NORWAY 



o^ Kongsgaard 



TT IS IMPOSSIBLE to study the history 

 -** of Norway without becoming fascinated 

 by the tales of adventure, of daring, of 

 personal courage, of the Vikings ; of Olaf 

 Tryggvesson, of Harold the Fairhaired, of 

 Haakon Haakonsson, come of the Yngling 

 race which traced its descent from the god 

 Frey. Their greatness depended on their 

 fleets ; their young princes and nobles begin- 

 ning at the age of twelve or thirteen to take 

 command of ships. The squadrons penetrated 

 as far south as Greece, sent conquering troops 

 to Dublin and York, and, in spite of its remote- 

 ness, kept Norway in touch with and respected 

 by all the European Powers. This makes the 

 vision of the young golden-haired, blue-eyed 

 Prince Olav, Crown Prince of Norway, one 

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