“Worse wilt thou bear thyself than either of us,” said Grettir, “when the need is on us; but now go watch the ladders, whatsoever will thou hast thereto.”

So every morning they drave him out, and ill he bore it.

But Grettir’s hurt waxed in such wise that all the leg swelled up, and the thigh began to gather matter both above and below, and the lips of the wound were all turned out, so that Grettir’s death was looked for.

Illugi sat over him night and day, and took heed to nought else, and by then it was the second week since Grettir hurt himself.

CHAP.  LXXXIII.

How Thorbiorn Angle gathered Force and set Sail for Drangey.

Thorbiorn Angle sat this while at home at Woodwick, and was ill-content in that he might not win Grettir; but when a certain space had passed since the carline had put the sorcery into the root, she comes to talk with Thorbiorn, and asks if he were not minded to go see Grettir.  He answers, that to nought was his mind so made up as that he would not go; “perchance thou wilt go meet him, foster-mother,” says Thorbiorn.

“Nay, I shall not go meet-him,” says the carline; “but I have sent my greeting to him, and some hope I have that it has come home to him; and good it seems to me that thou go speedily to meet him, or else shalt thou never have such good hap as to overcome him.”

Thorbiorn answered:  “So many shameful journeys have I made thither, that there I go not ever again; moreover that alone is full enough to stay me, that such foul weather it is, that it is safe to go nowhither, whatso the need may be.”

She answered:  “Ill counselled thou art, not to see how to overcome herein.  Now yet once again will I lay down a rede for this; go thou first and get thee strength of men, and ride to Hof to Halldor thy brother-in-law, and take counsel of him.  But if I may rule in some way how Grettir’s health goes, how shall it be said that it is past hope that I may also deal with the gale that has been veering about this while?”

Thorbiorn deemed it might well be that the carline saw further than he had thought she might, and straightway sent up into the country-side for men; but speedy answer there came that none of those who had given up their shares would do aught to ease his task, and they said that Thorbiorn should have to himself both the owning of the island and the onset on Grettir.  But Tongue-Stein gave him two of his followers, and Hialti, his brother, sent him three men, and Eric of God-dales one, and from his own homestead he had six.  So the twelve of them ride from Woodwick out to Hof.  Halldor bade them abide there, and asked their errand; then Thorbiorn told it as clearly as might be.  Halldor asked whose rede this might be, and Thorbiorn said that his foster-mother urged him much thereto.

“That will bear no good,” said Halldor, “because she is cunning in sorcery, and such-like things are now forbidden.”