in the island was Thorfinn. He was a
son of Kar the Old, who had lived there for a long time. Thorfinn was a
man of great influence.

When the day broke, the people on the island saw that there were some
sailors there in distress and reported it to Thorfinn, who at once set
about to launch his large sixteen-oared boat. He put out as quickly as
possible with some thirty men to save the cargo of the trader, which
then sank and was lost, along with much property. Thorfinn brought all
the men off her to his house, where they stayed for a week drying their
goods. Then they went away to the South, and are heard of no more in
this story.

Grettir stayed behind with Thorfinn, keeping very quiet and speaking
little. Thorfinn gave him his board, but took little notice of him.
Grettir held rather aloof, and did not accompany him when he went abroad
every day. This annoyed Thorfinn, but he did not like to refuse Grettir
his hospitality; he was a man who kept open house, enjoyed life and
liked to see other men happy. Grettir liked going about and visiting the
people in the other farms on the island. There was a man named Audun,
who dwelt at Vindheim. Grettir went to see him daily and became very
intimate with him, sitting there all day long.

One evening very late when Grettir was preparing to return home, he saw
a great fire shoot up on the headland below Audun's place, and asked
what new thing that might be. Audun said there was no pressing need for
him to know.

"If they saw such a thing in our country," said Grettir, "they would say
the fire came from some treasure."

"He who rules that fire," answered the man, "is one whom it will be
better not to inquire about."

"But I want to know," Grettir said.

"On that headland," said Audun, "there is a howe, wherein lies Kar
the Old, the father of Thorfinn. Once upon a time father and son had a
farm-property on the island; but ever since Kar died his ghost has been
walking and has scared away all the other farmers, so that now the
whole island belongs to Thorfinn, and no man who is under Thorfinn's
protection suffers any injury."

"You have done right to tell me," said Grettir. "Expect me here
to-morrow morning, and have tools ready for digging."

"I won't allow you to have anything to do with it," said Audun, "because
I know that it will bring Thorfinn's wrath down upon you."

Grettir said he would risk that.

The night passed; Grettir appeared early the next morning, an