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.

Thereat all men became hushed; but the Chancellor of the town seized Thorstein straightway, and asked for what cause he did such an ill-deed there at the hallowed Thing.

Thorstein said that he was the brother of Grettir the Strong, and that withal he had never been able to bring vengeance to pass till then; so thereupon many put in their word, and said that the strong man must needs have been of great might and nobleness, in that Thorstein had fared so far forth into the world to avenge him:  the rulers of the city deemed that like enough; but whereas there was none there to bear witness in aught to Thorstein’s word, that law of theirs prevailed, that whosoever slew a man should lose nought but his life.

So then speedy doom and hard enow did Thorstein get; for in a dark chamber of a dungeon should he be cast and there abide his death, if none redeemed him therefrom with money.  But when Thorstein came into the dungeon, there was a man there already, who had come to death’s door from misery; and both foul and cold was that abode; Thorstein spake to that man and said,

“How deemest thou of thy life?”

He answered, “As of a right evil life, for of nought can I be holpen, nor have I kinsmen to redeem me.”

Thorstein said, “Nought is of less avail in such matters than lack of good rede; let us be merry then, and do somewhat that will be glee and game to us.”

The man said that he might have no glee of aught.

“Nay, then, but let us try it,” said Thorstein.  And therewithal he fell to singing; and he was a man of such goodly voice that scarcely might his like be found therefor, nor did he now spare himself.

Now the highway was but a little way from the dungeon, and Thorstein sang so loud and clear that the walls resounded therewith, and great game this seemed to him who had been half-dead erst; and in such wise did Thorstein keep it going till the evening.

CHAP.  XC.

How the Lady Spes redeemed Thorstein from the Dungeon.

There was a great lady of a castle in that town called Spes, exceeding rich and of great kin; Sigurd was the name of her husband, a rich man too, but of lesser kin than she was, and for money had she been wedded to him; no great love there was betwixt them, for she thought she had been wedded far beneath her; high-minded she was and a very stirring woman.

Now so it befell, that, as Thorstein made him merry that night, Spes walked in the street hard by the dungeon, and heard thence so fair a voice, that she said she had never yet heard its like.  She went with many folk, and so now she bade them go learn who had that noble voice.  So they called out and asked who lay there in such evil plight; and Thorstein named himself.

Then said Spes, “Art thou a man as much skilled in other matters as in singing?”

He said there was but little to show for that.

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