ane of three the thane was;
War-lord of the wave-horse
Wrought for men folks' slaughter."

Meanwhile Raven and Thorkel the Black, Gunnlaug's kinsman, fought until
Thorkel fell before Raven and lost his life; and so at last all their
fellowship fell. Then they two alone fought together with fierce
onsets and mighty strokes, which they dealt each the other, falling on
furiously without stop or stay.

Gunnlaug had the sword Ethelred's-gift, and that was the best of
weapons. At last Gunnlaug dealt a mighty blow at Raven, and cut his leg
from under him; but none the more did Raven fall, but swung round up to
a tree-stem, whereat he steadied the stump.

Then said Gunnlaug, "Now thou art no more meet for battle, nor will I
fight with thee any longer, a maimed man."

Raven answered: "So it is," said he, "that my lot is now all the worser
lot, but it were well with me yet, might I but drink somewhat."

Gunnlaug said, "Bewray me not if I bring thee water in my helm."

"I will not bewray thee," said Raven. Then went Gunnlaug to a brook and
fetched water in his helm, and brought it to Raven; but Raven stretched
forth his left hand to take it, but with his right hand drave his sword
into Gunnlaug's head, and that was a mighty great wound.

Then Gunnlaug said, "Evilly hast thou beguiled me, and done traitorously
wherein I trusted thee."

Raven answers, "Thou sayest sooth, but this brought me to it, that I
begrudged thee to lie in the bosom of Helga the Fair."

Thereat they fought on, recking of nought; but the end of it was that
Gunnlaug overcame Raven, and there Raven lost his life..

Then the earl's guides came forward and bound the head-wound of
Gunnlaug, and in meanwhile, he sat and sang:--

"O thou sword-storm stirrer,
Raven, stem of battle
Famous, fared against me
Fiercely in the spear din.
Many a flight of metal
Was borne on me this morning,
By the spear-walls' builder,
Ring-bearer, on hard Dingness."

After that they buried the dead, and got Gunnlaug on to his horse
thereafter, and brought him right down to Lifangr. There he lay three
nights, and got all his rights of a priest, and died thereafter, and was
buried at the church there.

All men thought it great scathe of both of these men, Gunnlaug and
Raven, amid such deeds as they died.

CHAPTER XVII. The News of the Fight brought to Iceland.

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