The fact that dogs are here said to be killed, but not in the saga, need
hardly be mentioned. The idea of dogs is easily associated with that of
cattle, especially when, as here, the dogs are "herdsmen's dogs."

Again, we notice the statement in the _rímur_ that "Hrolf tossed to
Hjalti his sword." Has he been informed since the slaying of the wolf,
that Hjalti is now a courageous man? Perhaps; but nothing is said about
it in the _rímur_. Since Bjarki took pains to go on the wolf hunt
secretly, and since we are not informed that what occurred on that hunt
has become known or that it has become known that Hjalti is now a
courageous man, the presumption is that the king does not know it, and
we are surprised at his unmotivated action in treating Hjalti in this
unexpected manner. And if Hjalti is now known to be such a hero that
Hrolf feels warranted in placing reliance on him to the extent that he
tosses him his sword at this critical juncture, why has Hjalti taken
part in the hunt with "nothing in his hands"? In the saga it is not said
that Hjalti has nothing in his hands; his motive in asking for the
king's sword has no connection with whether he has anything in his hands
or not.[116] But the author of the _rímur_, having apparently missed the
point in the saga, assumes that, when Hjalti asks for the king's sword,
it is because he has no weapon of his own. Hence, without realizing,
apparently, the anomalous situation in which he places Hjalti, who is
now strong and courageous, he represents him as taking part in the bear
hunt empty-handed, though there is no indication that Hjalti thinks that
he can cope with the animal without a weapon.

In the _Hrólfssaga_, it is said that Bjarki killed a dragon by plunging
his sword under its shoulder. In the _rímur_, it is said that Hjalti
killed a bear by plunging his sword into its right shoulder. This is