The Story of Grettir the Strong eBook

Allen French
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 319 pages of information about The Story of Grettir the Strong.

The Story of Grettir the Strong eBook

Allen French
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 319 pages of information about The Story of Grettir the Strong.

Then said Illugi, “A big log of firewood, kinsman, let us bear it home.”

Grettir kicked it with his foot and said, “An evil tree from evil sent; other firewood than this shall we have.”

Therewithal he cast it out into the sea, and bade Illugi beware of bearing it home, “For it is sent us for our ill-hap.”  And therewith they went unto their abode, and said nought about it to the thrall.  But the next day they found the tree again, and it was nigher to the ladders than heretofore; Grettir drave it out to sea, and said that it should never be borne home.

Now the days wore on into summer, and a gale came on with much wet, and the brothers were loth to be abroad, and bade Noise go search for firewood.

He took it ill, and said he was ill served in that he had to drudge and labour abroad in all the foulest weather; but withal he went down to the beach before the ladders and found the carline’s tree there, and deemed things had gone well because of it; so he took it up and bore it to the hut, and cast it down thereby with a mighty thump.

Grettir heard it and said, “Noise has got something, so I shall go out and see what it is.”

Therewithal he took up a wood-axe, and went out, and straightway Noise said,

“Split it up in as good wise as I have brought it home, then.”

Grettir grew short of temper with the thrall, and smote the axe with both hands at the log, nor heeded what tree it was; but as soon as ever the axe touched the wood, it turned flatlings and glanced off therefrom into Grettir’s right leg above the knee, in such wise that it stood in the bone, and a great wound was that.  Then he looked at the tree and said,

“Now has evil heart prevailed, nor will this hap go alone, since that same tree has now come back to us that I have cast out to sea on these two days.  But for thee, Noise, two slips hast thou had, first, when thou must needs let the fire be slaked, and now this bearing home of that tree of ill-hap; but if a third thou hast, thy bane will it be, and the bane of us all.”

With that came Illugi and bound up Grettir’s hurt, and it bled little, and Grettir slept well that night; and so three nights slipped by in such wise that no pain came of the wound, and when they loosed the swathings, the lips of the wound were come together so that it was well-nigh grown over again.  Then said Illugi,

“Belike thou wilt have no long hurt of this wound.”

“Well were it then,” said Grettir, “but marvellously has this befallen, whatso may come of it; and my mind misgives me of the way things will take.”

CHAP.  LXXXII.

Grettir sings of his Great Deeds.

Now they lay them down that evening, but at midnight Grettir began to tumble about exceedingly.  Illugi asked why he was so unquiet.  Grettir said that his leg had taken to paining him, “And methinks it is like that some change of hue there be therein.”

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The Story of Grettir the Strong from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.