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 ing onto them could harm them. Therefore the skald Brage has sung as follows:

When the tortuous serpent, Full of the drink of the Volsungs, Hung in coils On the bait of the giant-slayer.

Upon these sagas very many skalds have made lays, and from them they have taken various themes. Brage the Old made the following song about the fall of Sorle and Hamder in the drapa, which he composed about Ragnar Lodbrok:

Jormunrek once, In an evil dream, waked In that sword-contest Against the blood-stained kings. A clashing of arms was heard In the house of Randver's father, When the raven-blue brothers of Erp The insult avenged.

Sword-dew flowed Off the bed on the floor. Bloody hands and feet of the king One saw cut off. On his head fell Jormunrek, Frothing in blood. On the shield This is painted.

The king saw Men so stand That a ring they made 'Round his house.