The mead, stolen by Odin, poetry, song. See the later Edda. Footnote 339: The kinsmen of Odin are the Asar. Footnote 340: Boat of the Dvergar, the poetical mead. Footnote 341: Ymir’s blood, the sea. Egil thinks he hears the roar of the surf near the mound of the drowned son; it intensifies his sorrow. Footnote 342: House of my kinsmen, the mound where his son with other kinsmen was buried. Footnote 343: The shore bringing the bodies of the drowned. Footnote 344: As timber is the material for workmanship, so “timber of songs” means the subject from which the song is made. Footnote 345: As the leaves hang on the branches of the trees, so the words hang on the timber of song. Footnote 346: The mouth. Footnote 347: Daughter of Ægir. Footnote 348: Meaning that his kinsmen are round him like a sheltering wall. Footnote 349: I.e., he sees the seat of his son empty. Footnote 350: Björn = Thor. The women of Björn = the Troll women. Footnote 351: We see the custom of slave-women. Footnote 352: Breast, called here the burg of the mind. Footnote 353: Geirlauk. Footnote 354: Odin. Footnote 355: To be an old maid seems to have been looked upon as a curse. Footnote 356: Speech runes. Footnote 357: One of the Nornir, representing the past. Footnote 358: Husbands. Footnote 359: The gold of Fafnir’s lair. Footnote 360: The door-post. Footnote 361: Sigurd’s horse. Footnote 362: Horses. Footnote 363: Probably Sigurd’s body had been thrown into the forest after he was slain in his bed. Footnote 364: Knut Dana-ast was the brother of Harald Blue-tooth. CHAPTER XXVI. CHAMPIONS AND BERSERKS. The warrior’s aim to be a Berserk—Berserk frenzy—The twelve sons of Arngrim—They fight without coats of mail—Hrolf’s champions—Hakon Jarl’s Berserks—The life of a Berserk—Disregard for death. To be considered the foremost champion or _Kappi_ was the greatest ambition of every warrior; and to attain this proud position was no easy task among so many men who were equally brave and perfectly reckless of their lives, and thoroughly skilled in the handling of weapons. After such a reputation had been acquired, the champion had either to challenge or be challenged by those who vied with him, and these duels or trials of strength and skill generally took place before a large assembly. The aim of every champion was to become a “Berserk” (so called, probably, because they fought without serk (shirt)), who was regarded as the bravest of men. When within sight of their foe Berserks wrought themselves into such a state of frenzy, that they bit their shields and rushed forward to the attack, throwing away their arms of defence, reckless of every danger, sometimes having nothing but a club, which carried with it death and destruction.