den and saw a man lying there. He clawed at
him, dragged off his shield and threw it down the cliff. Bjorn woke
up, not a little startled, took to his heels and ran off home, narrowly
escaping the bear's clutches. His friends knew all about it, having
watched his movements; on the next morning they found the shield and
made great game of his adventure.

At Yule-time Thorkell himself went out to the den with Bjorn, Grettir
and others of his men, a party of eight in all. Grettir had on a fur
cape which he put off when they were attacking the bear. It was
rather difficult to get at him, since they could only reach him with
spear-thrusts, which he parried with his teeth. Bjorn kept urging
them on to tackle him, but himself did not go near enough to be in any
danger. At last, when no one was looking out, he took Grettir's fur
cloak and threw it in to the bear. They did not succeed in getting the
bear out, and when night came on turned to go home. Grettir then missed
his cloak and saw that the bear had got it into his grip.

"Who has been playing tricks on me?" he cried. "Who threw my cloak into
the cave?"

Bjorn answered: "He who did it will not be afraid to say so."

"Things of that sort do not trouble me much," said Grettir.

Then they started on their way home. After they had gone a little way
Grettir's garter broke. Thorkell told them to wait for him, but Grettir
said it was not necessary. Then Bjorn said: "There is no need to suppose
that Grettir will run away from his cloak. He wants to have the honour
of killing the beast all alone, and he will say that we eight men went
away. Then he would appear to be what he is said to be. He has been
backward enough all day."

"I don't know how you stand in that matter," said Thorkell. "You and he
are not equal in valour; do not make any to-do about him."

Bjorn said that neither he nor Grettir should choose the words out of
his mouth.

There was a hill between them and Grettir, who had turned back along the
footpath. Now he had no others to reckon with in making the attack.
He drew his sword Jokulsnaut and tied a loop round the handle which he
passed over his wrist, because he thought that he could carry out his
plans better if his hand were free. He went along the path. When the
bear saw a man coming, he charged savagely, and struck at him with the
paw that was on the side away from the precipice. Grettir aimed a blow
at him with his sword and cut off his paw just abov