room in which Thorfinn keeps his clothes."

They were agreeable and all went out to an enormous outhouse, which was
very strongly built, and had a strong lock on the outer door. Adjoining
it was a large and well-built privy, with only a wooden partition
between it and the room of the outhouse, which was raised above
the ground and had to be reached by steps. The berserks then began
skylarking and pushing Grettir about. He fell down the in steps, as if
in sport, and in a moment was out of the house, had pulled the bolt,
slammed the door to, and locked it. Thorir and his mates thought at
first that the door had swung to of itself, and paid little attention;
they had a light with them by which Grettir had been showing them all
Thorfinn's treasures, and they continued looking at them for some time.

Grettir went off to the homestead, and on reaching the door cried out
very loud, asking where the mistress was. She was silent, being afraid
to answer. He said: "Here is rather good sport to be had. Are there any
arms which are good for anything?"

"There are arms," she said; "but I don't know for what purpose you want
them."

"We will talk about that afterwards; but now let each do what he can; it
is the last chance."

"Now indeed were God in the dwelling," she said, "if anything should
happen to save us. Over Thorfinn's bed there hangs the great halberd
which belonged to Kar the Old; there, too, is a helmet and a corselet
and a good short sword. The weapons will not fail if your heart holds
firm."

Grettir took the helmet and spear, girt the sword about him and went
quickly out. The mistress called to her men and bade them follow their
brave champion. Four of them rushed to their arms, but the other four
durst not go near them.

Meantime the berserks thought that Grettir was a long time away and
began to suspect some treachery. They rushed to the door and found it
locked. They strained at the woodwork till every timber groaned. At last
they tore down the wooden partition and so gained the passage where the
privy was, and thence the steps. Then the berserks' fury fell upon them
and they howled like dogs.

At that moment Grettir returned, and taking his halberd in both hands
he thrust it right through Thorir's body just as he was about to descend
the steps. The blade was very long and broad. Ogmund the Bad was just
behind pushing him on, so that the spear passed right up to the hook,
came out at his back between the s