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"T was an ill wind that came wafting,

From his homestead words of woe; To his farm went Thorberg Skafting, Oft repeating to his workmen,

Build ye thus and so.

After long delays returning

Came the master back by night; To his ship-yard longing, yearning, Hurried he, and did not leave it

Till the morning's light.

"Come and see my ship, my darling! On the morrow said the King; Finished now from keel to carling; Never yet was seen in Norway

Such a wondrous thing!"

In the ship-yard, idly talking,

At the ship the workmen stared: Some one all their labor balking, Down her sides had cut deep gashes,

Not a plank was spared!

"Death be to the evil-doer!"

With an oath King Olaf spoke;
"But rewards to his pursuer !"
And with wrath his face grew redder
Than his scarlet cloak.

Straight the master-builder, smiling,
Answered thus the angry King:
"Cease blaspheming and reviling,
Olaf, it was Thorberg Skafting

Who has done this thing!"

,,

Then he chipped and smoothed the planking,
Till the King, delighted, swore,
With much lauding and much thanking,
"Handsomer is now my Dragon

Than she was before!"

Seventy ells and four extended

On the grass the vessel's keel; High above it, gilt and splendid, Rose the figure-head ferocious

With its crest of steel.

Then they launched her from the tressels,
In the ship yard by the sea;

She was the grandest of all vessels,
Never ship was built in Norway

Half so fine as she!

The Long Serpent was she christened, 'Mid the roar of cheer on cheer!

They who to the Saga listened
Heard the name of Thorberg Skafting
For a hundred year!

XIV.

THE CREW OF THE LONG SERPENT.

SAFE at anchor in Drontheim bay
King Olaf's fleet assembled lay,

And, striped with white and blue, Downward fluttered sail and banner, As alights the screaming launer; Lustily cheered, in their wild manner, The Long Serpent's crew.

Her forecastle man was Ulf the Red; Like a wolf's was his shaggy head,

His teeth as large and white; His beard, of gray and russet blended, Round as a swallow's nest descended As standard-bearer he defended Olaf's flag in the fight.

Near him Kolbiorn had his place,
Like the King in garb and face,
So gallant and so hale;
Every cabin boy and varlet,
Wondered at his cloak of scarlet;
Like a river, frozen and star-lit,
Gleamed his coat of mail.

By the bulkhead, tall and dark,
Stood Thrand Rame of Thelemark,
A figure gaunt and grand;
On his hairy arm imprinted
Was an anchor, azure-tinted;
Like Thor's hammer, huge and dinted
Was his brawny hand.

Einar Tamberskelver, bare
To the winds his golden hair,
By the mainmast stood;
Graceful was his form, and slender,
And his eyes were deep and tender
As a woman's, in the splendor
Of her maidenhood.

In the fore-hold Biorn and Bork
Watched the sailors at their work:
Heavens! how they swore!
Thirty men they each commanded,
Iron-sinewed, horny-handed,

Shoulders broad, and chests expanded,

Tugging at the oar.

These, and many more like these,
With King Olaf sailed the seas,

Till the waters vast

Filled them with a vague devotion,
With the freedom and the motion,
With the roll and roar of ocean

And the sounding blast.

When they landed from the fleet,

How they roared through Drontheim's street,
Boisterous as the gale!

How they laughed and stamped and pounded,
Till the tavern roof resounded,
And the host looked on astounded

As they drank the ale!

Never saw the wild North Sea
Such a gallant company

Sail its billows blue!

Never, while they cruised and quarrelled,
Old King Gorm, or Blue-Tooth Harald,
Owned a ship so well apparelled,.
Boasted such a crew!

XV.

A LITTLE BIRD IN THE AIR.

A LITTLE bird in the air
Is singing of Thyri the fair,

The sister of Svend the Dane;
And the song of the garrulous bird
In the streets of the town is heard,
And repeated again and again.
Hoist up your sails of silk,
And flee away from each other.

To King Burislaf, it is said,
Was the beautiful Thyri wed,

And a sorrowful bride went she;
And after a week and a day,
She has fled away and away,
From his town by the stormy sea.
Hoist up your sails of silk,
And flee away from each other.

They say, that through heat and through cold,
Through weald, they say, and through wold,
By day and by night, they say,

TALES OF A WAYSIDE INN.

She has fled; and the gossips report
She has come to King Olaf's court,
And the town is all in dismay.

Hoist up your sails of silk,
And flee away from each other.

It is whispered King Olaf has seen,
Has talked with the beautiful queen;
And they wonder how it will end;
For surely, if here she remain,
It is war with King Svend the Dane,
And King Burislaf the Vend!
Hoist up your sails of silk,
And flee away from each other.

O, greatest wonder of all!
It is published in hamlet and hall,

It roars like a flame that is fanned!
The King-yes, Olaf the King-
Has wedded her with his ring,

And Thyri is Queen in the land!
Hoist up your sails of silk,
And flee away from each other.

XVI.

QUEEN THYRI AND THE ANGELICA STALKS.

NORTHWARD over Drontheim Flew the clamorous sea-gulls, Sang the lark and linnet

From the meadows green;

Weeping in her chamber,
Lonely and unhappy.
Sat the Drottning Thyri,
Sat King Olaf's Queen.

In at all the windows
Streamed the pleasant sunshine,
On the roof above her

Softly cooed the dove;

But the sound she heard not,
Nor the sunshine heeded,
For the thoughts of Thyri
Were not thoughts of love.

Then King Olaf entered, Beautiful as morning, Like the sun at Easter

Shone his happy face;

In his hand he carried Angelicas uprooted, With delicious fragrance Filling all the place.

Like a rainy midnight
Sat the Drottning Thyri,
Even the smile of Olaf

Could not cheer her gloom;

Nor the stalks he gave her With a gracious gesture, And with words as pleasant As their own perfume.

In her hands he placed them,
And her jewelled fingers

Through the green leaves glistened

Like the dews of morn;

But she cast them from her,
Haughty and indignant,
On the floor she threw them
With a look of scorn.

"Richer presents," said she,
"Gave King Harald Gormson
To the Queen, my mother,

Than such worthless weeds;
"When he ravaged Norway
Laying waste the kingdom,
Seizing scatt and treasure
For her royal needs.

"But thou darest not venture Through the Sound to Vendland, My domains to rescue

From King Burislaf;

"Lest King Svend of Denmark, Forked Beard, my brother, Scatter all thy vessels

As the wind the chaff."

Then up sprang King Olaf,
Like a reindeer bounding,
With an oath he answered

Thus the luckless Queen :
"Never yet did Olaf
Fear King Svend of Denmark;
This right hand shall hale him
By his forked chin!"

Then he left the chamber,
Thundering through the doorway,
Loud his steps resounded
Down the outer stair,

Smarting with the insult,
Through the streets of Drontheim
Strode he red and wrathful,
With his stately air.

All his ships he gathered,
Summoned all his forces,
Making his war levy

In the region round;

Down the coast of Norway,
Like a flock of sea-gulls,
Sailed the fleet of Olaf

Through the Danish Sound.

With his own hand fearless, Steered he the Long Serpent, Strained the creaking cordage, Bent each boom and gaff;

Till in Vendland landing,
The domains of Thyri
He redeemed and rescued
From King Burislaf.

Then said Olaf, laughing, "Not ten yoke of oxen Have the power to draw us Like a woman's hair!

"Now will I confess it, Better things are jewels Than angelica stalks are For a Queen to wear."

XVII.

KING SVEND OF THE FORKED BEARD.

LOUDLY the sailors cheered Svend of the Forked Beard, As with his fleet he steered Southward to Vendland;

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TALES OF A WAYSIDE INN.

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Sooner than the word was spoken
Flew the yeoman's shaft;
Einar's bow in twain was broken,
Einar only laughed.

"What was that?" said Olaf, standing On the quarter-deck.

"Something heard I like the stranding Of a shattered wreck."

Einar then, the arrow taking
From the loosened string,

Answered, "That was Norway breaking
From thy hand, O King!"

"Thou art but a poor diviner," Straightway Olaf said;

"Take my bow, and swifter, Einar,
Let thy shafts be sped.

Of his bows the fairest choosing,
Reached he from above;
Einar saw the blood-drops oozing
Through his iron glove.

But the bow was thin and narrow;
At the first assay,

O'er its head he drew the arrow,
Flung the bow away;

Said, with hot and angry temper
Flushing in his cheek,

"Olaf! for so great a Kämper
Are thy bows too weak!

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