IX
“MY MOTHER’S NAME. IT IS A GOOD OMEN”
After the festivities of the betrothal, Olaf was further instructed in the doctrines of Christianity, and was baptized. During his residence in Greece he had only been “primsigned,”—that is, simply having the sign of the cross in holy water upon his brow to mark him as one preparing for entrance into Christianity. With all his strong nature he embraced the new faith, and his greatest desire was to return to convert Norway.
The marble hall of Tara was filled with light and music at the great nuptial banquet. Chiefs of every province thronged at King Kavaran’s invitation to do honor to the Princess Gyda and the royal exile she had chosen to wed.
The years that followed his marriage brought only happiness to Olaf. There seemed no reason why he should not accept King Kavaran’s offer to remain in Ireland, and after that monarch’s death to reign with Gyda, as Kavaran’s son might have done, if heaven had granted him one.
No one but Gyda and the bard Thorgills knew how longingly Olaf’s thoughts were turned to his own North kingdom. Every viking ship that landed
