Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/81

KEIGN OF OLAF TRYGGVESON. 71 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 magni- ficent 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 Hor- daland or Eogaland, 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 else- where, but had no sooner entered upon the subject