Grettir Asmundson was fair to look on, broad-faced, short-faced, red-haired, and much freckled; not of quick growth in his childhood.

Thordis was a daughter of Asmund, whom Glum, the son of Uspak, the son of Kiarlak of Skridinsenni, afterwards had to wife.  Ranveig was another daughter of Asmund; she was the wife of Gamli, the son of Thorhal, the son of the Vendlander; they kept house at Meals in Ramfirth; their son was Grim.  The son of Glum and Thordis, the daughter of Asmund, was Uspak, who quarrelled with Odd, the son of Ufeigh, as is told in the Bandamanna Saga.

Grettir grew up at Biarg till he was ten years old; then he began to get on a little; but Asmund bade him do some work; Grettir answered that work was not right meet for him, but asked what he should do.

Says Asmund, “Thou shalt watch my home-geese.”

Grettir answered and said, “A mean work, a milksop’s work.”

Asmund said, “Turn it well out of hand, and then matters shall get better between us.”

Then Grettir betook himself to watching the home-geese; fifty of them there were, with many goslings; but no long time went by before he found them a troublesome drove, and the goslings slow-paced withal.  Thereat he got sore worried, for little did he keep his temper in hand.  So some time after this, wayfaring men found the goslings strewn about dead, and the home-geese broken-winged; and this was in autumn.  Asmund was mightily vexed hereat, and asked if Grettir had killed the fowl:  he sneered mockingly, and answered—­

  “Surely as winter comes, shall I
  Twist the goslings’ necks awry. 
  If in like case are the geese,
  I have finished each of these.”

“Thou shalt kill them no more,” said Asmund.

“Well, a friend should warn a friend of ill,” said Grettir.

“Another work shall be found for thee then,” said Asmund.

“More one knows the more one tries,” said Grettir; “and what shall I do now?”

Asmund answered, “Thou shalt rub my back at the fire, as I have been wont to have it done.”

“Hot for the hand, truly,” said Grettir; “but still a milksop’s work.”

Now Grettir went on with this work for a while; but autumn came on, and Asmund became very fain of heat, and he spurs Grettir on to rub his back briskly.  Now, in those times there were wont to be large fire-halls at the homesteads, wherein men sat at long fires in the evenings; boards were set before the men there, and afterwards folk slept out sideways from the fires; there also women worked at the wool in the daytime.  Now, one evening, when Grettir had to rub Asmund’s back, the old carle said,—­

“Now thou wilt have to put away thy sloth, thou milk-sop.”

Says Grettir, “Ill is it to goad the foolhardy.”

Asmund answers, “Thou wilt ever be a good-for-nought.”

Now Grettir sees where, in one of the seats stood wool-combs:  one of these he caught up, and let it go all down Asmund’s back.  He sprang up, and was mad wroth thereat; and was going to smite Grettir with his staff, but he ran off.  Then came the housewife, and asked what was this to-do betwixt them.  Then Grettir answered by this ditty—­