Nor do I know what you
would do with a weapon that would be of any profit. I shall not give you
any."

Grettir said: "Work not done needs no reward."

Father and son parted with little love between them. Many wished him a
good voyage, but few a safe return. His mother went with him along the
road. Before they parted she said: "You have not been sent off in the
way that I should have wished, my son, or in a way befitting your birth.
The most cruel thing of all, I think, is that you have not a weapon
which you can use. My heart tells me that you will want one."

Then she took from under her mantle a sword all ready for use, a
valuable possession. She said: "This was the sword of Jokull, my
father's father and of the ancient Vatnsdal men, in whose hands it was
blessed with victory. I give it to you; use it well."

Grettir thanked her warmly and said it would be more precious to him
than any other possession though of greater value. Then he went on his
way and Asdis wished him all possible happiness. He rode South over the
heath and did not stop till he reached his ship. Haflidi received him
well and asked him about his outfit for the voyage. Grettir spoke a
verse:

"Oh trimmer of sails I my father is wealthy,
but poorly enough he sent me from home.
My mother it was who gave me this sword.
True is the saying: The mother is best."

Haflidi said it was evident that she had most thought for him.

Directly they were ready and had a wind they got under way. When they
were out of shallow water they hoisted their sail. Grettir made himself
a corner under the ship's boat, whence he refused to stir either to bale
or to trim the sails or to do any work in the ship, as it was his duty
to do equally with the other men; nor would he buy himself off. They
sailed to the South, rounded Reykjanes and left the land behind them,
when they met with stormy weather. The ship was rather leaky and became
very uneasy in the gale; the crew were very much exhausted. Grettir only
let fly satirical verses at them, which angered them sorely.

One day when it was very stormy and very cold the men called out to
Grettir to get up and work; they said their claws were quite frozen. He
answered:

"Twere well if every finger were froze
on the hands of such a lubberly crew."

They got no work out of him and liked him even worse than before,
and said they would pay him out on his person for his squibs and his
mutinous