A'/.Vr, 



111 



Kiity Hulfs Laws so named after this mighty kin" 1 , 

 him it is said : 



Of 



The valiant land-defender 

 Did not enjoy his life 

 In deeds of renown 

 As he ought to have ; 

 The king went on waifare 

 When twelve winters old; 

 He was thirty when he died. 



We had all 



A host of hawk-men ' 



Wherever the wise-minded one 



Tried his lame ; 



With grey helmets 



\Ve went through 



Nine folk-lands 



All full large. 



I saw Half hewing 



With both hands ; 



The chief had not 



A sheltering shield before him; 



No man will find, 



Though he journey widely, 



A nobler heart, 



Or a bolder one. 



Men say, 



Who do not know, 

 That Half's renown 

 Was the result of folly ; 

 The one who attributed 



Strength of folly 



To the Halogaland king 



Knows him not. 



He bade the warriors 

 Not to fear death, 

 Nor to utter 

 Words of fright ; 

 No one should 

 Follow the kin"- 



o 



Unless he followed 

 The fate of the king. 



The friends of the king 

 Must not groan 

 Though they get 

 Large wounds in battle ; 

 Nor should they let 

 Their wounds be dressed 

 Before the next day 

 At the same time. 



lie bade in the host 



Not to grieve men with fetters, 



Xor do any harm 



To a man's wife ; 



He bade that every maid 



Should be bought with mund, 



With fine gold, 



And the consent of her father. 



(Halfs Saga). 



" Many things were forbidden in their laws (Half's cham- 

 pions) so that they might become the greater champions. One 

 law was, that no one of them should have a sword longer than 

 two feet, so close was the fight to be ; they had saxes made, so that 

 their blows might be heavier. No one of them had less strength 

 than twelve average men together. They never captured 

 women or children. No one of them should dress his wounds 

 until one day had passed (from the time he got it). No man 

 of less strength or bravery than has been stated was accepted. 

 They made warfare widely about the country, and were always 

 victorious. King Half was eighteen summers on warfare, and 

 always gained the victory. It was their custom always to lie 



1 Bold as hawks. 



