kings. This may be seen in the name the people gave
him, which was that of Magnus the Good.

Now we must tell the rest of his story very rapidly. As the heir of
Hardicanute he claimed to be king of England as well as of Norway and
Denmark, and he might have tried to win the crown of England, then worn
by Edward the Confessor, had he not been kept busy at home. In fact, he
had to fight hard to keep the crown of Denmark, for Sweyn, a nephew of
the great Canute, claimed it and a fierce war followed. Magnus was
victorious in this war, and in one great battle, in which ten thousand
soldiers were slain, it was his skill and courage that won the field.
This display of personal bravery gave him a great name in the north.

Now we must leave the story of Magnus for a time to take up that of
another hero of the north. Those who have read the tale of Olaf the Saint
will remember his amusing talk with his three little half-brothers, and
how while the two elder had an ambition only for land and cows, Harold,
the youngest, wanted men and ships, and Olaf prophesied that the boy
would one day be a king.

When Harold grew up the spirit of the boy was shown in the man. When only
fifteen years old he fought in the battle in which King Olaf was killed,
and received a severe wound. Then he became a wanderer, going first to
Russia and then to Constantinople, where he became the captain of the
Varangians, the body-guard of Norsemen kept by the Greek emperors. A
large, bold, strong, and reckless champion, Harold gained a great name in
the south. He fought against the Saracens and won much treasure; he
fought in Sicily and captured many cities; he had adventures in love and
war and many wonderful stories are told of his exploits. Then he came
back to Russia and married Elizabeth, the daughter of King Jaroslov,
love for whom had sent him abroad to win fame and riches.

[Illustration: NORWEGIAN FARM BUILDINGS.]

Not long after this King Magnus, as he was sailing one day along the
coast of Denmark, saw gliding along the most magnificent ship he had ever
beheld. He at once sent men aboard to learn to whom the beautiful galley
belonged, and they were met by a tall and handsome man, who said that he
had been sent by Harold Sigurdsson, the uncle of King Magnus, to learn
how the king would receive him. Magnus, who was then nineteen years old,
sent word that he would gladly welcome his uncle and hoped to find in him
a good friend. When they met the t