A FIGHT FOR I MAIDEN. 57 J 



bent. I deserve this better than the Berserk, who has only done 

 evil in your realm and those of other kings.' The king thought 

 it over with double care, and it seemed to him a perplexing 

 matter that these two chiefs should strive so hard for his 

 daughter. He answered that either of them was so great and 

 high-born that he would refuse her to neither; he asked her to 

 choose which of them she liked to marry. She said that if her 

 father wanted her to marrv she would marry the man of whom 



v / 



she knew good, and not the one of whom she knew only evil, 

 as she had heard of the sons of Arngrirn. When Hjorvard 

 heard her words he challenged Hjalmar to single fight south 

 in Samsey ; he said he should be called it itliimj (coward) by 

 every man if he married the maiden without accepting tin- 

 challenge. Hjalmar said he was quite ready, and the time of 

 the fight was at once appointed. The sons of Avngrim \\ent 

 home, and told their father the result of their errand, and 

 of the challenge to the fight. Arngrim answered : ' Never 

 have I been anxious about your journey before now, but no- 

 where know I of any match for Hjalmar in bravery and 

 daring, or for the champion that follows him (Orvar Odd), 

 who is only second to him in strength and valour.' They 

 talked no more about it. Bjartmar, a jarl, ruled Aldeigju- 

 burgh, a very powerful and famous warrior ; he was a great 

 friend of the sons of Arngrim, and they always had peace-land 

 there. The brothers went to Bjartmar jarl, who at once made 

 a great feast for them; at this Angantyr asked in marriage 

 the jaii's daughter Svafa, and readily won her. The feast was 

 made a wedding feast, which lasted half a month. 



" When the feast was over the sons of Arngrim prepared for 

 their journey to Samsey. The last night before they left, 

 Angantyr had a dream, which he told to the jarl : 'It seemed 

 to me we brothers were in Samsey, and found many birds there, 

 and killed them all. Then we went to the other side of the 

 island, and two eagles flew against us. I had a hard fight 

 against one of them, and at last we both sat down. The other 

 eaglo fought against my brothers, and overcame them all.' 

 The jarl answered : ' Such a dream needs no unravelling. The 

 fall of some men is shown to you by this, and I think it con- 

 cerns you.' They said they would not fear that, The jarl 

 added : 'All men go when death calls upon them.' They 

 spoke no more. When the feast was over the brothers went 

 home, and Svafa remained with the jarl. They made them- 

 selves ready for the fight, and their lather followed them to 

 their ship, and gave good armour to them all. 'I think,' said 

 he, ' there is need of good weapons now, for you fight against 

 the most valiant champions.' Then they parted, and he bade 



