bench upon which Grettir laid himself,
keeping on his clothes, with a light burning in the room. So he lay till
into the night.

The mistress reached Eyjardalsa for mass and every one wondered how she
had crossed the river. She said she did not know whether it was a man or
a troll who had carried her over. The priest said it was certainly a man
though unlike other men. "Let us keep silence over it; may be that he
means to help you in your difficulties."

She stayed there the night.

CHAPTER LXV. ADVENTURE WITH A TROLL-WOMAN

We return now to tell of Gest. Towards midnight he heard a loud noise
outside, and very soon there walked a huge troll-wife into the room. She
carried a trough in one hand and a rather large cutlass in the other.
She looked round the room as she entered, and on seeing Gest lying there
she rushed at him; he started up and attacked her furiously. They
fought long together; she was the stronger but he evaded her skilfully.
Everything near them and the panelling of the back wall were broken to
pieces. She dragged him through the hall door out to the porch, where he
resisted vigorously. She wanted to drag him out of the house, but before
that was done they had broken up all the fittings of the outer door and
borne them away on their shoulders. Then she strove to get to the river
and among the rocks. Gest was terribly fatigued, but there was no choice
but either to brace himself or be dragged down to the rocks. All night
long they struggled together, and he thought he had never met with such
a monster for strength. She gripped him so tightly to herself that he
could do nothing with either hand but cling to her waist. When at last
they reached a rock by the river he swung the monster round and got his
right hand loose. Then he quickly seized the short sword which he was
wearing, drew it and struck at the troll's right shoulder, cutting off
her right arm and releasing himself. She sprang among the rocks and
disappeared in the waterfall. Gest, very stiff and tired, lay long by
the rock.

At daylight he went home and lay down on his bed, blue and swollen all
over.

When the lady of the house came home she found the place rather in
disorder. She went to Gest and asked him what had happened, and why
everything was broken to pieces. He told her everything just as it had
happened. She thought it a matter of great moment and asked him who
he was. He told her the truth, said that he wished to see a p