of the story familiar to Saxo, though it is not probable; but the point
here is, that he is not following this version when he represents Bjarki
as having slain an animal for which he has presumably (though the
_rímur_ do not make the matter clear) gone on a hunt.

The author was under no more obligation than Saxo was, to say that
Bjarki and Hjalti went out secretly, and the idea is not contained in
Saxo's account. But the author of the _rímur_, observing what pains the
author of the saga took to motivate the going out secretly, felt that
this feature of the story was so important that it must be retained, and
so he retained it without motivation.

In Saxo, Hjalti shows no fear when the bear is met, and he does not
refuse to drink the animal's blood. But in the _rímur_ there is the same
kind of fear as in the saga. In the saga, however, the author has found
an excellent setting for Hjalti's fear; it is beyond improvement; while
the ferocity of the man-eating wolf, in the _rímur_, is stretched to the
utmost limit, in order to preserve the spirit of the heroic.
Furthermore, when Hjalti had drunk of the blood of the wolf, he had
courage "enough for fighting with one man." How did the author know that
he had just courage "enough for fighting with one man"? According to the
next statement, namely "his courage increased, his strength waxed, he
became very strong, mighty as a troll, all his clothes burst open," he
seemed, in fact, to have gained strength enough for fighting with
several men. Again, "he was equal to Bothvar in courage." How did the
author know it? He knew it from the version of the story in the saga,
where it is said that Hjalti had wrestled long with Bothvar, and, thus
having tried his strength on Bothvar, told him, "nor shall I be afraid
of you henceforth." The saga does not say that Hjalti had courage
"enough for fighting with one man" or "he was equal to Bothvar in