ng together until at last Grettir was
thrown. Audun then set his knees on his stomach and dealt unmercifully
with him. Atli and Bersi and a number of the others ran up and separated
them. Grettir said they need not hold him like a mad dog, and added:
"The thrall alone takes instant vengeance, the coward never."

The rest had no mind to let the affair create discord among them,
and the brothers Kalf and Thorvald tried to reconcile them. Audun and
Grettir were distantly related to each other. The games went on and
there was no further disturbance.

CHAPTER XVI. GRETTIR KILLS SKEGGI AND IS OUTLAWED FOR THREE YEARS

Thorkell Krafla now began to grow very old. He was a great chieftain and
held the Vatnsdal Godord. He was a close friend of Asmund Longhair, as
befitted the near relations in which they stood to each other. He had,
therefore, been in the habit of riding every year in the spring to Bjarg
to visit his kinsmen there, and he did so in the spring which followed
the events just related. Asmund and Asdis received him with both hands.
He stayed there three nights and many a matter did the kinsmen discuss
together. Thorkell asked Asmund what his heart told him about his sons,
and what professions they were likely to follow. Asmund said that Atli
would probably be a great landowner, very careful and wealthy.

"A useful man, like yourself," said Thorkell. "But what can you tell me
of Grettir?"

"I can only say," he replied, "that he will be a strong man; but
headstrong and quarrelsome. A heavy trial has he been to me."

"That does not look very promising, kinsman!" said Thorkell. "But how
are we to arrange our journey to the Thing in the summer?"

"I am getting difficult to move," he said. "I would rather stay at
home."

"Would you like Atli to go for you?"

"I don't think I can spare him," Asmund said, "because of the work and
the provisioning. Grettir will not do anything. But he has quite wit
enough to carry out the duties at the Thing on my behalf under your
guidance."

"It shall be as you please," said Thorkell.

Then Thorkell made himself ready and rode home; Asmund dismissed him
with presents.

A little later Thorkell journeyed to the Thing with sixty men. All
the men of his godord went with him. They passed through Bjarg, where
Grettir joined them. They rode South through the heath called Tvidaegra.
There was very little grazing to be had in the hills, so they
rode quickly past them into the