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Page 28
CHAPTER XXIII
GRETTIR KILLS HJARRANDI
One day Grettir and Arnbjorn were walking along the road for
their diversion when they passed a gate, whence a man rushed out
holding an axe aloft with both hands and struck at Grettir, who
was not on his guard and was moving slowly. Arnbjorn, however,
saw the man coming, seized Grettir and pushed him aside with such
force that he fell on his knee. The axe struck him in the
shoulder-blade and cut down to below the arm, inflicting a severe
wound. Grettir turned quickly and drew his sword; he saw that it
was Hjarrandi who had attacked him. The axe had stuck fast in
the road, and Hjarrandi was slow in recovering it. Grettir
struck at him and cut off his arm at the shoulder. Then there
came running up five of Hjarrandi's followers and a battle began
with them. They were soon routed; Grettir and Arnbjorn killed
the five who were with Hjarrandi; one man escaped and bore the
tale to the jarl forthwith. The jarl was very angry indeed, and
summoned the assembly for the next day. Thorfinn and his party
appeared thereat. The jarl brought a charge of manslaughter
against Grettir, who admitted it and said that he had been
obliged to defend himself. "I bear the marks of it," he said.
"I should have been killed if Arnbjorn had not defended me."
The jarl said it was a pity he had not been killed, for this
affair would lead to many a man being slain if he lived.
There had come to the jarl's court Bersi the son of Skaldtorfa,
Grettir's comrade and friend. He and Thorfinn stepped before the
jarl and begged for pardon for Grettir. They asked that the jarl
should decide the matter himself as he thought best, only that
Grettir should have his life and the freedom of the country. The
jarl was averse to any terms being granted to him, but gave way
to their entreaties. He granted immunity to Grettir until the
spring, but not absolutely until Gunnar the brother of Bjorn and
Hjarrandi should be present. Gunnar was a landed proprietor in
Tunsberg.
In the spring the jarl ordered Grettir and Thorfinn to appear at
Tunsberg, where he himself intended to be while the shipping was
assembled. So thither they went, and found the jarl was already
in the town. There Grettir met his brother Thorsteinn Dromund,
who greeted him joyfully and invited him to be his guest. He was
a landowner in the town. Grettir told him all about his case,
and Thorsteinn took his view of it, but told him to beware of
Gunnar. So the spring passed.
CHAPTER XXIV
GRETTIR KILLS GUNNAR. HIS FRIENDS RALLY ROUND HIM AND SAVE HIM
FROM THE VENGEANCE OF THE JARL
Gunnar was in the town and was plotting against Grettir's life.
Wherever he went Gunnar dogged his steps wherever he found a
chance of getting near him. One day Grettir was sitting in a
booth and drinking, because he wanted to keep out of Gunnar's
way. Suddenly there was a bang at the door, so hard that it
broke in pieces, and in rushed four men armed and attacked
Grettir. They were Gunnar with his followers. Grettir seized
his arms which were hanging above his head and ran into a corner,
where he defended himself, holding his shield before him, and
hewing with his sword. They made little way against him. One
blow he succeeded in delivering upon one of Gunnar's followers,
who needed nothing more. Then Grettir advanced, driving them
before him out of the booth, and killing another of them. Gunnar
would fain have got away with his men, but on reaching the door
he caught his foot on the doorstep, fell over and was not able to
recover himself at once. He held his shield before him and
retreated as Grettir pressed him hard. Then Grettir sprang on to
the crossbenches near the door. Gunnar's hands and the shield
were still inside the door, and Grettir struck down between him
and the shield, cutting off both his hands at the wrist. He fell
backwards out of the door, and Grettir gave him his death-blow.
Then the man who was behind him got on his feet and ran off at
once to tell the jarl what had happened. Sveinn was furious, and
called the assembly to meet there and then in the town. When
Thorfinn and Thorsteinn Dromund heard the news, they called all
their followers and friends together and went to the meeting in
force. The jarl was very wroth, and it was no easy matter to get
speech with him. Thorfinn was the first to come before the jarl,
and he said: "I have come to offer an honourable atonement for
the man who has been slain by Grettir. The judgment shall remain
with you alone if you but spare his life."
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