rich in cattle and livestock, but could hardly get a
shepherd to stay in his service; whereat, being sore perplexed, he
went for advice to Skapti the Lawman. Skapti promised to get him a
shepherd called Glam, a Swede, for which Thorhall thanked him. On his
return he missed two dun cows, went to look for them, and on the way
met a man carrying faggots, who said his name was Glam. He was great
of stature, uncouth in appearance, his eyes grey and glaring, and his
hair wolf-grey. Thorhall told him Skapti had recommended him, adding
that the place was haunted, but Glam made light of this: 'Such bugs
will not scare me,' quoth he. There was a church at Thorhall-stead,
but Glam loathed church-song, being godless, foul-tempered and surly,
and no man could abide him, Thorhall's wife least of all. So time wore
on till Christmas-eve, when Glam called for his meat, but was told
that no Christian man would eat meat on that day. He insisted; and the
housewife gave it, though prophesying evil would come of it. Glam took
the food and went out growling and grumbling.

He was heard in the early morning on the hills, but not as the day
wore on; then a snowstorm came, and Glam returned not that night nor
yet the day following, so search parties were sent out, who found the
sheep scattered wide about in fens, beaten down by the storm, or
strayed up into the mountains. Then they came to a great beaten place
high up in a valley, where it seemed as though there had been
wrestling, stones and earth torn up, and signs of a severe struggle;
looking closer, they found Glam dead, his body blue and swollen to the
size of an ox. They tried to bring the body down to the church, but
could only move it a very little way; they returned, therefore, and
told how they had tracked steps as great as if a cask bottom had been
stamped down, leading from the beaten place up to beneath sheer rocks
high up the valley, and along the track great stains of blood. From
this men thought that the evil wight which had killed Glam had got
such wounds as had sufficed for him, but none ever could say for
certain.

The second day after Christmas men were sent again to bring Glam's
body to the church, but though horses were put to drag it, they could
not move the corpse except down hill, so Glam was buried where he lay.
Now within a little time men became aware that Glam lay not quiet; he
walked well-nigh night and day, and took to riding the house roofs at
night, so much so