Egil (Egill)'s boyhood foreshadowed his future rebelliousness and poetic prowess. His unbridled behavior and strength beyond his age earned him a stay at home when a feast was held by Yngvar (Egil's maternal grandfather). Egil defiantly rode a horse to attend, and composed his first skaldic verse at age three. At the age of seven while playing in the ball games ("knattleikr"), he committed his first murder (axe-killing an older boy who outclassed him in the sport). By the time Egil was twelve very few grown men could compete with him in games, but when he and his friend challenged his father one day, Skallagrim manifested such strength at nightfall that he slammed the friend dead against the ground. Egil's life was only saved when Egil's fostra (a female slave that had acted as Egil's nurse as a child) tried to calm Skallagrim down and was killed instead. Egil was so upset he killed one of his father's favorite workers, and the two were not on speaking terms.