<i>Of the slaying of Skeggi</i>.
Now Thorkel Krafla got very old; he had the rule of Waterdale and
was a great man. He was bosom friend of Asmund the Greyhaired, as was
beseeming for the sake of their kinship; he was wont to ride to Biarg
every year and see his kin there, nor did he fail herein the spring
following these matters just told. Asmund and Asdis welcomed him most
heartily, he was there three nights, and many things did the kinsmen
speak of between them. Now Thorkel asked Asmund what his mind
foreboded him about his sons, as to what kind of craft they would be
likely to take to. Asmund said that he thought Atli would be a great
man at farming, foreseeing, and money-making. Thorkel answered, "A
useful man and like unto thyself: but what dost thou say of Grettir?"
Asmund said, "Of him I say, that he will be a strong man and an
unruly, and, certes, of wrathful mood, and heavy enough he has been to
me."
Thorkel answered, "That bodes no good, friend; but how shall we settle
about our riding to the Thing next summer?"
Asmund answered, "I am growing heavy for wayfaring, and would fain sit
at home."
"Wouldst thou that Atli go in thy stead?" said Thorkel.
"I do not see how I could spare him," says Asmund, "because of the
farm-work and ingathering of household stores; but now Grettir will
not work, yet he bears about that wit with him that I deem he will
know how to keep up the showing forth of the law for me through thy
aid."
"Well, thou shall have thy will," said Thorkel, and withal he rode
home when he was ready, and Asmund let him go with good gifts.
Some time after this Thorkel made him ready to ride to the Thing, he
rode with sixty men, for all went with him who were in his rule: thus
he came to Biarg, and therefrom rode Grettir with him.
Now they rode south over the heath that is called Two-days'-ride; but
on this mountain the baiting grounds were poor, therefore they rode
fast across it down to the settled lands, and when they came down
to Fleet-tongue they thought it was time to sleep, so they took the
bridles off their horses and let them graze with the saddles on. They
lay sleeping till far on in the day, and when they woke, the men went
about looking for their horses; but they had gone each his own way,
and some of them had been rolling; but Grettir was the last to find
his horse.
Now it was the wont in those days that men should carry their own
victuals when they rode to the Althing, and most bore meal-bags
athwart their saddles; and the saddle was turned under the belly of
Grettir's horse, and the meal-bag was gone, so he goes and searches,
and finds nought.
Just then he sees a man running fast, Grettir asks who it is who is
running there; the man answered that his name was Skeggi, and that
he was a house-carle from the Ridge in Waterdale. "I am one of the
following of goodman Thorkel," he says, "but, faring heedlessly, I
have lost my meal-bag."
Grettir said, "<i>Odd haps are worst haps</i>, for I, also, have lost
the meal-sack which I owned, and now let us search both together."
This Skeggi liked well, and a while they go thus together; but all
of a sudden Skeggi bounded off up along the moors and caught up a
meal-sack. Grettir saw him stoop, and asked what he took up there.
"My meal-sack," says Skeggi.
"Who speaks to that besides thyself?" says Grettir; "let me see it,
for many a thing has its like."
Skeggi said that no man should take from him what was his own; but
Grettir caught at the meal-bag, and now they tug one another along
with the meal-sack between them, both trying hard to get the best of
it.
"It is to be wondered at," says the house-carle, "that ye Waterdale
men should deem, that because other men are not as wealthy as ye,
that they should not therefore dare to hold aught of their own in your
despite."
Grettir said, that it had nought to do with the worth of men that each
should have his own.
Skeggi answers, "Too far off is Audun now to throttle thee as at that
ball-play."
"Good," said Grettir; "but, howsoever that went, thou at least shall
never throttle me."
Then Skeggi got at his axe and hewed at Grettir; when Grettir saw
that, he caught the axe-handle with the left hand bladeward of
Skeggi's hand, so hard that straightway was the axe loosed from his
hold. Then Grettir drave that same axe into his head so that it stood
in the brain, and the house-carle fell dead to earth. Then Grettir
seized the meal-bag and threw it across his saddle, and thereon rode
after his fellows.
Now Thorkel rode ahead of all, for he had no misgiving of such things
befalling: but men missed Skeggi from the company, and when Grettir
came up they asked him what he knew of Skeggi; then he sang--
"A rock-troll her weight did throw
At Skeggi's throat a while ago:
Over the battle ogress ran
The red blood of the serving-man;
Her deadly iron mouth did gape
Above him, till clean out of shape
She tore his head and let out life:
And certainly I saw their strife."
Then Thorkel's men sprung up and said that surely trolls had not taken
the man in broad daylight. Thorkel grew silent, but said presently,
"The matter is likely to be quite other than this; methinks Grettir
has in all likelihood killed him, or what could befall?"
Then Grettir told all their strife. Thorkel says, "This has come to
pass most unluckily, for Skeggi was given to my following, and was,
nathless, a man of good kin; but I shall deal thus with the matter: I
shall give boot for the man as the doom goes, but the outlawry I may
not settle. Now, two things thou hast to choose between, Grettir;
whether thou wilt rather go to the Thing and risk the turn of matters,
or go back home."
Grettir chose to go to the Thing, and thither he went. But a lawsuit
was set on foot by the heirs of the slain man: Thorkel gave handsel,
and paid up all fines, but Grettir must needs be outlawed, and keep
abroad three winters.
Now when the chiefs rode from the Thing, they baited under Sledgehill
before they parted: then Grettir lifted a stone which now lies there
in the grass and is called Grettir's-heave; but many men came up to
see the stone, and found it a great wonder that so young a man should
heave aloft such a huge rock.
Now Grettir rode home to Biarg and tells the tale of his journey;
Asmund let out little thereon, but said that he would turn out an
unruly man.