424 



CHAMPIONS AND BERSERKS. 



" The Berserk Arngrim of Bolin had twelve sons ; Angantyr 

 was the oldest, the second Hervard, the third Seming, the fourth 

 Hjorvard, the fifth Brani, the sixth Brami, the seventh Barri, the 

 eighth Reytnir, the ninth Tind, the tenth Bui, the eleventh and 

 the twelfth both called Hadding. They were both together equal 

 to one of the others, but Angantyr was equal to two, and was 

 a head taller than any of them ; they were all great Berserks. 

 They went on warfare when they were quite young and 

 ravaged far and wide, but met with no equal in strength and 

 courage ; thereby they got renown and victory. The twelve 

 brothers went together on one ship with no others ; but they 

 often had more ships. Their father had taken in war the most 

 excellent weapons ; Angantyr got Tyring, Hervard Hrotti, 

 Seming Mistiltein (Mistletoe), which Thrain l afterwards took 

 out of his mound. All the brothers had excellent holmganga- 

 swords. It was their custom if they were only with their own 

 men when they found the berserks-gang (berserk-fury) 2 coming 

 over them, to go ashore and wrestle with large stones or trees, 

 otherwise they would have slain their friends in their rage. 

 Never did they engage in battle without gaining the victory ; 

 therefore great sayings were told of them. There was no king 

 who would not give them what they wanted rather than suffer 

 their overbearing. They were on warfare during the summer, 

 but during the winter they remained at home in Bolmey with 

 their father " (Hervarar Saga, c. 3). 3 



In the following Sagas we have an example of the stuff the 

 men of the North, or the Vikings, were made of. 



" When Fridthjof landed after a storm .... in the Orkneys, 

 one of the Berserks of the jarl said : ' Now we will try if it is 

 true that Fridthjof has made a vow that he will never be the 

 first to ask peace of another.' They were ten wicked and 

 greedy men, and often had berserk-rage ; when they met 

 (Fridthjof) they took their weapons. Atli (one of the Ber- 

 serks) said : ' Now it is best, Fridthjof, to look us in the face, 

 for the eagles must fight with their claws face to face, and now 

 it is best to stand by one's words, and not be the first to ask 

 for peace ' ' (Fridthjof's Saga, c. 7). 



It was believed that neither fire nor weapons could harm 



' Thrain, some unknown champion. 



2 Berserks-gang = going like a Ber- 

 serk into fits of frenzy. 



3 Ct. also Ynglinga Saga, 6 ; Njal, 104 ; 



Egil, 27, 40 ; Vatnsdaela, 46 ; Fornmanna 

 Sogur, i. 132 ; Svarfdsela, 7 ; Orvar Odd, 

 14; Droplaugar Sona Saga, 19. 



