lowt for little things."

Gisli answers, "Nay, it shall not be; dost thou know with whom thou
hast to do?"

Says Grettir, "I am not very clear about that; nor will I have much
respect for persons, since I am lowly now, and ask for little."

"Mayhap thou thinkest it little," says he, "but I had rather pay down
thirty hundreds; but robbery and wrong are ever uppermost in thy mind
methinks; so on him, good fellows, and let see what he may do."

So did they, and Grettir gave back before them to a stone which stands
by the way and is called Grettir's-Heave, and thence defended himself;
and Gisli egged on his fellows eagerly; but Grettir saw now that he
was no such a hardy heart as he had made believe, for he was ever
behind his fellows' backs; and withal he grew aweary of this fulling
business, and swept round the short-sword, and smote one of Gisli's
fellows to the death, and leaped down from the stone, and set on so
fiercely, that Gisli shrank aback before him all along the hill-side:
there Gisli's other fellow was slain, and then Grettir spake:

"Little is it seen in thee that thou hast done well wide in the world,
and in ill wise dost thou part from thy fellows."

Gisli answers, "<i>Hottest is the fire that lies on oneself--with
hell's-man are dealings ill</i>."

Then they gave and took but a little, before Gisli cast away his
weapons, and took to his heels out along the mountain. Grettir gave
him time to cast off whatso he would, and every time Gisli saw a
chance for it he threw off somewhat of his clothes; and Grettir never
followed him so close but that there was still some space
betwixt them. Gisli ran right past that mountain and then across
Coldriver-dale, and then through Aslaug's-lithe and above by
Kolbeinstead, and then out into Burgh-lava; and by then was he in
shirt and breech alone, and was now exceeding weary. Grettir still
followed after him, and there was ever a stone's throw between them;
and now he pulled up a great bush. But Gisli made no stay till he came
out at Haf-firth-river, and it was swollen with ice and ill to ford;
Gisli made straightway for the river, but Grettir ran in on him and
seized him, and then the strength of either was soon known: Grettir
drave him down under him, and said,

"Art thou that Gisli who would fain meet Grettir Asmundson?"

Gisli answers, "I have found him now, in good sooth, nor do I know in
what wise we shall part: keep that which thou hast got, and let me go