
"Nothing," answered they, or endeavored to answer, dreading mischief.
But Sigrid compelled them to break open the ring; and there was found,
all along the inside of it, an occult ring of copper, not a heart of
gold at all! "Ha," said the proud Queen, flinging it away, "he that
could deceive in this matter can deceive in many others!" And was in hot
wrath with Olaf; though, by degrees, again she took milder thoughts.

Milder thoughts, we say; and consented to a meeting next autumn, at some
half-way station, where their great business might be brought to a happy
settlement and betrothment. Both Olaf Tryggveson and the high dowager
appear to have been tolerably of willing mind at this meeting; but Olaf
interposed, what was always one condition with him, "Thou must consent
to baptism, and give up thy idol-gods." "They are the gods of all my
forefathers," answered the lady, "choose thou what gods thou pleasest,
but leave me mine." Whereupon an altercation; and Tryggveson, as was his
wont, towered up into shining wrath, and exclaimed at last, "Why should
I care about thee then, old faded heathen creature?" And impatiently
wagging his glove, hit her, or slightly switched her, on the face with
it, and contemptuously turning away, walked out of the adventure. "This
is a feat that may cost thee dear one day," said Sigrid. And in the end
it came to do so, little as the magnificent Olaf deigned to think of it
at the moment.

One of the last scuffles I remember of Olaf's having with his refractory
heathens, was at a Thing in Hordaland or Rogaland, far in the North,
where the chief opposition hero was one Jaernskaegg ("ironbeard")
Scottice ("Airn-shag," as it were!). Here again was a grand heathen
temple, Hakon Jarl's building, with a splendid Thor in it and much idol
furniture. The king stated what was his constant wish here as elsewhere,
but had no sooner entered upon the subject of Christianity than
universal murmur, rising into clangor and violent dissent, interrupted
him, and Ironbeard took up the discourse in reply. Ironbeard did not
break down; on the contrary, he, with great brevity, emphasis, and
clearness, signified "that the proposal to reject their old gods was in
the highest degree unacceptable to this Thing; that it was contrary
to bargain, withal; so that if it were insisted on, they would have to
fight with the king about it; and in fact were now ready to do s