The The Life and Death of Cormac the Skald (Kormáks saga) on Steinar

Life And Death Of Cormac The Skald

• attestation: Steinar disguised himself in a bearskin coat at the Thor's-ness Thing to confront Bersi; Bersi identified him by verse and Steinar challenged him to a fight, bringing money to pay Bersi for Cormac if needed.

  ""Steinar I am, and I have brought money to pay thee for Cormac, if so be it is needed. But first I bid thee to fight.""

• attestation: Steinar's sword was named after Skrymir the giant and was said never to be fouled and to bring no mishap.

  "Now Steinar had a sword that was called after Skrymir the giant: it was never fouled, and no mishap followed it."

• attestation: Thord took Bersi's lucky-stone charm during a swimming race after Steinar pulled it from Bersi's neck; he hid it at low tide to make Bersi lose his luck in the fight.

  "Steinar swam at him and tore off the lucky-stone with the bag it was in, and threw them both into the water. But this turn that Steinar played was Thord's trick to make Bersi lose his luck in the fight. And Thord went along the shore at low water and found the luck-stone, and hid it away."

• attestation: Steinar composed a verse (37) taunting Bersi about the lucky-stone, contrasting himself as a man who wore no protective charms and yet thrived.

  ""Long I've lived, And I've let the gods guide me; Brown hose I never wore To bring the luck beside me. I've never knit All to keep me thriving Round my neck a bag of worts, --And lo! I'm living!""

• attestation: After the fight, Steinar gave Cormac the sword Skrymir as a gift, saying he intended the fight with Bersi to be his last.

  ""I would have thee keep Skrymir now for thy own, Cormac," said he, "because I mean this fight to be my last.""