<i>Of the Talk at the Thing about Grettir's Outlawry</i>.
That summer, at the Althing, the kin of Grettir spake many things
concerning his outlawry, and some deemed he had outworn the years
thereof, if he had come at all into the twentieth year; but they who
had blood-suits against him would not have it so, and said, that he
had done many an outlaw's deed since he was first outlawed, and deemed
his time ought to last longer therefor.
At that time was a new lawman made, Stein, the son of Thorgest, the
son of Stein the Far-sailing, the son of Thorir Autumn-mirk; the
mother of Stein was Arnora, the daughter of Thord the Yeller; and
Stein was a wise man.
Now was he prayed for the word of decision; and he bade them search
and see whether this were the twentieth summer since Grettir was made
an outlaw, and thus it seemed to be.
But then stood forth Thorir of Garth, and brought all into dispute
again, for he found that Grettir had been one winter out here a
sackless man, amidst the times of his outlawry, and then nineteen were
the winters of his outlawry found to be. Then said the lawman that no
one should be longer in outlawry than twenty winters in all, though he
had done outlaw's deeds in that time.
"But before that, I declare no man sackless."
Now because of this was the acquittal delayed for this time, but
it was thought a sure thing that he would be made sackless the next
summer. But that misliked the Skagafirthers exceeding ill, if Grettir
were to come out of his outlawry, and they bade Thorbiorn Angle do
one of two things, either give back the island or slay Grettir; but
he deemed well that he had a work on his hands, for he saw no rede for
the winning of Grettir, and yet was he fain to hold the island; and
so all manner of craft he sought for the overcoming of Grettir, if he
might prevail either by guile or hardihood, or in any wise soever.