bade
each other farewell, and Olaf left her there, and went down to the
shore where his sheep lay. Thorbiorn and Vakr had just landed, and
they greeted each other, and Olaf asked them their errand. "We go to
my mother," said Vakr.

"Let us go together," replied Olaf, "for my way is the same in part.
But I am sorry that I must needs drive my sheep home, for Icefirth
sheep-drovers will become proud if a great man like thee should join
the trade, Thorbiorn."

"Nay, I do not mind that," said Thorbiorn; so they all went on
together; and as he went Olaf caught up a crooked cudgel with which to
herd his sheep; he noticed, too, that Thorbiorn and Vakr kept trying
to lag behind him, and he took care that they all walked abreast.

The Combat

When the three came near the house of Thordis, Vakr's mother, where
the ways divided, Thorbiorn said: "Now, nephew Vakr, we need no longer
delay what we would do." And then Olaf knew that he had fallen into
their snare. He ran up a bank beside the road, and the two set on him
from below, and he defended himself at first manfully with the crooked
cudgel; but Thorbiorn's sword Warflame sliced this like a stalk of
flax, and Olaf had to betake himself to his axe, and the fight went on
for long.

A New Enemy Comes

The noise of the fray reached the ears of Thordis, Vakr's mother, in
her house, so that she sent a boy to learn the cause, and when he told
her that Olaf Howardson was fighting against Thorbiorn and Vakr she
bade her second son go to the help of his kinsfolk.

"I will not go," said he. "I would rather fight for Olaf than for
them. It is a shame for two to set on one man, and they such great
champions too. I will not be the third; I will not go."

"Now I know that thou art a coward," sneered his mother. "Daughter,
not son, thou art, too timid to help thy kinsfolk. I will show thee
that I am a braver daughter than thou a son!"

Olaf's Death

By these words Thordis so enraged her son that he seized his axe and
rushed from the house down the hill towards Olaf, who could not see
the new-comer, because he stood with his back to the house. Coming
close to Olaf, the new assailant drove the axe in deep between his
shoulders, and when Olaf felt the blow he turned and with a mighty
stroke slew his last enemy. Thereupon Thorbiorn thrust Olaf through
with the sword Warflame, and he died. Then Thorbiorn took Olaf's
teeth, which he smote from his jaw, wrapped them in a cloth, and