442 SOME EXPEDITIONS AND DEEDS OF GREAT VIKINGS. 



regard to the inheritance claimed by the former ; he went 

 to his mother's father, King Humli of Himaland, who was also 

 his foster-father, and both went to war against Angantyr. 



" In the spring they (Hlod and Humli) gathered a host so 

 large that no man able to fight was left in Hiinaland. All 

 from twelve winters old up to sixty went ; the host was so 

 large that it could be numbered by thousands, and no less 

 than thousands were in the fylkings. A chief was put 

 over every thousand, and a banner over every array ; five 

 thousand were in every fylking, and thirteen hundred in every 

 thousand, and in every hundred four times forty (160) ; and 

 the fylkings were thirty-three. When this host had gathered 

 it rode to the forest called Myrkvid (the dark wood), which 

 separates Hunaland and Reidgotaland. When they came out 

 of the forest there were level plains, and the land was much 

 cultivated ; on the plains there stood a fine burgh, which 

 Hervor, the sister of Angantyr, and Hlodver and her foster- 

 father Ormar ruled. They were there to defend the land 

 against the host of the Hunar, and had many men. 



" One morning at sunrise, as Hervor stood on a tower over 

 the burgh-gate, she saw such large clouds of dust in the direc- 

 tion of the wood that the sun was hidden for a long time ; 

 then she saw so distinctly through the dust-clouds that it 

 looked as if all were gold under them, with fine and gold- 

 covered shields, gilded helmets, and white brynjas ; she saw it 

 was the Huna-host, 1 and a large mass of men. Hervor went 

 quickly down, called her horn-blower, and told him to summon 

 her men together. Then she said : ' Take your weapons and 

 make ready for battle ; and thou, Orrnar, shalt ride to the 

 Hunar, and challenge them to battle in front of the southern 

 burgh-gate.' Ormar answered : ' The Hunar have so large a 

 host that we cannot withstand it ; therefore I advise that 

 thou shalt ride to thy brother, King Angantyr, and tell him 

 how matters stand.' Hervor asked : ' Art thou afraid, Ormar, 

 to meet the Hunar ? Do as I said, and challenge them to 

 battle.' Then Ormar rode out of the town towards the Hunar ; 

 he shouted loudly, and told them to ride to the burgh and in 

 front of the southern gate. ' I challenge you to battle there ; 

 those who come first shall wait for the others.' Ormar rode 

 back to the town ; then Hervor was ready for battle, and they 



1 The numbers of the Huna-host are 

 differently given in different texts. It is 

 difficult to find the exact numbers, as 

 Latin letters are used, and sometimes forty 



and sixty (XL., LX.) seem to be con- 

 fused ; this may be due to the careless- 

 ness of the scribe. 



