knee, severed the tendon. Down it came, still hugging Steinar. I smote
again with all my strength, and cut into its spine above the tail,
paralysing it. It was a great blow, as it need to be to cleave the thick
hair and hide, and my sword broke in the backbone, so that, like Ragnar,
now I was weaponless. The forepart of the bear rolled about in the snow,
although its after half was still.

Then once more it seemed to bethink itself of Steinar, who lay unmoving
and senseless. Stretching out a paw, it dragged him towards its champing
jaws. Ragnar leapt upon its back and struck at it with his knife,
thereby only maddening it the more. I ran in and grasped Steinar, whom
the bear was again hugging to its breast. Seeing me, it loosed Steinar,
whom I dragged away and cast behind me, but in the effort I slipped and
fell forward. The bear smote at me, and its mighty forearm--well for me
that it was not its claws--struck me upon the side of the head and sent
me crashing into a tree-top to the left. Five paces I flew before my
body touched the boughs, and there I lay quiet.

I suppose that Ragnar told me what passed after this while I was
senseless. At least, I know that the bear began to die, for my spear had
pierced some artery in its throat, and all the talk which followed, as
well as though I heard it with my ears. It roared and roared, vomiting
blood and stretching out its claws after Steinar as Ragnar dragged him
away. Then it laid its head flat upon the snow and died. Ragnar looked
at it and muttered:

"Dead!"

Then he walked to that top of the fallen tree in which I lay, and
again muttered: "Dead! Well, Valhalla holds no braver man than Olaf the