t. Foremost stood Thorfinn and Thorstein and Grettir, and then
Bessi, and each of them had a large following of men with him.

The Earl bade them to give up Grettir, nor to bring themselves into an
evil strait; they made the very same offer as before. The Earl would
not hearken thereto. Then Thorfinn and Thorstein said that the Earl
should have more ado yet for the getting of Grettir's life, "For one
fate shall befall us all, and it will be said thou workest hard for
one man's life, if all we have to be laid on earth therefor."

The Earl said he should spare none of them, and now they were at the
very point to fight.

Then went to the Earl many men of goodwill, and prayed him not to
push matters on to such great evils, and said they would have to pay
heavily before all these were slain. The Earl found this rede to be
wholesome, and became somewhat softened thereat.

Thereafter they drew up an agreement to which Thorstein and Thorfinn
were willing enough, now that Grettir should have respite of his life.
The Earl spake: "Know ye," quoth he, "that though I deal by way of
mean words with these man-slayings at this time, yet I call this no
settlement, but I am loth to fight against my own folk; though I see
that ye make little of me in this matter."

Then said Thorfinn, "This is a greater honour for thee, Lord, for that
thou alone wilt doom the weregild."

Then the Earl said that Grettir should go in peace, as for him, out to
Iceland, when ships fared out, if so they would; they said that they
would take this. They paid the Earl fines to his mind, and parted from
him with little friendship. Grettir went with Thorfinn; he and his
brother Thorstein parted fondly.

Thorfinn got great fame for the aid he had given Grettir against such
overwhelming power as he had to deal with: none of the men who had
helped Grettir were ever after well loved of the Earl, save Bessi.

So quoth Grettir--

"To our helping came
The great of name;
Thorfinn was there
Born rule to bear;
When all bolts fell
Into locks, and hell
Cried out for my life
In the Tunsberg strife.
The Dromund fair[11]
Of red seas was there,
The stone of the bane
Of steel-gods vain:
From Bylest's kin
My life to win,
Above all men
He laboured then.

Then the king's folk
Would strike no stroke
To win my head;
So great grew dread;
For the leopard came
With byrni's flame,
And on thoughts-burg wall
Should tha