his three brothers, which got him from the Norse populations the
surname of _Blod-axe_, "Eric Blood-axe," his title in history. One of
his brothers he had killed in battle before his old father's life
ended; this brother was Bjorn, a peaceable, improving, trading
economic Under-king, whom the others mockingly called "Bjorn the
Chapman." The great-grandson of this Bjorn became extremely
distinguished by and by as _Saint_ Olaf. Head-King Eric seems to have
had a violent wife, too. She was thought to have poisoned one of her
other brothers-in-law. Eric Blood-axe had by no means a gentle life
of it in this world, trained to sea-robbery on the coasts of England,
Scotland, Ireland and France, since his twelfth year.

Old King Fairhair, at the age of seventy, had another son, to whom was
given the name of Hakon. His mother was a slave in Fairhair's house;
slave by ill-luck of war, though nobly enough born. A strange
adventure connects this Hakon with England and King Athelstan, who was
then entering upon his great career there. Short while after this
Hakon came into the world, there entered Fairhair's palace, one
evening as Fairhair sat Feasting, an English ambassador or messenger,
bearing in his hand, as gift from King Athelstan, a magnificent sword,
with gold hilt and other fine trimmings, to the great Harald, King of
Norway. Harald took the sword, drew it, or was half drawing it,
admiringly from the scabbard, when the English excellency broke into a
scornful laugh, "Ha, ha; thou art now the feudatory of my English
king; thou hast accepted the sword from him, and art now his man!"
(acceptance of a sword in that manner being the symbol of investiture
in those days.) Harald looked a trifle flurried, it is probable; but
held in his wrath, and did no damage to the tricksy Englishman. He
kept the matter in his mind, however, and next summer little Hakon,
having got his weaning done,--one of the prettiest, healthiest little