King Saint Olaf; A Drama in Five Acts (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1916 Excerpt: ...They return and dance around the rock. The door of the cabin is opened and the King comes out slowly.) Second Troll King Olaf Let us hence Olaf No stay ye Trolls Or I will turn you every one to stone. Fourth Troll Become our King; what doth it thee avail To serve the good where only evil rules, We know thy works of these past fifteen years, How thou hast fought the ancient gods and sought To bring a new religion to thy land; A light in darkness did thy bishop say, For we have heard him, too, although unseen; Vain are these fifteen years which thou hast spent Among thy people, gone from thee for aye. Learn wisdom from a troll; become our King, Serve darkness and the mysteries of night, Rule over us and all the host which dwells In all these mountains and the forest wild; Thou'lt be the richest King that ever lived, The lord of gold and silver without end, For we are masters of the mountain ores; Besides, the power of magic thou shalt know, The power to make thyself invisible Among thy enemies and bring on them The retribution which they now deserve. We also know, thou dost not love thy wife; But Ingegerd, her sister, hath thine heart; Her will we bring to thee from Novgorod, To be thy mistress in our mountain hall; And we will serve thee as thy loyal court, The best of viands and of drinks procure, The finest silken garments make for thee, And thou shalt live like monarchs in the land Of far off Ind, if thou wilt be our King. All The Trolls Yea, be our King, and we will thee obey (There is a sound as of distant thunder.) Olaf What is this sound as of a thunder-storm? First Troll The coming of the host of mountain-trolls. Olaf The hobbling of their wooden-shoes, I ween; But tell me troll, what knowest thou of her, Of Ingegerd, when didst thou her behold? ...