Then Egil and his men rose up early in the morning and made ready; then went to meat, and ale was
given them to drink, and they sat awhile. Then they took their clothes. Egil stood up and thanked the
master and mistress of the house for their entertainment; then they went out. The master and his
mother went out into the path with them. Gyda then went to speak with her son Fridgeir, and talked
low with him, Egil standing the while and waiting for them.

Egil said to the maiden: ’Why weep you, maiden? I never see you cheerful.’

She could not answer, but wept the more. Fridgeir now said to his mother aloud: ’I will not now ask
this. They are even now ready for their journey.’

Then Gyda went to Egil and said: ’I will tell you, Egil, how things stand here with us. There is a man
named Ljot the Pale. He is a Berserk and a duellist; he is hated. He came here and asked my daughter
to wife; but we answered at once, refusing the match. Whereupon he challenged my son Fridgeir to
wager of battle; and he has to go to-morrow to this combat on the island called Vors. Now I wished,
Egil, that you should go to the combat with Fridgeir. It would soon be shown if Arinbjorn were here in
the land, that we should not endure the overbearing of such a fellow as is Ljot.’

Egil said: ’’Tis but my bounden duty, lady, for the sake of Arinbjorn thy kinsman that I go, if Fridgeir
thinks this any help to him.’

’Herein you do well,’ said Gyda. ’So we will go back into the hall, and be all together for the whole
day.’

Then Egil and the rest went into the hall and drank. They sate there for the day. But in the evening
came those friends of Fridgeir who had appointed to go with him, and there was a numerous company
for the night, and a great banquet. On the morrow Fridgeir made ready to go, and many with him, Egil
being one of the party. It was now good travelling weather. They now start, and soon come to the
island. There was a fair plain near the sea, which was to be the place of combat. The ground was
marked out by stones lying round in a ring. Soon came thither Ljot and his party. Then he made him
ready for the combat. He had shield and sword. Ljot was a man of vast size and strong. And as he
came forward on the field to the ground of combat, a fit of Berserk fury seized him; he began to
bellow hideously, and bit his shield. Fridgeir was not a tall man; he was slenderly built, comely in
face, not strong. He had not been used to combats. But when Egil saw Ljot, then he sang a stave:

’It fits not young Fridgeir

To fight with this warrior,

Grim gnawer of shield-rim,

By his gods who doth curse.

I better may meet him,

May rescue the maiden;

Full fearsome he stareth,

Yet "fey" are his eyes.’

Ljot saw where Egil stood, and heard his words. He said: ’Come thou hither, big man, to the holm, and
fight with me, if thou hast a wish that way. That is a far more even match than that I should fight with
Fridgeir, for I shall deem me no whit the greater man though I lay him low on earth.’