Alfvine was very ill pleased with this. It was the custom then in
England, if two strove for anything, to settle the matter by single
combat (1); and now Alfvine challenges Olaf Trygvason to fight about
this business. The time and place for the combat were settled, and that
each should have twelve men with him. When they met, Olaf told his men
to do exactly as they saw him do. He had a large axe; and when Alfvine
was going to cut at him with his sword he hewed away the sword out of
his hand, and with the next blow struck down Alfvine himself. He then
bound him fast. It went in the same way with all Alfvine's men. They
were beaten down, bound, and carried to Olaf's lodging. Thereupon he
ordered Alfvine to quit the country, and never appear in it again; and
Olaf took all his property. Olaf in this way got Gyda in marriage, and
lived sometimes in England, and sometimes in Ireland.
ENDNOTES: (1) Holm-gang: so called because the combatants went to a holm
or uninhabited isle to fight in Norway.--L.