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Page 21
The jarl's expedition is told of in his saga, and the government
of Norway was left in the hands of jarl Sveinn, with the regency.
Thorfinn returned home and remained there until about Yule-tide,
as has already been told. Towards Yule-tide he made ready to go
on a journey to his farm called Slysfjord on the mainland,
whither he had invited a number of his friends. He could not
take his wife with him, because their grown-up daughter was lying
sick, so they both had to stay at home. Grettir and eight of the
serving men remained with them. Thorfinn went with thirty
freemen to the Yule festival, at which there was much gladness
and merriment.
Yule-eve set in with bright and clear weather. Grettir, who was
generally abroad in the daytime, was watching the vessels which
came along the coast, some from the North, some from the South,
meeting at the places agreed upon for their drinking-bouts. The
bondi's daughter was then better and could go out with her
mother. So the day passed. At last Grettir noticed a ship
rowing up to the island, not large, covered with shields
amidships and painted above the water-line. They were rowing
briskly and making for Thorfinn's boat-houses. They ran the boat
on to the beach and all sprang ashore. Grettir counted the men;
there were twelve in all, and their aspect did not look peaceful.
After hauling up their boat out of the water they all made for
the boat-house where Thorfinn's great boat, mentioned already,
was stowed. She always required thirty men to put her to sea,
but the twelve shoved her along the beach at once. Then they
brought their own boat into the boat-house. It was very evident
to Grettir that they did not mean to wait for an invitation, so
he went up to them, and greeting them in a friendly way asked who
they were and who was their captain. The man whom he addressed
answered him at once, saying his name was Thorir, called Paunch;
the others were his brother Ogmund with their companions. "I
think," he added, "that your master Thorfinn has heard our names
mentioned. But is he at home?"
"You must be men who have luck," said Grettir, "you have come
most opportunely, if you are the people I take you for. The
bondi has gone from home with all his freedmen and will not be
back until after Yule. The goodwife is at home with her
daughter, and if I had any grudge to repay, I would come just as
you do, for there is everything here which you want, ale to drink
and other delights."
Thorir was silent while Grettir went on talking. Then he turned
to Ogmund and said: "Has anything not happened as I said it
would? I should not be sorry to punish Thorfinn for having got
us outlawed. This man seems ready to tell us everything; we
don't have to drag the words out of his mouth."
"Every one is master of his own words," said Grettir. "If you
will come home with me I will give you what entertainment I can."
They thanked him and said they would accept his invitation. When
they reached the house Grettir took Thorir by the hand and led
him into the hall. He was very talkative. The mistress was in
the hall decorating it and putting all in order. On hearing what
Grettir said, she came to the door and asked who it was that
Grettir was welcoming so warmly.
Grettir answered: "It will be advisable, mistress, to be civil to
these men who have come. They are the bondi Thorir Paunch and
his followers, and have come, all twelve of them, to spend
Yule-tide here. It is fortunate for us, for we have had little
company till now."
She said: "I don't call them bondis, nor are they decent men, but
arrant robbers and malefactors. I would gladly pay a large
portion of my property for them not to have come just at this
time. It is an ill return that you make to Thorfinn for having
saved you from shipwreck and kept you this winter like a free
man, destitute as you were."
"You would do better," said Grettir, "if you first took off the
wet clothes from your guests instead of casting reproaches upon
me. You will have plenty of time for that."
Then Thorir said: "Don't be angry, mistress! You shall lose
nothing by your husband being away, for you shall have a man in
his place and so shall your daughter and all the other women."
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