Atli
may yet be avenged. As for me, there will be some who think they have
had enough in their dealings with me."

She said that was not unlikely. Grettir stayed there for a time, but
few knew of it, and he obtained news of the movements of the men of the
district. It was not known then that he had come to Midfjord. He learned
that Thorbjorn Oxmain was at home with few men. This was after the
hay-harvest.

CHAPTER XLVIII. DEATH OF THORBJORN OXMAIN

One fine day Grettir rode to the West across the ridge to Thoroddsstad,
where he arrived about noon and knocked at the door. Some women came
out and greeted him, not knowing who he was. He asked for Thorbjorn, and
they told him that he was gone out into the fields to bind hay with his
sixteen-year-old son Arnor. Thorbjorn was a hard worker and was scarcely
ever idle. Grettir on hearing that bade them farewell and rode off North
on the road to Reykir. There is some marsh-land stretching away from the
ridge with much grass-land, where Thorbjorn had made a quantity of hay
which was just dry. He was just about to bind it up for bringing in with
the help of his son, while a woman gathered up what was left. Grettir
rode to the field from below, Thorbjorn and his son being above him;
they had finished one load and were beginning a second. Thorbjorn had
laid down his shield and sword against the load, and his son had his
hand-axe near him.

Thorbjorn saw a man coming and said to his son: "There is a man riding
towards us; we had better stop binding the hay and see what he wants."

They did so; Grettir got off his horse. He had a helmet on his head, a
short sword by his side, and a great spear in his hand without barbs and
inlaid with silver at the socket. He sat down and knocked out the rivet
which fastened the head in order to prevent Thorbjorn from returning the
spear upon him.

Thorbjorn said: "This is a big man. I am no good at judging men if
that is not Grettir the son of Asmund. No doubt he thinks that he has
sufficient business with us. We will meet him boldly and show him no
signs of fear. We must act with a plan. I will go on ahead towards him
and see how we get on together, for I will trust myself against any man
if I can meet him alone. Do you go round and get behind him; take your
axe with both hands and strike him between the shoulders. You need not
fear that he will hurt you, for his back will be turned towards you."

Neither of them had a helmet. Grett