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victory and also to defeat； and were the death of Magnus and of Slim…
Deacon too； in a frightful way； and all got their own death by and by in a
ditto。 In brief； these two kindreds （reckoned to be authentic enough
Haarfagr people； both kinds of them） proved now to have become a
veritable crop of dragon's teeth； who mutually fought； plotted； struggled；
as if it had been their life's business； never ended fighting and seldom long
intermitted it； till they had exterminated one another； and did at last all rest
in death。 One of these later Gylle temporary Kings I remember by the
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name of Harald Herdebred； Harald of the Broad Shoulders。 The very last
of them I think was Harald Mund （Harald of the _Wry…Mouth_）； who gave
rise to two Impostors； pretending to be Sons of his； a good while after the
poor Wry…Mouth itself and all its troublesome belongings were quietly
underground。 What Norway suffered during that sad century may be
imagined。
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CHAPTER XIV。
SVERRIR AND DESCENDANTS； TO HAKON THE OLD。
The end of it was； or rather the first abatement； and _beginnings_ of
the end； That； when all this had gone on ever worsening for some forty
years or so； one Sverrir （A。D。 1177）； at the head of an armed mob of poor
people called _Birkebeins_； came upon the scene。 A strange enough figure
in History； this Sverrir and his Birkebeins！ At first a mere mockery and
dismal laughing…stock to the enlightened Norway public。 Nevertheless by
unheard…of fighting； hungering； exertion； and endurance； Sverrir； after ten
years of such a death…wrestle against men and things； got himself accepted
as King； and by wonderful expenditure of ingenuity； common cunning；
unctuous Parliamentary Eloquence or almost Popular Preaching； and （it
must be owned） general human faculty and valor （or value） in the over…
clouded and distorted state； did victoriously continue such。 And founded a
new Dynasty in Norway； which ended only with Norway's separate
existence； after near three hundred years。
This Sverrir called himself a Son of Harald Wry…Mouth； but was in
reality the son of a poor Comb…maker in some little town of Norway；
nothing heard of Sonship to Wry…Mouth till after good success otherwise。
His Birkebeins （that is to say； _Birchlegs；_ the poor rebellious wretches
having taken to the woods； and been obliged； besides their intolerable
scarcity of food； to thatch their bodies from the cold with whatever
covering could be got； and their legs especially with birch bark； sad
species of fleecy hosiery； whence their nickname）；his Birkebeins I guess
always to have been a kind of Norse _Jacquerie_： desperate rising of
thralls and indigent people； driven mad by their unendurable sufferings
and famishings；theirs the _deepest_ stratum of misery； and the densest
and heaviest； in this the general misery of Norway； which had lasted
towards the third generation and looked as if it would last forever：
whereupon they had risen proclaiming； in this furious dumb manner；
unintelligible except to Heaven； that the same could not； nor would not； be
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endured any longer！ And； by their Sverrir； strange to say； they did attain a
kind of permanent success； and； from being a dismal laughing…stock in
Norway； came to be important； and for a time all…important there。 Their
opposition nicknames； 〃_Baglers_ （from Bagall； _baculus_； bishop's staff；
Bishop Nicholas being chief Leader）；〃 〃_Gold…legs_；〃 and the like obscure
terms （for there was still a considerable course of counter…fighting ahead；
and especially of counter…nicknaming）； I take to have meant in Norse
prefigurement seven centuries ago； 〃bloated Aristocracy；〃 〃tyrannous…
_Bourgeoisie_；〃till； in the next century； these rents were closed again！
King Sverrir； not himself bred to comb…making； had； in his fifth year；
gone to an uncle； Bishop in the Faroe Islands； and got some considerable
education from him； with a view to Priesthood on the part of Sverrir。 But；
not liking that career； Sverrir had fled and smuggled himself over to the
Birkebeins； who； noticing the learned tongue； and other miraculous
qualities of the man； proposed to make him Captain of them； and even
threatened to kill him if he would not accept；which thus at the sword's
point； as Sverrir says； he was obliged to do。 It was after this that he
thought of becoming son of Wry…Mouth and other higher things。
His Birkebeins and he had certainly a talent of campaigning which has
hardly ever been equalled。 They fought like devils against any odds of
number； and before battle they have been known to march six days
together without food； except； perhaps； the inner barks of trees； and in
such clothing and shoeing as mere birch bark：at one time； somewhere in
the Dovrefjeld； there was serious counsel held among them whether they
should not all； as one man； leap down into the frozen gulfs and precipices；
or at once massacre one another wholly； and so finish。 Of their conduct in
battle； fiercer than that of _Baresarks_； where was there ever seen the
parallel？ In truth they are a dim strange object to one； in that black time；
wondrously bringing light into it withal； and proved to be； under such
unexpected circumstances； the beginning of better days！
Of Sverrir's public speeches there still exist authentic specimens；
wonderful indeed； and much characteristic of such a Sverrir。 A comb…
maker King； evidently meaning several good and solid things； and
effecting them too； athwart such an element of Norwegian chaos…come…
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again。 His descendants a