“Soon after this they became aware that Glam was not lying quiet, and great damage was done by him, for many that saw him fell into a swoon, or lost their reason.  Immediately after Yule men believed that they saw him about the farm itself, and grew terribly frightened, so that many of them ran away.  After this Glam began to ride on the house-top by night, {259} and nearly shook it to pieces, and then he walked about almost night and day.  Men hardly dared to go up into the valley, even although they had urgent business there, and every one in the district thought great harm of the matter.

“In spring, Thorhall got new men, and started the farm again, while Glam’s walkings began to grow less frequent as the days grew longer.  So time went on, until it was mid-summer.  That summer a ship from Norway came into Huna-water (a firth to the north of Thorhall-stead), and had on board a man called Thorgaut.  He was foreign by birth, big of body, and as strong as any two men.  He was unhired and unmarried, and was looking for some employment, as he was penniless.  Thorhall rode to the ship, and found Thorgaut there.  He asked him whether he would enter his service.  Thorgaut answered that he might well do so, and that he did not care much what work he did.

“‘You must know, however,’ said Thorhall, ’that it is not good for any faint-hearted man to live at my place, on account of the hauntings that have been of late, and I do not wish to deceive you in any way.’

“’I do not think myself utterly lost although I see some wretched ghosts,’ said Thorgaut.  ’It will be no light matter for others if I am scared, and I will not throw up the place on that account.’

“Their bargain was quickly made, and Thorgaut was to have charge of the sheep during the winter.  The summer went past, and Thorgaut began his duties with the winter nights, and was well liked by every one.  Glam began to come again, and rode on the house-top, which Thorgaut thought great sport, and said that the thrall would have to come to close quarters before he would be afraid of him.  Thorhall bade him not say too much about it.  ‘It will be better for you,’ said he, ’if you have no trial of each other.’

“‘Your courage has indeed been shaken out of you,’ said Thorgaut, ’but I am not going to fall dead for such talk.’

“The winter went on till Christmas came again, and on Christmas eve the shepherd went out to his sheep.  ‘I trust,’ said the good-wife, ‘that things will not go after the old fashion.’

“‘Have no fear of that, good-wife,’ said Thorgaut; ’there will be something worth talking about if I don’t come back.’

“The weather was very cold, and a heavy drift blowing.  Thorgaut was in the habit of coming home when it was half-dark, but on this occasion he did not return at his usual time.  People came to church, and they now began to think that things were not unlikely to fall out as they had done before.  Thorhall wished to make search for the shepherd, but the church-goers refused, saying that they would not risk themselves in the hands of evil demons by night, and so no search was made.