battle began, but Voli was nowhere to be seen. King Olaf and King
Hadding were wounded.

Hromund had pitched his tent near the side of the lake. His brothers
armed themselves early in the morning; but Hromund said:

"I had a bad dream in the night; some misfortune is in store for us,
and I am not going into the battle today."

His brothers replied that it was disgraceful not to have the courage
to support the King's army, when he had come for that very purpose.

They went into the battle and fought bravely and all those of the army
of the Haddings who came against them fell in heaps. A witch had
come among them in the likeness of a swan. She sang and worked
such powerful spells that none of Olaf's men took heed to defend
themselves. Then she flew over the sons of Greip, singing loudly.
Her name was Kara. At that same moment Helgi the Bold encountered the
eight brothers and slew every one of them.

VII. At this point Hromund entered the battle. Helgi the Bold caught
sight of him and cried:

"Here comes the man who slew my brother Hroengvith. Now you must beware
of that sword of his which he got in the barrow.--You held aloof while
I slew your brothers."

"You need not question my courage, Helgi," replied Hromund, "for one
or other of us must fall now."

Helgi said: "Mistletoe is such a heavy weapon that you cannot use it.
I will lend you another that you can manage."

"You need not taunt me with faint-heartedness," cried Hromund.
"Remember the blow which I dealt Hroengvith, when I shattered his skull
to atoms!"

Helgi said: "You have bound a girl's garter round your hand, Hromund.
Lay aside the shield which you are carrying. It will be impossible to
wound you so long as you carry that: I am sure that you are dependent
on that girl."

Hromund could not endure these galling words, and flung down his
shield. Helgi the Bold had always been victorious, and it was by
means of magic that he had gained his success. His mistress' name was
Kara--she who was present in the form of a swan. Helgi brandished his
sword so high over his head that it chopped off the swan's leg. He
drove the sword down into the ground as far as the hilt, and said:

"My luck has fled now; and it was a bad business when I missed you."

Hromund replied: "You were very unlucky, Helgi, to be the slayer of
your own mistress, and you will have no more happiness."

Kara dropped down dead. And with the stroke that Helgi made at
Hromund, when th