In the dusk; who ever cried
On the bear last autumn-tide;
No man saw me sitting there
Late at eve before the lair;
Yet the shaggy one to-day
From his den I drew away."

"Sure enough," said Biorn, "thou hast fared forth well to-day, and
two tales thou tellest of us twain therefor; and well I know that thou
hast had a good hit at me."

Thorkel said, "I would, Grettir, that thou wouldst not avenge thee on
Biorn, but for him I will give a full man-gild if thereby ye may be
friends."

Biorn said he might well turn his money to better account, than to
boot for this; "And, methinks it is wisest that in my dealings with
Grettir <i>one oak should have what from the other it shaves</i>."

Grettir said that he should like that very well. But Thorkel said,
"Yet I hope, Grettir, that thou wilt do this for my sake, not to do
aught against Biorn while ye are with me."

"That shall be," said Grettir.

Biorn said he would walk fearless of Grettir wheresoever they might
meet.

Grettir smiled mockingly, but would not take boot for Biorn. So they
were here that winter through.

CHAP. XXII.

<i>Of the Slaying of Biorn</i>.

In the spring Grettir went north to Vogar with chapmen. He and Thorkel
parted in friendship; but Biorn went west to England, and was the
master of Thorkel's ship that went thither. Biorn dwelt thereabout
that summer and bought such things for Thorkel as he had given him
word to get; but as the autumn wore on he sailed from the west.
Grettir was at Vogar till the fleet broke up; then he sailed from
the north with some chapmen until they came to a harbour at an island
before the mouth of Drontheimfirth, called Gartar, where they pitched
their tents. Now when they were housed, a ship came sailing havenward
from the south along the land; they soon saw that it was an England
farer; she took the strand further out, and her crew went ashore;
Grettir and his fellows went to meet them. But when they met, Grettir
saw that Biorn was among those men, and spake--

"It is well that we have met here; now we may well take up our ancient
quarrel, and now I will try which of us twain may do the most."

Biorn said that was an old tale to him, "but if there has been aught
of such things between us, I will boot for it, so that thou mayst
think thyself well holden thereof."

Then Grettir sang--

"In hard strife I slew the bear,
Thereof many a man doth hear;
Then the cloak I oft had worn,
By