It has now to be told how Grettir became so ill that he could not stand
on his feet. Illugi sat with him and Glaum had to hold watch. He still
continued to object, and said they might think their lives were going to
fall out of them, but there was no reason for it. He went out, but most
unwillingly. When he came to the ladder he said to himself that there
was no need to draw it up. He felt very sleepy, lay down and slept all
day, and did not wake until Thorbjorn reached the island. They saw then
that the ladder was not drawn up. Thorbjorn said: "The situation has
changed from what it used to be; there are no men moving about, and the
ladder is in its place. It may be that more will come of our journey
than we expected at first. Now let us go to the hut and not let our
courage slacken. If they are well we may know for certain that there
will be need for each to do his very best."
They went up the ladder, looked round and saw close to the ascent a
man lying and snoring aloud. Thorbjorn recognised Glaum, went up to the
rascal and told him to wake up, striking his ear with the hilt of his
sword and saying: "Truly he is in a bad case whose life is entrusted to
your keeping."
Glaum looked up and said: "They are going on as usual. Do you think my
freedom such a great thing while I am lying here in the cold?"
Angle said: "Have you lost your wits? Don't you see that your enemies
are upon you and about to kill you all?"
Glaum said nothing, but on recognising the men cried out as loud as he
could.
"Do one thing or the other," said Angle; "either be silent this moment
and tell me all about your household, or be killed."
Glaum was as silent as if he had been dipped in water.
Thorbjorn said: "Are the brothers in the hut? Why are they not about?"
"That would not be so easy," said Glaum, "for Grettir is sick and nigh
to death and Illugi is sitting with him."
Thorbjorn asked about his condition, and what had happened. Then Glaum
told him all about Grettir's wound.
Angle laughed and said: "True is the ancient saying that Old friends are
the last to break away, and also this, that It is ill to have a thrall
for your friend--such a one as you, Glaum! You have shamefully betrayed
your liege lord, though there was little good in him."
Then the others cast reproaches at him for his villainy; they beat him
almost helpless and left him lying there. Then they went on to the hut
and knocked violently at the door.
Illugi said: "Greybelly [1] is knocking at the door, brother."
"He is knocking rather loud," said Grettir; "most unmercifully." Then
the door broke in pieces. Illugi rushed to his arms and defended the
door so that they could not get in. They assailed it long, but could get
nothing in but the points of their spears, all of which Illugi severed
from their shafts. Seeing that they could do nothing, they sprang on
to the roof and began to break it in. Then Grettir got on to his
feet, seized a spear and thrust it between the rafters. It struck Kar,
Halldor's man from Hof, and went right through him. Angle told them to
go to work warily and be careful of themselves. "We shall only overcome
them," he said, "if we act with caution."
Then they laid open the end of one of the timbers and bore upon it until
it broke. Grettir was unable to rise from his knees, but he seized the
sword Karsnaut at the moment when they all sprang in from the roof, and
a mighty fray began. Grettir struck with his sword at Vikar, a man of
Hjalti the son of Thord, reaching his left shoulder as he sprang from
the roof. It passed across his shoulder, out under his right arm, and
cut him right in two. His body fell in two parts on the top of Grettir
and prevented him from recovering his sword as quickly as he wished,
so that Thorbjorn Angle was able to wound him severely between the
shoulders. Grettir said: "Bare is his back who has no brother!"
Illugi threw his shield before Grettir and defended him so valiantly
that all men praised his prowess.
Grettir said to Angle: "Who showed you the way to the island?"
"Christ showed us the way," he said.
"I guess," said Grettir, "that it was the wicked old woman, your
foster-mother, who showed you; hers were the counsels that you relied
upon."
"It shall now be all the same to you," said Angle, "upon whom I relied."
They returned to the attack; Illugi defended himself and Grettir
courageously, but Grettir was unfit for fighting, partly from his
wounds, partly from his illness. Angle then ordered them to bear Illugi
down with their shields, saying he had never met with his like amongst
older men than he. They did so, and pressed upon him with a wall of
armour against which resistance was impossible. They took him prisoner
and kept him. He had wounded most of those who were attacking him and
killed three. Then they went for Grettir, who had fallen forward on his
face. There was no resistance in him for he was already dead from his
wounded leg; his thigh was all mortified up to the rectum. Many more
wounds they gave him, but little or no blood flowed.
When they thought he was quite dead Angle took hold of his sword, saying
he had borne it long enough, but Grettir's fingers were so tightly
locked around the hilt that he could not loosen them. Many tried before
they gave it up, eight of them in turn, but all failed. Angle then said:
"Why should we spare a forest-man? Lay his hand upon the log."
They did so, and he hewed off the hand at the wrist. Then the fingers
straightened and were loosed from the hilt. Angle took his sword in both
hands and hewed at Grettir's head. So mighty was the blow that the sword
could not hold against it, and a piece was broken out of the edge. When
asked why he spoilt a good weapon, he replied: "It will be more easily
known if there be any question."
They said this was unnecessary, as the man was dead before. "I will do
more," he said, and struck two or three blows at Grettir's neck before
he took off his head. Then he said:
"Now I know for certain that Grettir is dead; a great man of war have we
laid even with the earth. We will take his head with us, for I have no
wish to lose the money which was put upon it. There shall not be any
doubt that it was I who slew Grettir."
They said he might do as he pleased, but they felt much disgusted, and
thought his conduct contemptible.
Then Angle said to Illugi: "It is a great pity that a man so valiant as
you should have committed such a folly as to cast in your lot with this
outlaw and follow his evil ways, at last to die unatoned."
Illugi answered: "When the All-Thing is over next summer you shall know
who are outlawed. Neither you nor the woman, your foster-mother, shall
judge this case, for it is your spells and sorcery that have killed
Grettir, though you bore your iron weapons against him when he was
at the door of death. Many a base deed did you do over and above your
witchcraft."
Angle said: "You speak bravely, but it shall not be so. I will show how
I value you by sparing your life if you will swear by your honour
to take no vengeance upon any person who has been with us on this
occasion."
"I might have thought of it," he said, "if Grettir had been able to
defend himself or if you had killed him in honourable battle. But now
you need not hope that I will try to save my life by becoming a poltroon
like you. I tell you at once that if I live no man shall be more
burdensome to you than I. Long will it be before I forget how you have
dealt with Grettir; far sooner will I choose to die."
Then Thorbjorn consulted with his companions whether they should allow
Illugi to live. They said he should decide their doings himself, as he
was the leader of the expedition. Angle said he was not going to have
a man threatening his head who would not promise to hold faith. When
Illugi knew that they intended to slay him he laughed and said: "Now you
have resolved upon that which was nearest to my heart."
When the day broke they led him to the eastern side of the island and
there slew him. All praised his courage, and said there was no man of
his years who was like him. They buried both the brothers in the island,
but took Grettir's head with all weapons and clothes which had any value
away with them. His good sword Angle would not allow to come amongst
the spoils for division, but bore it long himself. They took Glaum with
them, still complaining and resisting. The weather had calmed down in
the night, and in the morning they rowed to the mainland. Angle sailed
for the most convenient place, and sent the ship on to Bjorn. When they
came near to Osland, Glaum became so obstreperous that they refused to
carry him any further and slew him there where he was, crying as loud as
he could until he was killed. Angle went home to Vidvik and considered
that on this journey he had been successful. They laid Grettir's head
in salt and put it for the winter in the out-house called Grettisbur in
Vidvik. Angle was much blamed for this affair when men came to know that
Grettir had been overcome by sorcery. He remained quietly at home till
after Yule. Then he went to seek Thorir in Gard and told him of the
slayings, adding that he considered that he had a right to the money
which had been put on Grettir's head.
Thorir said that he would not deny that he had brought about Grettir's
sentence. "I have often suffered wrong from him; but I would not to take
his life have become an evil-doer as you have done. I will not pay the
money to you, for you seem to me as one who will be doomed to death for
magic and witchcraft."
Angle said: "I think it is much more avarice and meanness on your part
than any scruples about the way in which Grettir was killed."
Thorir said there was an easy way of settling it between them; they need
only wait for the All-Thing and accept what seemed right to the Lawman.
They then parted with nothing but ill-feeling between Thorir and
Thorbjorn Angle.
ENDNOTES:
[Footnote 1: The tame ram, see chapter lxxiv.]