important people joined him; but the news from landward grew daily more
ominous: Bonders busily arming to rear of him; and ahead, Hakon still
more busily at Trondhjem, now near by, "--and he will end thy days,
King, if he have strength enough!" Olaf paused; sent scouts to a
hill-top: "Hakon's armament visible enough, and under way hitherward,
about the Isle of Bjarno, yonder!" Soon after, Olaf himself saw the
Bonder armament of twenty-five ships, from the southward, sail past in
the distance to join that of Hakon; and, worse still, his own ships, one
and another (seven in all), were slipping off on a like errand! He
made for the Fjord of Fodrar, mouth of the rugged strath called
Valdal,--which I think still knows Olaf and has now an "Olaf's Highway,"
where, nine centuries ago, it scarcely had a path. Olaf entered this
fjord, had his land-tent set up, and a cross beside it, on the small
level green behind the promontory there. Finding that his twelve poor
ships were now reduced to five, against a world all risen upon him, he
could not but see and admit to himself that there was no chance left;
and that he must withdraw across the mountains and wait for a better
time.

His journey through that wild country, in these forlorn and straitened
circumstances, has a mournful dignity and homely pathos, as described
by Snorro: how he drew up his five poor ships upon the beach, packed all
their furniture away, and with his hundred or so of attendants and their
journey-baggage, under guidance of some friendly Bonder, rode up into
the desert and foot of the mountains; scaled, after three days' effort
(as if by miracle, thought his attendants and thought Snorro), the
well-nigh precipitous slope that led across, never without miraculous
aid from Heaven and Olaf could baggage-wagons have ascended that path!
In short, How he fared along, beset by difficulties and the mournfulest
thoughts; but patiently persisted, steadfastly trusted in God; and was
fixed to return, and by God's help try again. An evidently very pious
and devout man; a good man struggling with adversity, such as the gods,
we may still imagine with the ancients, do look down upon as their
noblest sight.

He got to Sweden, to the court of his brother-in-law; kindly and nobly
enough received there, though gradually, perhaps, ill-seen by the now
authorities of Norway. So that, before long, he quitted Sweden; left his
queen there with her only daughter, his and hers, the onl