"The king asked in the morning whether they knew anything of the beast; whether it had showed itself anywhere in the night; they told him the cattle were all safe and sound in the folds. The king bade his men see if they couldn't find any indication that it had come thither. The warders obeyed, came quickly back again and told the king that the beast was advancing rapidly to attack the town (borginn). The king bade his men be courageous, [and said] each one should help, according as he had courage for it, and proceed against this monster. It was done as the king commanded; they made themselves ready for it. The king looked at the beast and said, 'I don't see that the beast moves; but who will undertake the task and attack it?' Bothvar answered, 'A brave man might be able to satisfy his curiosity about this! (þat væri næsta hrausts manns forvitnisbót.) Comrade Hott, destroy this evil talk about you,--men say that there is neither strength nor courage in you; go up and kill the beast!--you see nobody else wants to.' 'Yes,' said Hott,'I will undertake it.' The king said. 'I don't know whence this courage has come to you, Hott, you have changed marvellously in a short time.' Hott said, 'Give me your sword Gullinhjalti, which you are bearing, and I will kill the beast or die in the attempt.' King Hrolf said, 'This sword can only be borne by a man who is both brave and daring.' Hott answered, 'You shall be convinced that I am such a man.' The king said, 'Who knows whether your character hasn't changed more than appearances show? Take the sword and may you have good fortune!' Then Hott attacked the beast and struck at it as soon as he was near enough so that he could hit it, and the beast fell down dead. Bothvar said, 'Look, lord, what he has done!' The king replied, 'Truly he has changed much, but Hott alone didn't kill the beast, you were the man who did it.' Bothvar said, 'It may be so.' The king said, 'I knew as soon as you came here that only few men could compare with you, but this seems to me your most illustrious deed, that you have made a warrior out of Hott, who appeared little born to great good fortune. And now I wish him called Hott no longer, he shall from this day be named Hjalti,--thou shalt be called after the sword Gullinhjalti.'"--P. M. L. A., XXIV, pp. 226-27.] [Footnote 52: _Ark._, XIX, pp. 207-08.] [Footnote 53: See p. 7.] [Footnote 54: _Gratis_., p. 92.] [Footnote 55: _Sc. Folkl._., p. 65.] [Footnote 56: _Sc. Folkl._., p. 66.] [Footnote 57: _Sc. Folkl._., p. 108.] [Footnote 58: _Sagn._, p. 34.] [Footnote 59: _Event. Sagn._., p. 10.] [Footnote 60: _Event. Sagn._., pp. 52-53.] [Footnote 61: "Ebbe svarede, at trolde kæmpede ved nar."--_Helt._., I, p. 126. The sunlight is represented as being invariably fatal to trolls.]