d, "Now things
have befallen otherwise than you must have thought they would, for now
your life will be in my power." Thorkell said he would not pray for peace
for himself, "for lucklessly I have taken this in hand." Grim said he had
had enough mishaps for him to give this one the slip, "for to you some
other fate is ordained than that of dying at this our meeting, and I shall
give you your life, while you repay me in whatever kind you please." Now
they both stand up and walk home to the hut. Thorkell sees that Grim was
growing faint from loss of blood, so he took Skofnung's-stone and rubbed
it on, and ties it to the arm of Grim, and it took forthwith all smarting
pain and swelling out of the wound. They stayed there that night. In the
morning Thorkell got ready to go away, and asked if Grim would go with
him. He said that sure enough that was his will. Thorkell turns
straightway westward without going to meet Eid, nor halted he till he came
to Saelingsdale Tongue. [Sidenote: Thorkell and Grim go to Snorri] Snorri
the Priest welcomes him with great blitheness. Thorkell told him that his
journey had sped lucklessly. Snorri said it had turned out well, "for Grim
looks to me a man endowed with good luck, and my will is that you make
matters up with him handsomely. But now, my friend, I would like to
counsel you to leave off trade-journeyings, and to settle down and marry,
and become a chief as befits your high birth." Thorkell answered, "Often
your counsels have stood me in good stead," and he asked if Snorri had
bethought him of the woman he should woo. Snorri answers, "You must woo
the woman who is the best match for you, and that woman is Gudrun, Osvif's
daughter." Thorkell said it was true that a marriage with her would be an
honourable one. "But," says he, "I think her fierce heart and
reckless-mindedness weigh heavily, for she will want to have her husband,
Bolli, avenged. Besides, it is said that on this matter there is some
understanding between her and Thorgils Hallason, and it may be that this
will not be altogether to his liking. Otherwise, Gudrun pleases me well."
Snorri said, "I will undertake to see that no harm shall come to you from
Thorgils; but as to the revenge for Bolli, I am rather in hopes that
concerning that matter some change will have befallen before these seasons
(this year) are out." Thorkell answered, "It may be that these be no empty
words you are speaking now. But as to the revenge of Bolli, tha