Now he took to the sheep-watching, and little trouble it seemed to
give him; he was big-voiced and husky, and all the beasts would run
together when he whooped. There was a church at Thorhall-stead, but
nowise would Glam come therein; he was a loather of church-song, and
godless, foul-tempered, and surly, and no man might abide him.

Now passed the time till it came to Yule-eve; then Glam got up and
straightway called for his meat. The good wife said--

"No Christian man is wont to eat meat this day, be-. cause that on the
morrow is the first day of Yule," says she, "wherefore must men first
fast to-day."

He answers, "Many follies have ye, whereof I see no good come, nor
know I that men fare better now than when they paid no heed to such
things; and methinks the ways of men were better when they were called
heathens; and now will I have my meat, and none of this fooling."

Then said the housewife, "I know for sure that thou shall fare ill
to-day, if thou takest up this evil turn."

Glam bade her bring food straightway, and said that she should fare
the worse else. She durst do but as he would, and so when he was full,
he went out, growling and grumbling.

Now the weather was such, that mirk was over all, and the snow-flakes
drave down, and great din there was, and still all grew much the
worse, as the day slipped away.