le is far
other than fair; lo now, methinks thy so great bravery and hardihood
has come utterly to an end, if thou must needs think that all things
soever will be thy bane."

"Worse wilt thou bear thyself than either of us," said Grettir, "when
the need is on us; but now go watch the ladders, whatsoever will thou
hast thereto."

So every morning they drave him out, and ill he bore it.

But Grettir's hurt waxed in such wise that all the leg swelled up, and
the thigh began to gather matter both above and below, and the lips of
the wound were all turned out, so that Grettir's death was looked for.

Illugi sat over him night and day, and took heed to nought else, and
by then it was the second week since Grettir hurt himself.

CHAP. LXXXIII.

<i>How Thorbiorn Angle gathered Force and set Sail for Drangey</i>.

Thorbiorn Angle sat this while at home at Woodwick, and was
ill-content in that he might not win Grettir; but when a certain space
had passed since the carline had put the sorcery into the root, she
comes to talk with Thorbiorn, and asks if he were not minded to go see
Grettir. He answers, that to nought was his mind so made up as that he
would not go; "perchance thou wilt go meet him, foster-mother," says
Thorbiorn.

"Nay, I shall not go meet-him," says the carline; "but I have sent my
greeting to him, and some hope I have that it has come home to him;
and good it seems to me that thou go speedily to meet him, or else
shalt thou never have such good hap as to overcome him."

Thorbiorn answered: "So many shameful journeys have I made thither,
that there I go not ever again; moreover that alone is full enough
to stay me, that such foul weather it is, that it is safe to go
nowhither, whatso the need may be."

She answered: "Ill counselled thou art, not to see how to overcome
herein. Now yet once again will I lay down a rede for this; go thou
first and get thee strength of men, and ride to Hof to Halldor thy
brother-in-law, and take counsel of him. But if I may rule in some way
how Grettir's health goes, how shall it be said that it is past hope
that I may also deal with the gale that has been veering about this
while?"

Thorbiorn deemed it might well be that the carline saw further than he
had thought she might, and straightway sent up into the country-side
for men; but speedy answer there came that none of those who had given
up their shares would do aught to ease his task, and they said that
Thor