74 James CJiri.^'tiaii Lindhcrg 



Olaf. Who is that man ? 



Grifhn. None seem to know him, none 



Of all thy men. To me he 's very strange. 

 He looks like Odin sir, in Hakon's grove. 



Olaf. He said his name was a\uden. 



Griffin. Auden ! Odin ! 



They mean the same. 



Tanghrand. My Olaf, surely one 



Of Odin's priests hath been with tliee today 

 And sought with wild, ambiguous words, perhaps 

 At Hakon's hint, to turn thy heart. It may 

 Have been the fawning Jai'l himself. 



Olaf. Whoever 



He is, he seemed a shadow sent from hell. 

 Pie wished to show how great, how base a sin 

 To tear the people from their olden faith. 



Tanghrand. And gave in proof how well the old belief 

 Becomes their chilly North? That once this. faith 

 Was introduced by strangers to the North 

 From far ofif eastern lands, — of this no word 

 Was whispered, I assume. 



Olaf. Ah, Tangbrand ; yes, 



Thou 'rt right ! The old belief was also once 

 A stranger here. \\^hat then avails his praise. 

 His madness for the warrior faith which he 

 Believes the North hath grown, and given its stamp ? 



Tangbrand. Of no avail, my Olaf. Northern climes 

 No more than southern, may usurp the rights 

 To offer brother's blood or violate 

 Sweet heaven's law. 



Olaf. How true ! 



Tanghrand. I '11 not condemn 



Entire the ancient heathen faith. For God 

 Hath not vouchsafed it life these many years 

 For naught ; 't is but a ruin now. The laws 

 Of Christ were then unknown. WHiere there 's a choice 

 Then man should choose the best. 



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