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Rh Olaf and his men rushed in and overcame Rand the Strong before he was awake.

Then they sailed southward taking his dragon-ship with them. Never had such a ship been seen in the kingdom.

But Olaf wanted a finer ship. He called Thorberg Skafting, the master-builder, and told him to build a dragon-ship twice as wide and twice as long.

Thorberg Shafting whistled and sang for joy. His men too laughed and sang when they heard him.

All day long they hammered and hewed. The noise sounded like music to Thorberg Skafting.

At last the ship was finished, and Olaf and his warriors came to see it.

When they came into the shipyard the workmen stood staring. Some one had cut the sides of the ship from end to end.

The king's face grew red with anger and he vowed to kill the man who did the deed.

Thorberg Skafting smiled and said, "I am the man." Then he smoothed the sides of the ship until Olaf said she was more beautiful than before.

The ship was bright with gilding, and the figurehead was a golden dragon.