DRANGEY
Soon after Thorodd left him Grettir rode North to Bjarg and remained
there in hiding for a time. His fear of the dark grew so upon him that
he dared go nowhere after dusk. His mother offered to keep him there,
but said she saw that it would not do for him because of the feuds
which he had throughout the land. Grettir said she should not fall into
trouble through him, "but," he said, "I can no longer live alone even to
save my life."
Illugi his brother was then fifteen years old and was a most goodly
young man. He heard what they were saying. Grettir told his mother what
Gudmund the Mighty had advised him to do, and declared he would try to
get to Drangey if he could. Yet, he said, he could not go there unless
he could find some faithful man to stay with him. Then Illugi said: "I
will go with you, brother. I know not whether I shall be a support to
you, but I will be faithful to you and will not run from you so long as
you stand upright. And I shall know the better how it fares with you if
I am with you."
Grettir answered: "You are such an one amongst men as I most rejoice
in. And if my mother be not against it I would indeed that you should go
with me."
Asdis then said: "It has now come to this, that I see two difficulties
meeting each other. It is hard for me to lose Illugi, but I know that so
much may be said for Grettir's condition that he will find some way out.
And though it is much for one to bid farewell to both of you, yet I will
consent to it if Grettir's lot is bettered thereby."
Illugi was pleased at her words, for his heart was set upon going with
Grettir. She gave them plenty of money to take with them and they made
ready for their journey. Asdis took them along the road, and before they
parted she said: "Go forth now, my sons twain. Sad will be your death
together, nor may any man escape that which is destined for him. I shall
see neither of you again; let one fate befall you both. I know not what
safety you seek in Drangey, but there shall your bones be laid, and many
will begrudge you your living there. Beware of treachery; yet shall you
be smitten with weapons, for strange are the dreams which I have had.
Guard yourselves against witchcraft, for few things are stronger than
the ancient spells."
Thus she spoke and wept much. Grettir said: "Weep not, my mother. It
shall be said that you had sons and not daughters if we are attacked
with arms. Live well, and farewell."
Then they parted. The two travelled North through the districts and
visited their kinsmen while the autumn passed into winter. Then they
turned their steps to Skagafjord, then North to Vatnsskard on to
Reykjaskard below Saemundarhlid to Langholt, reaching Glaumbaer as
the day was waning. Grettir had slung his hat over his shoulder; so
he always went when out of doors whether the weather was good or bad.
Thence they continued their journey, and when they had gone a short way
they met a man with a big head, tall and thin and ill clad. He greeted
them and each asked the other's name. They told theirs and he said his
name was Thorbjorn. He was a vagrant, had no mind to work and swaggered
much. It was the habit of some to make game of him or fool him. He
became very familiar and told them much gossip about the district and
the people therein. Grettir was much amused. He asked whether they did
not want a man to work for them and said he would much like to go with
them. So much he got from his talk that they let him join them. It was
very cold and there was a driving snow-storm. As the man was so fussy
and talkative they gave him a nickname and called him Glaum.
"The people in Glaumbaer," he said, "were much exercised about your
going without a hat in this weather, and wanted to know whether you were
any the braver for being proof against the cold. There were two sons of
bondis there, men of great distinction; the shepherd told them to come
out and mind the sheep with him, but they could scarcely get their
clothes on for the cold."
Grettir said: "I saw a young man inside the door putting on his mittens,
and another going between the cow-house and the dung-heap. Neither of
them will frighten me."
Then they went on to Reynines and stayed the night there; then to the
sea-shore to a farm called Reykir where a man, a good farmer, named
Thorvald, lived. Grettir asked him for shelter and told him of his
intention of going to Drangey. The bondi said that men of Skagafjord
would not think his a very friendly visit and drew back. Then Grettir
took the purse of money which his mother had given him and gave it to
the bondi. The man's brows unbent when he saw the money and he told
three of his servants to take them out in the night by the moonlight.
From Reykir is the shortest distance to the island, about one sea-mile.
When they reached the island Grettir thought it looked quite pleasant;
it was all overgrown with grass and had steep cliffs down to the sea
so that no one could get on to it except where the ladders were. If the
upper ladder was pulled up it was impossible for any one to get on to
the island. There was also a large crag full of sea birds in the summer,
and there were eighty sheep in the island belonging to the bondis,
mostly rams and ewes, which were meant for slaughter.
There Grettir quietly settled down. He had been fifteen or sixteen years
an outlaw, so Sturla the son of Thord has recorded.