grettir the outlaw 26

grettir the outlaw 26

When he came in Grettir was awake also, and he asked how fared the boat.

 

"She has broken from her mooring," answered Redbeard, "and has been

dashed to bits on the rocks."

 

Then Grettir jumped up, and taking his weapons ran out to the end of the

spit of land on which his hut was built, and saw how the nets were

drifting in the waves and were entangled with the oars.

 

"Jump in, swim out, and bring them to shore," said he to Redbeard. The

man shook his head and answered:

 

"I can do anything save swim. I have not held back from any other work

you have set me, but swim I cannot."

 

Then Grettir laid his weapons down by the waterside and prepared to jump

in. But he mistrusted Redbeard, so he said, "I will get in the nets, as

you cannot; but I trust you will not deal treacherously by me."

 

Redbeard answered, "I should be a base fellow and unworthy to live if I

were false to you now—after you have housed me so long."

 

Then Grettir put off his clothes, and went into the water, and swam out

to the nets.

 

He swept them up together and brought them towards the land, and cast

them up on the bank; but the moment he attempted to land Redbeard caught

up the short sword, drew it hastily and ran at Grettir and smote at him,

just as he was heaving himself up out of the water. The blade would

have cut into his neck, or between his shoulder-blades, had not Grettir

instantly let go, and fallen backwards into the water and sunk like a

stone. Sinking thus headlong he reached the bottom, and instead of

rising to the surface again he clung to the rocks under water, and

groped his way along as close as he could to the bank, so that Redbeard

might not see him till he had reached the back of the creek and got

aland.

 

Now, Redbeard stood at the end of the promontory, looking into the

water, much puzzled. He had not cut Grettir with the sword, and yet

Grettir was gone down, and did not rise. He thought he must have struck

his head against a stone, and so have sunk, and he looked out into the

water wondering where and when he would rise. Meanwhile Grettir had

come ashore behind him and was approaching stealthily. Redbeard was

unaware of his danger till Grettir had his arms about him, had heaved

him over his head and dashed him down on the rocks, so that his skull

was broken. After that Grettir resolved not to take another outlaw into

his house, though he could hardly endure to be alone.

 

Thorir of Garth did not hear of the death of Redbeard till next summer

at the great assize; and then he was so angry, and so resolved to make

an end of Grettir, that he collected a body of resolute men, his

servants and others whom he hired for the purpose, to the number of

nearly eighty, to sweep the Eagle Lake Heath and take and kill Grettir.

 

One day, when Grettir was out on the moor, he saw a large body of armed

men riding towards the lake. He had time to fly to a hill that rises at

a little distance, where there is a rift in the rock that traverses the

top of the hill. When I read the account in the saga I could not quite

understand what follows, but no sooner was I on the spot than all

appeared quite clear. One could see, at once, that Grettir, taken by

surprise, would run to this very spot and no other. It was the nearest

available place of vantage, with stone and crag. The situation was not

the best that might have been chosen, as it left Grettir’s back

unprotected; however, he had no time to seek a better.

 

[Illustration: GRETTIR ATTACKED IN THE RIFT BY THORIR’S PARTY.]

 

Thorir came with his men to the bottom of the hill, and shouted to

Grettir and taunted him.

 

Grettir replied, "Though you may have put the spoon to your lips you

have not swallowed the broth."

 

Then Thorir egged on his men to go up the slope at Grettir, but this was

not easy. It was steep, and the rocks were close on either side so that

Grettir could not be surrounded. Only one man could get at him from

before at once. Several attempts were made, but all failed; some of the

assailants were killed, some wounded. Then Thorir broke up his party

into two, and sent one detachment round to the back of the rocks, to

fall on Grettir from behind. Grettir saw the manoeuvre, and did not see

how to meet it. All he could do would be to sell his life dearly. He

could not hold out long when assailed simultaneously from before and

behind.

 

Thorir bade the attack slacken till he thought those sent to the rear

would be ready, and then he ordered a grand, and, as he believed, a

combined assault. Grettir fought with desperation, expecting every

moment to be cut down from behind, but to his surprise and that of

Thorir he was left unmolested in the rear.

 

Thorir called off his men, and went round the hill to inquire why the

attack from behind had not taken place. To his amazement he came on a

discomfited party bleeding, faint, and baffled, and to find that twelve

men had fallen in it.[#]

 

 

[#] At the time, or rather shortly after I had been on the spot, I

wrote, "There is a nook like a sentry-box in the side of the cleft, and

it was in this that Hallmund ensconced himself, so that he could hew

down anyone who attempted to pass through this cleft to get at Grettir’s

back, whilst remaining himself screened from observation. I could not

understand the saga account before I saw the spot, and how it was that

those attacking Grettir from behind did not see Hallmund. The sight of

the place made all plain."

 

 

Then he bade a retreat. "Oft," he said, "have I heard that Grettir is a

man of marvel for prowess, but I never knew before that he was a wizard,

and able to kill as many at his back as he does in front of him."

 

When he numbered his men, Thorir found that he had lost eighteen. Then

he and his retinue rode away, and they carried on them many and grievous

wounds.

 

Now Grettir was no less perplexed with the event than was Thorir, and

when the latter had withdrawn he went through the rift in the rocks to

see why he had not been fallen on from the rear,—and he lighted on a

tall strong man leaning against the rocks, sore wounded.

 

Grettir asked his name, and the tall man replied that he was Hallmund.

 

"Do you remember meeting me on the heath one day?" asked the wounded

man, "when you tried to stop my horse, and I pulled the reins through

your hands so as to skin the palms’? Then I promised if I had the

chance to back you up."

 

"Indeed," said Grettir, much moved, "I remember that right well, and now

I thank you with all my heart, for this day you have saved my life."

 

Then Hallmund said, "You must now come with me, for time must drag with

you solitary here on the heath."

 

Grettir said he was glad to accept the offer; so they went together

south to the Ball-jokull, and there Hallmund had a great cave, and his

daughter, a big muscular girl, lived there with him; there the girl

applied plasters to the wounds of her father and healed him.

 

Grettir remained with them in the cave all the ensuing summer. But when

summer came to an end, he wearied of being so long in the desert, and

longed to see and be with his fellow-men in inhabited parts once more;

so he bade farewell to Hallmund, and went away to the west to Hit-dale

that opens on the Marshland, through which six or seven large rivers

flow. Here he had a friend named Biorn living at Holm.

 

 

 

 

*CHAPTER XXVIII.*

 

*ON THE FELL.*

 

 

_The Hollow of Fairwood Fell—Above the Shale Slide—The Outlaw’s

Lair—The Boaster—A Dandified Warrior—Hunter and Hunted—A

Skin-dressing—Sadder and Wiser_

 

 

Biorn when asked by Grettir to give him shelter declined to do so, not

that the will was lacking, but that he had not the power to protect him.

"You have made," he said, "enemies on all sides, and if I were to take

you under my roof all your enemies would become mine also, and I would

be involved in endless and bitter quarrels. I cannot give you direct

assistance and shelter, but indirectly I will do what I can for you.

There is a long hill, called Fairwood Fell, that runs in front of my

house on the other side of the river, and ends just above the marshes.

Now, in one place there is a steep shale slide, and above this is a

hollow through the mountain, that might very well be made into a dry and

comfortable place of abode. From the entrance every one who passes

along the highway, all who come across the marshes, can be seen. I can

supply you with a few necessaries to fit the place up, but when there

you must shift for yourself. I must not risk too much by supporting

you."

 

Grettir consented to this. So he went up to Fairwood Fell and built up

the cave, and hung gray wadmal before the entrance, so that no one below

could notice that there was anything peculiar or anyone living there.

In this eagle’s nest among the rocks Grettir spent the time from the

autumn of 1022 to the spring of 1024, that is, two winters. Whatever

fuel he wanted, all he had to eat, everything he wanted, had to be

carried up this slippery and steep ascent by him. Down the shale slide

he came when short of provisions, and went over the marshes to this or

that farm and demanded or carried off, sometimes a sheep, sometimes

curds, dried fish, in a word what he required; and a very great nuisance

the men of the district found him. Heartily did they wish they were rid

of him, yet they could not drive him from his place of abode, for it was

so difficult of access and so easy of defence.