was seventy-four ells. man's name who was the master-builder of the ship; but there were many others besides,-some to fell wood, some to shape it, some to make nails, some to carry timber; and all that was used was of the best. The ship was both long and broad and highsided, and strongly timbered. While 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."

Thorberg Skafhog was the

* This division of labour and trades, and this building of a vessel equal in length to a frigate of forty guns, give a curious peep at the civilisation of these pagans in the tenth century, and of the state of the useful arts among them. We need not be surprised that a people who had master-carpenters among them had skalds-the useful and the fine arts keep some kind of pace together.-L.

"I can tell you, king," says 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."

* The chronology is as follows. Earl Eirik takes flight in the autumn 995, spends the winter 996 with King Olaf in Sweden. During the summer he makes depredations on Gotland and in Vindland. The winter 997 he is again in Svithiod. The following winters, 998 and 999, he was either in Svithiod or in Denmark. In the five summers are included the year 1000, when Earl Eirik takes an active part in the death of Olaf Trygveson.

CHAPTER XCVI.-Of Earl Eirik, the Son of Hakon.

Earl Eirik, the son of Earl Hakon, and his brother, with many other valiant men their relations, had left the country after Earl Hakon's fall. Earl Eirik went eastwards to Svithiod, to Olaf, the Swedish king, and he and his people were well received. King Olaf gave the earl peace and freedom in the land, and great fiefs; so that he could support himself and his men well. Thord Kolbeinson speaks of this in the verses before given.* Many people who fled from the country on account of King Olaf Trygveson came out of Norway to Earl Eirik; and the earl resolved to fit out ships and go a-cruising, in order to get property for himself and his people. First he steered to Gotland, and lay there long in summer watching for merchant vessels sailing towards the land, or for vikings. Sometimes he landed and ravaged all round upon the sea-coasts. So it is told in the "Banda-drapa: "

"Eirik, as we have lately heard,

Has waked the song of shield and sword,—
Has waked the slumbering storm of shields

Upon the vikings' water-fields:

From Gotland's lonely shore has gone

Far up the land, and battles won;

And o'er the sea his name is spread.

To friends a shield, to foes a dread."

Afterwards Earl Eirik sailed south to Vindland, and at Staurrin found some viking ships, and gave

* In the verses given in chapter 57 of this saga.-L.

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them battle. Eirik gained the victory, and slew the vikings. So it is told in the "Banda-drapa: "—

"Earl Eirik, he who stoutly wields
The battle-axe in storm of shields,
With his long ships surprised the foe
At Staurrin, and their strength laid low.
Many a corpse floats round the shore;
The strand with dead is studded o'er ;
The raven tears their sea-bleached skins-
The land thrives well when Eirik wins."

CHAPTER XCVII.-Earl Eirik's Foray on the Baltic Coasts.

Earl Eirik sailed back to Sweden in autumn, and stayed there all winter [997]; but in spring he fitted out his war force again, and sailed up the Baltic. When he came to Valdemar's dominions he began to plunder and kill the inhabitants, and burn the dwellings everywhere as he came along, and to lay waste the country. He came to Aldeigiuborg,* and besieged it until he took the castle; and he killed many people, broke down and burned the castle, and then carried destruction all around far and wide in Russia. So it is told in the "Banda-drapa:""The generous earl, brave and bold, Who scatters his bright shining gold, Eirik, with fire-scattering hand, Wasted the Russian monarch's land,With arrow-shower, and storm of war,

Wasted the land of Valdemar.

Aldeiga burns, and Eirik's might

Scours through all Russia by its light.”

Earl Eirik was five years in all on this foray; and when he returned from Russia he ravaged all Adal

Aldeigiuborg is the town at Aldeiga or the Ladoga lake, and is supposed to be the present town of Notaburg, on an island in this lake.-L.

syssel and Eysyssel,* and took there four viking ships from the Danes, and killed every man on board. So it is told in the "Banda-drapa :

"Among the isles flies round the word,
That Eirik's blood-devouring sword
Has flashed like fire in the Sound,
And wasted all the land around.
And Eirik too, the bold in fight,
Has broken down the robber-might
Of four great vikings, and has slain'
All of the crew-nor spared one Dane.
In Gautland he has seized the town,
In Syssels harried up and down;
And all the people in dismay
Fled to the forests far away.

By land or sea, in field or wave,

What can withstand this earl brave?

All fly before his fiery hand

God save the earl, and keep the land."

When Eirik had been a year in Sweden he went over to Denmark [996] to King Svein the Forkedbearded, the Danish king, and courted his daughter Gyda. The proposal was accepted, and Earl Eirik married Gyda; and a year after [997] they had a son, who was called Hakon. Earl Eirik was in the winter in Denmark, or sometimes in Sweden; but in summer he went a-cruising.

CHAPTER XCVIII.-King Svein's Marriage.

The Danish king, Svein Forked Beard,t was married to Gunhild, a daughter of Burisleif, king

* Eistland was the country along the Gulf of Finland, as far west as the Vistula; and Eysyssel was the district of the islands of Osel and others along this coast. Adalsyssel was the district on the main land opposite to Eysyssel.-L.

+ Svein or Svend Forked Beard (Tiuguskegg) was the conqueror of England, and father of Canute the Great. We retain the word