firthers," says he, "that
this money-fine should fall away, and that Grettir be made sackless
withal, for in my mind it is that as a guilty man he will be sorely
felt?"

Grettir's kin took up his word well, and said that they heeded the
fee nought if he might have peace and freedom. Thorod said that he saw
Grettir's lot would be full of heavy trouble, and made as if he would
take the offer, for his part. Then Snorri bade them first know if
Thorir of Garth would give his leave to Grettir being made free; but
when Thorir heard thereof he turned away exceeding wroth, and said
that Grettir should never either get out of his outlawry or be brought
out of it: "And the more to bring that about," said he, "a greater
price shall be put on his head than on the head of any outlaw or
wood-man yet."

So, when he took the thing so ill, the freeing of Grettir came to
nought, and Gamli and his fellows took the money to them, and kept it
in their ward; but Thorod Drapa-Stump had no atonement for his brother
Thorbiorn.

Now Thorir and Thorod set each of them on Grettir's head three marks
of silver, and that folk deemed a new thing, for never had any greater
price been laid down to such an end before than three marks in all.

Snorri said it was unwisely done to make a sport of keeping a man in
outlawry who might work so much ill, and that many a man would have to
pay for it.

But now men part and ride home from the Thing.

CHAP. LII.

<i>How Grettir was taken by the Icefirth Carles</i>.

When Grettir came over Codfirth-heath down into Longdale, he swept up
unsparingly the goods of the petty bonders, and had of every man what
he would; from some he took weapons, from some clothes; and these folk
gave up in very unlike ways; but as soon as he was gone, all said they
gave them unwillingly.

In those days dwelt in Waterfirth Vermund the Slender, the brother of
Slaying-Styr; he had to wife Thorbiorg, the daughter of Olaf Peacock,
son of Hoskuld. She was called Thorbiorg the Big; but at the time that
Grettir was in Longdale had Vermund ridden to the Thing.

Now Grettir went over the neck to Bathstead. There dwelt a man called
Helgi, who was the biggest of bonders thereabout: from there had
Grettir a good horse, which the bonder owned, and thence he went to
Giorvidale, where farmed a man named Thorkel. He was well stored with
victuals, yet a mannikin withal: therefrom took Grettir what he would,
nor durst Thorkel blame him