Now Glum called men to follow him, and Thiostolf got ready and
went with them. So they went up South Reykiardale and then up
along by Baugagil and so south to Crossfell. But some of his
band he sent to the Sulafells, and they all found very many
sheep. Some of them, too, went by way of Scoradale, and it came
about at last that those twain, Glum and Thiostolf, were left
alone together. They went south from Crossfell and found there a
flock of wild sheep, and they went from the south towards the
fell, and tried to drive them down; but still the sheep got away
from them up on the fell. Then each began to scold the other,
and Thiostolf said at last that Glum had no strength save to
tumble about in Hallgerda's arms.
Then Glum said, "`A man's foes are those of his own house.'
Shall I take upbraiding from thee, runaway thrall as thou art?"
Thiostolf said, "Thou shalt soon have to own that I am no thrall,
for I will not yield an inch to thee."
Then Glum got angry, and cut at him with his hand-axe, but he
threw his axe in the way, and the blow fell on the haft with a
downward stroke and bit into it about the breadth of two fingers.
Thiostolf cut at him at once with his axe, and smote him on the
shoulder, and the stroke hewed asunder the shoulderbone and
collarbone, and the wound bled inwards. Glum grasped at
Thiostolf with his left hand so fast, that he fell; but Glum
could not hold him, for death came over him. Then Thiostolf
covered his body with stones, and took off his gold ring. Then
he went straight to Varmalek. Hallgerda was sitting out of
doors, and saw that his axe was bloody. He said, "I know not
what thou wilt think of it, but I tell thee Glum is slain."
"That must be thy deed," she says.
"So it is," he says.
She laughed and said, "Thou dost not stand for nothing in this
sport."
"What thinkest thou is best to be done now?" he asked.
"Go to Hrut, my father's brother," she said, "and let him see
about thee."
"I do not know," says Thiostolf, "whether this is good advice;
but still I will take thy counsel in this matter."
So he took his horse, and rode west to Hrutstede that night. He
binds his horse at the back of the house, and then goes round to
the door, and gives a great knock. After that he walks round the
house, north about. It happened that Hrut was awake. He sprang
up at once, and put on his jerkin and pulled on his shoes. Then
he took up his sword, and wrapped a cloak about his left arm, up
as far as the elbow. Men woke up just as he went out; there he
saw a tall stout man at the back of the house, and knew it was
Thiostolf. Hrut asked him what news?
"I tell thee Glum is slain." says Thiostolf.
"Who did the deed?" says Hrut.
"I slew him," says Thiostolf.
"Why rodest thou hither?" says Hrut.
"Hallgerda sent me to thee," says Thiostolf.
"Then she has no hand in this deed," says Hrut, and drew his
sword. Thiostolf saw that, and would not be behind hand, so he
cuts at Hrut at once. Hrut got out of the way of the stroke by a
quick turn, and at the same time struck the back of the axe so
smartly with a side-long blow of his left hand, that it flew out
of Thiostolf's grasp. Then Hrut made a blow with his sword in
his right hand at Thiostolf's leg, just above the knee, and cut
it almost off so that it hung by a little piece, and sprang in
upon him at the same time, and thrust him hard back. After that
he smote him on the head, and dealt him his death-blow.
Thiostolf fell down on his back at full length, and then out came
Hrut's men, and saw the tokens of the deed. Hrut made them take
Thiostolf away, and throw stones over his body, and then he went
to find Hauskuld, and told him of Glum's slaying, and also of
Thiostolf's. He thought it harm that Glum was dead and gone, but
thanked him for killing Thiostolf. A little while after,
Thorarin Ragi's brother hears of his brother Glum's death, then
he rides with eleven men behind him west to Hauskuldstede, and
Hauskuld welcomed him with both hands, and he is there the night.
Hauskuld sent at once for Hrut to come to him, and he went at
once, and next day they spoke much of the slaying of Glum, and
Thorarin said "Wilt thou make me any atonement for my brother,
for I have had a great loss?"
Hauskuld answered, "I did not slay thy brother, nor did my
daughter plot his death; but as soon as ever Hrut knew it he slew
Thiostolf."
Then Thorarin held his peace, and thought the matter had taken a
bad turn. But Hrut said, "Let us make his journey good; he has
indeed had a heavy loss, and if we do that we shall be well
spoken of. So let us give him gifts, and then he will be our
friend ever afterwards."
So the end of it was, that those brothers gave him gifts, and he
rode back south. He and Hallgerda changed homesteads in the
spring, and she went south to Laugarness and he to Varmalek. And
now Thorarin is out of the story.