Olaf Tryggvason and the Pigsty
Olaf hears that the ruler of Norway has lost the support of his noblemen, and sails away from England to claim his crown.
995
King Ethelred the Unready 978-1016
Olaf hears that the ruler of Norway has lost the support of his noblemen, and sails away from England to claim his crown.
995
King Ethelred the Unready 978-1016
This post is number 5 in the series The Saga of Olaf Tryggvason
Hakon Sigurdarson, Norway’s de facto ruler, has gone to ground after upsetting his noblemen. His rival, Olaf Tryggvason, recently returned from England, guesses that Hakon will seek out Thora of Rimol; but Thora has hidden Earl Hakon and his servant Karker beneath the floor of a pigsty.
tr. Samuel Laing (abridged)
THEY search every where, outside and inside the house, but could not find him. Then Olaf held a Thing or council out in the yard, and stood upon a great stone which lay beside the swine-sty, and made a speech to the people, in which he promised to enrich the man with rewards and honours who should kill the earl.
This speech was heard by the earl and the thrall Karker. There was a little daylight admitted to them. “Why art thou so pale,” says the earl, “and now again black as earth? Thou hast not the intention to betray me?”
“By no means,” replies Karker.
“We were born on the same night,” says the earl, “and the time will be short between our deaths.”
When night came the earl kept himself awake; but Karker slept, and was disturbed in his sleep. The earl woke him, and asked him “what he was dreaming of?”
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Why could Olaf not find Earl Hakon?
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Earl Hakon fell out with his noblemen. Olaf Tryggvason left England for Norway. He intended to replace Hakon as Norway’s ruler.