386 EXERCISES IDROTTIE. 



cause these arrows to be made ; they were given to me, and I 

 have not taken any ornaments off them.' Herning shot and 

 hit the knife-handle, and split it ; the arrow point stuck in the 

 upper point of the blade. Then the king said : ' Now we will 

 shoot further.' With an angry look he laid an arrow on the 

 string, and drew the bow so as to bend its tips together. The 

 arrow flew very far, and stopped in a very slender bough. All 

 thought this a most excellent shot. Heming shot somewhat 

 farther, and the arrow went through a nut. All present won- 

 dered at this. The king said : ' Now the nut shall be taken, 

 and placed on the head of thy brother Bjorn, and there thou 

 shalt hit it. Thou shalt not shoot from a shorter distance than 

 before, and, if thou dost not hit, thou hast forfeited thy life.' 

 ' Thou canst decide over my life, but I will never shoot this 

 shot.' Bjorn answered : ' Thou must shoot rather than choose 

 death, for every man is bidden to prolong his life while he 

 may.' ' Wilt thou stand still, and not shrink, if I shoot at the 

 nut ? ' ' Certainly,' said Bjorn. ' Then the king shall stand at 

 his side,' replied Heming, ' and see if I hit the nut.' The king 

 agreed to stand at his side. He called Odd Ofeiggson, who 

 went to where Bjorn stood, and said it was a fit trial for him to 

 keep his courage there. Then Heming went to where the 

 king would have him stand, and made the sign of the cross. ' I 

 call God to witness that I make the king responsible for this, and 

 that I do not want to harm my brother.' Heming shot ; the 

 arrow went swiftly, and skipped over the crown of his head 

 and under the nut, and Bjorn was not wounded. The nut rolled 

 backwards down from his head, but the arrow went much farther. 

 When the king asked if the shot had hit the nut, Odd replied : 

 ' Better than hit, for he shot under the nut and it rolled down, 

 and he harmed not Bjorn.' ' It does not seem to me that he 

 has shot as I ordered,' added the king. They slept over night. 



" In the morning Aslak went to speak with the king, and 

 told him he had again prepared his journey if he wanted to go 

 to the mainland, but he determined to stay that day. When 

 the drinking hour was over, he called his men, and they went 

 down to the shore. The king said to Halldor Snorrason (an 

 Icelander) : ' I entrust it to thee to kill Heming while swim- 

 ming to-day.' Halldor answered: 'It would be difficult for 

 abler men than I am.' Then the king told Bodvar Eldjarnsson 

 to do it. He replied : ' Though I had all the idrottir of those 

 here present, I would not harm him in anything, but least of 

 all as I know that he surpasses me in everything.' 



" The king bade Nikulas Thorbergsson to tire out Heming 

 in swimming. Nikulas was doubtful of success, but consented 

 to try. The king told them both to swim. Heming said : 



