Grettir the Strong, Icelandic Saga eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 257 pages of information about Grettir the Strong, Icelandic Saga.

Grettir the Strong, Icelandic Saga eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 257 pages of information about Grettir the Strong, Icelandic Saga.

That autumn Grim the Hersir murdered Ondott Crow because he had not succeeded in getting the property for the king.  Ondott’s wife Signy carried off all their loose property that same night to a ship and escaped with her sons Asmund and Asgrim to her father Sighvat.  A little later she sent her sons to Hedin, her foster-father in Soknadal, where they remained for a time and then wanted to return to their mother.  They left at last, and at Yule-tide came to Ingjald the Trusty at Hvin.  His wife Gyda persuaded him to take them in, and they spent the winter there.  In the spring Onund came to northern Agdir, having learned of the murder of Ondott.  He met Signy and asked her what assistance they would have of him.  She said they were most anxious to punish Grim for the death of Ondott.  So the sons were sent for, and when they met Onund Treefoot they all joined together and had Grim’s doings closely watched.

In the summer there was a beer-brewing at Grim’s for a jarl named Audun, whom he had invited.  When Onund and the sons of Ondott heard of it, they appeared at his house unexpectedly and set fire to it.  Grim the Hersir and about thirty men were burnt in the house.  They captured a quantity of valuables.  Then Onund went into the forest, while the two brothers took the boat of their foster-father Ingjald, rowed away and lay in hiding a little way off.  Soon jarl Audun appeared, on his way to the feast, as had been arranged, but on arriving he missed his host.  So he collected his men around him and stayed there a few nights, quite unaware of Onund and his companions.  He slept in a loft with two other men.  Onund knew everything that was going on in the house and sent for the two brothers to come to him.  On their arrival he asked them whether they preferred to keep watch on the house or to attack the jarl.  They chose to attack.  They then battered the entrance of the loft with beams until the door gave way.  Asmund seized the two men who were with the jarl and threw them to the ground with such violence that they were well-nigh killed.

Asgrim rushed at the jarl and demanded of him weregild for his father, for he had been in league with Grim and took part in the attack when Ondott was murdered.  The jarl said he had no money about him and asked for time.  Asgrim then placed the point of his spear against his breast and ordered him to pay up on the spot.  Then the jarl took a necklace from his neck and gave it to him with three gold rings and a velvet mantle.  Asgrim took the things and bestowed a name upon the jarl.  He called him Audun Nannygoat.

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Grettir the Strong, Icelandic Saga from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.