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24A EELIGION OF THE NOETHMEN.
and of beautiful countenance, but not strong
neither had he at any time taken part in a fight.
When Egil saw Ljot, he sung a verse in which he
said that the battle Would not go off well for Fri6geir
; he himself would meet the terrible champion
who, biting in his shield's edge, called upon the
Gods.* Ljot saw Egil and heard iis words. 'Come
up hither to the holm, thou great man !' s^ he,
' and fight with me, if thou hast such a great desire
to do so. That will be much better than for me
to fight with FriSgeir ; for I shall not add to my
glory by laying him upon the ground.' Egil answered
in a verse that he accepted the challenge. Thereupon
Egil made ready for a holnagang with Ljot.
He had the shield which he was wont to bear, and
in his belt was the sword which he called NaSra
(Viper) ; Dragvandil—the sword he generally used
—^he had in liis hand. He went in over the marks
which bounded the place of combat ; but Ljot was
not yet ready. Egil brandished his sword and sung
a verse in which he threatened his antagonist. Then
comes Ljot forth upon the battle groimd and pro-
nounces the holmgang laws, ' that he shall forever
bear the name of Nithing who retreats beyond the
boundary stones which are set up in a ring around
the h61mgang.' Then they ran in upon each other,
and Egil hewed at Ljot, but the latter warded off
with his shield. Egil struck now one blow after an-
other, so that Ljot could not make a single stroke in
defense. He mov^d backward in order to get,
* The magic songs which were to protect the champion in battle,
were sung under the shield, by setting the mouth to its edge, perhaps
to make the sound louder, ^(( 0. Edda ; Eivam^l, ISV.
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