ir, but no
wonder will it be deemed, though thou gettest no good hap of me; and
this must I tell thee, that thou now hast got half the strength and
manhood, which was thy lot if thou hadst not met me: now I may not
take from thee the strength which thou hast got before this; but that
may I rule, that thou shalt never be mightier than now thou art;
and nathless art thou mighty enow, and that shall many an one learn.
Hitherto hast thou earned fame by thy deeds, but henceforth will
wrongs and man-slayings fall on thee, and the most part of thy doings
will turn to thy woe and ill-hap; an outlaw shalt thou be made, and
ever shall it be thy lot to dwell alone abroad; therefore this weird I
lay on thee, ever in those days to see these eyes with thine eyes,
and thou wilt find it hard to be alone--and that shall drag thee unto
death."

Now when the thrall had thus said, the astonishment fell from Grettir
that had lain on him, and therewith he drew the short-sword and hewed
the head from Glam, and laid it at his thigh.

Then came the farmer out; he had clad himself while Glam had his spell
going, but he durst come nowhere nigh till Glam had fallen.

Thorhall praised God therefor, and thanked Grettir well for that he
had won this unclean spirit. Then they set to work and burned Glam
to cold coals, thereafter they gathered his ashes into the skin of a
beast, and dug it down whereas sheep-pastures were fewest, or the ways
of men. They walked home thereafter, and by then it had got far
on towards day; Grettir laid him down, for he was very stiff: but
Thorhall sent to the nearest farm for men, and both showed them and
told them how all things had fared.

All men who heard thereof deemed this a deed of great worth, and in
those days it was said by all that none in all the land was like to
Grettir Asmundson for great heart and prowess.

Thorhall saw off Grettir handsomely, and gave him a good horse and
seemly clothes, for those were all torn to pieces that he had worn
before; so they parted in friendly wise. Grettir rode thence to the
Ridge in Waterdale, and Thorvald received him well, and asked closely
about the struggle with Glam. Grettir told him all, and said thereto
that he had never had such a trial of strength, so long was their
struggle.

Thorvald bade him keep quiet, "Then all will go well with thee, else
wilt thou be a man of many troubles."

Grettir said that his temper had been nowise bettered by this, that he
was