said, "<i>Oft fail in wisdom folk of better trust</i>."

Now the night goes by, but no rough weather came on. Grettir drove off
the horses, but Keingala cannot bear the grazing. This seemed strange
to Asmund, as the weather changed in nowise from what it had been
theretofore. The third morning Asmund went to the horses, and, coming
to Keingala, said,--

"I must needs deem these horses to be in sorry case, good as the
winter has been, but thy sides will scarce lack flesh, my dun."

"<i>Things boded will happen</i>," said Grettir, "<i>but so will
things unboded</i>."

Asmund stroked the back of the mare, and, lo, the hide came off
beneath his hand; he wondered how this could have happened, and said
it was likely to be Grettir's doing. Grettir sneered mockingly, but
said nought. Now goodman Asmund went home talking as one mad; he went
straight to the fire-hall, and as he came heard the good wife say,
"It were good indeed if the horse-keeping of my kinsman had gone off
well."

Then Asmund sang this stave--

"Grettir has in such wise played,
That Keingala has he flayed,
Whose trustiness would be my boast
(Proudest women talk the most);
So the cunning lad has wrought,
Thinking thereby to do nought
Of my biddings any more.
In thy mind turn these words o'er."

The housewife answered, "I know not which is least to my mind, that
thou shouldst ever be bidding him work, or that he should turn out all
his work in one wise."

"That too we will make an end of," said Asmund, "but he shall fare the
worse therefor."

Then Grettir said, "Well, let neither make words about it to the
other."

So things went on awhile, and Asmund had Keingala killed; and many
other scurvy tricks did Grettir in his childhood whereof the story
says nought. But he grew great of body, though his strength was not
well known, for he was unskilled in wrestling; he would make ditties
and rhymes, but was somewhat scurrilous therein. He had no will to lie
anight in the fire-hall and was mostly of few words.

CHAP. XV.

<i>Of the ball-play on Midfirth Water</i>.

At this time there were many growing up to be men in Midfirth;
Skald-Torfa dwelt at Torfa's-stead in those days; her son was called
Bessi, he was the shapeliest of men and a good skald.

At Meal lived two brothers, Kormak and Thorgils, with them a man
called Odd was fostered, and was called the Foundling-skald.

One called Audun was growing up at Audunstead in Wi