and brought their worship to Norway. Thou thinkest the heathens are strong, but, my Jarl, these Christians grow stronger, and we see the Sign of the White Christ full often now. Nay, the Norsemen laugh at Odin and Thor, as if our old gods were but the fancies of children.”
“They will not laugh for long,” Earl Haakon cried angrily. “Let me but find this Olaf, this viking that would give all our Norseland to his Christ! Let me but get him in my grasp, and it will be many a year before Norway sees an overlord who worships Christ.”
“Well spoken, my Jarl! Now if thou wilt lay aside the robes of sacrifice, we will further speak of this search for Olaf. I have seen some ships in the Nidaros ship-yard, that are to my liking. One I will have for myself. I shall call it the ‘Aastrid;’ and Olaf, who loves his mother so well, will be drawn to the name, and will be better minded to come with me.”
They entered Earl Haakon’s stone dwelling, where the earl laid aside his long cloak, with its richly carved bronze breastpins, and his heavy bronze belt, with buckles wrought in designs of serpents and dragons. Then they sat down, and the earl called for ale and bread. Far into the night Thore Klakka and he planned of the cruise to the Irish coast to find Olaf and bring him back to Norway.
