the claws.  Then the creature tried to strike him with his sound paw, but to do so he had to drop on the stump, which was shorter than he expected, and over he fell into Grettir’s embraces.  Grettir seized the beast by the ears and held him off so that he could not bite.  He always said that he considered this holding back the bear the greatest feat of strength that he ever performed.  The beast struggled violently; the space was very narrow, and they both fell over the precipice.  The bear being the heavier came down first on the beach; Grettir fell on the top of him, and the bear was badly mauled on the side that was down.  Grettir got his sword, ran it into the heart of the bear and killed him.  Then he went home, after fetching his cloak which was torn to pieces.  He also took with him the bit of the paw which he had cut off.

Thorkell was sitting and drinking when Grettir entered.  They all laughed at the ragged cloak which he was wearing.  Then he laid the piece of the paw upon the table.  Thorkell said:  “Where is my kinsman Bjorn?  I never saw iron bite like that in your hands.  Now I would like you to show Grettir some honour to make up for the shame which you cast upon him.”

Bjorn said that could wait, and that it mattered little to him whether Grettir was pleased or not.  Grettir then spoke a verse: 

“Oft returned the watcher at night trembling home, but sound in limb.  None ever saw me sit in the dusk at the cave; yet now I am home returned.”

“It is true,” said Bjorn, “that you have fought well; and also true that our opinions differ.  I suppose you think that your taunts hurt me.”

Thorkell said:  “I should be glad, Grettir, if you would not revenge yourself upon Bjorn.  I will pay the full weregild of a man for you to be reconciled.”

Bjorn said he might invest his money better than in paying for that; and that it would be better for him and Grettir to go on bickering since “each oak has that which it scrapes from the other.”  Thorkell said:  “But I ask you, Grettir, to do so much for my sake as not to attack Bjorn while you are both with me.”

“That I promise,” said Grettir.

Bjorn said that he would walk without fear of Grettir wherever they met.  Grettir grinned, and would accept no money on account of Bjorn.  They stayed there the winter.

CHAPTER XXII

GRETTIR KILLS BJORN AND IS SUMMONED BEFORE JARL SVEINN

In the spring Grettir went North to Vagar with Thorkell’s men.  They parted with friendship.  Bjorn went West to England in Thorkell’s ship, of which he was master, staying there for the summer and transacting the business which Thorkell had entrusted to him.  In the end of the autumn he returned from the western parts.  Grettir stayed in Vagar till the trading ships left, and then sailed South with some of the traders, as far as the port of Gartar