[Early Kings of Norway by Thomas Carlyle]@TWC D-Link bookEarly Kings of Norway CHAPTER XII 2/9
Lid originally made of mere opaque board, but changed latterly into a light frame, covered (_glazed_, so to speak) with entrails of animals, clarified into something of pellucidity.
All this Olaf, I hope, further perfected, as he did the placing of the court ladies, court officials, and the like; but I doubt if the luxury of a glass window were ever known to him, or a cup to drink from that was not made of metal or horn.
In fact it is chiefly for his son's sake I mention him here; and with the son, too, I have little real concern, but only a kind of fantastic. This son bears the name of Magnus _Barfod_ (Barefoot, or Bareleg); and if you ask why so, the answer is: He was used to appear in the streets of Nidaros (Trondhjem) now and then in complete Scotch Highland dress. Authentic tartan plaid and philibeg, at that epoch,--to the wonder of Trondhjem and us! The truth is, he had a mighty fancy for those Hebrides and other Scotch possessions of his; and seeing England now quite impossible, eagerly speculated on some conquest in Ireland as next best.
He did, in fact, go diligently voyaging and inspecting among those Orkney and Hebridian Isles; putting everything straight there, appointing stringent authorities, jarls,--nay, a king, "Kingdom of the Suderoer" (Southern Isles, now called _Sodor_),--and, as first king, Sigurd, his pretty little boy of nine years.
All which done, and some quarrel with Sweden fought out, he seriously applied himself to visiting in a still more emphatic manner; namely, to invading, with his best skill and strength, the considerable virtual or actual kingdom he had in Ireland, intending fully to enlarge it to the utmost limits of the Island if possible.
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