Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.
© Tom Corser, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA UK 2.0.
Viking raider Olaf Tryggvason, taking a break on the Isles of Scilly, cannot resist the temptation to hear his fortune told.
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By Nathaniel Dance-Holland (1735-1811), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
Captain Cook’s friend and ship’s surgeon David Samwell gives us his impressions of the great explorer.
By Illarion Pryanishnikov, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
With Christianity faltering in the British Isles, Pope Gregory took the first definite steps towards restoring its vigour.
© Jza84, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
In 1014, Norwegian prince Olaf Haraldsson sailed to the aid of King Ethelred the Unready in his struggle with the Danes.
© Henry Leirvoll, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.
Zealous convert Olaf Tryggvason went from England to Norway to spread the Gospel, but it seemed the Lord did not like Olaf’s way of doing it.
© yeowatzup, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
Abdullah Abdul Kadir gives us his first-hand impressions of the Founder of Singapore and of his first wife, Olivia.