pons or
craft, if so be thou shouldst watch the ladders well."

"That shall be tried," said Grettir, "but so fearsome of the dark am I
grown, that not even for the keeping of my life may I be alone."

Gudmund said, "Well, that may be; but trust no man whatsoever so much
as not to trust thyself better; for many men are hard to see through."

Grettir thanked him for his wholesome redes, and then fared away from
Maddervales, nor made stay before he came to Biarg; there his mother
and Illugi his brother welcomed him joyfully, and he abode there
certain nights.

There he heard of the slaying of Thorstein Kuggson, which had befallen
the autumn before Grettir went to Bard-dale; and he deemed therewithal
that felling went on fast enough.

Then Grettir rode south to Holtbeacon-heath, and was minded to avenge
Hallmund if he might meet Grim; but when he came to Northriverdale,
he heard that Grim had been gone two winters ago, as is aforesaid; but
Grettir had heard so late of these tidings because he had gone about
disguised those two winters, and the third winter he had been in
Thorirs-dale, and had seen no man who might tell him any news. Then
he betook himself to the Broadfirth-dales, and dwelt in Eastriverdale,
and lay in wait for folk who fared over Steep-brent; and once more he
swept away with the strong hand the goods of the small bonders. This
was about the height of summer-tide.

Now when the summer was well worn, Steinvor of Sand-heaps bore a
man-child, who was named Skeggi; he was first fathered on Kiartan, the
son of Stein, the priest of Isle-dale-river. Skeggi was unlike unto
his kin because of his strength and growth, but when he was fifteen
winters old he was the strongest man in the north-country, and was
then known as Grettir's son; men deemed he would be a marvel among
men, but he died when he was seventeen years of age, and no tale there
is of him.

CHAP. LXVIII.

<i>How Thorod, the Son of Snorri Godi, went against Grettir</i>.

After the slaying of Thorstein Kuggson, Snorri Godi would have little
to do with his son Thorod, or with Sam, the son of Bork the Fat; it is
not said what they had done therefor, unless it might be that they had
had no will to do some great deed that Snorri set them to; but withal
Snorri drave his son Thorod away, and said he should not come back
till he had slain some wood-dweller; and so must matters stand.

So Thorod went over to the Dales; and at that time dwelt at