Old Norse sagas told of a class of warriors called "berserkrs" who could work themselves up into such a frenzy during battle that they were said to be able to withstand fire or steel. The word "berserkr" is a combination of "ber-," presumed to mean "bear," and "sakr," meaning "shirt." Originally the "bear-shirt" probably referred to a man dressed in a garment representing a bear who entered into a trancelike state in which he magically assumed the powers of a bear. The legend of the frenzied "berserkrs" gave us our word "berserk" to mean "out of control."