| Show 5 r' I THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE -- SUNDAY MORNINONOVEMBER 1950 all Norsemen of ancient times the peo- mourned over a period of £robably can picture their genuine as the funeral bargs strewn' with flowers magnificently carved and gracefully poised upon the water wag sent out to sea But perhaps it waa not the first— the Weiidish wife of Olaf There were two others Could it have been Thyre the sister of King Sveyn of Denmark the wife of Olaf ’s last days? Perhaps not There are several reasons why she is not likely to have been so honored In the first place it is doubtful la the minds of many historians whether Olaf really loved Thyre at any time In fact there are many who say that neither Thyre nor Olaf’s first wife found happiness with the stormy petrel sadness of the Scandinavians He married Thyre within a very short time after being turned down by Queen Sigrld of Hits CnrUus Def-Ue- ti I'ernml the hew of the Sweden Historians who combine s knowledge of heart phychology and human nature with their other requirements point out that this factor militates against a presumption of great love “Vanity” they say “pure vanity 1” Vanity apparently— offered by the thought of failure to win Slgrid of Sweeden—led the warrior to rush to the altar with Thyre i’esertl Barge on Vkkli Queen Cyi ma Traveled ' Corpee ia Just that way forgotten links in the chain of history are forged Someone— and there are no rules to do terming in advance who it shall he is — either digging among the sand or rock or mire of the earth or among overlooked doc uraents and finds a word or object which arouses If the digging curiosity was not originally under taken for the purpose of 'discover J that curiosity is a rare gift and might well carry it possessor to tho heights of immortal fame If a new discovery la tho intent at the start curiosity is in the essence of tho undertaking of course Curiosity was In the essence of the undertaking when archaeologists be gan about thirty yeara ago to dir bo neath tho grave and limestone of the freien hills of Norway end 8weden and Denmark The scientists who forsook tho comforts of more temperate climea to invade the home of the Norsemen hardly knew what lay be fore them But to them that was In no eense on obstacle - They undertook their work in the spirit of adventure ITthat and daring Now no eno would think of viewing the landmarks of tho land of Olaf the Viking and his famous henchman and adversaries without reading the folk lore of the Scandinavian people' The earn of Olaf Trygrvessson has do lighted and intrigued so many people that its absorption by the minds ef historians and modern explorers is a v - "i - "i matter of rule During many years of toll it seemed as though tho bleak hillsides and near valleys of the Norse lands would yield nothing of interest noth big of more than ordinary geological significance A score of yean went by Now and then some relic of forgotten centuries would appear and then the shove of one mi tho archaeological party wai deflected by bard object He hesitated for a moment ecrutiiux the obstacle and then opened ' the ground about four Inches back think nr that he had struck a common rock which could be removed in tha ortho dox fashion A moment later the other members of the party beard startled exclama -- tiont ' 1 " v Notice din Beautiful Is ike Hidden Boat Jsst After Euindes g en the Prow Signifying a Culture of huperloc Quality at a Time When No One Suspected It on tk Scandinavian Peninsula Non Skilled Ware Knew Before Yearn That tha Norsemen Sclentles Christ In Thie Beat Vet Highly K Toys Trinkets and Household Article Along With Fine Statue of Kiag Olaf Here Wood-Cartin- all the form about four feet from tip of nose to bite of Over -- dog-hea- collar ‘ where This find did not help much —right sway Olaf was a great king beloved by hia friends ana admired even by those who hated him But what hia statu should be doing in an d boat buried In tha earth wa mystery Of course the statue led to a discussion of the man and his career— a career than which non could be more fasclnst In spito of their hilarity sll ef the 'iscientists In the group sensed that they had made a discovery— perhaps a mo jnentous one Yet none of them really knew the revelations of which the d was tho forerunner atrange "What tie you suppose it lit" one dog-hea- exerting continued pressure hear the d base cl the contraption they levered it from ita base an a ear tied it to their headquarter in Tons berg Around tho fire that night they examined it more closely and their interest grew new-foun- Thia it’a certain aer - at and glamour sonal magnetism Statue of Olaf That Valiant and Domineering Viking Kins Was Found in the Thia Funeral Boat It Wa This Real-bu- Archae-ologin- ts the i per- of Olaf when he was a newly converted Christian Gyda whom Olaf loved as he never loved before or after and with whom he spent the most delightful days of his life ou little Erin’s isle "Y e s" historians say “it probably was Gyda for whom the magnificent boat with the prow him disaster In an funeral wa and given to the wave’ built wrest expedition to Olaf was king when Gyda died—he her property from the was only s warrior when his first wif deserted husband and his third wife survived him was died Burialav Olaf little Irish girl passed away off the Island When the of iwaylaid ' Olaf was revered all over Svold by the com- the name v For her it is certain non bined Swedish and Europe but the greatest of homage would have toDanish in the mind of the Intrepid with the ships sufficed Thia Miniature gether Coach Royal of Esrl Haakon’s king Richly Carved Wat Found in the there is too: thin Then factor sons Olaf fought to Buried Craft It Threw Valuable the last on hia great Years ago on that little isle Gaelic light Upon the Style ef a vessel “The Long folklore has it the dead were not Thousand Yeara Age Snake’’— the mighti- buned but were laid out on the sands est ship in the north of aa beach at ebb tide Then the tunate incident —and finally leaped overboard and fairies came tnd carried the coffin out to sea to a subaqueous haven of their for the people of was never eeen again No one ever saw the falriiei middle and southAll of these facts ptssed through own ern Europe for tho minds of the scientists Then crry awy the body for if anyone the Olaf would not when they found toys which were such should dare to hide end watch fairies would carry him away too and harry those of his as might adorn a queen’s boudoir they make do him their forever own faith bidding concluded that the boat was a funeral The spot where the body was found Before returni- barge— of a gueen But what queen? Thia lath have been inundated either “The wif of Olaf the Viking’’ must once ng to Norway Queen' Sled — by the sea or by a great river Olaf married And wrould have been the answer presumin Miniature how a found her the Gyda pretty colleen ably since no other corpse could have that is in Ikh Toe Was Found Richly Carved hillside been accompanied on its final journey grave Norwegian daughter of Kvaran King of Duht the long Lost Floating Ti blin Ireland Then tired by reports of by the statue of the intrepid Norseman boat and the trinkets will aoon The of Queen Cyda of the ruler Earl But Olaf had three wives Which one be deposited in the Norwegian Nathe unpopularity Haakon no decided to return to his of the three was it which was laid out tional Museum at Oslo alone with the hood In Novgorod under the protection native land When he arrived In Non on the deck of this statue of that adcraft and tbousand-yeanolventurer of adventures Olaf Tygg propelled out to sea? King Voldemar Then began a life- - wnaj In 195 he was unanimously acI time of battle cepted as King Then although the It may havo been the fair daughter vesSon Immortal tales have been woven Olaf married the daughter of (he papulae wu contentedly heathen No-he of eld Kiag Burislav whom Olaf man out to convert everybody jn in thia early youth Ai the daugh-t- about the name of Olaf even though WendiRh King Buriilav tied and took up set of a Wendish King she was pro- his loves have heretofore been rather artM for the latter under the Emperor rway to Cbristianty Then bit Irish wife died Otte I1L Boon the name of Olaf began bably wealthy In her own right and obscure to be more feared than that of Burk But if he was an Interesting characOlaf asked for the hand ef Sigrld there ia every indication that Olaf slat himself Even in Franc and in Queen of Sweden but the marriage did' loved her enough to set her body adrift ter ae a warrior— a a bold oaring arnatural leader of tho British tales people talked about not take place because both were obs- with the highest honors of the day rogant conceited men— end he was all Of these things but unscrupulous warrior of tinate he In bin Christianity the In her it were the then the imagination and If Sis brave North-interesting in the bargain — he It teemed aa though he heathenism They became bitter enrtrays an Inspiring scene at her unersil rites Olaf wu still a heathen may be the central figure now in a might tvantuaUy dominate all Europe emies and Olaf did not hesitate to Incur but just as his star was in its ascend- tha hatted of King Bveyn of Denmark to there wes no Requiem Unas for the new book of the Norseland He loved aa romantically and ancy hie wif died Following the cus- by marrying hia sister Thjrr who had repose of his dead wife’s souL But un- Gyda probably ss be did everything else tom of tho time he left tho country Red from her heathen husband doubtedly if it really was she thero violently He probably was a truly great lover for awhile (not the Wendish King! in de- was a sad populace about singing in ' In tho Scllly Islands Tt met a hermit fiance ef her brother's authority mournful dirgea waving arms and bow- —cold and unemotional toward the Before Olaf had been moderately world at large Impetuous toward the monk who converted tho penitent ing heads to propitiate the gods For the dead wife of the greatest of woman he loved Viking to Chris tianty This was a for lucky la nptrlmony but Thyra brought kwmm ratiuw wria mi dog-hea- d fleets blue-eye- d : s Discovery Which Led So Conclude That Cyda Had Been in Occupant es& ' to succumbed Thls rampant spirit was bom ia 969 A D and began hia career in exile lie spent his boy- - thia didn’t grew there among tha rocks” one said carving hasn’t been dona around here- ever ae far as any one knows” offered another Thus ft was not onnatural that when the men awoke hi the morning they were esger to re auma ' their quest and partlenjarly anxioua to find just why when and by whom thia carved wild dog had been planted the rocks ef Asgaidstrmnd Theft curiosity was at as high pitch—' but it was not to be eatisfied In a Nightfall found them still dilb gently laboring but no nearer to solution of the mystery s ' t The following morning however disclosed particles of broken timbers near the epot where the bisarre canine form had been found forty hours be- - Sveyn whom Olaf wanted unwisely to offend Then there was Gyda the fair daughter of Ireland who oddly-ehape- asked’ “I don’t know but we'd better take It along another suggested So by “Well V- Trygg-vesao- n had Hopped v firm d the prow Then in tho midst of broken and petrified boards on the floor of tho craft they found a statue— of Olaf measured ’ ' for “Wen rube - ‘ “What Is It Doe?” came a chorus of Naturally there was tens excitement Spurred on by new hopes the voices by that time tolerant of falso alarms and alleged scientists plied their tools more rapidly - than before—and In ' aa short time discoveries brought to light what seemed then like “Just take a look!" " The august - group- - of scientists a wooden post submerged in the Sand “took a look” and without a word Then they noticed that th1 new object renewed their efforts Picks and like that already found was delicately Bhovela rot and fell with almost in-- - carved with intricate designs credible rapidity and by the fall ef It was a matter of only a few boors night there appeared above the sur- - before It became evident that there was face of tha rocky toil a form ae weird more beneath the turfnee than was and at tha same time ao funny that first suspected And - although it! the group of aavanta threw down their seemed unbelievable at the time the tool and laughed It was tho figure evidence became more and more eon of the bead of a wad dog intricately ’wincing thatit was a boat— eome carved with a neck approximately strange craft— which Day there They four times th length of tho head unearthed enough to oho that the good-natured- ly There were other advantages to the match too It afforded an of course excellent chance to enicker at King i ' Y 60-fo- d or ’ Burl-Sla- v - ' O |
