CHARLES XII. THE FIREBRAND OF SWEDEN 326 THE ENGLISH INVADERS AND THE DANISH FLEET 343 A FRENCH SOLDIER BECOMES KING OF SWEDEN AND NORWAY 349 THE DISMEMBERMENT OF DENMARK 358 BREAKING THE BOND BETWEEN NORWAY AND SWEDEN 362 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. SCANDINAVIAN. PAGE THE OLD BRIDGE AT OEREBRO, ONE OF THE MOST ANCIENT TOWNS OF SWEDEN. _Frontispiece._ HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, NORWAY 35 HOME OF PEASANTS, NORWAY 50 BUSY FARMERS IN A HILLSIDE FIELD ABOVE ARE, SWEDEN 80 A NORDFJORD BRIDE AND GROOM WITH GUESTS AND PARENTS. BRIGSDAL, NORWAY 95 NORWEGIAN PEASANTS 115 NORWEGIAN FARM BUILDINGS 135 LINKOPING FROM TANNEFORS 165 VILLAGE LIFE AND HOMES IN SWEDEN 190 MORNING GREETINGS OF NEIGHBORS, SWEDEN 210 GRIPSHOLM CASTLE, MARI 220 SKURUSUND, STOCKHOLM 230 SKANSEN RIVER 242 THE FAMOUS XVI. CENTURY CASTLE AT UPSALA, SWEDEN 256 NORWEGIAN CARRIAGE CALLED STOLKJAEM 285 ARMORY AND COSTUME HALL OF THE ROYAL MUSEUM, SWEDEN 300 STATUE OF GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS 312 THE RETURN OF CHARLES XII. OF SWEDEN 340 KRONBERG CASTLE ON THE SOUND, DENMARK 348 THE BOURSE, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK 360 _HOW KING ROLF WON HIS BRIDE._ At one time very many centuries ago, we cannot say just when, for this was in the days of the early legends, there reigned over Upsala in Sweden a king named Erik. He had no son and only one daughter, but this girl was worth a dozen sons and daughters of some kings. Torborg she was named, and there were few women so wise and beautiful and few men so strong and valiant. She cared nothing for women's work, but was the equal of any man of the court in riding, fighting with sword and shield, and other athletic sports. This troubled King Erik very much, for he thought that the princess should sit in her maiden chamber like other kings' daughters; but she told him that when she came to succeed him on the throne she would need to know how to defend her kingdom, and now was the time for her to learn.