e shore. Grettir said: "Swim out
to the nets and let me see what you are able to do."

"I told you before," Thorir said, "that I cannot swim. I do not know now
where all your boldness and daring are gone to."

"I could get the nets," he said; "but betray me not if I trust you."

"Do not think such shameful and monstrous things of me," said Thorir.

"You will prove yourself what you are," Grettir said.

Then he threw off his clothes and his weapons and swam out to the nets.
He gathered them together, returned to the shore and cast them up on to
the bank. Just as he was about to land Thorir quickly seized his short
sword and drew it. He ran towards Grettir as he stepped on to the bank
and aimed a blow at him. Grettir threw himself down backwards into the
water and sank like a stone. Thorir stood by the shore intending to
guard it until he came up. Grettir swam beneath the water, keeping close
to the bank so that Thorir could not see him, and so reached the bay
behind him, where he landed without letting himself be seen. The first
Thorir knew of it was when Grettir lifted him up over his head and
dashed him down with such violence that the sword fell out of his hand.
Grettir got possession of it and without speaking a word cut off his
head. So his life ended. After that Grettir refused to take in any
forest-men, and yet he could not live alone.

CHAPTER LVII. ATTACK ON GRETTIR BY THORIR OF GARD WITH EIGHTY MEN
REPULSED WITH THE AID OF HALLMUND

At the All-Thing Thorir of Gard learned of Thorir Redbeard having been
killed. It was evident that the matter was not so easy to deal with. He
now determined to ride from the Thing in a westerly direction through
the lower heath, and with the aid of about eighty men whom he had with
him to take Grettir's life. Grim the son of Thorhall heard of his
plans and sent word to Grettir, bidding him beware of himself. Grettir
therefore continued closely to watch the movements of men who came and
went.

One day he saw a number of men coming in the direction of his place of
dwelling. He went into a gorge between two rocks, but did not go right
away because he did not see the whole of the troop. Thorir then came
up with his whole party and bade them go between his head and his body,
saying that the scoundrel had but a poor chance now.

"A filled cup is not yet drunk," answered Grettir. "You have come far
to seek me, and some of you shall bear the marks of our game before we
pa