The Eyrbyggja Saga on Halli
Chapter 1 - Herein Is Told How Ketil Flatneb Fares To West-Over-Sea. > Chapter 25 - Of Vermund And Thorarin In Norway; Of Those Bareserks.
attestation: Two Swedish brothers named Halli and Leikner served Earl Hakon; they were berserkers of extraordinary size and strength
"With the Earl were two brothers, Swedes of kin, one called Halli, the other Leikner; they were big men of stature and strength"
attestation: The berserkers went into uncontrollable battle-fury, fearing neither fire nor steel
"They wrought Bareserkgang, and were not of the fashion of men when they were wroth, but went mad like dogs, and feared neither fire nor steel"
attestation: The berserkers agreed to follow Vermund to Iceland but warned they would retaliate if denied their requests
"thou must look for it that we shall take it ill if thou givest not that which we ask for, if thou hast wherewithal"
attestation: Halli proposed marriage but Vermund refused, saying no wellborn woman would marry a berserker
"Halli the Bareserk fell to talk with Vermund about getting him a seemly match, but Vermund said he saw no hope that any woman of good kin would bind herself or her fortune to a Bareserk"
attestation: When rebuffed, the berserkers turned violent and unmanageable, causing Vermund deep regret
"Halli knew that, he burst out into wolfish mood and ill-will, and all went athwart betwixt them, and the Bareserks made themselves right big and rough with Vermund, so that he began to rue it"
attestation: The berserkers resented being transferred like unfree men but preferred Stir to Vermund as a master
"they were not willing to this at first, and bade Vermund know that he had no right to sell or give them like unfree men; yet they said withal that it was more to their mood to follow Stir rather than Vermund"
attestation: The berserkers broke through Thorbiorn Jaw's fortified lock-bed by smashing the timber beams until the outer naves burst
"A lock-bed he had made exceeding strong with beams of timber, but the Bareserks brake that up, so that the naves outside sprang asunder"
Chapter 1 - Herein Is Told How Ketil Flatneb Fares To West-Over-Sea. > Chapter 28 - Of The Bareserks And The Wooing of Asdis, Stir's Daughter.
attestation: Halli the berserker fell in love with Asdis and began courting her, provoking Stir's anger
"Halli fell to talking with Asdis, Stir's daughter"
attestation: Halli formally asked Stir for Asdis's hand, offering his and Leikner's service and military strength in lieu of wealth
"will I seek for fast friendship with thee, and pray thee to give me thy daughter Asdis, and thereto in return will I put my friendship and true service, and so much strength through the power of my brother Leikner"
attestation: Halli threatened that refusing his proposal would end their alliance and each would act independently
"But if thou wilt not do for me my desire, that shall cut our friendship atwain; and then each must do as he will in his own matter"
attestation: Halli gave Stir three days to consult his friends before requiring an answer
"The matter shalt thou talk over with whomsoever pleases thee within three nights, but I will not that this answer to me drag on longer than that"
attestation: Halli accepted the terms despite being unaccustomed to manual labor
"I am not wont to work, yet will I say yea to this, if thereby I may the easier have the maiden for wife"
attestation: The road through the lava built by the berserkers was recognized as an extraordinary feat of engineering
"they began to make the road, and the greatest of man's-work it is; and they raised the wall whereof there are still tokens"
attribution: Halli composed a verse addressing Asdis, remarking on her unusually fine attire and asking where she was going
"O fair-foot, O linen-girt goddess that beareth The flame that is hanging from fair limbs adown! Whither now hast thou dight thee thy ways to be wending, O fair wight, O tell me, and lie not in telling?"