| |
| THORBERG SKAFTING, master-builder, | |
| In his ship-yard by the sea, | |
| Whistling, said, “It would bewilder | |
| Any man but Thorberg Skafting, | |
| Any man but me!” | 5 |
| |
| Near him lay the Dragon stranded, | |
| Built of old by Raud the Strong, | |
| And King Olaf had commanded | |
| He should build another Dragon, | |
| Twice as large and long. | 10 |
| |
| Therefore whistled Thorberg Skafting, | |
| As he sat with half-closed eyes, | |
| And his head turned sideways, drafting | |
| That new vessel for King Olaf | |
| Twice the Dragon’s size. | 15 |
| |
| Round him busily hewed and hammered | |
| Mallet huge and heavy axe; | |
| Workmen laughed and sang and clamored; | |
| Whirred the wheels, that into rigging | |
| Spun the shining flax! | 20 |
| |
| All this tumult heard the master,— | |
| It was music to his ear; | |
| Fancy whispered all the faster, | |
| “Men shall hear of Thorberg Skafting | |
| For a hundred year!” | 25 |
| |
| Workmen sweating at the forges | |
| Fashioned iron bolt and bar, | |
| Like a warlock’s midnight orgies | |
| Smoked and bubbled the black caldron | |
| With the boiling tar. | 30 |
| |
| Did the warlocks mingle in it, | |
| Thorberg Skafting, any curse? | |
| Could you not be gone a minute | |
| But some mischief must be doing, | |
| Turning bad to worse? | 35 |
| |
| ’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. | 40 |
| |
| 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. | 45 |
| |
| “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!” | 50 |
| |
| 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! | 55 |
| |
| “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. | 60 |
| |
| Straight the master-builder, smiling, | |
| Answered thus the angry King: | |
| “Cease blaspheming and reviling, | |
| Olaf, it was Thorberg Skafting | |
| Who has done this thing!” | 65 |
| |
| 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!” | 70 |
| |
| 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. | 75 |
| |
| 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! | 80 |
| |
| 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! | 85 |
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