<i>The Slaying of Grettir Asmundson</i>.
Now it is to be told, that Grettir was so sick, that he might not
stand on his feet, but Illugi sat beside him, and Noise was to keep
watch and ward; and many words he had against that, and said that they
would still think that life was falling from them, though nought
had happed to bring it about; so he went out from their abode right
unwillingly, and when he came to the ladders he spake to himself and
said that now he would not draw them up; withal he grew exceeding
sleepy, and lay down and slept all day long, and right on till
Thorbiorn came to the island.
So now they see that the ladders are not drawn up; then spake
Thorbiorn, "Now are things changed from what the wont was, in that
there are none afoot, and their ladder stands in its place withal;
maybe more things will betide in this our journey than we had thought
of in the beginning: but now let us hasten to the hut, and let no man
lack courage; for, wot this well, that if these men are hale, each one
of us must needs do his best."
Then they went up on to the island, and looked round about, and saw
where a man lay a little space off the landing-place, and snored hard
and fast. Therewith Thorbiorn knew Noise, and went up to him and drave
the hilt of his sword against the ear of him, and bade him, "Wake up,
beast! certes in evil stead is he who trusts his life to thy faith and
troth."
Noise looked up thereat and said, "Ah! now are they minded to go
on according to their wont; do ye, may-happen, think my freedom too
great, though I lie out here in the cold?"
"Art thou witless," said Angle, "that thou seest not that thy foes are
come upon thee, and will slay you all?"
Then Noise answered nought, but yelled out all he might, when he knew
the men who they were.
"Do one thing or other," says Angle, "either hold thy peace forthwith,
and tell us of your abode, or else be slain of us."
Thereat was Noise as silent as if he had been thrust under water; but
Thorbiorn said, "Are they at their hut, those brothers? Why are they
not afoot?"
"Scarce might that be," said Noise, "for Grettir is sick and come nigh
to his death, and Illugi sits over him."
Then Angle asked how it was with their health, and what things had
befallen. So Noise told him in what wise Grettir's hurt had come
about.
Then Angle laughed and said, "Yea, sooth is the old saw, <i>Old
friends are the last to sever</i>; and this withal, <i>Ill if a thrall
is thine only friend</i>, whereso thou art, Noise; for shamefully hast
thou bewrayed thy master, albeit he was nought good."
Then many laid evil things to his charge for his ill faith, and beat
him till he was well-nigh past booting for, and let him lie there; but
they went up to the hut and smote mightily on the door.
"Pied-belly[19] is knocking hard at the door, brother," says Illugi.
[Footnote 19: 'Pied-belly,' the name of the tame ram told of before.]
"Yea, yea, hard, and over hard," says Grettir; and therewithal the
door brake asunder.
Then sprang Illugi to his weapons and guarded the door, in such wise
that there was no getting in for them. Long time they set on him
there, and could bring nought against him save spear-thrusts, and
still Illugi smote all the spear-heads from the shafts. But when they
saw that they might thus bring nought to pass, they leapt up on to the
roof of the hut, and tore off the thatch; then Grettir got to his feet
and caught up a spear, and thrust out betwixt the rafters; but before
that stroke was Karr, a home-man of Halldor of Hof, and forthwithal it
pierced him through.
Then spoke Angle, and bade men fare warily and guard themselves well,
"for we may prevail against them if we follow wary redes."
So they tore away the thatch from the ends of the ridge-beam, and bore
on the beam till it brake asunder.
Now Grettir might not rise from his knee, but he caught up the
short-sword, Karr's-loom, and even therewith down leapt those men in
betwixt the walls, and a hard fray befell betwixt them. Grettir
smote with the short-sword at Vikar, one of the followers of Hialti
Thordson, and caught him on the left shoulder, even as he leapt in
betwixt the walls, and cleft him athwart the shoulder down unto the
right side, so that the man fell asunder, and the body so smitten
atwain tumbled over on to Grettir, and for that cause he might not
heave aloft the short-sword as speedily as he would, and therewith
Thorbiorn Angle thrust him betwixt the shoulders, and great was that
wound he gave.
Then cried Grettir, "<i>Bare is the back of the brotherless</i>." And
Illugi threw his shield over Grettir, and warded him in so stout a
wise that all men praised his defence.
Then said Grettir to Angle, "Who then showed thee the way here to the
island?"