<i>Of the suit for the Slaying of Thorbiorn Oxmain, and how Thorir of
Garth would not that Grettir should be made sackless</i>.
Thorgils Arison rode to the Thing with many men; and thither came all
the great men of the land. Now Thorgils and Skapti the Lawman soon
met, and fell to talking.
Then said Skapti, "Is it true, Thorgils, that thou hast harboured
those three men through the winter who are deemed to be the wildest of
all men; yea, and all of them outlawed withal, and yet hast kept them
so quiet, that no one of them has done hurt to the other?"
Thorgils said it was true enough.
Skapti said that great might over men it showed forth in him; "But how
goes it, thinkest thou, with the temper of each of them; and which of
them thinkest thou the bravest man?"
Thorgils said, "I deem they are all of them full stout of heart; but
two of them I deem know what fear is, and yet in unlike ways; for
Thormod is a great believer and fears God much; but Grettir is so
fearsome in the dark, that he dares go nowhither after dusk has set
in, if he may do after his own mind. But my kinsman Thorgeir I deem
knows not how to fear."
"Yea, so it is with their minds as thou sayest," said Skapti; and with
that they left talking.
Now, at this Althing Thorod Drapa-Stump brought forward a suit for the
slaying of Thorbiorn Oxmain, which he had not brought to a hearing at
the Hunawater Thing, because of the kin of Atli, and he deemed that
here his case would be less like to be thrown over. The kinsmen of
Atli sought counsel of Skapti about the case; and he said he saw in
it a lawful defence, so that full atonement would be forthcoming
therefor. Then were these matters laid unto umpiredom, and most men
were minded that the slayings of Atli and Thorbiorn should be set one
against the other.
But when Skapti knew that, he went to the judges, and asked whence
they had that? They said that they deemed the slain men were bonders
of equal worth.
Then Skapti asked, which was the first, the outlawry of Grettir or
the slaying of Atli? So, when that was reckoned up, there was a week's
space betwixt Grettir's outlawry at the Althing and the slaying of
Atli, which befell just after it.
Then said Skapti, "Thereof my mind misgave me, that ye had made an
oversight in setting on foot the suit in that ye made him a suitor,
who was outlawed already, and could neither defend nor prosecute his
own case. Now I say that Grettir has nought to do with the case of the
slaying, but let him take up the blood-suit, who is nighest of kin by
law."
Then said Thorod Drapa-Stump, "And who shall answer for the slaying of
Thorbiorn my brother?"
"See ye to that for yourselves," said Skapti; "but the kin of Grettir
will never pour out fee for him or his works, if no peace is to be
bought for him."
Now when Thorvald Asgeirson was aware that Grettir was set aside from
following the blood-suit, he and his sought concerning who was the
next of kin; and that turned out to be Skeggi, son of Gamli of
Meals, and Uspak, son of Glum of Ere in Bitra; they were both of them
exceeding zealous and pushing.
Now must Thorod give atonement for Atli's slaying, and two hundreds in
silver he had to pay.
Then spake Snorri the Godi, "Will ye now, Ramfirthers," says he, "that
this money-fine should fall away, and that Grettir be made sackless
withal, for in my mind it is that as a guilty man he will be sorely
felt?"
Grettir's kin took up his word well, and said that they heeded the
fee nought if he might have peace and freedom. Thorod said that he saw
Grettir's lot would be full of heavy trouble, and made as if he would
take the offer, for his part. Then Snorri bade them first know if
Thorir of Garth would give his leave to Grettir being made free; but
when Thorir heard thereof he turned away exceeding wroth, and said
that Grettir should never either get out of his outlawry or be brought
out of it: "And the more to bring that about," said he, "a greater
price shall be put on his head than on the head of any outlaw or
wood-man yet."
So, when he took the thing so ill, the freeing of Grettir came to
nought, and Gamli and his fellows took the money to them, and kept it
in their ward; but Thorod Drapa-Stump had no atonement for his brother
Thorbiorn.
Now Thorir and Thorod set each of them on Grettir's head three marks
of silver, and that folk deemed a new thing, for never had any greater
price been laid down to such an end before than three marks in all.
Snorri said it was unwisely done to make a sport of keeping a man in
outlawry who might work so much ill, and that many a man would have to
pay for it.
But now men part and ride home from the Thing.