s slaying to the best of their power. Then Grettir rode to
the West across the Laxardal Heath and did not stop before he reached
Ljarskogar, where he stayed some time in the autumn with Thorsteinn
Kuggason.

CHAPTER XLIX. GRETTIR VISITS THORSTEINN KUGGASON AND SNORRI GODI

Thorodd Drapustuf now made inquiries who it was who had killed Thorbjorn
and his son. They went to Reykir, where they were told that Grettir had
proclaimed the slaying. Thorodd then saw how matters stood and went to
Bjarg, where he found many people and asked whether Grettir was there.
Asdis said that he was gone, and that he would not hide if he were at
home.

"You can be well content to leave things as they are. The vengeance for
Atli was not excessive, if it be reckoned up. No one asked what I had to
suffer then, and now it were well for it to rest."

Then they rode home, and it seemed as if there were nothing to be done.
The spear which Grettir had lost was never found until within the memory
of men now living. It was found in the later days of Sturla the Lawman,
the son of Thord, in the very marsh where Thorbjorn fell, now called
Spearmarsh. This is the proof that he was killed there and not in
Midfitjar, as has been elsewhere asserted.

Thorbjorn's kinsmen learned of Grettir's being in Ljarskogar and called
together their men with the purpose of going there. Gamli heard of this
at Melar and sent word to Thorsteinn and Grettir of their approach.
Thorsteinn sent Grettir on to Tunga to Snorri the Godi, with whom he was
then at peace, and advised Grettir to ask for his protection, and if it
were refused to go West to Thorgils the son of Ari in Reykjaholar, "who
will surely take you in for the winter. Stay there in the Western fjords
until the affair is settled."

Grettir said he would follow his counsel. He rode to Tunga where he
found Snorri and asked to be taken in. Snorri answered: "I am now an old
man, and have no mind to harbour outlaws, unless in a case of necessity.
But what has happened that the old man should have turned you out?"

Grettir said that Thorsteinn had often shown him kindness; "but we shall
need more than him alone to do any good."

Snorri said: "I will put in my word on your behalf, if it will be of any
use to you. But you must seek your quarters elsewhere than with me."

So they parted. Grettir then went West to Reykjanes. The men of
Hrutafjord came with their followers to Samsstad, where they heard that
Gre