ff--such a strong nature has that bill in it."

Then Gunnar sang a song--

Soon shall I that spearhead seize,
And the bold sea-rover slay,
Him whose blows on headpiece ring,
Heaper up of piles of dead.
Then on Endil's courser[17] bounding,
O'er the sea-depths I will ride,
While the wretch who spells abuseth,
Life shall lose in Sigar's storm.[18]

"Kolskegg has a short sword; that is also the best of weapons. Force,
too, they have--a third more than ye. They have also much goods, and
have stowed them away on land, and I know clearly where they are. But
they have sent a spy-ship off the ness, and they know all about you. Now
they are getting themselves ready as fast as they can; and as soon as
they are 'boun,' they mean to run out against you. Now you have either
to row away at once, or to busk yourselves as quickly as ye can; but if
ye win the day, then I will lead you to all their store of goods."

Gunnar gave him a golden finger-ring, and went afterwards to his men and
told them that war-ships lay on the other side of the ness, "and they
know all about us; so let us take to our arms, and busk us well, for now
there is gain to be got".

Then they busked them; and just when they were boun they see ships
coming up to them. And now a fight sprung up between them, and they
fought long, and many men fell. Gunnar slew many a man. Hallgrim and his
men leapt on board Gunnar's ship, Gunnar turns to meet him, and Hallgrim
thrust at him with his bill. There was a boom athwart the ship, and
Gunnar leapt nimbly back over it, Gunnar's shield was just before the
boom, and Hallgrim thrust his bill into it, and through it, and so on
into the boom. Gunnar cut at Hallgrim's arm hard, and lamed the forearm,
but the sword would not bite. Then down fell the bill, and Gunnar seized
the bill, and thrust Hallgrim through, and then sang a song--

Slain is he who spoiled the people,
Lashing them with flashing steel:
Heard have I how Hallgrim's magic
Helm-rod forged in foreign land;
All men know, of heart-strings doughty,
How this bill hath come to me,
Deft in fight, the wolf's dear feeder.
Death alone us two shall part.

And that vow Gunnar kept, in that he bore the bill while he lived. Those
namesakes [the two Kolskeggs] fought together, and it was a near thing
which would get the better of it. Then Gunnar came up, and gave the
other Kolskegg his death-blow. After that the sea-rovers begged for
mercy