The name of the Landman who lived in the island was Thorfinn. He was a
son of Kar the Old, who had lived there for a long time. Thorfinn was a
man of great influence.
When the day broke, the people on the island saw that there were some
sailors there in distress and reported it to Thorfinn, who at once set
about to launch his large sixteen-oared boat. He put out as quickly as
possible with some thirty men to save the cargo of the trader, which
then sank and was lost, along with much property. Thorfinn brought all
the men off her to his house, where they stayed for a week drying their
goods. Then they went away to the South, and are heard of no more in
this story.
Grettir stayed behind with Thorfinn, keeping very quiet and speaking
little. Thorfinn gave him his board, but took little notice of him.
Grettir held rather aloof, and did not accompany him when he went abroad
every day. This annoyed Thorfinn, but he did not like to refuse Grettir
his hospitality; he was a man who kept open house, enjoyed life and
liked to see other men happy. Grettir liked going about and visiting the
people in the other farms on the island. There was a man named Audun,
who dwelt at Vindheim. Grettir went to see him daily and became very
intimate with him, sitting there all day long.
One evening very late when Grettir was preparing to return home, he saw
a great fire shoot up on the headland below Audun's place, and asked
what new thing that might be. Audun said there was no pressing need for
him to know.
"If they saw such a thing in our country," said Grettir, "they would say
the fire came from some treasure."
"He who rules that fire," answered the man, "is one whom it will be
better not to inquire about."
"But I want to know," Grettir said.
"On that headland," said Audun, "there is a howe, wherein lies Kar
the Old, the father of Thorfinn. Once upon a time father and son had a
farm-property on the island; but ever since Kar died his ghost has been
walking and has scared away all the other farmers, so that now the
whole island belongs to Thorfinn, and no man who is under Thorfinn's
protection suffers any injury."
"You have done right to tell me," said Grettir. "Expect me here
to-morrow morning, and have tools ready for digging."
"I won't allow you to have anything to do with it," said Audun, "because
I know that it will bring Thorfinn's wrath down upon you."
Grettir said he would risk that.
The night passed; Grettir appeared early the next morning, and the
bondi, who had got all the tools for digging ready, went with Grettir to
the howe. Grettir broke open the grave, and worked with all his might,
never stopping until he came to wood, by which time the day was already
spent. He tore away the woodwork; Audun implored him not to go down, but
Grettir bade him attend to the rope, saying that he meant to find out
what it was that dwelt there. Then he descended into the howe. It was
very dark and the odour was not pleasant. He began to explore how it was
arranged, and found the bones of a horse. Then he knocked against a sort
of throne in which he was aware of a man seated. There was much treasure
of gold and silver collected together, and a casket under his feet, full
of silver. Grettir took all the treasure and went back towards the rope,
but on his way he felt himself seized by a strong hand. He left the
treasure to close with his aggressor and the two engaged in a merciless
struggle. Everything about them was smashed. The howedweller made a
ferocious onslaught. Grettir for some time gave way, but found that no
holding back was possible. They did not spare each other. Soon they came
to the place where the horse's bones were lying, and here they struggled
for long, each in turn being brought to his knees. At last it ended in
the howedweller falling backwards with a horrible crash, whereupon Audun
above bolted from the rope, thinking that Grettir was killed. Grettir
then drew his sword Jokulsnaut, cut off the head of the howedweller and
laid it between his thighs. Then he went with the treasure to the rope,
but finding Audun gone he had to swarm up the rope with his hands. First
he tied the treasure to the lower end of the rope, so that he could haul
it up after him. He was very stiff from his struggle with Kar, but he
turned his steps towards Thorfinn's house, carrying the treasure along
with him. He found them all at supper. Thorfinn cast a severe glance at
him and asked what he had found so pressing to do that he could not keep
proper hours like other men.
"Many a trifle happens at eve," he replied.
Then he brought out all the treasure which he had taken from the howe
and laid it on the table. One thing there was upon which more than
anything else Grettir cast his eyes, a short sword, which he declared to
be finer than any weapon which he had ever seen. It was the last thing
that he showed. Thorfinn opened his eyes when he saw the sword, for it
was an heirloom of his family and had never been out of it.
"Whence came this treasure?" he asked.
Grettir then spake a verse:
"Scatterer of gold! 'twas the lust of wealth
that urged my hand to ravish the grave.
This know; but none hereafter, I ween,
will be fain to ransack Fafnir's lair."
Thorfinn said: "You don't seem to take it very seriously; no one ever
before had any wish to break open the howe. But since I know that all
treasure which is hidden in the earth or buried in a howe is in a wrong
place I hold you guilty of no misdeed, especially since you have brought
it to me."
Grettir answered:
"The monster is slain! in the dismal tomb
I have captured a sword, dire wounder of men.
Would it were mine I a treasure so rare
I never would suffer my hand to resign."
"You have spoken well," Thorfinn answered. "But before I can give you
the sword you must display your prowess in some way. I never got it from
my father whilst he lived."
Grettir said: "No one knows to whom the greatest profit will fall ere
all is done."
Thorfinn took the treasure and kept the sword in his own custody
near his bed. The winter came on bringing Yule-tide, and nothing more
happened that need be told of.