Grettir said, “Oft fail in wisdom folk of better trust.”

Now the night goes by, but no rough weather came on.  Grettir drove off the horses, but Keingala cannot bear the grazing.  This seemed strange to Asmund, as the weather changed in nowise from what it had been theretofore.  The third morning Asmund went to the horses, and, coming to Keingala, said,—­

“I must needs deem these horses to be in sorry case, good as the winter has been, but thy sides will scarce lack flesh, my dun.”

“Things boded will happen,” said Grettir, “but so will things unboded.”

Asmund stroked the back of the mare, and, lo, the hide came off beneath his hand; he wondered how this could have happened, and said it was likely to be Grettir’s doing.  Grettir sneered mockingly, but said nought.  Now goodman Asmund went home talking as one mad; he went straight to the fire-hall, and as he came heard the good wife say, “It were good indeed if the horse-keeping of my kinsman had gone off well.”

Then Asmund sang this stave—­

  “Grettir has in such wise played,
  That Keingala has he flayed,
  Whose trustiness would be my boast
  (Proudest women talk the most);
  So the cunning lad has wrought,
  Thinking thereby to do nought
  Of my biddings any more. 
  In thy mind turn these words o’er.”

The housewife answered, “I know not which is least to my mind, that thou shouldst ever be bidding him work, or that he should turn out all his work in one wise.”

“That too we will make an end of,” said Asmund, “but he shall fare the worse therefor.”

Then Grettir said, “Well, let neither make words about it to the other.”

So things went on awhile, and Asmund had Keingala killed; and many other scurvy tricks did Grettir in his childhood whereof the story says nought.  But he grew great of body, though his strength was not well known, for he was unskilled in wrestling; he would make ditties and rhymes, but was somewhat scurrilous therein.  He had no will to lie anight in the fire-hall and was mostly of few words.

CHAP.  XV.

Of the ball-play on Midfirth Water.

At this time there were many growing up to be men in Midfirth; Skald-Torfa dwelt at Torfa’s-stead in those days; her son was called Bessi, he was the shapeliest of men and a good skald.

At Meal lived two brothers, Kormak and Thorgils, with them a man called Odd was fostered, and was called the Foundling-skald.

One called Audun was growing up at Audunstead in Willowdale, he was a kind and good man to deal with, and the strongest in those north parts, of all who were of an age with him.  Kalf Asgeirson dwelt at Asgeir’s-river, and his brother Thorvald with him.  Atli also, Grettir’s brother, was growing into a ripe man at that time; the gentlest of men he was, and well beloved of all.  Now these men settled to have ball-play together on Midfirth Water; thither came the Midfirthers, and Willowdale men, and men from Westhope, and Waterness, and Ramfirth, but those who came from far abode at the play-stead.