Egil Skallagrimsson had summoned Atli before the Gulathing to get some property belonging to his wife, which he claimed that Atli had. The latter offered to prove by the oath of himself and twelve other men that he had no property belonging to Egil. But Egil said he did not want to take the oath for his property, and added:
“I will offer thee another law to settle the case with, namely, that we fight in a holmganga here at the Thing, and he who gets the victory shall have this property. What Egil said was law and an ancient custom, that every one, whether he was defendant or plaintiff, had the right to challenge the other party to holmganga. Then Atli and Egil shook hands, and settled it between themselves that they should fight a holmganga, and he who got the victory should possess those estates about which they contended. It was the custom of duellers not to draw their sword on the place of holmganga, but let the sword hang on the arm, so that it was ready at once whenever they wanted it” (Egil’s Saga, c. 57).
It seems to have been customary, after both kinds of duel, to offer sacrifice of one or two oxen, which the victor slaughtered.
“A large and old bull was led forward; it was called sacrifice-bull; he who got the victory was to kill it. Sometimes one bull was sacrificed; sometimes each of the combatants brought one” (Egil’s Saga, c. 68).
There seems to have been a peculiar kind of holmganga called Kerganga, but the regulations concerning this mode of fighting are not explained.
Thorgils, an Icelander, dwelt at Hakon jarl’s, in Norway.
“He went on a trading journey to Upplönd and Sweden and dwelt in the winter at the house of a bondi called Thrand, a wealthy man, who had a daughter, Sigrid. A man called Randvid wished to marry her; he was a wicked man, and a great champion. Thrand refused his consent to the marriage; then Randvid offered to Thrand a kind of holmganga, which is called Kerganga (tub-going). The fight takes place in a tub, which is closed above, and Thrand preferred to fight with a wooden club rather than marry his daughter to so wicked a man. Then Thorgils said to Thrand: ‘Thou hast entertained me well, and I will reward it with good, and fight against Randvid on thy behalf.’ Thrand said he would accept the offer. Thorgils used the sword from the earth-house (underground house). Randvid had a stick two feet long, and very stout. The tub was closed. Randvid asked Thorgils to deal the first blow, because he had been challenged; he did so, and hit the stick, and it split, and the sword entered the belly of Randvid. He said then: ‘Now give me the sword, but take the stick, and I will smite thee with the sword.’ ‘It seems to me,’ replied Thorgils, ‘that this is a chip, not a stick.’ Soon after Randvid died; he had trusted in his witchcraft, for he had killed many a man by this kind of holmgang. Thorgils killed two other vikings, Snœkoll and Snœlejon. Thrand rewarded him well, and he became very famous for this deed. He made ready for Iceland the next summer” (Flóamanna Saga).
A man was often forced to give up his wife when another man challenged him to holmganga, and make the wife the prize of the victor. Many a man not feeling himself able to cope with the challenger, surrendered his wife and daughters or sisters to the latter. This acquisition by holmganga was undoubtedly considered quite legal, and could not be disputed except by a fresh holmganga.
Unn, the wife of Rút, had separated from her husband, but left her property with him, and got her kinsman, Gunnar of Hlidarendi, to prosecute her case. Rút named his witnesses, and said the case was quashed. Gunnar asked:
“‘Are you so near to me you brothers, Höskuld and Rút, that you can hear my words?’ Rút answered: ‘We can hear, but what dost thou want?’ Gunnar said: ‘The men here present shall be witnesses that I challenge thee, Rút, to holmganga, and we will fight to-day on the islet here in Oxará (Axe river); or, if thou wilt not fight, thou must give up all the property.’ Then Gunnar sang a song.... Gunnar left the court with all his men, Höskuld and Rút also went home. The case was neither prosecuted nor defended thereafter. Rút said when he entered the booth: ‘It has never happened to me before, that a man has challenged me to holmganga and I have declined it.’ Höskuld said: ‘Thou intendest to fight, but thou shalt not if I have my will, for there is as much difference between thee and Gunnar as between Mörd and thee; let us rather both together pay the property to Gunnar.’ The brothers asked the bœndr how much they would contribute to it; they all answered as much as Rút wanted. Höskuld added: ‘Then let us go to the booth of Gunnar and give up the property.’ They went to the booth and called Gunnar, who went out to the door of the booth. Höskuld said: ‘Now receive the property.’ Gunnar replied: ‘Then give it up, for I am ready to receive it.’ They made over all the property completely”[[570]] (Njala, c. 24).