at they would do for him to lay
hands upon. He threw them all into his basket and they quite filled it.
The fishes were so large that Grim thought no horse would be able to
carry more. This man then took the load and got beneath it. Just as
he was about to rise Grim rushed out and taking his axe in both hands
struck a blow at his neck which went through the skin. He started in
surprise and then ran off towards the south of the hill with his basket.
Grim went after him to see whether he had got him. They went south along
the foot of the Balljokull where the man entered a cave. There was
a bright fire in the cave and a woman standing in it, very tall but
shapely. Grim heard her greet her father, calling him Hallmund. He flung
down his load and heaved a great sigh. She asked why he was covered with
blood. He answered in a verse:

"No man, I see, may trust his might.
His luck and heart will fail at death."

Then she pressed him to say what had happened, and he told her
everything.

"Hear now," he said, "what I tell you of my adventure. I will tell it to
you in verse, and you shall cut it in runes on a staff."

She did so, and he spoke the Hallmundarkvida, in which the following
occurs:

"I was strong when Grettir's bridle I seized
I saw him gazing long at his palms.

Then Thorir came on the Heath with his men.
'Gainst eighty we two had play with our spears.

Grettir's hands knew how to strike;
much deeper the marks that were left by mine.

Arms and heads then flew as they tried
to gain my rear; eighteen of them fell.

The giant-kind and the grim rock-dwellers,
demons and blendings fell before me,
elves and devils have felt my hand."

Many exploits of his did Hallmund recount in the lay, for he had been in
every land.

The daughter said: "That man was not going to let his catch slip away
from him. It was only to be expected, for you treated him very badly.
But who is going to avenge you?"

"It is not certain that anybody will, but I think that Grettir would
avenge me if he were able. It will not be easy to go against this man's
luck; he is destined to great things." Then as the lay continued his
strength began to fail. Hallmund died almost at the moment when he
finished the song. She grieved much for him and wept sorely. Then Grim
came forward and bade her be comforted. "All," he said, "must depart
when their fate calls. It was partly his own