the king's best warriors it is still a question as to how strong and brave Hott now is. The question is answered when he is requested to admit his inferiority to the berserks; for he seizes the one who confronts him and treats him as Bjarki is treating one of the others. Thus, in the presence of King Hrolf and the court, Hott displays his superiority to the doughtiest of the king's famous warriors. Finally, poetic justice is also achieved, for the very men who had made fun of Hott and thrown bones at him are now compelled to recognize that he is the master of them all. Panzer sees a deeper meaning, than evidently is intended, in the statement that, as Bjarki was about to attack the dragon, his sword stuck fast in the scabbard.[104] There is no reason, however, for regarding it as anything more than a melodramatic incident characteristic of medieval romances. It reminds one of the following statement by Wilbur L. Cross, which, with the omission of the reference to "giants" and "Merlin," characterizes the _Hrólfssaga_ quite accurately and shows how it harmonizes with the spirit of medieval literature of its kind, "It is true that they [i.e., the Arthurian romances] sought to interest, and did interest, by a free employment of the marvellous, fierce encounters of knights, fights with giants and dragons, swords that would not out of their scabbards, and the enchantments of Merlin".[105] _The Stories in the_ BJARKARÍMUR _of Bjarki's Slaying the Wolf and Hjalti's Slaying the Bear._ But what is the relation of this story to the corresponding stories in the _Bjarkarímur_? The stories in the _rímur_ are as follows:-- "Flestir ọmuðu Hetti heldr, hann var ekki í máli sneldr, einn dag fóru þeir út af họll, svó ekki vissi hirðin ọll. Hjalti talar er felmtinn fær, 'fọrum við ekki skógi nær, hér er sú ylgr sem etr upp menn, okkr drepr hún báða senn.' Ylgrin hljóp úr einum runn, ógurlig með gapanda munn, họrmuligt varð Hjalta viðr, á honum skalf bæði leggr og liðr. Ótæpt Bjarki að henni gengr, ekki dvelr hann við það lengr, họggur svó að í hamri stód, hljóp úr henni ferligt blóð. 'Kjóstu Hjalti um kosti tvó, kappinn Bọðvar talaði svó, drekk nú blóð eða drep eg þig hér, dugrinn líz mér engi í þér.' Ansar Hjalti af ærnum móð, 'ekki þori eg að drekka blóð, nýtir flest ef nauðigr skal, nú er ekki á betra val.' Hjalti gjọrir sem Bọðvar biðr, að blóði frá eg hann lagðist niðr, drekkur síðan drykki þrjá, duga mun honum við einn að rjá. Hugrinn óx en miklast máttr, minst var honum í litlu dráttr, raunmjọg sterkr og ramr sem trọll, rifnuðu af honum klæðin ọll. Svó er hann orðinn harðr i hug, hann hræðist ekki járna flug, burtu er nú bleyðinafn, Bọðvari var hann að hreysti jafn." (IV, 58-66). "Hann hefr fengið hjartað snjalt af họrðum móði, fekk hann huginn og aflið alt af ylgjar blóði.