so that those nearest shrunk aback. Thorgils was
standing near, and struck after him with a sword, and caught him on
the shoulder and made a great wound. Helgi turned to meet him, and had
a wood-axe in his hand, and said, "Still the old one will dare to look
at and face weapons," and therewith he flung the axe at Thorgils, and
the axe struck his foot, and a great wound that was. [Sidenote:
Helgi's death] And when Bolli saw this he leapt forward at Helgi with
Footbiter in his hand, and thrust Helgi through with it, and that was
his death-blow. Helgi's followers leapt out of the dairy forthwith,
and Hardbien with them. Thorleik Bollison turned against Eyolf, who
was a strong man. Thorleik struck him with his sword, and it caught
him on the leg above the knee and cut off his leg, and he fell to
earth dead. Hunbogi the Strong went to meet Thorgils, and dealt a blow
at him with an axe, and it struck the back of him, and cut him asunder
in the middle. Thord Cat was standing near where Hardbien leapt out,
and was going to set upon him straightway, but Bolli rushed forward
when he saw it, and bade no harm be done to Hardbien. "No man shall do
a dastard's work here, and Hardbien shall have life and limbs spared."
Helgi had another son named Skorri. He was brought up at Gugland in
Reekdale the southernmost.

CHAP. LXV

Of Gudrun's Deceit

[Sidenote: Thorgils' return] After these deeds Thorgils and his band
rode away over the neck to Reekdale, where they declared these
manslaughters on their hands. Then they rode the same way eastward as
they had ridden from the west, and did not stop their journey till
they came to Hord-Dale. They now told the tidings of what had happened
in their journey, which became most famous, for it was thought a great
deed to have felled such a hero as was Helgi. Thorgils thanked his men
well for the journey, and the sons of Bolli did the same. And now the
men part who had been in Thorgils' train; Lambi rode west to
Salmon-river-Dale, and came first to Herdholt and told his kinsmen
most carefully the tidings of what had happened in Skorradale. They
were very ill-pleased with his journey and laid heavy reproaches upon
him, saying he had shown himself much more of the stock of Thorbjorn
"Skrjup" than of that of Myrkjartan, the Irish king. Lambi was very
angry at their talk, and said they knew but little of good manners in
overwhelming him with reproaches, "for I have dragged you out of
death," s