THE SCENE: Despite all odd, the sworn brothers Hrolf and Stefnir go up against a gang of berserkers… and emerge victorious.
THE TEXT: Hrolf had advanced into King Eirik’s ranks with Stefnir at his side, and they’d done a great deal of damage. Then they saw how strongly the berserks were surging forward, so back they turned to confront them. When they met, neither side could have asked for strokes any mightier than those given. Hrolf struck at Orn, but as he tried to ward off the blow with his shield, the sword sliced through, and the point ripped open the whole of his belly so that his guts poured out. Next Hrolf ran Herkir through and cut both legs off Lifolf. Stefnir stabbed at Ulf with a spear; and, as Ulf thrust his shield against it, the spear pierced right through into his thigh, wounding him badly. Ulf cut the spearhead off the shaft. Har pounced on Hrolf and struck him on the helm with a nail-studded club, knocking him almost unconscious: yet still Hrolf managed to turn on Ulf and thrust at him with the sword. The mailcoat failed, and the sword went right through him. Lodmund lunged at Stefnir and hit him in the calf, pierced it through. Just at that moment, Hrolf came up and, making a two-handed stroke at Lodmun’s head, sliced him through, so that the sword stuck in the ground. Then Sorli and Tjorfi set on Hrolf, and Har let fly at his back with the club.
That would have been his death had the cloak and armour not protected him; even so, he was still beaten down on both knees. He sprang to his feet quickly and struck at Har, slicing through his left at the knee. Hrolf took a swing with the sword at Tjorfi’s side and cut him clean through at the waist. After that Sorli tried to make off. Har had got up onto one leg and begun hitting out with the club at anything near him. He had killed eleven men before Stefnir dealt him his deathblow, and there, with all honour, his life came to an end.
– Gongu-Hrolf’s Saga, 14th Century
