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Page 24
"Near the surging sea the twelve lie buried.
I stayed not my hand but slew them alone.
Great lady! what deed that is wrought by a man
shall be sung of as worthy if this be deemed small."
She answered: "Certainly you are very unlike any other man now
living." She set him in the high seat and gave him the best of
everything. So it remained until Thorfinn returned.
CHAPTER XX
THORFINN'S RETURN. GRETTIR VISITS THE NORTH
When Yule-tide was past, Thorfinn made ready for his homeward
journey and dismissed his many guests with gifts. He sailed with
all his men and landed near the place where the boat-houses were.
They saw a ship lying on the sand which they at once recognised
as his great boat. Thorfinn had heard nothing of the vikings and
told his men to put him on shore, "for I suspect," he said, "that
they are not friends who have been at work here."
Thorfinn was the first to land, and went straight to the boat-
house, where he saw a craft which he knew at once to be that of
the berserks. He said to his men: "I suspect that things have
taken place here such that I would give the whole island and
everything that is in it for them not to have happened."
They asked how that was.
"Vikings have been here, men whom I know as the worst in all
Norway, namely Thorir Paunch and Ogmund the Bad. They will not
have dealt gently with us. I mistrust that Icelander."
Then he spoke many things to his men. Grettir was at home and
detained the men from going down to the shore. He said he did
not care if the bondi got a little fright from what he saw. The
goodwife asked his leave to go down, and he said she was mistress
of her own ways, but that he was not going. So she hurried away
to greet Thorfinn and embraced him joyfully. He was rejoiced to
see her and said: "God be praised that I see you well and my
daughter too. But what has happened to you since I left?"
"It has ended well," she said. "But we were nigh to suffering a
disgrace which could never have been wiped out, had not your
winter-guest aided us."
Thorfinn said: "Let us sit down and you shall tell me
everything."
Then she told him fully all that had happened, praising highly
Grettir's courage and resourcefulness. Thorfinn was silent while
she was speaking, and when she had finished he said: "True indeed
is the word, `Long shall a man be tried'. But where is Grettir?"
"He is at home in the hall," she answered.
Then they went up to the house. Thorfinn went to Grettir and
turned towards him and thanked him with the fairest words for his
courageous conduct.
"I will say a word to you," he said, "which few would say to
their friend. I would it might happen that you should need the
help of a man, for you to know whether I count for anything or
not; I cannot repay what you have done for me as long as you are
not in straits. You shall have in my house whatever you desire,
and shall be in the highest honour in my household."
Grettir thanked him and said he would have accepted his offer
even if he had made it earlier.
Grettir stayed there the rest of the winter in high favour with
Thorfinn. The fame of his deed spread through all Norway,
especially in those parts where the berserks had ravaged most
mercilessly. In the spring Thorfinn asked him what he would like
to do. He said he would go North to Vagar while the fair was on
there. Thorfinn said that any money which he required should be
at his service; Grettir said he did not want more just then than
enough to pay for his living. Thorfinn said that was his due,
and brought him to a ship, where he gave him the excellent short
sword. Grettir kept it as long as he lived; it was a most
precious possession. Thorfinn bade him come to him if ever he
wanted any help.
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