jure their little
captive. In the end, after many fights and flights, in which neither
party made any gains, the Birchlegs and Baglers grew tired of the useless
strife and a treaty of peace was made between them, the king of the
Baglers swearing allegiance to King Inge and becoming one of his earls.
But new trouble was brewing for the youthful prince, for in 1212, when he
was eight years old, a compact was made that none but those of legitimate
birth should succeed to the throne. As his mother had not been a legal
wife, this threatened to rob little Haakon of his royal rights.

In doing this the plotters were like some politicians of the present day,
who lay plans without consulting the people. They did not know how strong
the sentiment was in favor of the old royal line. One of the old
Birchlegs, on hearing of this compact, was bitterly angry. He had made
frequent visits to the young prince, whom he loved and admired, but on
his next visit he pushed away the playful lad, roughly bidding him
begone.

Haakon reproachfully asked, "What have I done to make you so angry?"

"Go away from me," cried Helge, the veteran; "to-day you have been robbed
of your right to the crown and I have ceased to love you."

"Who did that and where was it done?"

"It was done at the _Oere-thing_ [the Assembly at Oere], and those who
did it were King Inge and his brother Earl Haakon."

"Then you should not be angry with me, my kind Helge, nor be troubled
about this. What they did cannot be lawful, for my guardian was not there
to speak on my side."

"Your guardian! Who is he?" asked Helge.

"I have three guardians, God, the Blessed Virgin, and St. Olaf," said the
boy solemnly. "To their keeping I give my cause, and they will guard me
against all wrong."

The old man, at this declaration, caught the boy in his arms and kissed
him.

"Thanks for your wise words, my prince," he said. "Words like those are
better spoken than unspoken."

These words show that the little fellow was coming to think for himself
and had an active and earnest mind. In fact, he was so precocious and
said such droll things as greatly to amuse the king and those around him.
Here is one of his sayings, spoken in a spell of cold weather when the
butter could not be spread on the bread. The prince bent a piece of bread
around the butter, saying:

"Let us tie the butter to the bread, Birchlegs." This was thought so
smart that it became a proverb among the Birchlegs