mund
drew his sword and cut at Skarphedinn, and the sword cuts into his
shield, so that it stuck fast. Skarphedinn gave the shield such a quick
twist, that Sigmund let go his sword. Then Skarphedinn hews at Sigmund
with his axe, the "Ogress of war". Sigmund had on a corselet, the axe
came on his shoulder. Skarphedinn cleft the shoulder-blade right
through, and at the same time pulled the axe towards him, Sigmund fell
down on both knees, but sprang up again at once.

"Thou hast lifted low to me already," says Skarphedinn, "but still thou
shalt fall upon thy mother's bosom ere we two part."

"Ill is that then," says Sigmund.

Skarphedinn gave him a blow on his helm, and after that dealt Sigmund
his death-blow.

Grim cut off Skiolld's foot at the ankle-joint, but Helgi thrust him
through with his spear, and he got his death there and then.

Skarphedinn saw Hallgerda's shepherd, just as he had hewn off Sigmund's
head; he handed the head to the shepherd, and bade him bear it to
Hallgerda, and said she would know whether that head had made jeering
songs about them, and with that he sang a song.

Here! this head shall thou, that heapest
Hoards from ocean-caverns won,[21]
Bear to Hallgerd with my greeting,
Her that hurries men to fight;
Sure am I, O firewood splitter!
That yon spendthrift knows it well,
And will answer if it ever
Uttered mocking songs on us.

The shepherd casts the head down as soon as ever they parted, for he
dared not do so while their eyes were on him. They fared along till they
met some men down by Markfleet, and told them the tidings. Skarphedinn
gave himself out as the slayer of Sigmund; and Grim and Helgi as the
slayers of Skiolld; then they fared home and told Njal the tidings. He
answers them--

"Good luck to your hands! Here no self-doom will come to pass as things
stand."

Now we must take up the story, and say that the shepherd came home to
Lithend. He told Hallgerda the tidings.

"Skarphedinn put Sigmund's head into my hands," he says, "and bade me
bring it thee; but I dared not do it, for I knew not how thou wouldst
like that."

"'Twas ill that thou didst not do that," she says; "I would have brought
it to Gunnar, and then he would have avenged his kinsman, or have to
bear every man's blame."

After that she went to Gunnar and said, "I tell thee of thy kinsman
Sigmund's slaying: Skarphedinn slew him, and wanted them to bring me the
head".

"Just what might be