with
splashes of dirt; and when he came to the spot of the battle, drew his
sword first. And when he knew that it had been blunted by the glance of
the enemy, he cast it on the ground, drew another from the sheath, with
which he attacked Grim, cutting through the meshes on the edge of his
cuirass, as well as the lower part of his shield. Grim wondered at the
deed, and said, "I cannot remember an old man who fought more keenly;"
and, instantly drawing his sword, he pierced through and shattered the
target that was opposed to his blade. But as his right arm tarried on
the stroke, Halfdan, without wavering, met and smote it swiftly with his
sword. The other, notwithstanding, clasped his sword with his left hand,
and cut through the thigh of the striker, revenging the mangling of
his own body with a slight wound. Halfdan, now conqueror, allowed the
conquered man to ransom the remnant of his life with a sum of money;
he would not be thought shamefully to rob a maimed man, who could not
fight, of the pitiful remainder of his days. By this deed he showed
himself almost as great in saving as in conquering his enemy. As a
prize for this victory he won Thorhild in marriage, and had by her a
son Asmund, from whom the kings of Norway treasure the honour of being
descended; retracing the regular succession of their line down from
Halfdan.

After this, Ebbe, a rover of common birth, was so confident of his
valour, that he was moved to aspire to a splendid marriage. He was
a suitor for Sigrid, the daughter of Yngwin, King of the Goths, and
moreover demanded half the Gothic kingdom for her dowry. Halfdan was
consulted whether the match should be entertained, and advised that
a feigned consent should be given, promising that he would baulk the
marriage. He also gave instructions that a seat should be allotted to
himself among the places of the guests at table. Yngwin approved the
advice; and Halfdan, utterly defacing the dignity of his royal presence
with an unsightly and alien disguise, and coming by night on the wedding
feast, alarmed those who met him; for they marvelled at the coming of a
man of such superhuman stature.

When Halfdan entered the palace, he looked round on all and asked, who
was he that had taken the place next to the king? Upon Ebbe replying
that the future son-in-law of the king was next to his side, Halfdan
asked him, in the most passionate language, what madness, or what
demons, had brought him to such wantonne