430 CHAMPIONS AND BERSERKS. 



and thus win fame and renown to yourself. Now I have so 

 chosen champions that I need not depend upon you. All 

 agreed with the king's words and were fully reconciled. They 

 were then seated thus that Bodvar was most honoured. He 

 sat next to the king on the right hand; at his side sat Hjalti 

 the Bold-minded, which name the king gave him. . . . Bodvar 

 was so highly honoured by King Hrolf that he married his 

 only daughter Drifa " (Hrolf Kraki's Saga, c. 37). 



" Thereafter King Adils had his hall cleaned ; the dead men 

 were carried out, for many of Adils' men were slain and 

 wounded. He said : ' Now we will make long fires (on the 

 floor) for our friends, and treat well such men as they are. 

 Now men were put to kindle the fire. Hrolf 's champions 

 always sat with their weapons, and never let hold of them. 

 The fire was soon burning, for pitch and dry firewood was not 

 spared. King Adils seated himself and his hirdnien on the 

 one side of the fire, and Hrolf Kraki and his champions 

 opposite. They sat on long benches, and spoke very friendly 

 together. King Adils said : ' The bravery and hardihood 

 of the champions of Hrolf is not exaggerated ; you think 

 yourself better than others, and no lies have been told about 

 your strength ; now increase the fire, for I do not see distinctly 

 where the king is, and though you may be warmed somewhat 

 you will not ttee from the fire.' This was done. He wanted 

 to see where King Hrolf was, for he knew that he could not 

 stand the heat as well as the champions, and thought he would 

 get at him more easily when he knew where he was, for truly 

 he wanted to slay him. Bodvar and others saw this and 

 sheltered him from the heat as well as they could, but not in 

 the way that he could be known. As the fire advanced very 

 rapidly King Hrolf remembered the vow he had made neither 

 to flee from fire nor iron weapons ; he saw that King Adils 

 tried to burn them or let them break their vow. They saw 

 that Adils' seat had moved (of itself) to the door of the hall, and 

 also those of his men. The fire advanced fast and they saw 

 they would get burnt if they stayed. Their clothes were 

 much scorched, and they threw their shields on the fire. Bod- 

 var and Svipdag said : ' Now let us increase the fire at Adils' 

 burg (hall). Each of them took one of the men who had kept 

 up the fires and flung them into them, and said : 'Now warm 

 yourselves at it for your work and toil ; w r e have got warmth 

 enough ; now warm yourselves, as you were so busy for a while 

 to make fire for us. Hjalti took the third one and flung him 

 into it where he sat, and then he did the same with all those 

 who kept up the fires, and they were burnt to ashes, and not 

 helped, for no one dared to come so near. When they had done 



