kald, of Kormak's kin, was to follow the horse
of his kinsman through the day. Odd was then growing a big man, and
bragged much of himself, and was untameable and reckless. Grettir
asked of Atli his brother, who should follow his horse.

"I am not so clear about that," said he.

"Wilt thou that I stand by it?" said Grettir.

"Be thou then very peaceable, kinsman," said Atli, "for here have we
to deal with overbearing men."

"Well, let them pay for their own insolence," said Grettir, "if they
know not how to hold it back."

Now are the horses led out, but all stood forth on the river-bank tied
together. There was a deep hollow in the river down below the bank.
The horses bit well at each other, and the greatest sport it was.

Odd drave on his horse with all his might, but Grettir held back, and
seized the tail with one hand, and the staff wherewith he goaded the
horse he held in the other. Odd stood far before his horse, nor was it
so sure that he did not goad Atli's horse from his hold. Grettir made
as if he saw it not. Now the horses bore forth towards the river. Then
Odd drave his staff at Grettir, and smote the shoulder-blade, for that
Grettir turned the shoulder towards him: that was so mighty a stroke,
that the flesh shrank from under it, but Grettir was little scratched.

Now in that nick of time the horses reared up high, and Grettir ran
under his horse's hocks, and thrust his staff so hard at the side
of Odd that three ribs brake in him, but he was hurled out into deep
water, together with his horse and all the horses that were tied
together. Then men swam out to him and dragged him out of the river;
then was a great hooting made thereat; Kormak's folk ran to their
weapons, as did the men of Biarg in another place. But when the
Ramfirthers and the men of Waterness saw that, they went betwixt them,
and they were parted and went home, but both sides had ill-will one
with the other, though they sat peacefully at home for a while.

Atli was sparing of speech over this, but Grettir was right unsparing,
and said that they would meet another time if his will came to pass.

CHAP. XXX.

<i>Of Thorbiorn Oxmain and Thorbiorn Tardy, and of Grettir's meeting
with Kormak on Ramfirth-neck</i>.

Thorbiorn was the name of a man who dwelt at Thorodstead in Ramfirth;
he was the son of Arnor Hay-nose,[13] the son of Thorod, who had
settled Ramfirth on that side out as far as Bank was on the other.

[Footnote 1