ovement he got his hook round Thorvold's
neck.

"That is an ugly grip," said Thorvold, making a fierce cut at the haft
with his sword; but Kettle pulled the hook to him, and with it came the
head, and that was Thorvold's end.

While this was going on at the right wing, the left wing was led by Ulf
of Romsdal and Glumm the Gruff; but Ulf's men were not so good as
Haldor's men, for he was not so wise a man as Haldor, and did not manage
his house so well.

It was a common saying among the people of Horlingdal that Haldor had
under him the most valiant men in Norway--and as the master was, so were
the men. Haldor never went to sea with less than a fully-manned ship of
thirty benches of rowers, and had other large vessels and men to man
them as well. One of his ships had thirty-two benches of rowers, and
could carry at least two hundred men. He had always at home on his farm
thirty slaves or thralls, besides other serving people, and about two
hundred house-carles. He used to give his thralls a certain day's work;
but after it was done he gave them leave and leisure to work in the
twilight and at night for themselves. He gave them arable land to sow
corn in, and let them apply their crops to their own use. He fixed a
certain quantity of work, by the doing of which his slaves might work
themselves free; and this put so much heart into them that many of them
worked themselves free in one year, and all who had any luck or pluck
could work themselves free in three years. Ulf did this too, but he was
not so wise nor yet so kind in his way of doing it. With the money thus
procured Haldor bought other slaves. Some of his freed people he taught
to work in the herring fishery; to others he taught some handicraft; in
short, he helped all of them to prosperity; so that many of the best of
them remained fast by their old master, although free to take service
where they chose. Thus it was that his men were better than those of
his neighbour.

Ulf's men were, nevertheless, good stout fellows, and they fought
valiantly; but it so happened that the wing of the enemy to which they
were opposed was commanded by Skarpedin, of whom it was said that he was
equal to any six men. In spite, therefore, of the courage and the
strength of Ulf and Glumm, the Northmen in that part of the field began
slowly to give back. Ulf and Glumm were so maddened at this that they
called their men cowards, and resolved to go forward till they should