rom the deer's horns.

"More men! more men!" cried Eric. "Here lie but four and a hundred press
behind. Now he shall win great honour who lays Brighteyes low and brings
down the helm of Skallagrim."

Again two came on, but they found no luck, for presently they also were
down upon the bodies of those who went before. Now none could be found
to come up against the pair, for they fought like Baldur and Thor, and
none could touch them, and no harness might withstand the weight of
their blows that shore through shield and helm and byrnie, deep to the
bone beneath. Then Eric and Skallagrim leaned upon their weapons and
mocked their foes, while these cursed and tore their beards with rage
and shame.

Now it is to be told that when the thrall and those with him saw Eric
and Skallagrim had escaped their rocks and spears, they took counsel,
and the end of it was that they slid down a rope to the platform that is
under the crest of the fell. Thence, though they could see nothing, they
could hear the clang of blows and the shouts of those who fought and
fell--ay! and the mocking of Eric and of Skallagrim.

"Now it goes thus," said the thrall, who was a cunning man: "Eric and
Skallagrim hold the narrow way and none can stand against them. This,
then, is my rede: that we turn the rock and take them in the back."

His fellows thought this a good saying, and one by one they stood upon
the little rock and won the narrow way. They crept along this till they
were near to Eric and Skallagrim. Now Swanhild, looking up, saw them and
started. Skallagrim noted this and glanced over his shoulder, and that
not too soon, for, as he looked, the thrall lifted sword to smite the
head of Eric.

With a shout of "Back to back!" the Baresark swung round and ere ever
the sword might fall his axe was buried deep in the thrall's breast.

"Now we must cut our path through them," said Skallagrim, "and, if it
may be, win the space that is before the cave. Keep them off in front,
and I will mind these mannikins."

Now Gizur's folk, seeing what had come about, took heart and fell upon
Eric with a rush, and those who were with the dead thrall rushed at
Skallagrim, and there began such a fight as has not been known in
Iceland. But the way was so narrow that scarce more than one man could
come to each of them at a time. And so fierce and true were the blows of
Eric and Skallagrim that of those who came on few went back. Down they
fell, and where they fel