<i>How Thorfinn met Grettir at Haramsey again</i>.
After Yule Thorfinn made ready for coming home, and he let those folk
go with good gifts whom he had bidden to his feast. Now he fares with
his following till he comes hard by his boat-stands; they saw a ship
lying on the strand, and soon knew it for Thorfinn's bark, the big
one. Now Thorfinn had as yet had no news of the vikings, he bade his
men hasten landward, "For I fear," said he, "that friends have not
been at work here."
Thorfinn was the first to step ashore before his men, and forthwith he
went up to the boat-stand; he saw a keel standing there, and knew it
for the bearserks' ship. Then he said to his men, "My mind misgives
me much that here things have come to pass, even such as I would have
given the whole island, yea, every whit of what I have herein, that
they might never have happed."
They asked why he spake thus. Then he said, "Here have come the
vikings, whom I know to be the worst of all Norway, Thorir Paunch
and Ogmund the Evil; in good sooth they will hardly have kept house
happily for us, and in an Icelander I have but little trust."
Withal he spoke many things hereabout to his fellows.
Now Grettir was at home, and so brought it about, that folk were slow
to go down to the shore; and said he did not care much if the goodman
Thorfinn had somewhat of a shake at what he saw before him; but when
the mistress asked him leave to go, he said she should have her will
as to where she went, but that he himself should stir nowhither. She
ran swiftly to meet Thorfinn, and welcomed him cheerily. He was glad
thereof, and said, "Praise be to God that I see thee whole and merry,
and my daughter in likewise. But how have ye fared since I went from
home?"
She answered, "Things have turned out well, but we were near being
overtaken by such a shame as we should never have had healing of, if
thy winter-guest had not holpen us."
Then Thorfinn spake, "Now shall we sit down, but do thou tell us these
tidings."
Then she told all things plainly even as they had come to pass,
and praised greatly Grettir's stoutness and great daring; meanwhile
Thorfinn held his peace, but when she had made an end of her tale,
he said, "How true is the saw, <i>Long it takes to try a man</i>. But
where is Grettir now?"