ABSTRACT
ONCE, in the kingdom of Halsingland, which is now a northerly dependency of the Swedish king, there was a giant named Harthben, whose towering frame stretched to thirteen and a half feet. As companions he had a dozen champions, who were notably tall but still only half his size. 1 There was another, a certain Starkather, once famous throughout Europe for his repeated victories, as I shall tell later on. Likewise there were Arngrim and Arvarodd, whose surpassing feats will also be related below. 2 However, in case I should seem to borrow patterns of great size or strength only from ancient times, it is right to bring forward some men, still fresh in memory, both from the mineral-producing and from other provinces of Svealand and Götaland, men endowed with such massive strength that each could lift up onto his shoulders a horse or a huge ox, or indeed an iron vessel of six hundred, eight hundred, or a thousand pounds (even some girls can lift such a vessel) and carry it for several furlongs. 3 A man has also been seen who, not only through his nimbleness but also by main force, hurled or thrust to the ground an armed horseman suddenly coming in his way.
People of Hälsingland Harthben 12 champions
Starkather
Arngrim Arverodd
Horse can be carried
Strength of girls
