Ornery Olav returned a month after he'd ridden off to war. Returned with only half of his followers. Surlier than ever, he barked out the news to passersby on Brunkeberg road. "There were only thirty thousand of us, no food or ammunition, and idiots for captains. The Swedes wiped us out. We might have had a chance with more manpower." He glared at his dumbstruck questioners, then headed home to Brekke.

Others in his company filled in more details. "On August 14 they declared a ceasefire. Karl Johan demands that King Kristian leave his throne and the country as well, and in return promises to give our constitution full consideration. He wants a new Storting assembled to work out the compromises."

.

The parade of leaflets began again, making their way eventually to Homme Farm. "Our new Storting gathered in Kristiania on October 8," Torjus read to Old Halvor. The representatives chose to keep most of the earlier constitution, but to unite with Sweden. "Our foreign policy will be directed from Stockholm, but we get our own bank and our own flag," Torjus said. "Hmm, this is interesting. The king of Sweden will actually have less power than what we had granted King Kristian Frederik. He can't declare war on our behalf without first consulting the Storting, and he can't appoint Swedes to any official positions in Norway."

"Well," said Old Halvor, chewing on a birch twig. "It isn't like we've had time enough to grow inordinately fond of our old constitution and our old king, now is it?"

.

The last publication of the year, dated November 4, arrived by ski from the coast. The Storting acknowledged Karl the Thirteenth of Sweden as King of Norway, and Karl Johan as crown prince.

"Long live King Karl!" Old Halvor said from the head of the dinner table at Homme farm, then glanced at his grandson. "Jon, pass the potatoes."

.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Stor Ting: Great Assembly.