Denmark；　and　general　administrator　there；　in　his　own　stead。　　To　which　the　sanguine　Magnus；　in　spite　of　advice　to　the　contrary；　insisted　on　acceding。　〃Too　powerful　a　Jarl；〃　said　Einar　Tamberskelverthe　same　Einar　whose　bow　was　heard　to　break　in　Olaf　Tryggveson's　last　battle　（〃Norway　breaking　from　thy　hand；　King！〃）；　who　had　now　become　Magnus's　chief　man；　and　had　long　been　among　the　highest　chiefs　in　Norway；　〃too　powerful　a　Jarl；〃　said　Einar　earnestly。　　But　Magnus　disregarded　it；　and　a　troublesome　experience　had　to　teach　him　that　it　was　true。　　In　about　a　year；　crafty　Svein；　bringing　ends　to　meet；　got　himself　declared　King　of　Denmark　for　his　own　behoof；　instead　of　Jarl　for　another's：　and　had　to　be　beaten　and　driven　out　by　Magnus。　　Beaten　every　year；　but　almost　always　returned　next　year；　for　a　new　beating；almost；　though　not　altogether；　having　at　length　got　one　dreadful　smashing…down　and　half…killing；　which　held　him　quiet　for　a　while；so　long　as　Magnus　lived。　　Nay　in　the　end；　he　made　good　his　point；　as　if　by　mere　patience　in　being　beaten；　and　did　become　King　himself；　and　progenitor　of　all　the　Kings　that　followed。　　King　Svein　Estrithson；　so　called　from　Astrid　or　Estrith；　his　mother；　the　great　Knut's　sister；　daughter　of　Svein　Forkbeard　by　that　amazing　Sigrid　the　Proud；　who　_burnt_　those　two　ineligible　suitors　of　hers　both　at　once；　and　got　a　switch　on　the　face　from　Olaf　Tryggveson；　which　proved　the　death　of　that　high　man。
  But　all　this　fine　fortune　of　the　often　beaten　Estrithson　was　posterior　to　Magnus's　death；　who　never　would　have　suffered　it；　had　he　been　alive。　　Magnus　was　a　mighty　fighter；　a　fiery　man；　very　proud　and　positive；　among　other　qualities；　and　had　such　luck　as　was　never　seen　before。　　Luck　invariably　good；　said　everybody；　never　once　was　beaten；which　proves；　continued　everybody；　that　his　Father　Olaf　and　the　miraculous　power　of　Heaven　were　with　him　always。　　Magnus；　I　believe；　did　put　down　a　great　deal　of　anarchy　in　those　countries。　　One　of　his　earliest　enterprises　was　to　abolish　Jomsburg；　and　trample　out　that　nest　of　pirates。　　Which　he　managed　so　completely　that　Jomsburg　remained　a　mere　reminiscence　thenceforth；　and　its　place　is　not　now　known　to　any　mortal。
  One　perverse　thing　did　at　last　turn　up　in　the　course　of　Magnus：　　a　new　Claimant　for　the　Crown　of　Norway；　and　he　a　formidable　person　withal。　This　was　Harald；　half…brother　of　the　late　Saint　Olaf；　uncle　or　half…uncle；　therefore；　of　Magnus　himself。　　Indisputable　son　of　the　Saint's　mother　by　St。　Olaf's　stepfather；　who　was；　himself　descended　straight　from　Harald　Haarfagr。　　This　new　Harald　was　already　much　heard　of　in　the　world。　　As　an　ardent　Boy　of　fifteen　he　had　fought　at　King　Olaf's　side　at　Stickelstad；　would　not　be　admonished　by　the　Saint　to　go　away。　　Got　smitten　down　there；　not　killed；　was　smuggled　away　that　night　from　the　field　by　friendly　help；　got　cured　of　his　wounds；　forwarded　to　Russia；　where　he　grew　to　man's　estate；　under　bright　auspices　and　successes。　　Fell　in　love　with　the　Russian　Princess；　but　could　not　get　her　to　wife；　went　off　thereupon　to　Constantinople　as　_Vaeringer_　（Life…Guardsman　of　the　Greek　Kaiser）；　became　Chief　Captain　of　the　Vaeringers；　invincible　champion　of　the　poor　Kaisers　that　then　were；　and　filled　all　the　East　with　the　shine　and　noise　of　his　exploits。　　An　authentic　_Waring_　or　_Baring_；　such　the　surname　we　now　have　derived　from　these　people；　who　were　an　important　institution　in　those　Greek　countries　for　several　ages：　　Vaeringer　Life…Guard；　consisting　of　Norsemen；　with　sometimes　a　few　English　among　them。　Harald　had　innumerable　adventures；　nearly　always　successful；　sing　the　Skalds；　gained　a　great　deal　of　wealth；　gold　ornaments；　and　gold　coin；　had　even　Queen　Zoe　（so　they　sing；　though　falsely）　enamored　of　him　at　one　time；　and　was　himself　a　Skald　of　eminence；　some　of　whose　verses；　by　no　means　the　worst　of　their　kind；　remain　to　this　day。
  This　character　of　Waring　much　distinguishes　Harald　to　me；　the　only　Vaeringer　of　whom　I　could　ever　get　the　least　biography；　true　or　half…true。　　It　seems　the　Greek　History…books　but　indifferently　correspond　with　these　Saga　records；　and　scholars　say　there　could　have　been　no　considerable　romance　between　Zoe　and　him；　Zoe　at　that　date　being　60　years　of　age！　　Harald's　own　lays　say　nothing　of　any　Zoe；　but　are　still　full　of　longing　for　his　Russian　Princess　far　away。
  At　last；　what　with　Zoes；　what　with　Greek　perversities　and　perfidies；　and　troubles　that　could　not　fail；　he　determined　on　quitting　Greece；　packed　up　his　immensities　of　wealth　in　succinct　shape；　and　actually　returned　to　Russia；　where　new　honors　and　favors　awaited　him　from　old　friends；　and　especially；　if　I　mistake　not；　the　hand　of　that　adorable　Princess；　crown　of　all　his　wishes　for　the　time　being。　　Before　long；　however；　he　decided　farther　to　look　after　his　Norway　Royal　heritages；　and；　for　that　purpose；　sailed　in　force　to　the　Jarl　or　quasi…King　of　Denmark；　the　often…beaten　Svein；　who　was　now　in　Sweden　on　his　usual　winter　exile　after　beating。　　Svein　and　he　had　evidently　interests　in　common。　　Svein　was　charmed　to　see　him；　so　warlike；　glorious　and　renowned　a　man；　with　masses　of　money　about　him；　too。　　Svein　did　by　and　by　become　treacherous；　and　even　attempted；　one　night；　to　assassinate　Harald　in　his　bed　on　board　ship：　　but　Harald；　vigilant　of　Svein；　and　a　man　of　quick　and　sure　insight；　had　providently　gone　to　sleep　elsewhere；　leaving　a　log　instead　of　himself　among　the　blankets。　　In　which　log；　next　morning；　treacherous　Svein's　battle…axe　was　found　deeply　sticking：　　and　could　not　be　removed　without　difficulty！　　But　this　was　after　Harald　and　King　Magnus　himself　bad　begun　treating；　with　the　fairest　prospects；which　this　of　the　vein　battle…axe　naturally　tended　to　forward；　as　it　altogether　ended　the　other　copartnery。
  Magnus；　on　first　hearing　of　Vaeringer　Harald　and　his　intentions；　made　instant　equipment；　and　determination　to　fight　his　uttermost　against　the　same。　　But　wise　persons　of　influence　round　him；　as　did　the　like　sort　round　Vaeringer　Harald；　earnestly　advised　compromise　and　peaceable　agreement。　　Which；　soon　after　that　of　Svein's　nocturnal　battle…axe；　was　the　course　adopted；　and；　to　the　joy　of　all　parties；　did　prove　a　successful　solution。　　Magnus　agreed　to　part　his　kingdom　with　Uncle　Harald；　uncle　parting　his　treasures；　or　uniting　them　with　Magnus's　poverty。　　Each　was　to　be　an　independent　king；　but　they　were　to　govern　in　common；　Magnus　rather　presiding。　　He；　to　sit；　for　example；　in　the　High　Seat　alone；　King　Harald　opposite　him　in　a　seat　not　quite　so　high；　though　if　a　stranger　King　came　on　a　visit；　both　the　Norse　Kings　were　to　sit　in　the　High　Seat。　　With　various　other　punctilious　regulations；　which　the　fiery　Magnus　was　extremely　strict　with；　rendering　the　mutual　relation　a　very　dangerous　one；　had　not　both　the　Kings　been　honest　men；　and　Harald　a　much　more　prudent　and　tolerant　one　than　Magnus。　　They；　on　the　whole；　never　had　any　weighty　quarrel；　thanks　now　and　then　rather　to　Harald　than　to　Magnus。　　Magnus　too　was　very　noble；　and　Harald；　with　his　wide　experience　and　greater　length　of　years；　carefully　held　his　heat　of　temper　well　covered　in。
  Prior　to　Uncle　Harald's　coming；　Magnus　had　distinguished　himself　as　a　Lawgiver。　　His　Code　of　Laws　for　the　Trondhjem　Province　was　considered　a　pretty　piece　of　legislation；　and　in　subsequent　times　got　the　name　of　_Gray…goose_　（Gragas）；　one　of　the　wonderfulest　names　ever　given　to　a　wise　Book。　　Some　say　it　came　from　the　gray　color　of　the　parchment；　some　give　other　incredible　origins；　the　last　guess　I　have　heard　is；　that　the　name　merely　denotes　antiquity；　the　witty　name　in　Norway　for　a　man　growing　old　having　been；　in　those　times；　that　he　was　now　〃becoming　a　gray…goose。〃　　Very　fantastic　indeed；　certain；　however；　that　Gray…goose　is　the　name　of　that　venerable　Law　Book；　nay；　there　is　another；　still　more　famous；　belonging　to　Iceland；　and　not　far　from　a　century　younger；　the　Iceland　_Gray…goose。_　　The　Norway　one　is　perhaps　of　date　about　1037；　the　other　of　about　1118；　peace　be　with　them　both！　Or；　if　anybody　is　inclined　to　such　matters　let　him　go　to　Dahlmann；　for　the　amplest　information　and　such　minuteness　of　detail　as　might　almost　enable　him　to　be　an　Advocate；　with　Silk　Gown；　in　any　Court　depending　on　these　Gray…geese。
  Magnus　did　not　live　long。　　He　had　a　dream　one　night　of　his　Father　Olaf's　coming　to　him　in　shining　presence；　and　announcing；　That　a　magnificent　fortune　and　world…great　renown　was　now　possible　for　him；　but　that　perhaps　it　was　his　duty　to　refuse　it；　in　which　case　his　earthly　life　would　be　short。　　〃Which　way　wilt　thou　do；　then？〃　said　the　shining　presence。　　〃Thou　shalt　decide　for　me；　Father；　thou；　not　I！〃　and　told　his　Uncle　Harald　on　the　morrow；　adding　that　he　thought　he　should　now　soon　die；　which　proved　to　be　the　fact。　　The　magnificent　fortune；　so　questionable　otherwise；　has　reference；　no　doubt；　to　the　Conquest　of　England；　to　which　country　Magnus；　as　rightful　and　actual　King　of　_Denmark_；　as　well　as　undisputed　heir　to　drunken　Harda…Knut；　by　treaty　long　ago；　had　now　some　evident　claim。　　The　enterprise　itself　was　reserved　to　the　patient；　gay；　and　prudent　Uncle　Harald；　and　to　him　it　did　prove　fatal；and　merely　paved　the　way　for　Another；　luckier；　not　likelier！
  Svein　Estrithson；　always　beaten　during　Magnus's　life；　by　and　by　got　an　agreement　from