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Page 55
Grettir said that Thorsteinn had often shown him kindness; "but
we shall need more than him alone to do any good."
Snorri said: "I will put in my word on your behalf, if it will be
of any use to you. But you must seek your quarters elsewhere
than with me."
So they parted. Grettir then went West to Reykjanes. The men of
Hrutafjord came with their followers to Samsstad, where they
heard that Grettir had left Ljarskogar, and went back home.
CHAPTER L
GRETTIR WINTERS WITH THORGILS AT REYKJAHOLAR IN COMPANY WITH THE
FOSTER-BROTHERS
Grettir came to Reykjaholar towards the beginning of the winter
and asked Thorgils to let him stay the winter with him. Thorgils
said he was welcome to his entertainment, like other free men;
"but," he said, "we do not pay much attention to the preparation
of the food."
Grettir said that would not trouble him.
"There is another little difficulty," Thorgils continued. "Some
men are expected here who are a little hot-headed, namely, the
foster-brothers Thorgeir and Thormod. I do not know how it will
suit you to be together with them. They shall always have
entertainment here whenever they wish for it. You may stay here
if you will, but I will not have any of you behaving ill to the
others."
Grettir said that he would not be the first to raise a quarrel
with any man, more especially since the bondi had expressed his
wish to him.
Soon after the foster-brothers came up. Thorgeir and Grettir did
not take very kindly to one another, but Thormod behaved with
propriety. Thorgils said to them what he had said to Grettir,
and so great was the deference paid to him that none of them
spoke an improper word to the other, although they did not always
think alike. In this way the first part of the winter was
passed.
Men say that the islands called Olafseyjar, lying in the fjord
about a mile and a half from Reykjanes, belonged to Thorgils. He
had there a valuable ox, which he had not brought away in the
autumn. He was always saying that he wanted him to be brought in
before Yule. One day the foster-brothers prepared to go and
fetch the ox, but wanted a third man to help them. Grettir
offered to go with them and they were very glad to have him. So
the three set out in a ten-oared boat. The weather was cold and
the wind from the North; the boat was lying at Hvalshausholm.
When they left the wind had freshened a little; they reached the
island and caught the ox. Grettir asked whether they preferred
to ship the ox or to hold the boat, for there was a high surf
running on the shore. They told him to hold the boat. He stood
by her middle on the side away from the land, the sea reaching
right up to beneath his shoulders, but he held the boat firmly so
that she could not drift. Thorgeir took the ox by the stern and
Thormod by the head, and so they hove him into the boat. Then
they started heading for the bay, Thormod taking the bow-oars
with Thorgeir amidships and Grettir in the stern. By the time
they reached Hafraklett the wind was very high. Thorgeir said:
"The stern is slackening."
Grettir said: "The stern will not be left behind if the rowing
amidships is all right."
Thorgeir then bent his back to the oars and pulled so violently
that both the rowlocks carried away. He said:
"Pull on, Grettir, whilst I mend the rowlocks."
Grettir pulled vigorously whilst Thorgeir mended the rowlocks.
But when Thorgeir was about to take over the oars again they were
so damaged that on Grettir giving them a shake on the gunwale
they broke. Thormod said it would be better to row less and not
to break the ship. Then Grettir took two spars which were on
board, bored two holes in the gunwale, and rowed so energetically
that every timber creaked. As the boat was well found and the
men in good condition they reached Hvalshausholm. Grettir asked
whether they would go on home with the ox or whether they would
beach the boat. They preferred to beach the boat, and they did
so with all the water that was in her all frozen. Grettir got
off the ox, which was very stiff in its limbs and very fat and
tired; when they got to Titlingsstad it could go no more. The
foster-brothers went home, for none of them would help the other
at his job. Thorgils asked after Grettir; they told him how they
had parted, and he sent men out to him. When they came below
Hellisholar they saw a man coming towards them with an ox on his
back; it was Grettir carrying the ox. They all admired his great
feat, but Thorgeir became rather jealous of Grettir's strength.
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