Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Not often have I heard of a mere slave boy learning runes," returned Allogia; "such knowledge is only meant for those who are of high estate." She paused and looked round at Olaf, who stood apart with his hand caressing the head of a great dog that had risen from before the fire. "And yet," added the queen thoughtfully, "I would say that this boy Ole, as you call him, has no serf's blood in him.
But in causing this delay King Valdemar was but yielding to the pleadings of the queen, who had implored him to spare the life of the handsome young murderer, or at the least to save him from the fury of the vikings. When the crowd had gone from the courtyard Allogia returned to the hall in which the steward and Olaf had been kept under the protection of the guards.
One of his friends, when he was dying, offered to take his body over to England, so that he might be buried in Christian soil, but Hakon replied: 'I am not worthy of it. I have lived like a heathen, and therefore it is meet that I should be buried like a heathen." Queen Allogia drew a heavy breath at this point in Sigurd's narrative, as if she thought that the story would have no end.
I was thinking that what Sigyn did for the wicked giant was just such a good act as my mother would do for anyone whom she loved." "Marvellous it seems to me," said Allogia, "that we can never learn what has become of the good Queen Astrid." "I think," returned Olaf, "that if ever I were to journey into Esthonia I might get some tidings of her.
Sigurd here raised his eyes and looked across at Allogia as she silently plied her busy needle. "It is a long story, lady," he said; "and it may be that it is not new to you." "Tell it to the end," returned the queen. "There lived at that time in Valders a maid named Gyda," continued Sigurd.
Now on the day after the paying of the weregild Olaf had audience with Queen Allogia, and he thanked her well for the great friendship she had shown him. "Little do I deserve your thanks, Prince Olaf," said she. "What I have done is no more than I would wish any other woman to do for my own son if he were so hardly dealt with in a foreign land.
So, while yet the people were clamouring for the young peace breaker's life, Sigurd took Olaf through the back part of the house and by many secret passages into the queen's garth. Here, in a large hall that was most splendidly adorned with carved wood and hung with tapestry, sat Queen Allogia with two of her handmaids working with their needles upon a beautiful robe of embroidered silk.
Olaf looked towards his uncle as if expecting that he would at once offer to pay this gold. But Sigurd's eyes were fixed upon Queen Allogia, who now slowly rose from her seat and held up her hand to silence the loud murmur of voices that filled the hall. "As to this money," said she, addressing the vikings in a clear ringing voice, "there is no need that you concern yourselves.
This do I know full well," added Sigurd, addressing Allogia, "for Queen Astrid was my own dear sister, and Earl Erik of Ofrestead was my own father." "Then," said Queen Allogia, "it must be that Astrid was the mother of this boy whose cause you are now pleading; and in that case you yourself must be our young Ole's uncle?" "It is even so," replied Sigurd.
And I beg you, oh, queen! to deal kindly with this king's son so hardly dealt with, and to deal with King Valdemar concerning him that his life may be spared." Then Queen Allogia answered, looking on the lad, that she would do as Sigurd wished. "And now," she added, "tell me how it came to pass that the boy was ever brought across the sea to Esthonia."
Word Of The Day