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Page 43
Asmund was now becoming very infirm and scarcely left his bed.
He and Asdis had a young son named Illugi, a youth of much
promise. Atli had taken over all the management of the farm and
the goods, and things went much better, for he was both obliging
and provident.
Grettir embarked on his ship. Thorbjorn Slowcoach had arranged
to travel in the same vessel without knowing that Grettir would
be in her. Some of his friends tried to dissuade him from
travelling in Grettir's company, but he insisted upon going. He
was rather a long time over his preparations and did not get to
Gasar before the ship was ready to sail. Before he left home
Asmund Longhair was taken ill and was quite confined to his bed.
Thorbjorn Slowcoach arrived on the beach late in the day, when
the men were going on board and were washing their hands outside
near their booths. When he rode up to the rows of booths they
greeted him and asked what news there was.
"I have nothing to tell," he said, "except that the valorous
Asmund at Bjarg is now dead."
Some of them said that a worthy bondi had left the world and
asked how it happened.
"A poor lot befell his Valour," he replied. "He was suffocated
by the smoke from the hearth, like a dog. There is no great loss
in him, for he was in his dotage."
"You talk strangely about such a man as he was," they said.
"Grettir would not be much pleased if he heard you."
"I can endure Grettir's wrath," he said. "He must bear his axe
higher than he did at Hrutafjardarhals if he wishes to frighten
me."
Grettir heard every word that Thorbjorn said, but took no notice
as long as he was speaking. When he had finished Grettir said:
"I prophesy, Slowcoach, that you will not die of the smoke from
the hearth, and yet perhaps you will not die of old age either.
It is strange conduct to say shameful things of innocent men."
Thorbjorn said: "I have nothing to unsay. I never thought you
would fire up like this on the day when we got you out of the
hands of the men of Mel who were belabouring you like an ox's
head."
Then Grettir spoke a verse:
"Too long is the tongue of the spanner of bows.
Full often he suffers the vengeance due.
Slowcoach! I tell thee that many a man
has paid for less shameful speech with his life."
Thorbjorn said his life was neither more nor less in danger than
it was before.
"My prophecies are not generally long-lived," said Grettir, "nor
shall this one be. Defend yourself if you will; you never will
have better occasion for it than now."
Grettir then struck at him. He tried to parry the blow with his
arm, but it struck him above the wrist and glanced off on to his
neck so that his head flew off. The sailors declared it was a
splendid stroke, and that such were the men for the king. No one
would grieve, they said, because a man so quarrelsome and
scurrilous as Thorbjorn had been killed.
Soon after this they got under way and towards the end of the
summer reached the south coast of Norway, about Hordland, where
they learned that King Olaf was in the North at Thrandheim.
Grettir took a passage thither with some traders intending to
seek audience of the king.
CHAPTER XXXVIII
GRETTIR FETCHES FIRE--THE SONS OF THORIR ARE BURNT
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