156 Norway and the Norwegians 



her, and thought that she would come to life again. 

 At length, as he was seen to neglect all affairs of state, 

 one of the courtiers, by a device, induced Harald to 

 raise up the body, and then it was found to be full of 

 all sorts of corruption, and worms and toads and all 

 manner of reptiles came out of it. 



The Norse tradition of Gunhild is that she was by 

 birth a Norse girl, who went away to a Lapland hut to 

 be instructed in Lapland magic. And the Saga gives 

 a curious picture of her, watched over by two Lapp 

 brothers, who were so jealous of each other that she was 

 safe with them. There she was discovered by some 

 followers of Erik, Harald's son. She assisted them to 

 kill the brothers ; then they brought her away to their 

 master. Erik, as his father with Snsefrid, fell in love 

 with her at once, and determined to marry her out of 

 hand. This is the story. In reality it is more likely 

 that Gunhild was a Danish princess. She is said to 

 have been very beautiful and very clever, but of an 

 evil disposition. After the death of her husband she 

 took a part in all the schemes for restoring his family 

 to the throne of Norway. 



Meanwhile Hakon, the Norse king, had begun to 

 forfeit some of the popularity which had accompanied 

 his first return to Norway, through his efforts to intro- 

 duce Christianity into the country. He began by 

 destroying several temples ; until at the last, at the 

 Frosta Thing, the Throndhjem people came armed to 

 resist these encroachments upon their ancient beliefs 

 and customs. They put up one of their number as 

 a spokesman, and he roundly declared that they, the 

 Throndhjem bonders, who had been the means of 



