<i>How those of Skagafirth found Grettir on Drangey</i>.
Now time wears on towards the winter solstice; then the bonders get
ready to go fetch the fat beasts for slaughter from the island; so
they manned a great barge, and every owner had one to go in his stead,
and some two.
But when these came anigh the island they saw men going about there;
they deemed that strange, but guessed that men had been shipwrecked,
and got aland there: so they row up to where the ladders were, when
lo, the first-comers drew up the ladders.
Then the bonders deemed that things were taking a strange turn, and
hailed those men and asked them who they were: Grettir named himself
and his fellows withal: but the bonders asked who had brought him
there.
Grettir answered, "He who owned the keel and had the hands, and who
was more my friend than yours."
The bonders answered and said, "Let us now get our sheep, but come
thou aland with us, keeping freely whatso of our sheep thou hast
slaughtered."
"A good offer," said Grettir, "but this time let each keep what he
has got; and I tell you, once for all, that hence I go not, till I am
dragged away dead; for it is not my way to let that go loose which I
have once laid hand on."
Thereat the bonders held their peace, and deemed that a woeful guest
had come to Drangey; then they gave him choice of many things, both
moneys and fair words, but Grettir said nay to one and all, and they
gat them gone with things in such a stead, and were ill content with
their fate; and told the men of the country-side what a wolf had got
on to the island.
This took them all unawares, but they could think of nought to do
herein; plentifully they talked over it that winter, but could see no
rede whereby to get Grettir from the island.