Men say that the islands called Olafseyjar, lying in the fjord about a mile and a half from Reykjanes, belonged to Thorgils.  He had there a valuable ox, which he had not brought away in the autumn.  He was always saying that he wanted him to be brought in before Yule.  One day the foster-brothers prepared to go and fetch the ox, but wanted a third man to help them.  Grettir offered to go with them and they were very glad to have him.  So the three set out in a ten-oared boat.  The weather was cold and the wind from the North; the boat was lying at Hvalshausholm.  When they left the wind had freshened a little; they reached the island and caught the ox.  Grettir asked whether they preferred to ship the ox or to hold the boat, for there was a high surf running on the shore.  They told him to hold the boat.  He stood by her middle on the side away from the land, the sea reaching right up to beneath his shoulders, but he held the boat firmly so that she could not drift.  Thorgeir took the ox by the stern and Thormod by the head, and so they hove him into the boat.  Then they started heading for the bay, Thormod taking the bow-oars with Thorgeir amidships and Grettir in the stern.  By the time they reached Hafraklett the wind was very high.  Thorgeir said:  “The stern is slackening.”

Grettir said:  “The stern will not be left behind if the rowing amidships is all right.”

Thorgeir then bent his back to the oars and pulled so violently that both the rowlocks carried away.  He said: 

“Pull on, Grettir, whilst I mend the rowlocks.”

Grettir pulled vigorously whilst Thorgeir mended the rowlocks.  But when Thorgeir was about to take over the oars again they were so damaged that on Grettir giving them a shake on the gunwale they broke.  Thormod said it would be better to row less and not to break the ship.  Then Grettir took two spars which were on board, bored two holes in the gunwale, and rowed so energetically that every timber creaked.  As the boat was well found and the men in good condition they reached Hvalshausholm.  Grettir asked whether they would go on home with the ox or whether they would beach the boat.  They preferred to beach the boat, and they did so with all the water that was in her all frozen.  Grettir got off the ox, which was very stiff in its limbs and very fat and tired; when they got to Titlingsstad it could go no more.  The foster-brothers went home, for none of them would help the other at his job.  Thorgils asked after Grettir; they told him how they had parted, and he sent men out to him.  When they came below Hellisholar they saw a man coming towards them with an ox on his back; it was Grettir carrying the ox.  They all admired his great feat, but Thorgeir became rather jealous of Grettir’s strength.

One day soon after Yule Grettir went out alone to bathe.  Thorgeir knew of it and said to Thormod:  “Let us go out now and see what Grettir does if I attack him as he comes out of the water.”