r said: "I do not see how you will be holpen by coming to me, and
you men of the forest are untrustworthy. But it is ill to live alone;
I have no choice. Only he shall be with me who is willing to work at
whatever comes to hand."

Grim said that was just what he wished and pressed Grettir much, until
Grettir let himself be persuaded and took him in. He stayed there right
into the winter, and watched Grettir closely, but it seemed no easy
matter to attack him, for Grettir was suspicious and kept his weapons
at hand night and day; when he was awake the man would not venture to
approach him.

One morning Grim came home from fishing and went into the hut stamping
with his feet and wanting to know whether Grettir was asleep. Grettir
lay still and did not move. There was a short sword hanging above his
head. Grim thought he would never have a better opportunity. He made a
loud noise to see whether Grettir took any notice, but he did not,
so Grim felt sure that he was asleep. He crept stealthily to the bed,
reached up to the sword, took it down and raised it to strike. Just at
the moment when he raised it Grettir sprang up on to the floor, and,
seizing the sword with one hand, Grim with the other, hurled him over
so that he fell nearly senseless. "This is how you have proved yourself
with all your friendly seeming," he said. Then he got the whole truth
out of him and killed him. He learned from this what it was to take in
a forest-man. So the winter passed. The hardest thing of all to bear was
his fear of the dark.

CHAPTER LVI. TREACHERY AND DEATH OF THORIR REDBEARD

Thorir of Gard now heard where Grettir had taken up his abode and meant
to leave no stone unturned to get him slain. There was a man named
Thorir Redbeard, a stout man and a great fighter, on which account he
had been declared outlaw throughout the country.

Thorir of Gard sent word to him, and when they met asked Redbeard to
undertake the business of slaying Grettir. Redbeard said that was no
easy task, as Grettir was very wide awake and very cautious. Thorir told
him to try it, saying: "It would be a splendid deed for a valiant man
like you; I will get your outlawing removed and give you sufficient
money as well."

So Redbeard agreed and Thorir told him how he should go to work to
deal with Grettir. Redbeard then went away into the East in order that
Grettir might not suspect where he came from. Thence he came to the
Arnarvatn Heath, where Grettir