It will be noticed that the ballad differs in many points from the _Saga of Hervˆr and Heithrek_. In the first place, according to the ballad, it is Arngrim and not Angantyr who is buried with the sword Tyrfing[5]. Secondly, Hervik (the Hervˆr of the Saga) is described as a daughter of Arngrim and a sister of Angantyr. Hjalmar also is a brother of Hervik and of Angantyr according to the ballad, and actually accompanies Hervik on her quest of the sword Tyrfing, which according to the ballad took place _before_ the fight on Sams¯. Finally, Arngrim is said to have been killed by ÷rvarodd, and Hervik accordingly kills ÷rvarodd in retaliation. Another 'Young Odd' appears later as Hjalmar's companion in the true place of ÷rvarodd. Thus we see that, as commonly happens in popular poetry, complex situations have become simplified, and, where simplification has not taken place, the people and events have become confused[6]. Both in the shorter Faroese ballad of _Hjalmar and Angantyr_, and in the Danish ballad of _Angelfyr and Helmer the_ _Warrior_, the simplification has proceeded even farther, and a still more striking instance of rigorous simplification is to be found in the _Ballad of Nornagest_. No _RÌmur_ dealing with Arngrim's Sons have been published, and I have not been able to ascertain whether any exist, though a passing mention is made of them in verse 74 of the satirical poem _SkÌtharÌma_[7], probably composed in the fifteenth century by Einar or Sigurur FÛstri. _A priori_ it would seem probable that the ballads are derived from compositions of this kind rather than from the Saga direct. But it would be unwise to hazard even a guess as to the balance of probability without detailed knowledge of the relative circulation, distribution and popularity of the Sagas and the RÌmur respectively. The air to which the following ballad is sung on the Faroes has been transcribed and printed by Thuren in _Folkesangen paa FÊr¯erne_, pp. 132, 133. [Footnote 1: Cf. also the introduction of ÷rvar-Odd in v. 29 of Hammershaimb's version (_Antiq. TÌdss._, 1849-51, pp. 61-74); also vv. 28, 33, 58.] [Footnote 2: Cf. _Antiq. TÌdss._, 1849-1851, p. 28.] [Footnote 3: _Ib._, p. 58.] [Footnote 4: Copenhagen, 1855.] [Footnote 5: So Svabo's version; the Sand¯ version of Hammershaimb's first edition, however, preserves Angantyr here.] [Footnote 6: A still more striking instance of the latter development will be found in the _G·tu RÌma_ (see p. 213 f. below) especially v. 22.] [Footnote 7: _Carmina Scaldica_ (_a selection of Norwegian and Icelandic Scaldic poetry_) by Finnur JÛnsson, Copenhagen, 1913.] _The Ballad of Arngrim's Sons_ [Illustration] [Music: dotted-quarter note = 116 SANDOY.] [Lyric: ArngrÌmur | eigir | eina | borg, hon | stendur · | hˆgum | fjalli, :|| ellivu | eigir hann | synir | sÊr og | tÛlvti er | riddarin | snjalli.