Grettir was sitting in Drangey with his companions very comfortably, as has been told.  On the day following that on which the old woman had cast her spells upon the tree they went down from the hill to look for firewood.  When they got to the western side of the island they found a great stump stranded there.

“Here is a fine log for fuel,” cried Illugi, “let us carry it home.”  Grettir gave it a kick with his foot and said:  “An ill tree and ill sent.  We must find other wood for the fire.”

He pushed it out into the sea and told Illugi to beware of carrying it home, for it was sent for their destruction.  Then they returned to their hut and said nothing about the tree to the thrall.  The next day they found the tree again, nearer to the ladder than on the day before.  Grettir put it back into the sea and said he would never carry it home.  That night passed and dirty weather set in with rain, so that they did not care to go out and told Glaum to fetch fuel.  He grumbled very much and declared it was cruel to make him plague himself to death in every kind of weather.  He descended the ladder and found there the woman’s log.  He thought himself lucky, laboured home with it to the hut and threw it down with a great noise which Grettir heard.

“Glaum has got something; I must go out and see what it is,” he said, and went out, taking his wood-cutting axe with him.

“Let your cutting up of it be no worse than my carrying of it home!” said Glaum.

Grettir was irritated with the thrall; he used his axe with both hands and did not notice what tree it was.  Directly the axe touched the tree it turned flat and glanced off into Grettir’s right leg.  It entered above his right knee and pierced to the bone, making a severe wound.  Grettir turned to the tree and said:  “He who meant me evil has prevailed; it will not end with this.  This is the very log which I twice rejected.  Two disasters have you now brought about, Glaum; first you let our fire go out, and now you have brought in this tree of ill-fortune.  A third mistake will be the death of you and of us all.”

Illugi then bound the wound.  It bled little; Grettir slept well that night and three days passed without its paining him.  When they opened the bandages the flesh had grown together and the wound was almost healed.  Illugi said:  “I do not think that you will suffer very long with this wound.”

“That would be well,” said Grettir; “it has happened strangely however it ends; but my mind tells me otherwise.”

CHAPTER LXXX

THE SPELL CONTINUES TO WORK

One evening they all went to bed, and about midnight Grettir began to toss about.  Illugi asked him why he was so restless.  Grettir said his leg was hurting him and he thought there must be some change in its appearance.  They fetched a light, unbound the wound and found it swollen and blue as coal.  It had opened again and was much worse than at first.  He had much pain after that and could not keep quiet, nor would any sleep come to his eyes.