ot
stay it. It crashes through and falls full on the golden helm, beating
Brighteyes to his knee. Now he is up again and blows fall thick and
fast. Mord is a strong man, unwearied, and skilled in war, and Eric's
arms grow faint and his strength sinks low. Mord smites again and wounds
him somewhat on the shoulder.

Eric throws aside his cloven shield and, shouting, plies Whitefire with
both arms. Mord gives before him, then rushes and smites; Eric leaps
aside. Again he rushes and lo! Brighteyes has dropped his point, and it
stands a full span through the back of Mord, and instantly that was his
bane.

Now men rush to their horses, mount in hot haste and ride away,
crying that these are trolls whom they have to do with here, not men.
Skallagrim sees, and the Baresark fit takes him sore. With axe aloft he
charges after them, screaming as he comes. There is one man, the same
whom he had wounded. He cannot mount easily, and when the Baresark comes
he still lies on the neck of his horse. The great axe wheels on high and
falls, and it is told of this stroke that it was so mighty that man and
horse sank dead beneath it, cloven through and through. Then the fit
leaves Skallagrim and he walks back, and they are alone with the dead
and dying.

Eric leans on Whitefire and speaks:

"Get thee gone, Skallagrim Lambstail!" he said; "get thee gone!"

"It shall be as thou wilt, lord," answered the Baresark; "but I have not
befriended thee so ill that thou shouldst fear for blows to come."

"I will keep no man with me who puts my word aside, Skallagrim. What did
I bid thee? Was it not that thou shouldst have done with the Baresark
ways, and where thou stoodest there thou shouldst bide? and see: thou
didst forget my word swiftly! Now get thee gone!"

"It is true, lord," he said. "He who serves must serve wholly," and
Skallagrim turned to seek his horse.

"Stay," said Eric; "thou art a gallant man and I forgive thee: but
cross my will no more. We have slain several men and Ospakar goes hence
wounded. We have got honour, and they loss and the greatest shame.
Nevertheless, ill shall come of this to me, for Ospakar has many friends
and will set a law-suit on foot against me at the Althing,[*] and thou
didst draw the first blood."

[*] The annual assembly of free men which, in Iceland,
performed the functions of a Parliament and Supreme Court of
Law.

"Would that the spear had gone more home," said Skallagrim.

"Os