“Have you, Ketil and Ivar, taken heed of the Holmganga law which I have just recited to you?” asked Sigurd in conclusion.
“Thou hast recited well and correctly the laws of the Holmganga, Sigurd,” replied Ivar.
As customary in the Holmganga, one man held the shield before each of the combatants. The one who received most wounds was to pay an indemnity for being released from the fight, for it was the law of the Holmganga that if he who challenged another man, in order to get something, gained the victory, he should have the prize for which he had challenged; if he was defeated, he should release himself with as much property as had been agreed upon; if he fell, he should forfeit all his property, and he who killed him was to take all the inheritance.
It was the custom of duelists not to draw their swords on the place of the Holmganga, but let the sword hang on the arm, so that it should be ready at once, when wanted. At the outset Ketil said to Ivar: “It seems to me that the sword that thou carriest is longer than the laws of the Holmganga allow.”
“Thou canst measure my sword,” replied Ivar, “and thou wilt find that it is of the proper length, and according to the regulation.”
Then Ivar said to Hjalmar: “Foster-brother, thou must hold the shield before me.”
Hjalmar replied: “I have done that for no one before, my beloved foster-brother. Rather ask me to go into Holmganga against Ketil, for I am afraid thou riskest too much. I do not want to part from thee, and hope the Nornir have fated us to die the same day.”
Ivar thanked his foster-brother, but said that what he asked could not be granted.
Hjalmar answered: “In case of thy death, none of us would go back unless thou art avenged, for we foster-brothers have sworn to avenge each other’s death.”
Then he advanced towards Ivar, and took the three shields that he was to hold before him, and handed two of them to Sigurd and Sigmund; then he said to Ivar: “Foster-brother, let us hope that victory will be thine; but thou hast to fight against one of the greatest champions of our land, a man very skilled in the handling of the sword and of the sax.”