The Earl said he should spare none of them, and now they were at the very point to fight.

Then went to the Earl many men of goodwill, and prayed him not to push matters on to such great evils, and said they would have to pay heavily before all these were slain.  The Earl found this rede to be wholesome, and became somewhat softened thereat.

Thereafter they drew up an agreement to which Thorstein and Thorfinn were willing enough, now that Grettir should have respite of his life.  The Earl spake:  “Know ye,” quoth he, “that though I deal by way of mean words with these man-slayings at this time, yet I call this no settlement, but I am loth to fight against my own folk; though I see that ye make little of me in this matter.”

Then said Thorfinn, “This is a greater honour for thee, Lord, for that thou alone wilt doom the weregild.”

Then the Earl said that Grettir should go in peace, as for him, out to Iceland, when ships fared out, if so they would; they said that they would take this.  They paid the Earl fines to his mind, and parted from him with little friendship.  Grettir went with Thorfinn; he and his brother Thorstein parted fondly.

Thorfinn got great fame for the aid he had given Grettir against such overwhelming power as he had to deal with:  none of the men who had helped Grettir were ever after well loved of the Earl, save Bessi.

So quoth Grettir—­

  “To our helping came
  The great of name;
  Thorfinn was there
  Born rule to bear;
  When all bolts fell
  Into locks, and hell
  Cried out for my life
  In the Tunsberg strife. 
  The Dromund fair[11]
  Of red seas was there,
  The stone of the bane
  Of steel-gods vain: 
  From Bylest’s kin
  My life to win,
  Above all men
  He laboured then.

  Then the king’s folk
  Would strike no stroke
  To win my head;
  So great grew dread;
  For the leopard came
  With byrni’s flame,
  And on thoughts-burg wall
  Should that bright fire fall.”

Grettir went back north with Thorfinn, and was with him till he gat him to ship with chapmen who were bound out to Iceland:  he gave him many fair gifts of raiment, and a fair-stained saddle and a bridle withal.  They parted in friendship, and Thorfinn bade him come to him whensoever he should come back to Norway.

[Footnote 11:  The stone of steel-god’s bane in Thorstein; Bylest’s kin is Hel, death.  The leopard is Bessi Skald-Torfason; byrni’s flame, his sword.  Thoughts-burg, a warrior’s head.]

CHAP.  XXV.

The Slaying of Thorgils Makson.

Asmund the Greyhaired lived on at Biarg, while Grettir was abroad, and by that time he was thought to be the greatest of bonders in Midfirth.  Thorkel Krafla died during those seasons that Grettir was out of Iceland.  Thorvald Asgeirson farmed then at the Ridge in Waterdale, and waxed a great chief.  He was the father of Dalla whom Isleif had to wife, he who afterwards was bishop at Skalholt.