DUEL OF HJALMAR AND ANGANTYR. 573 



" Odd answered : 



" ' To these words Will to-night 



I will answer give ; Lodge with Odin, 



The twelve Berserks But we two live.' 



" They saw that Angantyr had Tyrfing in his hand, for it 

 glittered like a sunbeam. Hjalniar asked : ' Which wilt thou 

 fight against, Angantyr alone or his eleven brothers ? " Odd 

 answered : ' I will fight Angantyr ; he will give hard blows 

 with Tyrfing, and I trust rny shirt better than my brynja for 

 shelter.' Hjalmar said : ' Have we been in any battle where 

 thou wert in front of me ; thou wishest to fight Angantyr 

 because it seems to thee a greater feat ; now, I am the principal 

 in this duel, and also heir of the kingdom. Therefore I must 

 have my will ; it would be far from my promise to the king's 

 daughter in Sweden, to let thee or another go to this single 

 fight instead of me, and I will fight Angantyr. Odd said he 

 chose the worse alternative, but Hjalmar had his will. He 

 drew his sword and walked towards Augantyr ; one pointed to 

 the other, the way to Valholl. Angantyr said : ' If any one 

 of us escapes hence no one shall take another's weapons ; I 

 want to have Tyrfing in my mound if I die ; Odd shall have 

 his shirt and Hjalmar his weapons ; those who live shall make 

 mounds over the other.' Then Hjalmar and Angantyr went 

 against each other, and fought with the greatest violence; 

 there was no need to urge on to attack or defence. They 

 struck hard and often, and sank into the ground up to their 

 knees. It was like a burning flame when the steels met ; 

 neither heeded anything except to strike as often as possible, 

 and the ground shook on account of their fight as if it were 

 trembling. They fought till their armour began to be cut 

 through ; then each gave the other many and large wounds. 

 Their breath came forth from their nostrils and mouths so that 

 they were like burning stoves. Odd said afterwards a more 

 warrior-like fight or finer weapons than in that single fight 

 would never be seen ; it is also told in tales far and wide that 

 few more famous or brave men have been found. 



" When Odd and the others had looked on for a long time, 

 they went to another place and made ready for fight. Odd 

 said to the Berserks : ' I suppose you want to follow the custom 

 of warriors, and not that of thralls ; one of you, and no more, 

 shall fight me at a time, if your courage fails not.' They con- 

 sented. Then Hjorvard came forward. Odd went against 

 him. Odd's sword was so good that it cut steel as if it were 

 cloth. They began their fight with great blows, and before 

 long Hjorvard sank dead to the ground. When the others 



