<i>Of the Dweller in the Cave under the Force</i>.
Now it is to be told of Grettir that he set a stone in a bight of the
rope and let it sink down into the water.
"In what wise hast thou mind to go?" said the priest.
"I will not go bound into the force," said Grettir; "such things doth
my heart forebode."
With that he got ready for his journey, and was lightly clad, and girt
with the short-sword, and had no weapon more.
Then he leapt off the cliff into the force; the priest saw the soles
of his feet, and knew not afterwards what was become of him. But
Grettir dived under the force, and hard work it was, because the
whirlpool was strong, and he had to dive down to the bottom, before he
might come up under the force. But thereby was a rock jutting out, and
thereon he gat; a great cave was under the force, and the river fell
over it from the sheer rocks. He went up into the cave, and there was
a great fire flaming from amidst of brands; and there he saw a giant
sitting withal, marvellously great and dreadful to look on. But when
Grettir came anigh, the giant leapt up and caught up a glaive and
smote at the new-comer, for with that glaive might a man both cut and
thrust; a wooden shaft it had, and that fashion of weapon men called
then, heft-sax. Grettir hewed back against him with the short-sword,
and smote the shaft so that he struck it asunder; then was the giant
fain to stretch aback for a sword that hung up there in the cave; but
therewithal Grettir smote him afore into the breast, and smote off
well-nigh all the breast bone and the belly, so that the bowels
tumbled out of him and fell into the river, and were driven down along
the stream; and as the priest sat by the rope, he saw certain fibres
all covered with blood swept down the swirls of the stream; then he
grew unsteady in his place, and thought for sure that Grettir was
dead, so he ran from the holding of the rope, and gat him home.
Thither he came in the evening and said, as one who knew it well, that
Grettir was dead, and that great scathe was it of such a man.
Now of Grettir must it be told that he let little space go betwixt
his blows or ever the giant was dead; then he went up the cave, and
kindled a light and espied the cave. The story tells not how much he
got therein, but men deem that it must have been something great. But
there he abode on into the night; and he found there the bones of two
men, and bore them together in a bag; then he made off from the cave
and swam to the rope and shook it, and thought that the priest would
be there yet; but when he knew that the priest had gone home, then
must he draw himself up by strength of hand, and thus he came up out
on to the cliff.
Then he fared home to Isledale-river, and brought into the church
porch the bag with the bones, and therewithal a rune-staff whereon
this song was marvellous well cut--
"There into gloomy gulf I passed,
O'er which from the rock's throat is cast
The swirling rush of waters wan,
To meet the sword-player feared of man.
By giant's hall the strong stream pressed
Cold hands against the singer's breast;
Huge weight upon him there did hurl
The swallower of the changing whirl."