KING OLAF THE THICK-SET'S VIKING DAYS. 107 doubting. Olaf, with a signal of * All hands,' works his two capstans ; has the cable up high enough at the right moment, catches with it the keel of poor Hakon's barge, upsets it, empties it wholly into the sea. Wholly into the sea; saves Hakon, however, and his people from drowning, and brings them on board. His dialogue with poor young Hakon, espe- cially poor young Hakon's responses, is very pretty. Shall I give it, out of Snorro, and let the reader take it for as authentic as he can ? It is at least the true image of it in authentic Snorro's head, little more than two centuries later. ' Jarl Hakon was led up to the king's ship. He ' was the handsomest man that could be seen. He
- had long hair as fine as silk, bound about his head
- with a gold ornament. When he sat down in the
' forehold the king said to him ' : King. — " It is not false, what is said of your family, ' that ye are handsome people to look at ; but now
- your luck has deserted you."
Hakon. — " It has always been the case that success ' is changeable ; and there is no luck in the matter.
- It has gone with your family as with mine to have
