OcJilcnschlacgcfs IJakoii Jarl 29 



T/iorcr. I need 



Xot teli thee how I felt, King Olaf, when 

 i learned that thou wert here. I thought the news 

 Had reached thee of our evil state, — that thou 

 Hadst seized this hour as opportune. But now 

 Tiiat thou hast spoken, now I recognize. 

 Astonished, that this is heaven's call. 



Olof. My friend! 



Thou 'st deeply stirred the quiet of my soul. 



Thorcr. As stirs the seed that germinates and sprouts 

 llcneath the soil to blossom later on. 

 Thou 'st not forgot what blood is coursing through 

 Thy veins ? 



Olaf. [Deep in thought.] Is 't not, I pray, from Harald, he 

 Of golden locks? 



Thorer. Upon the side o' the sword, 



In straight descent. 



Olaf. Whose mother Ragnhild dreamed 



About a tree : while resting on the grass 

 She drew a twig from out her pouch and while 

 She held it in her hand, it grew a branch 

 Of wondrous size, whose lower end took root 

 In the mellow earth. The vigorous top reached up 

 Toward heaven, and stretched so high her eye could scarce 

 Behold it more. The trunk was large and round, 

 And near the ground was red as blood ; above. 

 The trunk was smooth and of a tender green ; 

 The limbs were white and broadly arching spread 

 Themselves and covered all the North. Such was, 

 I think, her dream ? 



Thorer. So says the myth, my lord ! 



Olaf. Was 't not King Harald with the golden hair 

 Who strangely dreamed about his locks ? How some 

 In wavelets reached the ground, and some his knees, 

 And some his shoulders ; others still did cling , 

 About his brow in tender curls ? 



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