IN THE FAGRASKOGAFJALL
There lived in Holm Bjorn the Hitdale Warrior, who was the son of
Arngeir, the son of Bersi the Godless, the son of Balki, who was the
first settler in Hrutafjord, as has already been told. Bjorn was a great
chief and a valiant man, always ready to take in outlaws. He received
Grettir well when he came to Holm on account of the friendship which had
existed between their former kinsmen. Grettir asked if he would give him
shelter, and Bjorn said that he had so many quarrels throughout the land
that men would be reluctant to take him in for fear of being outlawed
themselves. "But," he said, "I will give you some help if you will leave
the men who are under my protection in peace, whatever you do to others
in this part."
Grettir promised that he would, and Bjorn continued: "I have thought of
something. In the mountain which stretches away from the Hitara river
there is a good position for defence, and likewise a good hiding-place
if it is skilfully managed. There is a hole through the mountain from
which you can see down upon the high road that lies immediately beneath
it, and a sandy slope down to the road so steep that few could get up it
if it were defended above by one doughty man up in the hollow. It may, I
think, be worth your while to consider whether you can stay there; it
is easy to go down from there to the Myrar to get your supplies, and to
reach the sea."
Grettir said he would trust to his foresight if he would help him a
little. Then he went to Fagraskogafjall and made himself a home there.
He hung some grey wadmal in front of the hole, and it looked from the
road below as if one could see through. Then he began to get in his
supplies, but the Myramen thought they had an unhappy visitor in
Grettir.
Thord the son of Kolbeinn was an excellent poet who dwelt in Hitarnes.
There was a great feud between him and Bjorn at that time, and Bjorn
thought it would be more than half useful to him if Grettir were to busy
himself with Thord's men or his cattle. Grettir was a great deal with
Bjorn and they had many games of strength. It is related in Bjorn's saga
that they were considered equal in strength, but the opinion of most
people is that Grettir was the strongest man that had been in the land
since the days when Orin Storolfsson and Thoralf Skolmsson ceased their
trials of strength. Grettir and Bjorn swam in one course the whole
length of the Hitara from the lake at its head down to the sea. They
brought the stepping-stones into the river which neither floods nor
freezing nor icedrifts have since moved from their places. Grettir
stayed a year in Fagraskogafjall without any attack being made upon him,
and yet many lost their property through his means and got nothing for
it, because his position was strong for defence and he was always in
good friendship with those who were nearest to him.