ittle to pry."

"Yet fain would I know thereof," said Grettir.

"On that ness," said Audun, "stands a barrow, great and strong,
wherein was laid Karr the Old, Thorfinn's father; at first father
and son had but one farm in the island; but since Karr died he has so
haunted this place that he has swept away all farmers who owned lands
here, so that now Thorfinn holds the whole island; but whatsoever man
Thorfinn holds his hand over, gets no scathe."

Grettir said that he had told his tale well: "And," says he, "I shall
come here to-morrow, and then thou shalt have digging-tools ready."

"Now, I pray thee," says Audun, "to do nought herein, for I know that
Thorfinn will cast his hatred on thee therefor."

Grettir said he would risk that.

So the night went by, and Grettir came early on the morrow and the
digging-tools were ready; the farmer goes with him to the barrow, and
Grettir brake it open, and was rough-handed enough thereat, and did
not leave off till he came to the rafters, and by then the day was
spent; then he tore away the rafters, and now Audun prayed him hard
not to go into the barrow; Grettir bade him guard the rope, "but I
shall espy what dwells within here."

Then Grettir entered into the barrow, and right dark it was, and a
smell there was therein none of the sweetest. Now he groped about to
see how things were below; first he found horse-bones, and then he
stumbled against the arm of a high-chair, and in that chair found a
man sitting; great treasures of gold and silver were heaped together
there, and a small chest was set under the feet of him full of silver;
all these riches Grettir carried together to the rope; but as he went
out through the barrow he was griped at right strongly; thereon he let
go the treasure and rushed against the barrow-dweller, and now they
set on one another unsparingly enough.

Everything in their way was kicked out of place, the barrow-wight
setting on with hideous eagerness; Grettir gave back before him for a
long time, till at last it came to this, that he saw it would not do
to hoard his strength any more; now neither spared the other, and
they were brought to where the horse-bones were, and thereabout they
wrestled long. And now one, now the other, fell on his knee; but the
end of the strife was, that the barrow-dweller fell over on his back
with huge din. Then ran Audun from the holding of the rope, and deemed
Grettir dead. But Grettir drew the sword, 'Jokul's gift