When Hardbeen heard this, a demoniacal frenzy suddenly took him; he furiously bit and devoured the edges of his shield; he kept gulping down fiery coals; he snatched live embers in his mouth and let them pass down into his entrails; he rushed through the perils of crackling fires; and at last, when he had raved through every sort of madness, he turned his sword with raging hand against the hearts of six of his champions.

It is doubtful whether this madness came from thirst for battle or natural ferocity.

Then with the remaining band of his champions he attacked Halfdan, who crushed him with a hammer of wondrous size, so that he lost both victory and life; paying the penalty both to Halfdan, whom he had challenged, and to the kings whose offspring he had violently ravished.
Fortune never seemed satisfied with the trying of Halfdan's strength, and used to offer him unexpected occasions for fighting.

It so happened that Egther, a Finlander, was harrying the Swedes on a roving raid.
Halfdan, having found that he had three ships, attacked him with the same number.

Night closed the battle, so that he could not conquer him; but he challenged Egther next day, fought with and overthrew him.