Grim said that was just what he wished and pressed Grettir much, until Grettir let himself be persuaded and took him in.  He stayed there right into the winter, and watched Grettir closely, but it seemed no easy matter to attack him, for Grettir was suspicious and kept his weapons at hand night and day; when he was awake the man would not venture to approach him.

One morning Grim came home from fishing and went into the hut stamping with his feet and wanting to know whether Grettir was asleep.  Grettir lay still and did not move.  There was a short sword hanging above his head.  Grim thought he would never have a better opportunity.  He made a loud noise to see whether Grettir took any notice, but he did not, so Grim felt sure that he was asleep.  He crept stealthily to the bed, reached up to the sword, took it down and raised it to strike.  Just at the moment when he raised it Grettir sprang up on to the floor, and, seizing the sword with one hand, Grim with the other, hurled him over so that he fell nearly senseless.  “This is how you have proved yourself with all your friendly seeming,” he said.  Then he got the whole truth out of him and killed him.  He learned from this what it was to take in a forest-man.  So the winter passed.  The hardest thing of all to bear was his fear of the dark.

CHAPTER LVI

TREACHERY AND DEATH OF THORIR REDBEARD

Thorir of Gard now heard where Grettir had taken up his abode and meant to leave no stone unturned to get him slain.  There was a man named Thorir Redbeard, a stout man and a great fighter, on which account he had been declared outlaw throughout the country.

Thorir of Gard sent word to him, and when they met asked Redbeard to undertake the business of slaying Grettir.  Redbeard said that was no easy task, as Grettir was very wide awake and very cautious.  Thorir told him to try it, saying:  “It would be a splendid deed for a valiant man like you; I will get your outlawing removed and give you sufficient money as well.”

So Redbeard agreed and Thorir told him how he should go to work to deal with Grettir.  Redbeard then went away into the East in order that Grettir might not suspect where he came from.  Thence he came to the Arnarvatn Heath, where Grettir had then been for one winter, found Grettir and asked him for entertainment.  He said:  “I cannot allow people to play with me again as the man did who came here last autumn, pretending to be very friendly; before he had been here very long he began plotting against my life.  I cannot risk taking in anymore forest-men.”

“I think you have reason,” Thorir said, “to mistrust forest-men.  It may be you have heard tell of me as a man of blood and a disturber of peace, but never did you hear of such a monstrous deed of me as that I betrayed my host.  Ill is the lot of him who has an ill name; for men think of him but as such; nor would I have come here if I had had any better choice.  All is not lost for us if we stand together.  You might venture so much to begin with as to try how you like me, and then if you find any unfitness in me turn me away.”