They were agreeable and all went out to an enormous outhouse, which was very strongly built, and had a strong lock on the outer door.  Adjoining it was a large and well-built privy, with only a wooden partition between it and the room of the outhouse, which was raised above the ground and had to be reached by steps.  The berserks then began skylarking and pushing Grettir about.  He fell down the in steps, as if in sport, and in a moment was out of the house, had pulled the bolt, slammed the door to, and locked it.  Thorir and his mates thought at first that the door had swung to of itself, and paid little attention; they had a light with them by which Grettir had been showing them all Thorfinn’s treasures, and they continued looking at them for some time.

Grettir went off to the homestead, and on reaching the door cried out very loud, asking where the mistress was.  She was silent, being afraid to answer.  He said:  “Here is rather good sport to be had.  Are there any arms which are good for anything?”

“There are arms,” she said; “but I don’t know for what purpose you want them.”

“We will talk about that afterwards; but now let each do what he can; it is the last chance.”

“Now indeed were God in the dwelling,” she said, “if anything should happen to save us.  Over Thorfinn’s bed there hangs the great halberd which belonged to Kar the Old; there, too, is a helmet and a corselet and a good short sword.  The weapons will not fail if your heart holds firm.”

Grettir took the helmet and spear, girt the sword about him and went quickly out.  The mistress called to her men and bade them follow their brave champion.  Four of them rushed to their arms, but the other four durst not go near them.

Meantime the berserks thought that Grettir was a long time away and began to suspect some treachery.  They rushed to the door and found it locked.  They strained at the woodwork till every timber groaned.  At last they tore down the wooden partition and so gained the passage where the privy was, and thence the steps.  Then the berserks’ fury fell upon them and they howled like dogs.

At that moment Grettir returned, and taking his halberd in both hands he thrust it right through Thorir’s body just as he was about to descend the steps.  The blade was very long and broad.  Ogmund the Bad was just behind pushing him on, so that the spear passed right up to the hook, came out at his back between the shoulderblades and entered the breast of Ogmund.  They both fell dead, pierced by the spear.  Then all the others dashed down as they reached the steps.  Grettir tackled them each in turn, now thrusting with the spear, now hewing with the sword, while they defended themselves with logs lying on the ground or with anything else which they could get.  It was a terrible trial of a man’s prowess to deal with men of their strength, even unarmed.