GLUM'S SLAYING.
Now Glum called men to follow him, and Thiostolf got ready and went with
them. So they went up South Reykiardale and then up along by Baugagil
and so south to Crossfell. But some of his band he sent to the
Sulafells, and they all found very many sheep. Some of them, too, went
by way of Scoradale, and it came about at last that those twain, Glum
and Thiostolf, were left alone together. They went south from Crossfell
and found there a flock of wild sheep, and they went from the south
towards the fell, and tried to drive them down; but still the sheep got
away from them up on the fell. Then each began to scold the other, and
Thiostolf said at last that Glum had no strength save to tumble about in
Hallgerda's arms.
Then Glum said--
"'A man's foes are those of his own house.' Shall I take upbraiding from
thee, runaway thrall as thou art?"
Thiostolf said--
"Thou shalt soon have to own that I am no thrall, for I will not yield
an inch to thee."
Then Glum got angry, and cut at him with his hand-axe, but he threw his
axe in the way, and the blow fell on the haft with a downward stroke and
bit into it about the breadth of two fingers. Thiostolf cut at him at
once with his axe, and smote him on the shoulder, and the stroke hewed
asunder the shoulderbone and collarbone, and the wound bled inwards.
Glum grasped at Thiostolf with his left hand so fast that he fell; but
Glum could not hold him, for death came over him. Then Thiostolf covered
his body with stones, and took off his gold ring. Then he went straight
to Varmalek. Hallgerda was sitting out of doors, and saw that his axe
was bloody. He said--
"I know not what thou wilt think of it, but I tell thee Glum is slain."
"That must be thy deed?" she says.
"So it is," he says.
She laughed and said--
"Thou dost not stand for nothing in this sport."
"What thinkest thou is best to be done now?" he asked.
"Go to Hrut, my father's brother," she said, "and let him see about
thee."
"I do not know," says Thiostolf, "whether this is good advice; but still
I will take thy counsel in this matter."
So he took his horse, and rode west to Hrutstede that night. He binds
his horse at the back of the house, and then goes round to the door, and
gives a great knock. After that he walks round the house, north about.
It happened that Hrut was awake. He sprang up at once, and put on his
jerkin and pulled on his shoes. Then he took up his sword, and wrapped a
cloak about his left arm, up as far as the elbow. Men woke up just as he
went out; there he saw a tall stout man at the back of the house, and
knew it was Thiostolf. Hrut asked him what news.
"I tell thee Glum is slain," says Thiostolf.
"Who did the deed?" says Hrut.
"I slew him," says Thiostolf.
"Why rodest thou hither?" says Hrut.
"Hallgerda sent me to thee," says Thiostolf.
"Then she has no hand in this deed," says Hrut, and drew his sword.
Thiostolf saw that, and would not be behind hand, so he cuts at Hrut at
once. Hrut got out of the way of the stroke by a quick turn, and at the
same time struck the back of the axe so smartly with a side-long blow of
his left hand, that it flew out of Thiostolf's grasp. Then Hrut made a
blow with the sword in his right hand at Thiostolf's leg, just above the
knee, and cut it almost off so that it hung by a little piece, and
sprang in upon him at the same time, and thrust him hard back. After
that he smote him on the head, and dealt him his death-blow. Thiostolf
fell down on his back at full length, and then out came Hrut's men, and
saw the tokens of the deed. Hrut made them take Thiostolf away, and
throw stones over his body, and then he went to find Hauskuld, and told
him of Glum's slaying, and also of Thiostolf's. He thought it harm that
Glum was dead and gone, but thanked him for killing Thiostolf. A little
while after, Thorarin Ragi's brother hears of his brother Glum's death,
then he rides with eleven men behind him west to Hauskuldstede, and
Hauskuld welcomed him with both hands, and he is there the night.
Hauskuld sent at once for Hrut to come to him, and he went at once, and
next day they spoke much of the slaying of Glum, and Thorarin
said--"Wilt thou make me any atonement for my brother, for I have had a
great loss?"
Hauskuld answered--"I did not slay thy brother, nor did my daughter plot
his death; but as soon as ever Hrut knew it he slew Thiostolf".
Then Thorarin held his peace, and thought the matter had taken a bad
turn. But Hrut said--"Let us make his journey good; he has indeed had a
heavy loss, and if we do that we shall be well spoken of. So let us give
him gifts, and then he will be our friend ever afterwards."
So the end of it was that those brothers gave him gifts, and he rode
back south. He and Hallgerda changed homesteads in the spring, and she
went south to Laugarness and he to Varmalek. And now Thorarin is out of
the story.