The time passed on until the spring, when men assembled at the Hegranes
Thing. They came in great numbers from all the districts under its
jurisdiction, and stayed there a long time, both palavering and
merry-making, for there were many who loved merriment in the country
round.
When Grettir heard that everybody had gone to the Thing he laid a plan
with his friends, for he was always on good terms with those who were
nearest to him, and for them he spared nothing which he was able to
get. He said he would go to the land to get supplies and that Illugi and
Glaum should remain behind. Illugi thought it very imprudent but he
let Grettir have his way. He told them to guard the ladder well since
everything depended upon that. Then he went to the land and obtained
what he wanted. He kept his disguise wherever he went and no one knew
that he had come. He heard of the festivities that were going on at the
Thing and was curious to see them, so he put on some old clothes that
were rather shabby and arrived just as they were going from the Logretta
home to their booths. Some of the young men were talking about the
weather, said it was good and fair, and that it would be a good thing to
have some games and wrestling; they thought it a good proposal. So they
sat down in front of their booths. The foremost men in the games were
the sons of Thord. Thorbjorn Angle was very uppish and was arranging
everything himself for the sports. Every one had to do as he bade, and
he took them each by the shoulders and pushed them into the field. The
wrestling was begun by the less strong ones in pairs, and there was
great sport. When most of them had wrestled except the strongest, there
was much talk as to who should tackle the two Thords mentioned above,
and there was no one who would do it. They went round inviting men to
wrestle, but the more they asked the more their invitation was declined.
Thorbjorn Angle looked round and saw a big man sitting there, but could
not clearly see his face. He seized hold of him and gave a violent tug,
but the man sat still and did not move.
Thorbjorn said: "Nobody has held so firm against me to-day as you. But
who is this fellow?"
"My name is Gest."
Thorbjorn said: "You will be wanting to play with us. You are a welcome
Guest."
"Things may change quickly," he said. "I cannot join in your games for I
have no knowledge of them."
Many of them said that they would take it kindly of him if he, a
stranger, would play a little with the men. He asked what they wanted
him to do, and they asked him to wrestle with some one. He said he had
given up wrestling, though he once used to take pleasure in it. As he
did not directly refuse they pressed him all the more.
"Well," he said, "if you want to drag me in you must do one thing for me
and grant me peace here at the Thing until I reach my home."
They all shouted and said they would gladly do that. The man who was
foremost in urging that peace should be given was one Haf the son of
Thorarin, the son of Haf, the son of Thord Knapp, who had settled in the
land between Stifla in Fljot and Tungua. He lived at Knappsstad and
was a man of many words. He spoke in favour of the peace with great
authority and said:
"Hereby do I declare PEACE between all men, in particular between this
man here seated who is named Gest and all Godord's men, full bondis, all
men of war and bearers of arms, all other men of this district of the
Hegranes Thing whencesoever they have come, both named and unnamed.
I declare PEACE and full Immunity in behoof of this newcomer to us
unknown, Gest yclept, for the practice of games, wrestling and all kinds
of sport, while abiding here, and during his journey home, whether he
sail or whether he travel, whether by land or whether by sea. He shall
have PEACE in all places, named and unnamed, for such time as he needeth
to reach his home in safety, by our faith confirmed. And I establish
this PEACE on the part of ourselves and of our kinsmen, our friends and
belongings, alike of women and of men, bondsmen and thralls, youths
and adults. Be there any truce-breaker who shall violate this PEACE
and defile this faith, so be he rejected of God and expelled from the
community of righteous men; be he cast out from Heaven and from the
fellowship of the holy; let him have no part amongst mankind and become
an outcast from society. A vagabond he shall be and a wolf in places
where Christians pray and where heathen worship, where fire burneth,
where the earth bringeth forth, where the child lispeth the name of
mother, where the mother beareth a son, where men kindle fire, where
the ship saileth, where shields blink, sun shineth, snow lieth, Finn
glideth, fir-tree groweth, falcon flieth the live-long day and the fair
wind bloweth straight under both her wings, where Heaven rolleth and
earth is tilled, where the breezes waft mists to the sea, where corn is
sown. Far shall he dwell from church and Christian men, from the sons of
the heathen, from house and cave and from every home, in the torments
of Hel. At PEACE we shall be, in concord together, each with other in
friendly mind, wherever we meet, on mountain or strand, on ship or on
snow-shoes, on plains or on glaciers, at sea or on horseback, as friends
meet in the water, or brothers by the way, each at PEACE with other, as
son with father, or father with son, in all our dealings.
"Our hands we lay together, all and every to hold well the PEACE and the
words we have spoken in this our faith, in the presence of God and of
holy men, of all who hear my words and here are present."
Many said that a great word had been spoken. Gest said: "You have
declared and spoken well; if you go not back upon it, I will not delay
to show that of which I am capable."
Then he cast off his hood and after that all his upper garments. Each
looked at the other and woe spread over their lips; for they knew that
it was Grettir who had come to them, by his excelling all other men in
stature and vigour. All were silent and Haf looked foolish. The men of
the district went two and two together, each blaming the other, and most
of all blaming him who had declared the peace. Then Grettir said: "Speak
plainly to me and declare what is in your minds, for I will not sit here
long without my clothes. You have more at stake than I have, whether you
hold the peace or not."
They answered little and sat themselves down. The sons of Thord and
their brother-in-law Halldor then talked together. Some wished to uphold
the peace and some not. Each nodded to the other. Then Grettir spoke a
verse:
"Many a man is filled with doubt.
A twofold mask has the prover of shields.
The skilful tongue is put to shame.
They doubt if they shall hold the troth."
Then said Tungu-Steinn: "Think you so, Grettir? Which then will the
chieftains do? But true it is that you excel all men in courage. See you
not how they are putting their noses together?"
Grettir then said:
"Together they all their noses laid;
they wagged their beards in close converse.
They talked with each other by two and two,
regretting the peace they afore declared."
Then said Hjalti the son of Thord: "It shall not be so; we will hold
the peace with you although our minds have altered. I would not that
men should have the example of our having broken the peace which
we ourselves gave and declared. Grettir shall depart unhindered
whithersoever he will, and shall have peace till such time as he reach
his home from this journey. And then this truce shall have expired
whatever happen with us." They all thanked him for his speech, and
thought he had acted as a chieftain should under such circumstances.
Thorbjorn Angle was silent. Then it was proposed that one or the other
of the Thords should close with Grettir, and he said that they might do
as they chose.
One of the two brothers Thord then came forward. Grettir stood upright
before him and Thord went for him with all his might, but Grettir never
moved from his place. Then Grettir stretched over across his back and
seizing his breeches tripped up his foot and cast him backwards over his
head so that he fell heavily upon his shoulders. Then the people said
that both the brothers should tackle him together, and they did so.
There arose a mighty tussle, each in turn having the advantage, although
Grettir always had one of them down. Now one, now the other was brought
to his knees or met with a reverse. So fiercely they gripped that all of
them were bruised and bloody. Everybody thought it splendid sport,
and when they ceased thanked them for their wrestling. Those that were
sitting near judged that the two together were no stronger than Grettir
alone, although each had the strength of two strong men. They were
so equal that when they strove together neither gained the advantage.
Grettir did not stay long at the Thing. The bondis asked him to give up
the island, but this he refused to do, and they accomplished nothing.
Grettir returned to Drangey where Illugi rejoiced much at seeing him
again. They stayed there in peace and Grettir told them of his journeys;
so the summer passed. All thought the men of Skagafjord had acted most
honourably in upholding their peace, and from this may be seen what
trusty men lived in those days, after all that Grettir had done against
them. The less wealthy ones among the bondis began to talk amongst
themselves and say that there was little profit in keeping a small share
of the island, and now offered to sell their holdings to the sons
of Thord, but Hjalti said he did not want to buy them. The bondis
stipulated that any one who wanted to buy a share should either kill
Grettir or get him away. Thorbjorn Angle said that he was ready to take
the lead, and would spare no pains to attack Grettir if they would pay
him for it. Hjalti his brother resigned to him his share of the island
because Thorbjorn was the more violent and was unpopular. Several other
bondis did the same, so that Thorbjorn Angle got a large part of the
island at a small price, but he bound himself to get Grettir away.