"You press me hard: you are indeed a brave fellow."

Hromund replied: "Stand up on your feet again without support. You are
much weaker than Mani the peasant said."

Then Thrain turned himself into a troll, and the barrow was filled
with a horrible stench: and he stuck his claws into the back of
Hromund's neck, tearing the flesh from his bones down to his loins,
saying:

"You need not complain if the game is rough and your body sore, for I
am going to tear you limb from limb."

"I cannot imagine," cried Hromund, "how such a cat has got into this
barrow!"

The ghost replied: "You must have been brought up by Gunnloeth. There
are not many like you."

"It will go ill with you," said Hromund, "if you go on scratching me
long."

They wrestled hard and long till everything round them shook. At last
Hromund tripped him and brought him down. It had become very dark by
this time.

Then said the ghost: "By guile you have overcome me and taken my
sword. It was that that brought our struggle to this issue. I have
lived in my barrow for a long time, brooding over my riches; but it is
not wise to trust too much to one's treasures, however good they may
seem. Never would I have thought that you, Mistletoe, my good sword,
would do me a hurt."

Hromund then freed himself and seized the sword, and said:

"Now tell me how many men you have slain in single combat with
Mistletoe."

"A hundred and forty four," said the ghost, "and I never got a
scratch. I tried my skill with King Seming who was in Sweden, and he
was of the opinion that it would take a long time to vanquish me."

Hromund said: "You have been a curse on men for a long time, and it
will be a good deed to kill you at once."

Then he cut off the ghost's head, and burned him to ashes on the fire;
and then he went out of the barrow. They asked him on what terms he
and Thrain had parted, and he replied that matters had gone according
to his wishes:--"For I cut off his head."

Hromund kept for himself the three treasures which he had won in the
barrow--the ring, the necklace and Mistletoe; but everyone received a
share of the money.

Then King Olaf sailed away to his kingdom in the north, and settled
down peacefully in his own country.

V. After that Hromund grew very famous. He was generous and popular.
One day he gave to a man called Hrok a ring of solid gold which
weighed an ounce. Voli got to know about that and slew Hrok by night
and stole the ring. And