At Gunnarstead they found Grim looking for the stud horses. Glum
approached Grim alone.
"Take your weapons and defend yourself because; you will find that more
necessary than did your brother" said Glum
Grim and Glum fought furiously Glum was equiped with helmet and shield, with a sword at his belt and a spear in his hand. Grim caught Glums spear on his shield and twisted it so hard that it broke but then Glum sliced of Grims foot at the ankle, then Valfrif killed him with a sword thrust.
One of Gunnars shepherds saw all this and ran to tell Gunnar and Skarp-Hedin for they were the only men left at Gunnarstead for all the other men were away cutting wood. So these two prepared themselves for the worst.
Gluma and the others went then direct to Gunnarstead
Gunnar said to Skarp-Hedin "How many do you think there are?"
"They are a tightly knit force and they may be strong in numbers, but
they suspect they will have a hard time of it look how they hesitate"
said Skarp-Heddin.
"I do not think so," said Gunnar."We should all go inside for though we
are only two this house is strongly built, and they will never be able to
overcome us."
"That is the wrong way to look at it, said Skarp-Hedin "These men are not
chieftans who would rather turn back than burn a man in his house, they
will not hesitate to use fire if they cannot overcome us in any other
way. They will assume quite rightly that it will cost them their lives
should we escape, and I for one do not relish dieing like a fox in his
den".
Gunnar said "Now you will override my advice and show me disrespect my
son - and not for the first time"
"Not so," said Skarp-Hedin "I do not mind pleasing my father by dieing in
the house with him", for I am not afraid of dieing"
Then they all went inside.
Then Glum said "Now they are all doomed, for they are inside the house and we will gather in strength around the doors to make sure that not one of them escapes; for otherwise it will cost us our lives"
So Glum and all the others surrounded the house and closed in to make sure there were no other ways out
Glum and his brother and all their men approached the front and the bulls breath entered Valfrif and he rushed towards Skarp Hedin with a roar and lunged at him with a spear. Skarp-Hedin hacked the spearshaft in two and sprang at him, swinging his axe. The axe fell on Valfrif's shield and dashed it against him; the upper horn of the axe caught him full in the face, and he fell back dead.
Glum said" There is no escaping you Skarp-Hedin you are the worst of them
all"
"I dont know about that" said Skarp-Hedin, but he was seen to draw back
his lips in a grin
Gunnar and Skarp-Hedin lunged with their spears and wounded many men and
Glum and his men were kept at bay.
Hoskuld said, "We have suffered heavy losses amongst our men, several are wounded and one dead, the one we could least have wanted to lose. It is obvious that we cannot defeat them with weapons; and there are some here that are showing less fight than they should. Now we must resort to another plan. There are only two courses open to us neither is good. First we must abandon our attack, which will surely cost us our lives for Skarp-Hedin will not let this matter rest, or we must set fire to the house and burn them to death, this is a grave responsibility but it is what we must do"
Then they kindled a fire and made a great fire infront of the doors. When they did this Ketil said that it was a bad thing that they planned that he would take no further part in it and he gave the silver back to his brother but kept the sword saying "there is no use for a good weapon at this place"
Skarp-Hedin said "So you are making a fire now, lads! Are you thinking of
doing some cooking?
"Yes," said Hoskuld "and you wont need it any hotter for roasting"
"So this is you way" said Gunnar
Then Glum said to Hoskuld "I have an idea there is a loft above the crossbeams of the main room. That is where we should start the fire" Then they brought up kindling, and before those inside knew what was happening, the ceiling of the room was ablaze from end to end. Glums men also built larger fires outside the doors. At this the women began to panic.
Now the whole house began to blaze. Gunnar went to the door and said "Is
Glum near enough to hear my words"
Glum said he could hear him.
Gunnar said "Would you consider making an agreement with my son or
letting anyone leave the house"
"I will make no terms with Skarp-Hedin who killed my brother" Said Glum
"We shall settle matters here and now, for we are not leaving until you
and he are dead. But I shall allow the women and children and servants to
come out"
Gunnar went back into the house and told all those who had permission to
leave to do and all except his wife Bergthora did so.
Now the main beams fell into the house and they went to the far end of the house. One end of the crossbeam had fallen there, and it was almost burnt through in the middle. Gunnar said to Skarp-Hedin "Use that beam to jump out and I shall give you a hand that way you at least can escape, for the smoke is all drifting in this direction." Skarp-Hedin nodded "But this parting will mean we shall never see one another agin for once I jump out of the flames I shall not feel inclined to run back into the fire to youand then each of us must go our own way." But Gunnar just said "I shall laugh, son, if you escape for I know you will avenge us all however long it takes" Then Skarp-Hedin took a blazing brand and ran up the sloping cross-beam; he hurled the brand down from the wall at those who were in his way outside, and they scattered. Skarp-Hedins clothes and hair were on fire as he jumped down and ran into the thick smoke.
Glum and his men stayed with the by the blaze until broad daylight. "Is Gunnar dead yet do you think" said Hoskuld. The others said that he must have been dead for some time. The fire still burnt fitfully, flaring up and sinking down then they heard this verse being uttered somewhere down among the flames.
"Two Pillars of Gunnars house
Were not destroyed by the fire
That has devored the others
The fire that bold Glum lit
Now the wome will find it hard
To stop the cloudburst of their tears
At this outcome
Of their warriors last battle.
Hoskuld said "Do you think Gunnar said that before or after he died after which they left leaving the stead to the spirits of the dead.
3. And Ketil and his Battle Brother, Hostrum Walks To Battle who had been paid three silver ingots and the sword Heart Biter, but Ketil only kept the sword
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