It all comes back to me--I can see it now quite clearly; yes, even the bird flitting to another twig, and there again spreading its tail to some invisible mate.

Then I made up my mind what to do.
"Not yet!" I cried.

"Keep it in play," and, drawing my short and heavy sword, I plunged through the birch boughs to get behind the bear.

Ragnar understood.

He threw his cap into the brute's face, and then, after it had growled at him awhile, just as it dropped its great jaws to crunch Steinar, he found a bough and thrust it between them.
By now I was behind the bear, and, smiting at its right leg below the knee, severed the tendon.