ng lad, or, as
some said, an unclean spirit, started up from no one knew where, and
spoke such impertinent words to Grettir that he felled him with a blow
of his fist.

After this the King would not allow the ceremony to go on: "Thou art
far too luckless a man to abide with us, and if ever man has been
cursed, of all men must thou have been," said he; and advised him to go
back to Iceland in the summer.

Meanwhile Asmund the Greyhaired died, and was buried at Biarg, and Atli
succeeded to his goods, but was soon afterwards basely murdered by a
neighbouring chief, who bore him ill-will for his many friendships, and
grudged him his possessions.

Thorir of Garth brought a suit at the Thing to have Grettir outlawed
for the burning of his sons; but Skapti the Lawman thought it scarcely
fair to condemn a man unheard, and spoke these wise words: "A tale is
half told if one man tells it, for most folk are readiest to bring
their stories to the worser side when there are two ways of telling
them."

Thorir, however, was a man of might, and had powerful friends; these
between them pushed on the suit, and with a high hand rather than
according to law obtained their decree. Thus was Grettir outlawed for
a deed of which he was innocent.

Next, Grettir's enemy Thorir of Garth heard of his whereabouts, and
prevailed upon one Thorir Redbeard to attempt to slay him.

So Redbeard laid his plans, with the object, as it is quaintly phrased,
of "winning" Grettir. He, however, declined to be "won," for Redbeard
fared no better than Grim.

[Illustration: Grettir overthrows Thorir Redbeard]

He tried to slay the outlaw while he was swimming back from his nets,
but Grettir sank like a stone and swam along the bottom, till he
reached a place where he could land unseen by Redbeard. He then came
on him from behind, while Redbeard was still looking for his appearance
out of the water; heaved him over his head, and caused him to fall so
heavily that his weapon fell out of his hand. Grettir seized it and
smote off his head.

DEATH OF GRETTIR THE STRONG.

About this time, Grettir having been so many years in outlawry, many
thought that the sentence should be annulled, and it was deemed certain
that he would be pardoned in the next ensuing summer; but they who had
owned the island were discontented at the prospect of his acquittal,
and urged Angle either to give back the island or slay Grettir.

Now Angle had a foster-mother, Thu