The following summer jarl Eirik the son of Hakon was preparing to leave
his country and sail to the West to join his brother-in-law King Knut
the Great in England, leaving the government of Norway in the hands of
Hakon his son, who, being an infant, was placed under the government and
regency of Eirik's brother, jarl Sveinn.
Before leaving Eirik summoned all his Landmen and the larger bondis to
meet him. Eirik the jarl was an able ruler, and they had much discussion
regarding the laws and their administration. It was considered a scandal
in the land that pirates and berserks should be able to come into the
country and challenge respectable people to the holmgang for their money
or their women, no weregild being paid whichever fell. Many had lost
their money and been put to shame in this way; some indeed had lost
their lives. For this reason jarl Eirik abolished all holmgang in Norway
and declared all robbers and berserks who disturbed the peace outlaws.
Thorfinn the son of Kar of Haramarsey, being a man of wise counsel and a
close friend of the jarl, was present at the meeting.
The worst of these ruffians were two brothers named Thorir Paunch and
Ogmund the Bad. They came from Halogaland and were bigger and stronger
than other men. When angry they used to fall into the berserk's fury,
and nothing escaped that was before them. They used to carry off men's
wives, keep them for a week or two and then send them back. Wherever
they came they committed robberies and other acts of violence. Jarl
Eirik had declared them outlaws throughout Norway. The man who had
been most active in getting them outlawed was Thorfinn, and they were
determined to pay him out in full for his hostility.
The jarl's expedition is told of in his saga, and the government of
Norway was left in the hands of jarl Sveinn, with the regency.
Thorfinn returned home and remained there until about Yule-tide, as has
already been told. Towards Yule-tide he made ready to go on a journey
to his farm called Slysfjord on the mainland, whither he had invited
a number of his friends. He could not take his wife with him, because
their grown-up daughter was lying sick, so they both had to stay at
home. Grettir and eight of the serving men remained with them. Thorfinn
went with thirty freemen to the Yule festival, at which there was much
gladness and merriment.
Yule-eve set in with bright and clear weather. Grettir, who was
generally abroad in the daytime, was watching the vessels which came
along the coast, some from the North, some from the South, meeting at
the places agreed upon for their drinking-bouts. The bondi's daughter
was then better and could go out with her mother. So the day passed. At
last Grettir noticed a ship rowing up to the island, not large, covered
with shields amidships and painted above the water-line. They were
rowing briskly and making for Thorfinn's boat-houses. They ran the boat
on to the beach and all sprang ashore. Grettir counted the men; there
were twelve in all, and their aspect did not look peaceful.
After hauling up their boat out of the water they all made for the
boat-house where Thorfinn's great boat, mentioned already, was stowed.
She always required thirty men to put her to sea, but the twelve shoved
her along the beach at once. Then they brought their own boat into the
boat-house. It was very evident to Grettir that they did not mean to
wait for an invitation, so he went up to them, and greeting them in a
friendly way asked who they were and who was their captain. The man whom
he addressed answered him at once, saying his name was Thorir, called
Paunch; the others were his brother Ogmund with their companions.
"I think," he added, "that your master Thorfinn has heard our names
mentioned. But is he at home?"
"You must be men who have luck," said Grettir, "you have come most
opportunely, if you are the people I take you for. The bondi has gone
from home with all his freedmen and will not be back until after Yule.
The goodwife is at home with her daughter, and if I had any grudge to
repay, I would come just as you do, for there is everything here which
you want, ale to drink and other delights."
Thorir was silent while Grettir went on talking. Then he turned to
Ogmund and said: "Has anything not happened as I said it would? I should
not be sorry to punish Thorfinn for having got us outlawed. This man
seems ready to tell us everything; we don't have to drag the words out
of his mouth."
"Every one is master of his own words," said Grettir. "If you will come
home with me I will give you what entertainment I can."
They thanked him and said they would accept his invitation. When they
reached the house Grettir took Thorir by the hand and led him into the
hall. He was very talkative. The mistress was in the hall decorating it
and putting all in order. On hearing what Grettir said, she came to the
door and asked who it was that Grettir was welcoming so warmly.
Grettir answered: "It will be advisable, mistress, to be civil to these
men who have come. They are the bondi Thorir Paunch and his followers,
and have come, all twelve of them, to spend Yule-tide here. It is
fortunate for us, for we have had little company till now."
She said: "I don't call them bondis, nor are they decent men, but
arrant robbers and malefactors. I would gladly pay a large portion of
my property for them not to have come just at this time. It is an ill
return that you make to Thorfinn for having saved you from shipwreck and
kept you this winter like a free man, destitute as you were."
"You would do better," said Grettir, "if you first took off the wet
clothes from your guests instead of casting reproaches upon me. You will
have plenty of time for that."
Then Thorir said: "Don't be angry, mistress! You shall lose nothing by
your husband being away, for you shall have a man in his place and so
shall your daughter and all the other women."
"That is spoken like a man," said Grettir. "The women shall be quite
contented with what they get."
Then all the women fled and began to weep, being overcome by terror.
Grettir said to the berserks: "Give me all the things which you want to
lay aside, your weapons and your wet clothes, for the men will not obey
us while they are frightened."
Thorir said he cared little for the women's whining. "But," he said, "we
mean to treat you in a different way from the other men of the house. It
seems to me that we may make a comrade of you."
"See to that yourselves," said Grettir. "But I do not look upon all men
alike."
Then they laid aside most of their weapons. Grettir said: "I think now
you had better sit down at the table and have some drink. You must be
thirsty after your rowing."
They said they were quite ready for a drink, but did not know where the
cellar was. Grettir asked whether they would let him arrange for their
entertainment, which they willingly agreed to. So Grettir went and
fetched some ale which he gave them to drink. They were very tired and
drank enormously. He kept them well plied with the strongest ale there
was, and they sat there for a long time whilst he told them funny
stories. There was a tremendous din amongst them all, and the servants
had no wish to approach them.
Thorir said: "I never yet met with a stranger who treated me like this
man. What reward shall we give you for all that you have done, Grettir?"
Grettir replied: "I don't expect any reward for my services at present.
But if when you depart we are still as good friends as we seem to be
now, I should very much like to join your company, and though I may not
be able to do as much work as any of you, I will not be a hindrance in
any doughty undertaking."
They were delighted, and wanted to swear fellowship with him at once.
Grettir said that could not be, "for," he added, "there is truth in
the saying that Ale is another man, and such a thing should not be done
hastily, so let it remain at what I said; we are both little in the
habit of restraining ourselves."
They declared that they did not mean to go back. The night was now
coming on and it was getting very dark. Grettir noticed that they were
rather fuddled, and asked whether they did not think it was time to go
to bed. Thorir said: "So it is; but I have to fulfil my promise to the
mistress." Grettir then went out and called out loud: "Go to bed, women!
Such is the will of Thorir the bondi."
The women execrated him and could be heard howling like wolves. The
berserks then left the room. Grettir said: "Let us go outside; I will
show you the room in which Thorfinn keeps his clothes."
They were agreeable and all went out to an enormous outhouse, which was
very strongly built, and had a strong lock on the outer door. Adjoining
it was a large and well-built privy, with only a wooden partition
between it and the room of the outhouse, which was raised above
the ground and had to be reached by steps. The berserks then began
skylarking and pushing Grettir about. He fell down the in steps, as if
in sport, and in a moment was out of the house, had pulled the bolt,
slammed the door to, and locked it. Thorir and his mates thought at
first that the door had swung to of itself, and paid little attention;
they had a light with them by which Grettir had been showing them all
Thorfinn's treasures, and they continued looking at them for some time.
Grettir went off to the homestead, and on reaching the door cried out
very loud, asking where the mistress was. She was silent, being afraid
to answer. He said: "Here is rather good sport to be had. Are there any
arms which are good for anything?"
"There are arms," she said; "but I don't know for what purpose you want
them."
"We will talk about that afterwards; but now let each do what he can; it
is the last chance."
"Now indeed were God in the dwelling," she said, "if anything should
happen to save us. Over Thorfinn's bed there hangs the great halberd
which belonged to Kar the Old; there, too, is a helmet and a corselet
and a good short sword. The weapons will not fail if your heart holds
firm."
Grettir took the helmet and spear, girt the sword about him and went
quickly out. The mistress called to her men and bade them follow their
brave champion. Four of them rushed to their arms, but the other four
durst not go near them.
Meantime the berserks thought that Grettir was a long time away and
began to suspect some treachery. They rushed to the door and found it
locked. They strained at the woodwork till every timber groaned. At last
they tore down the wooden partition and so gained the passage where the
privy was, and thence the steps. Then the berserks' fury fell upon them
and they howled like dogs.
At that moment Grettir returned, and taking his halberd in both hands
he thrust it right through Thorir's body just as he was about to descend
the steps. The blade was very long and broad. Ogmund the Bad was just
behind pushing him on, so that the spear passed right up to the hook,
came out at his back between the shoulderblades and entered the breast
of Ogmund. They both fell dead, pierced by the spear. Then all the
others dashed down as they reached the steps. Grettir tackled them each
in turn, now thrusting with the spear, now hewing with the sword, while
they defended themselves with logs lying on the ground or with anything
else which they could get. It was a terrible trial of a man's prowess to
deal with men of their strength, even unarmed.
Grettir slew two of the Halogaland men there in the enclosure. Four of
the serving-men then came up. They had not been able to agree upon which
arms each should take, but they came out to the attack directly the
berserks were running away; when these turned against them they fell
back on the house. Six of the ruffians fell, all slain by Grettir's own
hand; the other six then fled towards the landing place and took refuge
in the boat-house, where they defended themselves with oars. Grettir
received a severe blow from one of them and narrowly escaped a serious
hurt.
The serving-men all went home and told great stories of their own
exploits. The lady wanted to know what had become of Grettir, but they
could not tell her. Grettir slew two men in the boat-house, but the
other four got away, two in one direction, two in another. He pursued
those who were nearest to him. The night was very dark. They ran to
Vindheim, the place spoken of before, and took refuge in a barn, where
they fought for a long time until at last Grettir killed them. By this
time he was terribly stiff and exhausted. The night was far spent;
it was very cold and there were driving snow-storms. He felt little
inclination to go after the two who yet remained, so he went back home.
The goodwife kindled a light and put it in a window in the loft at the
top of the house, where it served him as a guide, and he was able to
find his way home by the light. When he came to the door the mistress
came to meet him and bade him welcome.
"You have earned great glory," she said, "and have saved me and my
household from a disgrace never to be redeemed if you had not delivered
us."
"I think I am much the same person as I was last evening when you spoke
so roughly to me," said Grettir.
"We knew not then the might that was in you," she said, "as we know it
now. Everything in the house shall be yours, so far as it is fitting
for me to bestow and right for you to receive. I doubt not that Thorfinn
will reward you in a better way when he comes home."
"There is little that I want as a reward at present," said Grettir. "But
I accept your offer until your husband returns. I think now that you
will be able to sleep in peace undisturbed by the berserks."
Grettir drank little before he retired and lay all night in his armour.
In the morning, directly the day broke, all the men of the island were
called together to go forth and search for the two berserks who had
escaped. They were found at the end of the day lying under a rock, both
dead from cold and from their wounds; they were carried away and buried
in a place on the shore beneath the tide, with some loose stones over
them, after which the islanders returned home, feeling that they could
live in peace. When Grettir came back to the house and met the mistress
he spoke a verse:
"Near the surging sea the twelve lie buried.
I stayed not my hand but slew them alone.
Great lady! what deed that is wrought by a man
shall be sung of as worthy if this be deemed small."
She answered: "Certainly you are very unlike any other man now living."
She set him in the high seat and gave him the best of everything. So it
remained until Thorfinn returned.