The Sage of Einar

Chapter 84: New way of construction

At night Einar, who was lying down while his wives hugged him, heard the noise of the blizzard that was happening outside.

‘Now that I have a way of being able to put knowledge on paper without much effort.

I think I should find a way to use the snow to my advantage, otherwise, it will be very difficult to conquer the center of the island.

Although in the modern world the center of Iceland does not have many advantages because it is an ice desert.

I could use to my advantage the area where the two tectonic plates are separating, perhaps that way I can guarantee a path that crosses the island from north to south.

In this way, it would be feasible to create some communities, it is just that the wood could not be used since although the island has many trees.

I cannot afford to waste them on buildings that are abandoned because they are not workable. ‘

Einar who was looking at the wooden ceiling was silent for a few minutes where he could only hear the noise of the blizzard that was happening outside.

When he was about to fall asleep, he suddenly remembered the snowmen he used to make with Erika when they traveled to see her in-laws on the December holidays, in a small town that was on the outskirts of Manchester.

‘Snowmen, use of snow …’

Almost immediately Einar sat up on the bed and yelled, “Igloos are the answer!”

Kassia and Helmi woke up without understanding what was happening, so they only gave Einar a puzzled look.

Einar just scratched his chin and smiled at them “It was an accident that I screamed, but to make up for the fact that I woke you up, what do you think if tomorrow I teach you how to make a snow house.”

Kassia and Helmi looked at each other for a moment and only shook their heads before falling asleep, Einar at that moment sighed to also snuggle into Kassia’s breasts.

In the morning Gisli, who was supervising the slaves who were removing excess snow from the building.

He heard how Einar spoke to him so he turned around and could see him giving him his peculiar smile.

“Gisli I see that you have made an excellent beard change, I think it is true what they say that if you want to be a winner, you must see yourself as a winner.”

Gisli who stroked his beard felt that Einar’s words were a way of congratulating him on having adopted his beard style.

“My wife thinks the same, and my son also wants to wear your same style of beard when he grows up.

But tell me how I can help you because I don’t think you just came to congratulate me. “

Einar motioned for Gisli to accompany him to his worktable.

Upon arrival, Einar showed him a sheet of paper, which had a strange figure drawn that looked like a dome with an entrance.

Gisli was surprised as it seemed to be a fairly simple construction and she did not understand what Einar wanted to ask of her.

“This you are seeing is a drawing of an igloo. It is a house or a shelter only made with snow.

I show you this drawing because I want you to take five warriors and accompany me with some tools to the patio outside my house.

As I plan to create one of these igloos to test their insulation and their ability to withstand the brunt of cold weather. “

Gisli took one look at the drawings and nodding, headed towards the construction area to look for the warriors and tools Einar had asked for.

Later, when the warriors and Gisli arrived, Einar pointed to a large mound of snow.

“I want you to start making snow squares like I’m going to show you.

Gisli, do you see the wooden stick that is buried in the snow and that has the lasso?

Use it to mark a circle, as this is the shape of the igloo. “

After saying those words, Einar walked towards the snow mound and using a shovel began to compress the snow as best he could.

Later, using a sword, begin to create a square with the snow, which looked like an elongated brick.

“Use this square of snow that I just made as a guide, to create the other squares.

Remember that they must maintain the same thickness, but the most important thing is that they have to pack the snow.

Otherwise, the square they make will likely fall apart. If you have any doubts I will be close by, since I have to make the centerpiece of the vault. “

The warriors readied their shovels and swords to later head to the snow mound and start making squares.

Einar for his part and using the square he had made as a reference, made a small hole in the snow with a square shape which he covered using a skin.

To later fill it with water, waiting for it to become a piece of ice.

Helmi and Kassia who was sitting looked curiously at what Einar and his companions were doing.

“A house made of snow. You don’t find everything Einar can do fascinating, Kassia.”

Kassia who was resting her hand on the table while holding her delicate chin looked fondly at Einar.

“You know how many times Einar has accomplished the impossible, I think there are few things he cannot do.

But even if he couldn’t do it, I’m sure it is because he doesn’t have the tools or technology to do it. “

While the two women were to talk about her husband.

Einar arranged the snow squares around the circle Gisli had drawn.

When he had a circle made entirely of snow squares, Einar used his sword to diagonally cut half the circle from the blocks.

Leaving, as a result, a kind of slide which leveled off naturally.

This was done with the intention that when the other snow frames were accommodated, they would not lean, thus avoiding the use of supports.

Another thing he also did was create a small entrance the size of two squares, which would be wide enough that a person could enter and exit without any problem.

As the blocks were placed, Einar used a shovel to excavate under the entrance, with the intention that the bottom of the igloo will function as a natural temperature regulator.

Since the cold air will remain at the bottom while the warm air will rise up the walls of the Igloo, leaving half the room with a warm temperature.

After making the shape of the Igloo, Einar used the block of ice that he had prepared as an architectural key. In this way, the Igloo would support itself, with the advantage of having a natural skylight.

Already as the last step in the Igloo’s construction, Einar took it upon himself to make the entrance of the Igloo have a barrel vault shape.

At the end of the construction that took almost three hours, Einar with his hands on his hips looked with pride at what they had built “Gisli go with any of the warriors to the great hall to bring my father and Eskol.

You should come to see this construction, by the way, if Seren and my father-in-law are available also invite them to come “

Gisli took one of the warriors and headed towards the center of the village, Einar in turn walked towards where Kassia and Helmi were.

“Beautiful women would be so kind to accompany me to see what an igloo looks like inside.”

Einar said who stretched out his two hands. The two women accepted Einar’s invitation and took his hands.

Upon reaching the igloo, Kassia reached out her hand and very carefully touched the snow squares that formed it, Helmi for her part showed more curiosity about the barrel-vaulted entrance.

“The advantage of the igloo is that we only take up snow, so we don’t need to use wood or building materials.

This will allow them to function as small shelters when we investigate the ice desert that is in the center of the island, they can also function as a refuge when we make an expedition to the north.

But I think it’s enough to talk, join me to see how beautiful it looks inside. “

Einar entered with Helmi and Kassia to the beautiful interior of the igloo which was very well lit due to the skylight made with the ice chunk. This allowed them to see the delicate and semi-transparent white walls.

Something they realized was that inside the igloo, the higher the heat was, it was more and more; it was as if they had a small fire nearby.

“The igloos can be made a little bigger, it’s just that you can’t place a fire inside them, but you can use a small fire to heat simple meals.

There is no danger of the igloo melting or falling on top of us since all the snow is recovering due to the cold outside, it is just that perhaps I made a mistake when placing the piece of ice as it swallows light and a key piece that holds the igloo.

Because the ice quite possibly ends up melting because it’s not cold enough outside to stay solid. “

Helmi who had already settled on the small ice table that served as a bed caressed her stomach “I think the children would like to play in these igloos in winter, they may be a little small but I think this will benefit our tribe for generations. “