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: 

(1) The tame ram, see chapter lxxiv.

CHAPTER LXXXIII

THORBJORN VISITS GRETTIR’S MOTHER AT BJARG

The kinsmen of Grettir and Illugi were deeply grieved when they heard of their death.  They held that Angle had done a dastardly deed in slaying a man at the point of death, and they also accused him of practising sorcery.  They applied to the most learned men, and Angle’s case was ill-spoken of.

Four weeks after the beginning of summer he rode Westwards to Midfjord.  When Asdis heard of his being in the neighbourhood she gathered her men around her.  She had many friends, Gamli and Glum, Skeggi, called Short-hand, and Ospak, who was mentioned before.  So much beloved was she that the whole of Midfjord rose to help her, even those who had once been Grettir’s enemies.  Chief among these was Thorodd Drapustuf, who was joined by most of the Hrutafjord men.

Angle reached Bjarg with a following of twenty men, bringing Grettir’s head with him.  All those who had promised their support had not yet come in.  Angle’s party entered the room with the head and set it on the floor.  The mistress of the house was there and several others; no greeting passed between them.  Angle spoke a verse: 

“Grettir’s head I bring thee here.  Weep for the red-haired hero, lady.  On the floor it lies; ’twere rotten by this, but I laid it in salt.  Great glory is mine.”

She sat silent while he spoke his verse; then she said: 

“The swine would have fled like sheep from the fox if Grettir had stood there hearty and strong.  Shame on the deeds that were done in the North!  Little the glory you gain from my lay.”

Many said it was small wonder that she had brave sons, so brave was she herself before the insults which she had received.  Ospak was outside and was talking with those of Angle’s men who had not gone in.  He asked about the fray, and they all praised Illugi for the defence that he had made.  They also told of Grettir’s firm grip on his sword after he was dead, and the men thought it marvellous.  Then a number of men were seen riding from the West; they were the friends of Asdis with Gamli and Skeggi, who had come from Melar.