After that men took their stand on board each ship; "but my ship," says Atli, "shall be in the midst of the fleet".
Meantime Hrut's ships ran on, and as soon as either side could hear the other's hail, Atli stood up and said—
"Ye fare unwarily. Saw ye not that war-ships were in the Sound? But what's the name of your chief?"
Hrut tells his name.
"Whose man art thou?" says Atli.
"One of king Harold Grayfell's body-guard."
Atli said, "'Tis long since any love was lost between us, father and son, and your Norway kings".
"Worse luck for thee," says Hrut.
"Well," says Atli, "the upshot of our meeting will be, that thou shalt not be left alive to tell the tale;" and with that he caught up a spear and hurled it at Hrut's ship, and the man who stood before it got his death. After that the battle began, and they were slow in boarding Hrut's ship. Wolf, he went well forward, and with him it was now cut, now thrust. Atli's bowman's name was Asolf; he sprung up on Hrut's ship, and was four men's death before Hrut was ware of him; then he turned against him, and when they met, Asolf thrust at and through Hrut's shield, but Hrut cut once at Asolf, and that was his death-blow. Wolf the Unwashed saw that stroke, and called out—
"Truth to say, Hrut, thou dealest big blows, but thou'st much to thank Gunnhillda for."