Now one day Thorkel bade his men to follow him, and search for the lair of the bear.  They found it in sheer sea-rocks; there was a high rock and a cave before it down below, but only one track to go up to it:  under the cave were scarped rocks, and a heap of stones down by the sea, and sure death it was to all who might fall down there.  The bear lay in his lair by day, but went abroad as soon as night fell; no fold could keep sheep safe from him, nor could any dogs be set on him:  and all this men thought the heaviest trouble.  Biorn, Thorkel’s kinsman, said that the greatest part had been done, as the lair had been found.  “And now I shall try,” said he, “what sort of play we[10] namesakes shall have together.”  Grettir made as if he knew not what Biorn said on this matter.

[Footnote 10:  Biorn is Icelandic for bear.]

Now it happened always when men went to sleep anights that Biorn disappeared:  and one night when Biorn went to the lair, he was aware that the beast was there before him, and roaring savagely.  Biorn lay down in the track, and had over him his shield, and was going to wait till the beast should stir abroad as his manner was.  Now the bear had an inkling of the man, and got somewhat slow to move off.  Biorn waxed very sleepy where he lay, and cannot wake up, and just at this time the beast betakes himself from his lair; now he sees where the man lies, and, hooking at him with his claw, he tears from him the shield and throws it down over the rocks.  Biorn started up suddenly awake, takes to his legs and runs home, and it was a near thing that the beast gat him not.  This his fellows knew, for they had spies about Biorn’s ways; in the morning they found the shield, and made the greatest jeering at all this.

At Yule Thorkel went himself, and eight of them altogether, and there was Grettir and Biorn and other followers of Thorkel.  Grettir had on a fur-cloak, which he laid aside while they set on the beast.  It was awkward for an onslaught there, for thereat could folk come but by spear-thrusts, and all the spear-points the bear turned off him with his teeth.  Now Biorn urged them on much to the onset, yet he himself went not so nigh as to run the risk of any hurt.  Amid this, when men looked least for it, Biorn suddenly seized Grettir’s coat, and cast it into the beast’s lair.  Now nought they could wreak on him, and had to go back when the day was far spent.  But when Grettir was going, he misses his coat, and he could see that the bear has it cast under him.  Then he said, “What man of you has wrought the jest of throwing my cloak into the lair?”

Biorn says, “He who is like to dare to own to it.”

Grettir answers, “I set no great store on such matters.”

Now they went on their way home, and when they had walked awhile, the thong of Grettir’s leggings brake.  Thorkel bid them wait for him; but Grettir said there was no need of that.  Then said Biorn, “Ye need not think that Grettir will run away from his coat; he will have the honour all to himself, and will slay that beast all alone, wherefrom we have gone back all eight of us; thus would he be such as he is said to be:  but sluggishly enow has he fared forth to-day.”