Earl Sigurd had a hard battle against Kerthialfad, and Kerthialfad came on so fast that he laid low all who were in the front rank, and he broke the array of Earl Sigurd right up to his banner, and slew the banner-bearer.
Then he got another man to bear the banner, and there was again a hard fight.
Kerthialfad smote this man too his death blow at once, and so on one after the other all who stood near him.
Then Earl Sigurd called on Thorstein the son of Hall of the Side, to bear the banner, and Thorstein was just about to lift the banner, but then Asmund the white said—
"Don't bear the banner! for all they who bear it get their death."
"Hrafn the red!" called out Earl Sigurd, "bear thou the banner."
"Bear thine own devil thyself," answered Hrafn.
Then the Earl said—
"'Tis fittest that the beggar should bear the bag;" and with that he took the banner from the staff and put it under his cloak.
A little after Asmund the white was slain, and then the Earl was pierced through with a spear.