With it he will cleave the backbone lengthwise, and then, taking each half separately, he will simply twist backwards every second sword and plait them all into a mat two feet wide, eight or ten feet long, and firmly bounded and held together on one side by the unbreakable backbone.

I could eat him up without salt or savorya weak reed, a kerl without backbone save of buckram; why, I will shake him this day like a rat between my hands!"