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Page 53
Grettir bade him farewell and said: "It is more likely that I
shall need your good services still more later on."
Then Grettir rode North over the Tvidaegra Heath to Bjarg, where
he arrived at midnight. All were asleep except his mother. He
went to the back of the house and entered by a door which was
there, for he knew all the ways about. He entered the hall and
went to his mother's bed, groping his way. She asked who was
there. Grettir told her. She sat up and turned to him, heaving
a weary sigh as she spoke:
"Welcome, my kinsman! My hoard of sons has quickly passed away.
He is killed who was most needful to me; you have been declared
an outlaw and a criminal; my third is so young that he can do
nothing."
"It is an ancient saying," said Grettir, "that one evil is mended
by a worse one. There is more in the heart of man than money can
buy; Atli may yet be avenged. As for me, there will be some who
think they have had enough in their dealings with me."
She said that was not unlikely. Grettir stayed there for a time,
but few knew of it, and he obtained news of the movements of the
men of the district. It was not known then that he had come to
Midfjord. He learned that Thorbjorn Oxmain was at home with few
men. This was after the hay-harvest.
CHAPTER XLVIII
DEATH OF THORBJORN OXMAIN
One fine day Grettir rode to the West across the ridge to
Thoroddsstad, where he arrived about noon and knocked at the
door. Some women came out and greeted him, not knowing who he
was. He asked for Thorbjorn, and they told him that he was gone
out into the fields to bind hay with his sixteen-year-old son
Arnor. Thorbjorn was a hard worker and was scarcely ever idle.
Grettir on hearing that bade them farewell and rode off North on
the road to Reykir. There is some marsh-land stretching away
from the ridge with much grass-land, where Thorbjorn had made a
quantity of hay which was just dry. He was just about to bind it
up for bringing in with the help of his son, while a woman
gathered up what was left. Grettir rode to the field from below,
Thorbjorn and his son being above him; they had finished one load
and were beginning a second. Thorbjorn had laid down his shield
and sword against the load, and his son had his hand-axe near
him.
Thorbjorn saw a man coming and said to his son: "There is a
man riding towards us; we had better stop binding the hay and see
what he wants."
They did so; Grettir got off his horse. He had a helmet on his
head, a short sword by his side, and a great spear in his hand
without barbs and inlaid with silver at the socket. He sat down
and knocked out the rivet which fastened the head in order to
prevent Thorbjorn from returning the spear upon him.
Thorbjorn said: "This is a big man. I am no good at judging men
if that is not Grettir the son of Asmund. No doubt he thinks
that he has sufficient business with us. We will meet him boldly
and show him no signs of fear. We must act with a plan. I will
go on ahead towards him and see how we get on together, for I
will trust myself against any man if I can meet him alone. Do
you go round and get behind him; take your axe with both hands
and strike him between the shoulders. You need not fear that he
will hurt you, for his back will be turned towards you."
Neither of them had a helmet. Grettir went along the marsh and
when he was within range launched his spear at Thorbjorn. The
head was not so firm as he had intended it to be, so it got loose
in its flight and fell off on to the ground. Thorbjorn took his
shield, held it before him, drew his sword and turned against
Grettir directly he recognised him. Grettir drew his sword, and,
turning round a little, saw the boy behind him; so he kept
continually on the move. When he saw that the boy was within
reach he raised his sword aloft and struck Arnor's head with the
back of it such a blow that the skull broke and he died. Then
Thorbjorn rushed upon Grettir and struck at him, but he parried
it with the buckler in his left hand and struck with his sword a
blow which severed Thorbjorn's shield in two and went into his
head, reaching the brain. Thorbjorn fell dead. Grettir gave him
no more wounds; he searched for the spear-head but could not find
it. He got on to his horse, rode to Reykir and proclaimed the
slaying.
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