Grettir stayed behind with Thorfinn, keeping very quiet and speaking little.  Thorfinn gave him his board, but took little notice of him.  Grettir held rather aloof, and did not accompany him when he went abroad every day.  This annoyed Thorfinn, but he did not like to refuse Grettir his hospitality; he was a man who kept open house, enjoyed life and liked to see other men happy.  Grettir liked going about and visiting the people in the other farms on the island.  There was a man named Audun, who dwelt at Vindheim.  Grettir went to see him daily and became very intimate with him, sitting there all day long.

One evening very late when Grettir was preparing to return home, he saw a great fire shoot up on the headland below Audun’s place, and asked what new thing that might be.  Audun said there was no pressing need for him to know.

“If they saw such a thing in our country,” said Grettir, “they would say the fire came from some treasure.”

“He who rules that fire,” answered the man, “is one whom it will be better not to inquire about.”

“But I want to know,” Grettir said.

“On that headland,” said Audun, “there is a howe, wherein lies Kar the Old, the father of Thorfinn.  Once upon a time father and son had a farm-property on the island; but ever since Kar died his ghost has been walking and has scared away all the other farmers, so that now the whole island belongs to Thorfinn, and no man who is under Thorfinn’s protection suffers any injury.”

“You have done right to tell me,” said Grettir.  “Expect me here to-morrow morning, and have tools ready for digging.”

“I won’t allow you to have anything to do with it,” said Audun, “because I know that it will bring Thorfinn’s wrath down upon you.”

Grettir said he would risk that.

The night passed; Grettir appeared early the next morning, and the bondi, who had got all the tools for digging ready, went with Grettir to the howe.  Grettir broke open the grave, and worked with all his might, never stopping until he came to wood, by which time the day was already spent.  He tore away the woodwork; Audun implored him not to go down, but Grettir bade him attend to the rope, saying that he meant to find out what it was that dwelt there.  Then he descended into the howe.  It was very dark and the odour was not pleasant.  He began to explore how it was arranged, and found the bones of a horse.  Then he knocked against a sort of throne in which he was aware of a man seated.  There was much treasure of gold and silver collected together, and a casket under his feet, full of silver.  Grettir took all the treasure and went back towards the rope, but on his way he felt himself seized by a strong hand.  He left the treasure to close with his aggressor and the two engaged in a merciless struggle.  Everything about them was smashed.  The howedweller made a ferocious onslaught.  Grettir for some time gave way, but found that no