aw a man
coming down from Godaskog bringing some brushwood with a horse. They met
and Thorhall asked him his name. He said it was Glam. He was a big man
with an extraordinary expression of countenance, large grey eyes and
wolfgrey hair. Thorhall was a little startled when he saw him, but soon
found out that this was the man who had been sent to him.

"What work can you do best?" he asked.

Glam said it would suit him very well to mind sheep in the winter.

"Will you mind my sheep?" Thorhall asked. "Skapti has given you over to
me."

"My service will only be of use to you if I am free to do as I please,"
he said. "I am rather crossgrained when I am not well pleased."

"That will not hurt me," said Thorhall. "I shall be glad if you will
come to me."

"I can do so," he said. "Are there any special difficulties?"

"The place seems to be haunted."

"I am not afraid of ghosts. It will be the less dull."

"You will have to risk it," said Thorhall. "It will be best to meet it
with a bold face."

Terms were arranged and Glam was to come in the autumn. Then they
parted. Thorhall found his horses in the very place where he had just
been looking for them. He rode home and thanked Skapti for his service.

The summer passed. Thorhall heard nothing of his shepherd and no one
knew anything about him, but at the appointed time he appeared at
Thorhallsstad. Thorhall treated him kindly, but all the rest of the
household disliked him, especially the mistress. He commenced his work
as shepherd, which gave him little trouble.

He had a loud hoarse voice. The beasts all flocked together whenever he
shouted at them. There was a church in the place, but Glam never went to
it. He abstained from mass, had no religion, and was stubborn and surly.
Every one hated him.

So the time passed till the eve of Yule-tide. Glam rose early and called
for his meal. The mistress said: "It is not proper for Christian men to
eat on this day, because to-morrow is the first day of Yule and it is
our duty to fast to-day."

"You have many superstitions," he said; "but I do not see that much
comes of them. I do not know that men are any better off than when there
was nothing of that kind. The ways of men seemed to me better when they
were called heathen. I want my food and no foolery."

"I am certain," she said, "that it will fare ill with you to-day if you
commit this sin."

Glam told her that she should bring his food, or that it would be the
w