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Page 14
Grettir said: "Many seem wise who are lacking in wit."
The night passed and there was no storm. Grettir drove out the
horses, but Keingala could not endure the pasture. Asmund
thought it very strange that no change came in the weather. On
the third morning he went himself to the horses and on seeing
Keingala he said: "Ill indeed have the horses fared in this
beautiful weather! Thy back will not deceive me, my Bleikala."
"The likely may happen--also the unlikely," said Grettir.
Asmund stroked the back of the horse and all her coat came off on
his hand. He could not understand how she had got into that
state and thought Grettir must have done it. Grettir grinned and
said nothing. Asmund went home and became very abusive. He
heard his wife say: "My son's watching of the horses must have
prospered well."
Then he spoke a verse:
"He has cheated me sorely, and Keingala shorn.
'Tis the pride of a woman that urges her tongue.
Artful he holds my commands in derision.
Consider my verses, oh wife of my heart."
"I do not know," she said, "which seems to me the more perverse,
for you to make him work, or for him always to get out of it in
the same way."
"Now there shall be an end to it," said Asmund. "He must have
something worse than merely making good the damage."
"Let neither speak of it to the other," said Grettir, and so it
remained.
Asmund had Keingala killed. Many more childish pranks did
Grettir play which are not told in the saga. He now began to
grow very big, but men did not clearly know what strength he had
because he had never been tried in wrestling. He kept making
verses and ditties which were always a little ironical. He did
not sleep in the common room and was generally very silent.
CHAPTER XV
GAMES AT MIDFJORDVATN
There were then a good many youths growing up in Midfjord. A
certain Skaldtorfa, whose home was in Torfustadir, had a son
named Bersi, an accomplished young man and a clever poet. Two
brothers named Kormak and Thorgils lived at Mel and had with them
a youth named Odd, who was dependent upon them, and was nicknamed
Odd the Needy-Skald. Another was named Audun; he grew up in
Audunarstad in Vididal, a pleasant good-natured youth and the
strongest of his age in the North. Kalf the son of Asgeir and
his brother Thorvald lived at Asgeirsa. Grettir's brother Atli
was then growing to a man; he was most gracious in manners and
universally liked.
These youths used to play at ball together at Midfjord Water.
Those from Midfjord and from Vididal used to meet there, and
there came many from Vestrhop and Vatnsnes with some from
Hrutafjord. Those who came from afar used to lodge there. Those
who were about equal in the ball-game were matched together, and
generally they had much fun in the autumn. Grettir went to the
sports when he was fourteen years old at the request of his
brother Atli. The parties were made up. Grettir was matched
against Audun, the youth already mentioned, who was a few years
the elder. Audun struck the ball over Grettir's head so that he
could not reach it, and it bounded far away over the ice.
Grettir lost his temper, thinking he had done it out of mischief,
but he fetched the ball, brought it back and going up to Audun
drove it straight into his forehead, so that the skin was broken.
Audun then struck at Grettir with the bat that he was holding,
but Grettir ducked and the blow missed him. Then they seized
each other with their arms and wrestled. It was evident to the
people around that Grettir was stronger than they had supposed,
for Audun was very strong indeed of body. They struggled long
together until at last Grettir was thrown. Audun then set his
knees on his stomach and dealt unmercifully with him. Atli and
Bersi and a number of the others ran up and separated them.
Grettir said they need not hold him like a mad dog, and added:
"The thrall alone takes instant vengeance, the coward never."
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