thine,
But atonement to the mother,
Snake-land's stem (3) and thee were base;
He that hoardeth ocean's fire (4)
Hearing this will leave his home;
Wound of weapon us hath smitten,
Worse the lot of those that wait!"

After that they all ran out of the sheepcote, but Rodny went
indoors with Njal, and was there the rest of the night.

ENDNOTES:

(1) Mideven, six o'clock p.m.
(2) "Warrior's temper," the temper of Hauskuld of Whiteness.
(3) "Snake-land's stem," a periphrasis for woman, Rodny.
(4) "He that hoardeth ocean's fire," a periphrasis for man,
Hauskuld of Whiteness.

104. THE SLAYING OF LYTING'S BROTHERS

Now we must speak of Skarphedinn and his brothers, how they bend
their course up to Rangriver. Then Skarphedinn said, "Stand we
here and listen, and let us go stilly, for I hear the voices of
men up along the river's bank. But will ye, Helgi and Grim, deal
with Lyting single-handed, or with both his brothers?"

They said they would sooner deal with Lyting alone.

"Still," says Skarphedinn, "there is more game in him, and
methinks it were ill if he gets away, but I trust myself best for
not letting him escape."

"We will take such steps," says Helgi, "if we get a chance at
him, that he shall not slip through our fingers."

Then they went thitherward, where they heard the voices of men,
and see where Lyting and his brothers are by a stream.

Skarphedinn leaps over the stream at once, and alights on the
sandy brink on the other side. There upon it stands Hallgrim and
his brother. Skarphedinn smites at Hallgrim's thigh, so that he
cut the leg clean off, but he grasps Hallstein with his left
hand. Lyting thrust at Skarphedinn, but Helgi came up then and
threw his shield before the spear, and caught the blow on it.
Lyting took up a stone and hurled it at Skarphedinn, and he lost
his hold on Hallstein. Hallstein sprang up the sandy bank, but
could get up it in no other way than by crawling on his hands and
knees. Skarphedinn made a side blow at him with his axe, "the
ogress of war," and hews asunder his backbone. Now Lyting turns
and flies, but Helgi and Grim both went after him, and each gave
him a wound, but still Lyting got across the river away from
them, and so to the horses, and gallops till he comes to Ossaby.

Hauskuld was at home, and meets him at once. Lyting told him of
these deeds.

"Such things were to be looked for by thee," says Hauskul