rt far too
luckless a man to abide with us, and if ever man has been cursed, of
all men must thou have been,' said he; and advised him to go back to
Iceland in the summer. Meanwhile Asmund the Greyhaired died, and was
buried at Biarg, and Atli succeeded to his goods, but was soon
afterwards basely murdered by a neighbouring chief who bore him
ill-will for his many friendships, and grudged him his possessions.
Thorir of Garth brought a suit at the Thing to have Grettir outlawed
for the burning of his sons; but Skapti the Lawman thought it scarcely
fair to condemn a man unheard, and spoke these wise words: 'A tale is
half told if one man tells it, for most folk are readiest to bring
their stories to the worser side when there are two ways of telling
them.' Thorir, however, was a man of might, and had powerful friends;
these between them pushed on the suit, and with a high hand rather
than according to law obtained their decree. Thus was Grettir outlawed
for a deed of which he was innocent. These three pieces of bad news
greeted him all at once on his return to Iceland: his father's death,
his brother's murder, and his own outlawry.

One of the first things he did was to avenge his brother's murder, but
there was a price on his head, and he wandered about from place to
place in the wilderness. On one occasion, as he lay asleep, some men
of Icefirth came upon him, and though they were ten in number they had
much ado to take him; but at last they bound him, and put up a
gallows, for they intended to hang him. Fortunately for Grettir, at
that moment there rode along the wife of the ruling chief of that
district, who interposed and set him free, on his promise not to stir
up strife in that neighbourhood. His next adventure was at a place
called Ernewaterheath where he had built himself a hut, and lived by
fishing in the river. There were other outlaws, who, on hearing that
Grettir was in the neighbourhood, made a bargain with one Grim that he
should slay him. Grim begged Grettir to take him into his hut, which
he agreed to do, as he was so frightened when alone in the dark;
nevertheless, having his suspicions of the man, he kept his short
sword always within reach. One day Grim came back from fishing, and
thought Grettir was asleep, for he made no movement when Grim suddenly
stamped his foot; thinking he now had his chance, he stole on tip-toe
to the bedside, took Grettir's short sword and unsheathed it. But at
the very momen