me, yet thus much will I do, if Grettir might thereby be
somewhat more holpen than heretofore."

Hereat was Illugi glad, for that he deemed it good to go with Grettir.

So she gave them much of her chattels, and they made them ready for
their journey. Asdis led them from out the garth, and before they
parted she spake thus:

"Ah, my sons twain, there ye depart from me, and one death ye shall
have together; for no man may flee from that which is wrought for him:
on no day now shall I see either of you once again; let one fate
be over you both, then; for I know not what weal ye go to get for
yourselves in Drangey, but there shall ye both lay your bones, and
many will begrudge you that abiding place. Keep ye heedfully from
wiles, yet none the less there shall ye be bitten of the edge of the
sword, for marvellously have my dreams gone: be well ware of sorcery,
for <i>little can cope with the cunning of eld</i>."

And when she had thus spoken she wept right sore.

Then said Grettir, "Weep not, mother, for if we be set on with
weapons, it shall be said of thee, that thou hast had sons, and not
daughters: live on, well and hale."

Therewithal they parted. They fared north through the country side and
saw their kin; and thus they lingered out the autumn into winter; then
they turned toward Skagafirth and went north through Waterpass and
thence to Reekpass, and down Saemunds-lithe and so unto Longholt, and
came to Dinby late in the day.

Grettir had cast his hood back on to his shoulders, for in that wise
he went ever abroad whether the day were better or worse. So they went
thence, and when they had gone but a little way, there met them a man,
big-headed, tall, and gaunt, and ill clad; he greeted them, and either
asked other for their names; they said who they were, but he called
himself Thorbiorn: he was a land-louper, a man too lazy to work, and
a great swaggerer, and much game and fooling was made with him by some
folk: he thrust himself into their company, and told them much from
the upper country about the folk there. Grettir had great game and
merriment of him; so he asked if they had no need of a man who should
work for them, "for I would fain fare with you," says he; and withal
he got so much from their talk that they suffered him to follow them.

Much snow there was that day, and it was cold; but whereas that man
swaggered exceedingly, and was the greatest of tomfools, he had a
by-name, and was called Noise.