568 DUELLING. 



Randvid on thy behalf.' Thrand said he would accept the offer. * 

 Thorgils used the sword from the earth-house (underground 

 house). Randvid had a stick two feet long, and very stout 

 The tub was closed. Randvid asked Thorgils to deal the 

 first blow, because he had been challenged ; he did so, and 

 hit the stick, and it split, and the sword entered the belly of 

 Randvid. He said then : ' Now give me the sword, but t^ke 

 the stick, and I will smite thee with the sword.' ' It seems 

 to me,' replied Thorgils, ' that this is a chip, not a stick.' 

 Soon after Randvid died; he had trusted in his witchcraft, 

 for he had killed many a man by this kind of holmgang. 

 Thorgils killed two other vikings, Sncekoll and Snoelejon. 

 Thrand rewarded him well, and he became very famous 

 for this deed. He made ready for Iceland the next summer " 

 (Floarnanna Saga). 



A man was often forced to give up his wife when another 

 man challenged him to holmganga, and make the wife the 

 prize of the victor. Many a man not feeling himself able to 

 cope with the challenger, surrendered his wife and daughters 

 or sisters to the latter. This acquisition by holmganga was 

 undoubtedly considered quite legal, and could not be disputed 

 except by a fresh liolmganga. 



Unn, the wife of Rut, had separated from her husband, 

 but left her property with him, and got her kinsman, 

 Gunnar of Hlidarendi, to prosecute her case. Rut named 

 his witnesses, and said the case was quashed. Gunnar asked : 



" Are you so near to me you brothers, Hoskuld and Rut, 

 that you can hear my words ? ' Rut answered : ' We can 

 hear, but what dost thou want ? ' Gunnar said : ' The men 

 here present shall be witnesses that I challenge thee, Rut, 

 to holmganga, and we will fight to-day on the islet here in 

 Oxara (Axe river) ; or, if thou wilt not fight, thou must give 

 up all the property.' Then Gunnar sang a song .... Gunnar 

 left the court with all his men, Hoskuld and Rut also went 

 home. The case was neither prosecuted nor defended there- 

 after. Riit said when he entered the booth : ' It has never 

 happened to me before, that a man lias challenged me to 

 holmganga and I have declined it.' Hoskuld said : ' Thou 

 intendest to fight, but thou shalt not if I have my will, for 

 there is as much difference between thee and Gunnar as 

 between Mord and thee ; let us rather both together pay the 

 property to Gunnar.' The brothers asked the bcendr how 

 much they would contribute to it ; they all answered as much 



