They should see, said he, that Helga would turn out fine.

But Cormac answered, "Said it may be, for sooth it may be: I will never think of her." "Woe to us, then," said Thorgils, "for listening to the words of yon fiend, and slighting this offer!" Then spoke Cormac, "I bid thee, Bersi, to the holmgang within half a month, at Leidholm, in Middal." Bersi said he would come, but Cormac should be the worse for his choice.
After this Cormac went about the steading to look for Steingerd.

When he found her he said she had betrayed him in marrying another man.
"It was thou that made the first breach, Cormac," said she, "for this was none of my doing." Then said he in verse:-- (25) "Thou sayest my faith has been forfeit, O fair in thy glittering raiment; But I wearied my steed and outwore it, And for what but the love that bare thee?
O fainer by far was I, lady, To founder my horse in the hunting-- Nay, I spared not the jade when I spurred it-- Than to see thee the bride of my foe." After this Cormac and his men went home.

When he told his mother how things had gone, "Little good," she said, "will thy luck do us.

Ye have slighted a fine offer, and you have no chance against Bersi, for he is a great fighter and he has good weapons." Now, Bersi owned the sword they call Whitting; a sharp sword it was, with a life-stone to it; and that sword he had carried in many a fray.
"Whether wilt thou have weapons to meet Whitting ?" she asked.