brother Ogmund with their companions.
"I think," he added, "that your master Thorfinn has heard our names
mentioned. But is he at home?"

"You must be men who have luck," said Grettir, "you have come most
opportunely, if you are the people I take you for. The bondi has gone
from home with all his freedmen and will not be back until after Yule.
The goodwife is at home with her daughter, and if I had any grudge to
repay, I would come just as you do, for there is everything here which
you want, ale to drink and other delights."

Thorir was silent while Grettir went on talking. Then he turned to
Ogmund and said: "Has anything not happened as I said it would? I should
not be sorry to punish Thorfinn for having got us outlawed. This man
seems ready to tell us everything; we don't have to drag the words out
of his mouth."

"Every one is master of his own words," said Grettir. "If you will come
home with me I will give you what entertainment I can."

They thanked him and said they would accept his invitation. When they
reached the house Grettir took Thorir by the hand and led him into the
hall. He was very talkative. The mistress was in the hall decorating it
and putting all in order. On hearing what Grettir said, she came to the
door and asked who it was that Grettir was welcoming so warmly.

Grettir answered: "It will be advisable, mistress, to be civil to these
men who have come. They are the bondi Thorir Paunch and his followers,
and have come, all twelve of them, to spend Yule-tide here. It is
fortunate for us, for we have had little company till now."

She said: "I don't call them bondis, nor are they decent men, but
arrant robbers and malefactors. I would gladly pay a large portion of
my property for them not to have come just at this time. It is an ill
return that you make to Thorfinn for having saved you from shipwreck and
kept you this winter like a free man, destitute as you were."

"You would do better," said Grettir, "if you first took off the wet
clothes from your guests instead of casting reproaches upon me. You will
have plenty of time for that."

Then Thorir said: "Don't be angry, mistress! You shall lose nothing by
your husband being away, for you shall have a man in his place and so
shall your daughter and all the other women."

"That is spoken like a man," said Grettir. "The women shall be quite
contented with what they get."

Then all the women fled and began to weep, being overcome by terror.
G