Thereafter they talked over what they should do with him, and they bade Helgi of Bathstead take him and keep him in ward till Vermund came home from the Thing.  He answered—­

“Other things I deem more helpful to me than to let my house-carles sit over him, for my lands are hard to work, nor shall he ever come across me.”

Then they bade Thorkel of Giorvidale take and keep him, and said that he was a man who had enow.

But Thorkel spake against it, and said that for nought would he do that:  “Whereas I live alone in my house with my Carline, far from other men; nor shall ye lay that box on me,” said he.

“Then, Thoralf of Ere,” said they, “do thou take Grettir and do well to him till after the Thing; or else bring him on to the next farm, and be answerable that he get not loose, but deliver him bound as now thou hast him.”

He answers, “Nay, I will not take Grettir, for I have neither victuals nor money to keep him withal, nor has he been taken on my land, and I deem it more trouble than honour to take him, or to have aught to do with him, nor shall he ever come into my house.”

Thereafter they tried it with every bonder, but one and all spake against it; and after this talk have merry men made that lay which is hight Grettir’s-faring, and added many words of good game thereto for the sport of men.

So when they had talked it over long, they said, with one assent, that they would not make ill hap of their good-hap; so they went about and straightway reared up a gallows there in the wood, with the mind to hang Grettir, and made great clatter thereover.

Even therewith they see six folk riding down below in the dale, and one in coloured clothes, and they guessed that there would goodwife Thorbiorg be going from Waterfirth; and so it was, and she was going to the mountain-dairy.  Now she was a very stirring woman, and exceeding wise; she had the ruling of the neighbourhood, and settled all matters, when Vermund was from home.  Now she turned to where the men were gathered, and was helped off her horse, and the bonders gave her good welcome.

Then said she, “What have ye here? or who is the big-necked one who sits in bonds yonder?”

Grettir named himself, and greeted her.

She spake again, “What drove thee to this, Grettir,” says she, “that thou must needs do riotously among my Thing-men?”

“I may not look to everything; I must needs be somewhere,” said he.

“Great ill luck it is,” says she, “that these milksops should take thee in such wise that none should fall before thee.  What are ye minded to do with him?”

The bonders told her that they were going to tie him up to the gallows for his lawlessness.

She answers, “Maybe Grettir is guilty enough therefor, but it is too great a deed for you, Icefirthers, to take his life, for he is a famous man, and of mighty kin, albeit he is no lucky man; but now what wilt thou do for thy life, Grettir, if I give it thee?”