It was the law of the holmgang that the hide should be five ells
long, with loops at its corners. Into these should be driven
certain pins with heads to them, called tjosnur. He who made it
ready should go to the pins in such a manner that he could see
sky between his legs, holding the lobes of his ears and speaking
the forewords used in the rite called "The Sacrifice of the
tjosnur." Three squares should be marked round the hide, each
one foot broad. At the outermost corners of the squares should
be four poles, called hazels; when this is done, it is a hazelled
field. Each man should have three shields, and when they were
cut up he must get upon the hide if he had given way from it
before, and guard himself with his weapons alone thereafter. He
who had been challenged should strike the first stroke. If one
was wounded so that blood fell upon the hide, he should fight no
longer. If either set one foot outside the hazel poles "he went
on his heel," they said; but he "ran" if both feet were outside.
His own man was to hold the shield before each of the fighters.
The one who was wounded should pay three marks of silver to be
set free.

So the hide was taken and spread under their feet. Thorgils held
his brother's shield, and Thord Arndisarson that of Bersi. Bersi
struck the first blow, and cleft Cormac's shield; Cormac struck
at Bersi to the like peril. Each of them cut up and spoilt three
shields of the other's. Then it was Cormac's turn. He struck at
Bersi, who parried with Whitting. Skofnung cut the point off
Whitting in front of the ridge. The sword-point flew upon
Cormac's hand, and he was wounded in the thumb. The joint was
cleft, and blood dropped upon the hide. Thereupon folk went