"In hard strife I slew the bear,
Thereof many a man doth hear;
Then the cloak I oft had worn,
By the beast to rags was torn;
Thou, O braggart ring-bearer,
Wrought that jest upon me there,
Now thou payest for thy jest,
Not in words am I the best?"
Biorn said, that oft had greater matters than these been atoned for.
Grettir said, "That few had chosen hitherto to strive to trip him up
with spite and envy, nor ever had he taken fee for such, and still
must matters fare in likewise. Know thou that we shall not both of us
go hence whole men if I may have my will, and a coward's name will I
lay on thy back, if thou darest not to fight."
Now Biorn saw that it would avail nought to try to talk himself free;
so he took his weapons and went aland.
Then they ran one at the other and fought, but not long before Biorn
got sore wounded, and presently fell dead to earth. But when Biorn's
fellows saw that, they went to their ship, and made off north along
the land to meet Thorkel and told him of this hap: he said it had not
come to pass ere it might have been looked for.
Soon after this Thorkel went south to Drontheim, and met there Earl
Svein. Grettir went south to Mere after the slaying of Biorn, and
found his friend Thorfinn, and told him what had befallen. Thorfinn
gave him good welcome, and said--
"It is well now that thou art in need of a friend; with me shalt thou
abide until these matters have come to an end."
Grettir thanked him for his offer, and said he would take it now.
Earl Svein was dwelling in Drontheim, at Steinker, when he heard of
Biorn's slaying; at that time there was with him Hiarandi, the brother
of Biorn, and he was the Earl's man; he was exceeding wroth when
he heard of the slaying of Biorn, and begged the Earl's aid in the
matter, and the Earl gave his word thereto.
Then he sent men to Thorfinn and summoned to him both him and Grettir.
Thorfinn and Grettir made ready at once at the Earl's bidding to go
north to Drontheim to meet him. Now the Earl held a council on the
matter, and bade Hiarandi to be thereat; Hiarandi said he would not
bring his brother to purse; "and I shall either fare in a like wise
with him, or else wreak vengeance for him." Now when the matter was
looked into, the Earl found that Biorn had been guilty towards Grettir
in many ways; and Thorfinn offered weregild, such as the Earl deemed
might be befitting for Biorn's kin to take; and thereon he had much
to say on the freedom which Grettir had wrought for men north there in
the land, when he slew the bearserks, as has been aforesaid.
The Earl answered, "With much truth thou sayest this, Thorfinn,
that was the greatest land-ridding, and good it seems to us to take
weregild because of thy words; and withal Grettir is a man well
renowned because of his strength and prowess."
Hiarandi would not take the settlement, and they broke up the meeting.
Thorfinn got his kinsman Arnbiorn to go about with Grettir day by day,
for he knew that Hiarandi lay in wait for his life.