<i>The Slaying of Hiarandi</i>.
It happened one day that Grettir and Arnbiorn were walking through
some streets for their sport, that as they came past a certain court
gate, a man bounded forth therefrom with axe borne aloft, and drave it
at Grettir with both hands; he was all unawares of this, and walked on
slowly; Arnbiorn caught timely sight of the man, and seized Grettir,
and thrust him on so hard that he fell on his knee; the axe smote the
shoulder-blade, and cut sideways out under the arm-pit, and a great
wound it was. Grettir turned about nimbly, and drew the short-sword,
and saw that there was Hiarandi. Now the axe stuck fast in the road,
and it was slow work for Hiarandi to draw it to him again, and in this
very nick of time Grettir hewed at him, and the blow fell on the upper
arm, near the shoulder, and cut it off; then the fellows of Hiarandi
rushed forth, five of them, and a fight forthwith befell, and speedy
change happed there, for Grettir and Arnbiorn slew those who were with
Hiarandi, all but one, who got off, and forthwith went to the Earl to
tell him these tidings.
The Earl was exceeding wroth when he heard of this, and the second day
thereafter he had a Thing summoned. Then they, Thorfinn and Grettir,
came both to the Thing. The Earl put forth against Grettir the guilt
for these manslaughters; he owned them all, and said he had had to
defend his hands.
"Whereof methinks I bear some marks on me," says Grettir, "and surely
I had found death if Arnbiorn had not saved me."
The Earl answered that it was ill hap that Grettir was not slain.
"For many a man's bane wilt thou be if thou livest, Grettir."
Then came to the Earl, Bessi, son of Skald-Torfa, a fellow and a
friend to Grettir; he and Thorfinn went before the Earl had prayed him
respite for Grettir, and offered, that the Earl alone should doom in
this matter, but that Grettir might have peace and leave to dwell in
the land.
The Earl was slow to come to any settlement, but suffered himself to
be led thereto because of their prayers. There respite was granted
to Grettir till the next spring; still the Earl would not settle the
peace till Gunnar, the brother of Biorn and Hiarandi, was thereat; now
Gunnar was a court-owner in Tunsberg.
In the spring, the Earl summoned Grettir and Thorfinn east to
Tunsberg, for he would dwell there east while the most sail was
thereat. Now they went east thither, and the Earl was before them in
the town when they came. Here Grettir found his brother, Thorstein
Dromond, who was fain of him and bade him abide with him: Thorstein
was a court-owner in the town. Grettir told him all about his matters,
and Thorstein gave a good hearing thereto, but bade him beware of
Gunnar. And so the spring wore on.