at him with his hand-axe, but he
threw his axe in the way, and the blow fell on the haft with a
downward stroke and bit into it about the breadth of two fingers.
Thiostolf cut at him at once with his axe, and smote him on the
shoulder, and the stroke hewed asunder the shoulderbone and
collarbone, and the wound bled inwards. Glum grasped at
Thiostolf with his left hand so fast, that he fell; but Glum
could not hold him, for death came over him. Then Thiostolf
covered his body with stones, and took off his gold ring. Then
he went straight to Varmalek. Hallgerda was sitting out of
doors, and saw that his axe was bloody. He said, "I know not
what thou wilt think of it, but I tell thee Glum is slain."

"That must be thy deed," she says.

"So it is," he says.

She laughed and said, "Thou dost not stand for nothing in this
sport."

"What thinkest thou is best to be done now?" he asked.

"Go to Hrut, my father's brother," she said, "and let him see
about thee."

"I do not know," says Thiostolf, "whether this is good advice;
but still I will take thy counsel in this matter."

So he took his horse, and rode west to Hrutstede that night. He
binds his horse at the back of the house, and then goes round to
the door, and gives a great knock. After that he walks round the
house, north about. It happened that Hrut was awake. He sprang
up at once, and put on his jerkin and pulled on his shoes. Then
he took up his sword, and wrapped a cloak about his left arm, up
as far as the elbow. Men woke up just as he went out; there he
saw a tall stout man at the back of the house, and knew it was
Thiostolf. Hrut asked him what news?

"I tell thee Glum is slain." says Thiostolf.

"Who did the deed?" says Hrut.

"I slew him," says Thiostolf.

"Why rodest thou hither?" says Hrut.

"Hallgerda sent me to thee," says Thiostolf.

"Then she has no hand in this deed," says Hrut, and drew his
sword. Thiostolf saw that, and would not be behind hand, so he
cuts at Hrut at once. Hrut got out of the way of the stroke by a
quick turn, and at the same time struck the back of the axe so
smartly with a side-long blow of his left hand, that it flew out
of Thiostolf's grasp. Then Hrut made a blow with his sword in
his right hand at Thiostolf's leg, just above the knee, and cut
it almost off so that it hung by a little piece, and sprang in
upon him at the same time, and thrust him hard back. After that
he smote him on the head, and