Grettir got such hurt of this, that the chapmen said, wheresoever they came, that Grettir had burned those men.  The news soon got abroad that in that house were lost the aforenamed sons of Thorir of Garth, and their fellows; then they drave Grettir from their ship and would not have him with them; and now he became so ill looked on that scarce any one would do good to him.

Now he deemed that matters were utterly hopeless, but before all things would go to meet the king, and so made north to Drontheim.  The king was there before him, and knew all or ever Grettir came there, who had been much slandered to the king.  And Grettir was some days in the town before he could get to meet the king.

CHAP.  XXXIX.

How Grettir would fain bear Iron before the King.

Now on a day when the king sat in council, Grettir went before the king and greeted him well.  The king looked at him and said, “Art thou Grettir the Strong?”

He answered, “So have I been called, and for that cause am I come to thee, that I hope from thee deliverance from the evil tale that is laid on me, though I deem that I nowise wrought that deed.”

King Olaf said, “Thou art great enough, but I know not what luck thou mayest bear about to cast off this matter from thee; but it is like, indeed, that thou didst not willingly burn the men.”

Grettir said he was fain to put from him this slander, if the king thought he might do so; the king bade him tell truthfully, how it had gone betwixt him and those men:  Grettir told him all, even as has been said before, and this withal, that they were all alive when he came out with the fire—­

“And now I will offer to free myself in such wise as ye may deem will stand good in law therefor.”

Olaf the king said, “We will grant thee to bear iron for this matter if thy luck will have it so.”

Grettir liked this exceeding well; and now took to fasting for the iron; and so the time wore on till the day came whereas the trial should come off; then went the king to the church, and the bishop and much folk, for many were eager to have a sight of Grettir, so much as had been told of him.

Then was Grettir led to the church, and when he came thither, many of those who were there before gazed at him and said one to the other, that he was little like to most folk, because of his strength and greatness of growth.

Now, as Grettir went up the church-floor, there started up a lad of ripe growth, wondrous wild of look, and he said to Grettir—­

“Marvellous is now the custom in this land, as men are called Christians therein, that ill-doers, and folk riotous, and thieves shall go their ways in peace and become free by trials; yea, and what would the evil man do but save his life while he might?  So here now is a misdoer, proven clearly a man of misdeeds, and has burnt sackless men withal, and yet shall he, too, have a trial to free him; ah, a mighty ill custom!”