“King Hálf went up to King Asmund’s farm, where there were many men, with one-half of his men. The entertainment was good, and the drink was so strong, that Hálf’s champions fell fast asleep. King Asmund and his hird set fire to the hall. The one of Hálf’s champions who awoke first saw the hall nearly full of smoke. He called out: ‘Now it will smoke round our hawks,’ and then again lay down to sleep. Then another woke and saw the hall burning, and said: ‘Wax will now drip from our saxes,’ and then lay down. “But then King Hálf awoke, rose and roused the warriors, and told them to arm themselves. They then rushed at the walls with such strength that the joints of the timbers broke” (Half’s Saga). They were also believed to change shape, and in their greatest fury to take the outward shape of an animal[368] of great strength and ferocity. It was the aim of every great chief to gather round him the greatest champions of the land, and if he was renowned for bravery, liberality, and convivial qualities, they would come to him from even the remotest parts of the North. When a new champion came who wished to be the foremost, he asked his future companions if they objected to his becoming so among them, and if any one objected, he would at once challenge him to a holmganga to assert or prove his claim. In some cases the fame of a new-comer was so great that he was at once recognised to be foremost. Among the great champions whose fame and name were sung for generations were the champions of Hrólf Kraki and King Hálf. Hrólf’s champions flocked to him from every part of the North; among the most celebrated were Bodvar Bjarki, from Norway, and Svipdag, from Sweden. Other kings seem to have had twelve Berserks in their train. “King Hrólf made himself ready for his journey with one hundred men, besides whom he had his twelve champions and twelve Berserks. Nothing more is told of their journey before they came to a bondi” (Hrolf Kraki’s Saga, c. 39). “Haki and Hagbard were the names of two very famous brothers. They were sea-kings and had a large host; sometimes they went together, sometimes each went by himself; many champions followed each of them. King Haki went with his host to Sweden against King Hugleik, who gathered a host; two brothers, Svipdag and Geigad, both far-famed and great champions, came to help him. Haki had with him twelve champions, among whom was Starkad the old; Haki himself was a very great champion. They met on the Fýrisvellir (plain of Fýri) in a great battle; Hugleik’s men fell fast. The champions Svipdag and Geigad then made an onset, but six of Haki’s champions went against each of them and they were captured. Then Haki went into Hugleik’s shieldburg and slew him and his two sons. Thereupon the Swedes fled, and Haki conquered the land and became king over the Swedes. He stayed at home for three winters, and during that time his champions went away on viking-expeditions and thus earned property” (Ynglinga, c. 25).