CHAPTER VI.

OLAF TRYGGVESON.

Hakon, in late times, had heard of a famous stirring person,
victorious in various lands and seas, latterly united in sea-robbery
with Svein, Prince Royal of Denmark, afterwards King Svein of the
Double-beard ("_Zvae Skiaeg_", _Twa Shag_) or fork-beard, both of whom
had already done transcendent feats in the viking way during this
copartnery. The fame of Svein, and this stirring personage, whose
name was "Ole," and, recently, their stupendous feats in plunder of
England, siege of London, and other wonders and splendors of viking
glory and success, had gone over all the North, awakening the
attention of Hakon and everybody there. The name of "Ole" was
enigmatic, mysterious, and even dangerous-looking to Hakon Jarl; who
at length sent out a confidential spy to investigate this "Ole;" a
feat which the confidential spy did completely accomplish,--by no
means to Hakon's profit! The mysterious "Ole" proved to be no other
than Olaf, son of Tryggve, destined to blow Hakon Jarl suddenly into
destruction, and become famous among the heroes of the Norse world.

Of Olaf Tryggveson one always hopes there might, one day, some real
outline of a biography be written; fished from the abysses where (as
usual) it welters deep in foul neighborhood for the present. Farther
on we intend a few words more upon the matter. But in this place all
that concerns us in it limits itself to the two following facts first,
that Hakon's confidential spy "found Ole in Dublin;" picked