y write down.

But many many years must he have wandered in madness.

He told me, moreover, that he saw only before his eyes how Thora fell
from the mast; and how the flames seized her head and hair. And that he
could only think one single thought. "There are no Gods. Were there
Gods I must have slain them.

"So must I slay all human beings who believe in Gods; for blotted out
from the earth shall be the name and remembrance of the Gods."

And he could not die until he had slain the last man who still believed
in the Gods.

And thus he journeyed all about, everywhere, in his small ship; landed
in bays and upon islands, lived upon game which he hunted, or upon
domestic animals which he found in the fields, upon roots and wild
berries from the woods, upon eggs of sea-birds, and mussels from the
rocks.

And often the storm waves broke high over his boat, and shattered her
planks. But she sank not, nor was he drowned.

And one day he saw he was wholly naked, the last charred rags had
fallen from him. He was chilled, and when he met a wolf in the wood, he
ran after him so long that he overtook him, slew him with his hammer,
took off his skin, and hung it round his loins.

And thus he roamed and sailed, half naked, all about the north. And
none recognised in the maniac Berseker, Halfred Sigskald, the son of
Oski.

And he told me that when he chanced upon mankind, whither they were
many or few, he sprang upon them, and shouted to them his question.

"Are there Gods?"

And if they said "Yes," or as the most did, gave him no answer, then he
slew them all with his hammer. But if they said "No," as also many
did--for it was already rumoured throughout the whole north, that a
naked giant wandered through all lands with this question, whom the
people called "God destroyer"--or if they took to flight, then he let
them live.

And often, from dread, the peasants and the women gave him fruit,
bread, milk, and other food. Many however bound themselves in a league
to go out and slay him, as a wild beast. But they could not stand
before the fury and strength of the maniac. He killed the bold, the
timorous fled.

He slept hardly at all at night, therefore they could not surprise him
in his sleep.

Once, when he spent the night in the bam of a peasant, who had
previously renounced the Gods, with all his household, the people from
the court barricaded the straw-filled bam, and set fire to it. But
Halfred burst through the