to carry timber; and all that was used was of the best.
The ship was both long and broad and high-sided, and strongly timbered.

While they were planking the ship, it happened that Thorberg had to go
home to his farm upon some urgent business; and as he remained there a
long time, the ship was planked up on both sides when he came back. In
the evening the king went out, and Thorberg with him, to see how the
vessel looked, and everybody said that never was seen so large and so
beautiful a ship of war. Then the king returned to the town. Early next
morning the king returns again to the ship, and Thorberg with him. The
carpenters were there before them, but all were standing idle with their
arms across. The king asked, "what was the matter?" They said the ship
was destroyed; for somebody had gone from, stem to stern, and cut one
deep notch after the other down the one side of the planking. When the
king came nearer he saw it was so, and said, with an oath, "The man
shall die who has thus destroyed the vessel out of envy, if he can be
discovered, and I shall bestow a great reward on whoever finds him out."

"I can tell you, king," said Thorberg, "who has done this piece of
work."--

"I don't think," replies the king, "that any one is so likely to find it
out as thou art."

Thorberg says, "I will tell you, king, who did it. I did it myself."

The king says, "Thou must restore it all to the same condition as
before, or thy life shall pay for it."

Then Thorberg went and chipped the planks until the deep notches were
all smoothed and made even with the rest; and the king and all present
declared that the ship was much handsomer on the side of the hull which
Thorberg, had chipped, and bade him shape the other side in the same
way; and gave him great thanks for the improvement. Afterwards Thorberg
was the master builder of the ship until she was entirely finished.
The ship was a dragon, built after the one the king had captured
in Halogaland; but this ship was far larger, and more carefully put
together in all her parts. The king called this ship Serpent the Long,
and the other Serpent the Short. The long Serpent had thirty-four
benches for rowers. The head and the arched tail were both gilt, and the
bulwarks were as high as in sea-going ships. This ship was the best and
most costly ship ever made in Norway.

96. EARL EIRIK, THE SON OF HAKON.

Earl Eirik, the son of Earl Hakon, and his brothers, with many other
va