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twg_000012586800 | already known to the reader. At this point the assembly listened with deep, earnest attention. Some of the men sat with hands clasped on their knees, and with stern downcast brows. Some gazed up at the clouds with the peculiar expression of men who listen and weigh arguments. Others leaned on their swords or shields, a... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586801 | suspicious gaze, looked the King full in the face, while a few regarded him with a sneer; but the expression on the faces of the greater part denoted manliness of feeling and honesty of purpose. After Harald had stated his views, and assured them that his great aim was to consolidate the kingdom and to prevent the evil... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586802 | from the almost unlimited independence of the petty kings, he asked the assembly to aid him in carrying out his wishes, and to set an example of fidelity and obedience, which would restrain others from showing that unseemly opposition to him which had only resulted in severe and merited punishment. He then sat down ami... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586803 | and disapprobation. After a few minutes of animated converse among themselves, there arose an old man with a bald head, a flowing beard, and sightless eyes. He was the "lagman" or district judge, and law-expounder of Horlingdal. Deep silence ensued, and he said, in a decided though somewhat tremulous tone-- "King Haral... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586804 | can remember the time when your noble sire, Halfdan the Black, ruled in Norway. I have fought by his side, and lost my eyes in his service--in a fight in which our opponents gave us the tooth-ache. [Norse expression signifying `the worst of it.'] I have also heard him speak those words of wisdom to which you have refer... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586805 | have seen him bow to the laws which were made _not_ by himself, but by him in conjunction with the Thing legally assembled for the purpose." There was a loud murmur of applause at this point. "And now that we have heard the King's opinions," continued the old man, turning to the people, "and know that his intentions ar... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586806 | although the manner in which he has set about carrying them into effect is undoubtedly wrong, my counsel is that we nevertheless submit to him in this matter, for we know that a great number of the small kings have already submitted, and it were better to have a beneficial change--even when not carried out exactly acco... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586807 | plunge this country into prolonged and useless warfare, in which much blood will, assuredly, be spilt, and nothing of any value gained." The lagman sat down, but only a few of those present indicated their approval of his sentiments. Immediately Haldor the Fierce stood up, and men could see that his spirit was stirred ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586808 | lowered on a brow which was at most times fair and unruffled like the summer sky. There was deep silence in the assembly before he began to speak, and the King, despite the suppressed anger which rankled in his breast, could not choose but look upon his commanding figure with respect, also with surprise, for he recogni... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586809 | between him and Erling, though he knew not their relationship. "I agree not," said Haldor, "with what has just been said by our respected lagman. A change, even for the better, ought _never_ to be accepted if not made according to law, No one can say that any change will certainly be for the better until it is tried; a... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586810 | should this one, perchance, turn out for the worse, then shall we have neither advantage nor law on our side. For my part I had rather see my country plunged into warfare--which no one, unless he is gifted with the foreknowledge of the gods, can say will be either prolonged or useless--than see her laws trampled under ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586811 | do I know that, if the King be permitted to make himself an outlaw, blood will be kept boiling perpetually from one end of the land to the other, and it were better, methinks, that that blood should spill than boil. My counsel is, that the King be advised to call a Thing in the regular way, so that the | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586812 | changes he would make shall be fully considered, and either be made law or rejected; for, if he attempts to enforce his plans on us as he has done on other small kings, we will assuredly resist him as long as there is a man left in the district to wield a battle-axe." There was a great shout and clash | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586813 | of arms when this was said, and the King's face became crimson with rage, for he saw clearly that the feeling of the majority was against him. At this point Jarl Rongvold stood up and spoke in the bland tones of a man who wishes to throw oil on troubled waters. He said that it was his earnest entreaty to | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586814 | the bonders and house-holding men, both great and small, then and there assembled, that they should calmly consider the proposals of the King, and not allow themselves to be carried away by unsound reasoning, although it might seem very plausible, for he was certain that the King's desire was the good of the country; a... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586815 | necessary that some of the rebellious should be punished, no one could say that the King was not willing and ready to do all that he did in a fair, open, and straightforward manner. At this Erling was unable to restrain himself. He sprang up, and, with a passionate flow of words that burst forth like a mountain torrent... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586816 | "Thinkest thou, Jarl Rongvold, that our brains are so addled that we cannot distinguish between black and white? Is thy memory so short, is thy slavery to the King so complete, that thou must say evil is good and good evil? Hast thou and has the King so soon forgotten that two strangers came to the court with a message | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586817 | from one of the legal assemblies of this land,--that, trusting to the honour of the King, they came without following, and with only such arms as were needful for personal defence,--and that the honour to which they trusted was not proof against the temptation to send a noted berserk and nineteen men to waylay and slay... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586818 | clean gone from your memory, Jarl and King? or is your wit so small that ye should think we will believe in soft words about fair play when such foul deeds are so recent that the graves are yet wet with the blood of those whom Glumm and I were compelled to slay in self-defence?" At this the King started | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586819 | up, and his face became white and red by turns, as he said-- "Ye shall, both of you, rue this day, Erling and Glumm!" Erling made no reply, but Glumm started up and was in so great a passion that he could hardly speak; nevertheless he made shift to splutter out-- "Threats, King Harald, are like water spilt on a | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586820 | shield which can only rust if left there; I wipe them off and fling them away!" He could add no more, but with a contemptuous motion of the hand he struck his fist violently against his shirt of mail, and the bonders laughed while they applauded him. Then stood up a man in the troop of the Springdal men, who | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586821 | was of great stature and grim countenance, clad in a leather cloak, with an axe on his shoulder and a great steel hat upon his head. He looked sternly, and said-- "When rights are not respected then the crows flap their wings and caw, for they know that ere long they shall glut themselves with human blood." He sat down... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586822 | and immediately after Ulf of Romsdal stood up. Ulf had fully as much fire as Erling or Glumm, but he possessed greater power of self-restraint, and, as he spoke with deliberation, his words had all the more weight. He said-- "King Harald, when in the exercise of our udal rights we bonders elected thee to be our King at... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586823 | Thing held in Drontheim, we stated and traced thy descent from Odin through the Vingling dynasty, proved thy udal right to the crown, and truly thought that we had placed it on the head of one who would walk in the footsteps of his father, and respect that authority and power in virtue of which he held his own high | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586824 | position. But we now find that thou hast constituted thyself a law higher than the law which made thee what thou art, and thou now wouldst have us, of our own free will, bend our necks so low that thou mayest with the more ease set thy foot on them and keep us down. We have served thee in all | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586825 | good faith up to the present time; we have readily met thy demands for men, ships, arms, and money, by calling together our assemblies and voting these supplies; and now thou wouldst rob us of this our old right, and tax us without our consent, so that thou mayest raise men for thyself, and have it all thine own way. | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586826 | This must not, shall not, be. Even now, we bonders will unanimously hold by the law if it be passed in the proper assembly and receives our yea, and we will follow thee and serve thee as our King as long as there is a living man amongst us. But thou, King, must use moderation towards us, and only require | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586827 | of us such things as it is lawful or possible for us to obey thee in. If, however, thou wilt take up this matter with a high hand, and wilt try thy power and strength against us, we have resolved among ourselves to part with thee, and to take to ourselves some other chief who will respect those laws by | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586828 | which alone society can be held together. Now, King Harald, thou must choose one or other of these conditions before the Thing is ended." The loud applause which followed this speech showed that the bonders heartily sympathised with it, and indeed several of them rose and said that it expressed their will exactly, and ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586829 | what had been spoken. When silence had been restored, Jarl Rongvold, who had whispered in the King's ear some earnest words, stood forth and said: "It is King Harald's will to give way to you in this matter for he does not wish to separate himself from your friendship." This brought the Thing to a close. Thereafter the... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586830 | returned to their ships, intending to feast and pass the night in them. The King was very affable, and invited Haldor and some of the others whose language had been comparatively moderate to feast with him, but they declined the honour, and retired to their own ships. In the evening, while the sounds of revelry were he... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586831 | approached Erling's ship. It was rowed by a single man, who, when it touched her side, leaped on board and went aft to where Erling was seated with Guttorm Stoutheart. "King Harald would speak with thee," said the man, who was no other than Hake the berserk. "Methinks his intentions can scarce be friendly," said Erling... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586832 | "when he sends so trusty a messenger." "It may be so," replied Hake coolly, "but that is nothing to me. My business is to deliver the message and offer to conduct thee to him." "And pray, what surety have I that thou wilt not upset me in the fiord?" asked Erling, laughing. "The surety that if I upset thee we | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586833 | shall be on equal terms in the water," replied Hake gruffly. "Nay, that depends on which of us can swim best," returned Erling; "and, truly, if thou canst fight as well in the water as on the land, we should have a rare struggle, Hake." "Am I to say to the King that thou art afraid of him?" asked the | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586834 | berserk, with a look of scorn. "Yea, truly, if it is thy desire to tell him a lie," retorted Erling. "But get thee into the boat, fellow; I will follow anon." Hake turned on his heel and returned to the boat, while Erling took Guttorm aside. "Now, art thou fey?" [death-doomed] said Guttorm. "What has made thee so tired... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586835 | life that thou shouldest put thy neck under his heel thus readily?" "Fear not, my friend," said Erling; "now that I have seen King Harald a second time, I think him a better man than at first I did. Ambition will no doubt lead him to do many things that are contrary to his nature; but I do not think | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586836 | he will violate the laws of hospitality after what has passed. However, I may be wrong; so I would ask thee, Guttorm, to go aboard of your ship, which lies nearest to that of the King, and, should ye see anything like a struggle, or hear a shout do thou haste to the rescue. I will have my men also | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586837 | in readiness." While the stout-hearted old Sea-king, in compliance with this request, got into a small boat and rowed to his own vessel, Erling gave particular directions to his chief house-carle to keep a sharp lookout and be ready to act at a moment's notice. Then he went into Hake's boat, and was rowed alongside the... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586838 | received him with much condescension, and took him aft to the cabin under the high poop. Here he offered him a horn of ale, which, however, Erling declined, and then began to use his utmost powers of persuasion to induce him to enter his service. At first he tried to influence him by flattery, and commended him for his... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586839 | and straightforward conduct at the Thing, which, he said, showed to all men that he merited well his distinctive title; but, on finding that our hero was not to be won by flattery, he quickly and adroitly changed his ground, began to talk of the future prospects of Norway, and the necessity for improved legislation. In... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586840 | successful that he secured the interest, and to some extent the sympathy, of the young warrior, who entered eagerly and somewhat more respectfully into the discussion. "But, sire," he said, at the close of one of the King's remarks, "if these are your sentiments, why did you not state them more fully to-day at the Thin... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586841 | not even now call a meeting of the Stor Thing, and have the matter properly discussed by all in the land who have a right to speak?" "Hadst thou had any experience of kingcraft, Erling, thou hadst not asked the question. If I were now to do as thou dost suggest, the numerous small kings who have already been put | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586842 | down by force would band against me, and bring such a following of opponents to the Thing that fair discussion would be out of the question." Erling thought in his own mind, "One false step always necessitates another; you should have called a meeting of the Thing before putting down anyone;" however, he did not give u... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586843 | but said-- "I think you are mistaken, sire; there may be many who, out of revenge, might oppose you, but certain am I that those who would vote for that which is for the wellbeing of the land would form a vast majority. Besides, it is the only course left open to you." At this the King flushed with a | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586844 | feeling of anger, and, drawing himself up, touched the hilt of his sword without uttering a word. "When I said the only course," remarked Erling, "I meant the only lawful course. Sorry should I be to see you, King Harald, draw the sword in a bad cause; but if you do, be assured that thousands of good blades will gleam | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586845 | in opposition." At this the King's eyes flashed, and, turning suddenly upon Erling, he shook back the masses of his yellow hair with lion-like ferocity, exclaiming-- "Dost thou dare to speak thus to me in mine own ship, Erling?" "It is because I am in your ship that I dare. Were I in my own, the laws of hospitality had | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586846 | shut my mouth." "Knowest thou not," said the King, waxing still more angry at the rebuke conveyed in this speech, and laying his hand on his sword, "that I have power to shut thy mouth now and for ever?" "It may be so, and it may be not so," replied Erling, stepping back, and laying his hand on the hilt | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586847 | of his own weapon. At this the King laughed sarcastically. "And if," said he, "thou hadst the power and skill to overcome my feeble arm, hast thou the folly to think that ye could clear the Dragon of all her men?" Erling replied: "The remembrance, King Harald, of the way in which I treated some of thy men in the | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586848 | woods not long ago, inclines me to believe that I could give them some trouble to slay me, and the thought of that transaction induced me, before I came hither, to make such arrangements that at all events my fall should not go unavenged." For a moment or two the King's countenance lowered ferociously on the youth, and... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586849 | his teeth together as if unable to restrain his passion; but suddenly he uttered a short laugh, and said-- "Truly thou shouldst have been styled prudent as well as bold. But go, I will take counsel with others, and perhaps thou shalt hear again of this matter." Our hero retired immediately, but he observed in passing t... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586850 | to attend the King, and that another man stepped into the boat to row him to his own ship. "Is all well?" growled the rich voice of old Guttorm as he passed the vessel of that worthy. Erling told the rower to stop, and, glancing up, beheld the stern yet good-humoured visage of his bluff friend looking over the rows | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586851 | of bright shields that hung on the bulwarks. "All is well," replied Erling. "It is well for the King that it is so," rejoined Guttorm, "for my hand was itching to give him a taste of our northern metal. Assuredly, if a mouse had but squeaked on board the Dragon, I had deemed it sufficient ground on which to have | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586852 | founded an immediate onslaught. But get thee to bed, Erling, and let me advise thee to sleep with thy windward eye open." "Trust me," said Erling, with a laugh, as he pushed off; "I will not sleep with both eyes shut to-night!" Getting on board his own ship, Erling said to his foot-boy-- "I will not sleep in my bed | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586853 | to-night, for I suspect there may be treachery abroad. Thou shalt keep watch, therefore, in case anything may happen in the night; and if thou shalt see me strive with anyone, do not alarm the men. Meanwhile go thou and fetch me a billet of wood, and let it be a large one." The boy quickly brought from the hold | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586854 | one of the largest billets of wood he could find, and gave it to his master, who laid it in his own bed, which was under a small tent spread over the aft part of the vessel, close to the poop. Having covered it up carefully, he sent the boy forward, and went himself to lie down elsewhere. At midnight | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586855 | a boat was rowed stealthily alongside. It was guided by one man, and moved so silently that the lightest sleeper on board could not have been awakened by it. The man stepped on board; lifted up the cloth of the tent over the bulwarks; looked cautiously all round him, and then went up and struck in Erling's bed with a | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586856 | great axe, so that it stuck fast in the billet of wood. Next instant the man felt his neck in a grip like that of an iron vice, and his face was thrust upon the ground and held there, while a heavy knee pressed into the small of his back, so that he was utterly unable to rise. Erling's foot-boy | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586857 | saw the whole of this, and heard what followed, for the curtain of the tent was raised; but he moved neither hand nor foot, though he held a spear ready for instant action if required. "It ill becomes thee, Hake," said Erling, "to seek my life a second time, after making such poor work of it the first. What! wilt | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586858 | thou not lie quiet?" While he was speaking the berserk struggled with the fury of a madman to free himself, but Erling's grip (perhaps his own wisdom also!) prevented him from shouting, and Erling's knee prevented the struggles from making much noise. Finding, however, that he would not be quiet, our hero tightened the... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586859 | the tongue and eyes of the berserk began to protrude, and his face to get black, while with his right hand he drew his knife, and ran the point of it about a quarter of an inch into the fleshy part of Hake's back. The effect was instantaneous! Hake could face danger and death bravely, and could hurl defiance at | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586860 | his foe with the best, when on his legs; but when he felt the point of the cold steel, and knew that the smallest impulse would cause it to find a warm bed in his heart, his fury vanished. Brave and bold though he was, and a berserk to boot, he sank quietly down, and lay perfectly still! Erling at | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586861 | once relaxed the pressure of his fingers, and allowed Hake to breathe, but he let the point of the knife remain, that it might refresh his memory, while he read him a lesson:-- "Now, Hake, let me tell thee that thou richly deservest to lose thy life, for twice hast thou sought to take mine in an unfair way, and | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586862 | once have I spared thine. However, thou art but a tool after all, so I will spare it again--and I do it the more readily that I wish thee to convey a message to thy master, King Harald, who, I doubt not, has sent thee on this foul errand." Erling here signalled to his foot-boy, whom he directed to bind | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586863 | Hake's arms securely behind his back. This having been done, Erling suffered him to rise and stand before him. "See now," he said, taking a silver ring from his finger, "knowest thou this ring, Hake? Ah, I see by thy look that thou dost. Well, I will return it to thee and claim mine own." He turned the berserk round, | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586864 | took off the gold ring which he had placed on his finger on the day of the fight and put the silver one in its place. "By these tokens," said he, "thou mayest know who it was that cared for thee in the wood after the fight, and restored thy consciousness, instead of cutting off thy head, as he might | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586865 | easily have done. I know not why I did it, Hake, save that the fancy seized me, for thou art an undeserving dog. But now we will take thee back to thy master, and as our message can be conveyed without the use of speech, we will bind up thy mouth." So saying, Erling gagged the berserk (who looked dreadfully | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586866 | sulky) with a strip of sailcloth. Then he made him sit down, and tied his legs together with a piece of rope, after which he lifted him in his arms to the side of the ship and laid him down. "Go fetch me a stout carle," he said to the foot-boy, who went forward and immediately returned with a strapping | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586867 | man-at-arms. The man looked surprised, but asked no questions, as Erling directed him in a low tone to assist in lifting the prisoner into the boat as quietly as possible. Then they placed the lump of wood with the axe sticking in it beside him. This accomplished, they rowed silently to the side of the Dragon, where a ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586868 | what they wanted. "We bring a prisoner to King Harald," answered Erling. "We have him here tied hand and foot." "Who is he?" asked the sentinel; for there was not so much light as is usual at midnight of that time of the year, owing to a mist on the sea. "Thou shalt see when he is aboard." "Hoist him | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586869 | up, then," said the man, Erling and his carle raised Hake over the bulwarks, and let him drop heavily on the deck. Then Erling seized the lump of wood and hurled it on board with considerable force, so that, hitting the sentinel on the head, it bounded onwards to the after part of the ship, and struck against the tent | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586870 | under which Harald lay. The King sprang out, sword in hand, but Erling had pushed off, and was already enveloped in the mist. As they rowed away they heard a great clamour on board the Dragon, but it was quickly hushed by a stern voice, which Erling knew to be that of the King. No pursuit was attempted. Erling got | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586871 | back to his own ship, and, setting a watch, lay down to rest. In the morning no notice was taken of what had occurred during the night. The King evidently pretended that he knew nothing about the matter. He again met with the chief men of the district, and made them many promises and many complimentary speeches, but in... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586872 | heart he resolved that the day should come when every one of them should either bow before his will or lose his life. The bonders, on the other hand, listened with due respect to all the King said, but it need scarcely be added that their lips did not express all their thoughts; for while the sanguine and more trustful | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586873 | among them felt some degree of hope and confidence, there were others who could not think of the future except with the most gloomy forebodings. In this mood the two parties separated. The King sailed with his warships out among the skerries, intending to proceed north to Drontheim, while Haldor the Fierce, with his fr... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586874 | Horlingdal. CHAPTER SIXTEEN. RELATES TO SUCH ELEMENTARY MATTERS AS THE A B C, AND TOUCHES ON LOVE-MAKING IN THE OLDEN TIME. After the occurrence of the events just narrated, King Harald's attention was diverted from the people of Horlingdal and the neighbouring districts by the doings of certain small kings, against wh... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586875 | whole force. These were King Hunthiof, who ruled over the district of More, and his son Solve Klofe; also King Nokve, who ruled over Romsdal, and was the brother of Solve's mother. These men were great warriors. Hearing that King Harald was sailing north, they resolved to give him battle. For this purpose they raised a... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586876 | out among the skerries to intercept him. We do not intend here to go into the details of the fight that followed, or its consequences. It is sufficient for the proper development of our tale to say that they met at an island in North More named Solskiel, where a pitched battle was fought, and gained by Harald. The two | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586877 | kings were slain, but Solve Klofe escaped, and afterwards proved a great thorn in Harald's side, plundering in North More, killing many of the King's men, pillaging some places, burning others, and generally making great ravage wherever he went; so that, what with keeping him and similar turbulent characters in check, ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586878 | the two kings whom he had slain, King Harald had his hands fully occupied during the remainder of that summer, and was glad to go north to spend the winter peacefully in Drontheim. The families and neighbours, therefore, of those with whom our tale has chiefly to do had rest during that winter. How some of them availed... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586879 | this period of repose may be gathered from a few incidents which we shall now relate. In the first place, Erling the Bold spent a large proportion of his time in learning the alphabet! Now this may sound very strange in the ears of many people in modern times, but their surprise will be somewhat abated when we tell the... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586880 | that the art of writing was utterly unknown (though probably not unheard of) in Norway at the end of the ninth century, and long after that; so that Erling, although a gentleman of the period, and a Sea-king to boot, had not up to the time we write of, learned his A B C! It is just possible that antiquaries, | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586881 | recalling to mind the fact that the art of writing was not introduced among the Norse colonists of Iceland until the eleventh century, may be somewhat surprised to learn that our hero acquired the art at all! But the fact is, that there always have been, in all countries, men who were what is popularly termed "born bef... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586882 | who were in advance, intellectually, of their age--men who, overleaping the barriers of prejudice, managed to see deeper into things in general than their fellows, and to become more or less famous. Now our hero, Erling the Bold, was one of those who could see beyond his time, and who became almost prophetically wise; ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586883 | fond of tracing causes onwards to their probable effects, to the amusement of the humorous, the amazement of the stupid, and the horrification of the few who, even in those days of turmoil, trembled at the idea of "change"! Everything, therefore, that came under his observation claimed and obtained his earnest attentio... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586884 | philosophy that would have charmed the heart of Lord Bacon, had he lived in those times. Of course this new wonder of committing thoughts to parchment, which the hermit had revealed to him, was deeply interesting to Erling, who began to study it forthwith. And we beg leave to tell antiquaries that we have nothing to do... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586885 | that no record is left of his studies--no scrap of his writing to be found. We are not responsible for the stupidity or want of sympathy in his generation! Doubtless, in all ages there have been many such instances of glorious opportunities neglected by the world--neglected, too, with such contempt, that not even a rec... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586886 | been made. Perchance some such opportunities are before ourselves just now, in regard to our neglect of which the next generation may possibly have to hold up its hands and turn up its eyes in amazement! But be this as it may, the fact remains that although no record is handed down of any knowledge of letters at this p... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586887 | in Norway, Erling the Bold _did_ nevertheless become acquainted with them to some extent. Erling began his alphabet after he had passed the mature age of twenty years, and his teacher was the fair Hilda. It will be remembered that in one of their meetings the hermit had informed Erling of his having already taught the ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586888 | characters which covered his parchments to the Norse maiden, and that she had proved herself an apt scholar. Erling said nothing at the time, except that he had a strong desire to become better acquainted with the writing in question, but he settled it then and there in his heart that Hilda, and not the hermit, should ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586889 | Accordingly, when the fishings and fightings of the summer were over, the young warrior laid by his sword, lines, and trident, and, seating himself at Hilda's feet, went diligently to work. The schoolroom was the hermit's hut on the cliff which overlooked the fiord. It was selected of necessity, because the old man gua... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586890 | would by no means allow them to go out of his dwelling, except when carried forth by his own hand. On the first occasion of the meeting of the young couple for study, Christian sat down beside them, and was about to expound matters, when Erling interposed with a laugh. "No, no, Christian, thou must permit Hilda to teac... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586891 | because she is an old friend of mine, who all her life has ever been more willing to learn than to teach. Therefore am I curious to know how she will change her character." "Be it so, my son," said the hermit, with a smile, folding his hands on his knee, and preparing to listen, and, if need be, to | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586892 | correct. "Be assured, Erling," said Hilda, "that I know very little." "Enough for me, no doubt," returned the youth. "For a day or two, perhaps," said the too-literal Hilda; "but after that Christian will have--" "After that," interrupted Erling, "it will be time enough to consider that subject." Hilda laughed, and ask... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586893 | Erling replied that he was, and, sitting down opposite to his teacher, bent over the parchment, which for greater convenience she had spread out upon her knee. "Well," began Hilda, with a slight feeling of that pardonable self-importance which is natural to those who instruct others older than themselves, "that is the ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586894 | her face. "That one there, with the long tail to it. Dost thou see it?" "Yes," replied the youth. "How canst thou say so, Erling," remonstrated Hilda, "when thou art looking all the time straight in my face!" "But I _do_ see it," returned he, a little confused; "I am looking at it _now_." "Well," said she, "that is--" ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586895 | art looking at it upside down, my son," said the hermit, who had been observing them with an amused expression of countenance. "Oh, so he is; I never thought of that," cried Hilda, laughing; "thou must sit beside me, Erling, so that we may see it in the same way." "This one, now, with the curve _that_ way," she went | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586896 | on, "dost thou see it?" "See it!" thought Erling, "of course I see it: the prettiest little hand in all the dale!" But he only said-- "How can I see it, Hilda, when the point of thy finger covers it?" "Oh! well," drawing the finger down a little, "thou seest it now?" "Yes." "Well, that is--why! where is Christian?" she | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586897 | exclaimed, looking up suddenly in great surprise, and pointing to the stool on which the hermit certainly had been sitting a few minutes before, but which was now vacant. "He must have gone out while we were busy with the--the parchment," said Erling, also much surprised. "He went like a mouse, then," said Hilda, "for ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586898 | I," added her companion. "Very strange," said she. Now there was nothing particularly strange in the matter. The fact was that the old man had just exercised a little of Erling's philosophy in the way of projecting a cause to its result. As we have elsewhere hinted, the hermit was not one of those ascetics who, in igno... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012586899 | truth, banished themselves out of the world. His banishment had not been self-imposed. He had fled before the fierce persecutors. They managed to slay the old man's wife, however, before they made him take to flight and seek that refuge and freedom of conscience among the Pagan Northmen which were denied him in Christi... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
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