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Introduction of Christianity 41
Empire in the West, but had also received from the
Romans the Christian religion. They now cherished
the hope that the northern vikings would become less
fierce and more merciful if they might hear the Sav-
iour’s gentle, loving words. There were men, too, who
would willingly offer their lives for the conversion of
the heathen. Such a man was St. Ansgar.
His Childhood and Youth. He was born in northern
France, was early left an orphan, and was taken to a
convent school to be brought up and educated. A medi-
eval legend relates the following about his childhood :
At first he was so intent upon play and wild pranks
that he made but little progress in his studies. One
night in a dream he saw a company of beautiful women,
dressed in white, walking about in a green meadow.
One of them, fairer than all the rest, wore a crown on
her head. He took her to be the Virgin Mary. Among
the others he recognized his mother. In his joy he
would rush up to her, but he found himself fast in the
mire, and the more he struggled to get out, the deeper
he sank into it. He began to cry. The Virgin Mary
then asked him, "Would you like to go to your moth-
er?" "Yes," sobbed the child. "Then," she said, "you
must give up all vanity and childish pranks, for those
who love such things can not be with us." From that
time Ansgar became a serious child. He gave up his
pranks and even his plays, he studied diligently and
prayed much. His playmates were astonished at the
change in him.
In the year 814 the great Emperor Charlemagne
died. The news of his death made a deep impression
on Ansgar. He had once seen the mighty Emperor,
A History of Sweden, 4.
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