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Page 19
CHAPTER XVIII
ADVENTURE IN THE HOWE OF KAR THE OLD
The name of the Landman who lived in the island was Thorfinn. He
was a son of Kar the Old, who had lived there for a long time.
Thorfinn was a man of great influence.
When the day broke, the people on the island saw that there were
some sailors there in distress and reported it to Thorfinn, who
at once set about to launch his large sixteen-oared boat. He put
out as quickly as possible with some thirty men to save the cargo
of the trader, which then sank and was lost, along with much
property. Thorfinn brought all the men off her to his house,
where they stayed for a week drying their goods. Then they went
away to the South, and are heard of no more in this story.
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 holding back was possible. They did not spare each
other. Soon they came to the place where the horse's bones were
lying, and here they struggled for long, each in turn being
brought to his knees. At last it ended in the howedweller
falling backwards with a horrible crash, whereupon Audun above
bolted from the rope, thinking that Grettir was killed. Grettir
then drew his sword Jokulsnaut, cut off the head of the
howedweller and laid it between his thighs. Then he went with
the treasure to the rope, but finding Audun gone he had to swarm
up the rope with his hands. First he tied the treasure to the
lower end of the rope, so that he could haul it up after him. He
was very stiff from his struggle with Kar, but he turned his
steps towards Thorfinn's house, carrying the treasure along with
him. He found them all at supper. Thorfinn cast a severe glance
at him and asked what he had found so pressing to do that he
could not keep proper hours like other men.
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