When Egil was twelve years old,
he was grown so big that there were but few men
howso large and strong that he could not overcome in games.
In his twelfth winter he was often at games.
Thord Grani's son was then twenty years old; he was very strong.
As the winter wore on, if often chanced that the two,
Egil and Thord, were matched against Skallagrim.
And once in the winter it so befell that there was ball-play at Borg,
southwards in Sandvik.
Thord and Egil were set against Skallagrim in the game;
and he became weary before them, so that they had the best of it.
But in the evening after sunset it began to go worse with Egil and his partner.
Skallagrim then became so strong and he caught up Thord and dashed
him down so violently that he was all bruised and at once got his bane.
Then he seized Egil.
Now there was a handmaid of Skallagrim's named Thorgerdr Brak,
who had nursed Egil when a child;
she was a big woman, strong as a man, and of magic cunning.
Said Brak:
'Dost thou turn they shape-strength, Skallagrim, against thy son?'