not watch them, despite his strength and daring.

Then Thorhall went out from him, and this was towards the breaking
up of the Thing. Thorhall missed two dun horses, and fared himself to
seek for them; wherefore folk deem that he was no great man. He went
up to Sledgehill, and south along the fell which is called Armansfell;
then he saw how a man fared down from Godi's-wood, and bore faggots on
a horse. Soon they met together, and Thorhall asked him of his name.
He said that he was called Glam. This man was great of growth,
uncouth to look on; his eyes were grey and glaring, and his hair was
wolf-grey.

Thorhall stared at him somewhat when he saw this man, till he saw that
this was he to whom he had been sent.

"What work hast thou best will to do?" said Thorhall.

Glam said, "That he was of good mind to watch sheep in winter."

"Wilt thou watch my sheep?" said Thorhall. "Skapti has given thee to
my will."

"So only shall my service avail thee, if I go of my own will, for I am
evil of mood if matters mislike me," quoth Glam.

"I fear no hurt thereof," said Thorhall, "and I will that thou fare to
my house."

"That may I do," said Glam, "perchance there are some troubles there?"

"Folk deem the place haunted," said Thorhall.

"Such bugs will not scare me," quoth Glam; "life seems to me less
irksome thereby."

"It must needs seem so," said Thorhall, "and truly it is better that a
mannikin be not there."

Thereafter they struck bargain together, and Glam is to come at winter
nights: then they parted, and Thorhall found his horses even where he
had just been searching. Thorhall rode home, and thanked Skapti for
his good deed.

Summer slipped away, and Thorhall heard nought of his shepherd, nor
did any man know aught about him; but at the appointed time he came
to Thorhall-stead. The bonder greeted him well, but none of the other
folk could abide him, and the good wife least of all.

Now he took to the sheep-watching, and little trouble it seemed to
give him; he was big-voiced and husky, and all the beasts would run
together when he whooped. There was a church at Thorhall-stead, but
nowise would Glam come therein; he was a loather of church-song, and
godless, foul-tempered, and surly, and no man might abide him.

Now passed the time till it came to Yule-eve; then Glam got up and
straightway called for his meat. The good wife said--

"No Christian man is wont to eat meat this day, be-. cause that on the
m