neither of us is skilled in arms."

Snoekoll said, "Ye will both of you be somewhat afraid to deal with
me, if I grow wroth."

"That is known when it is tried," said Grettir.

Now the bearserk saw that there was some edging out of the matter
going on, and he began to roar aloud, and bit the rim of his shield,
and thrust it up into his mouth, and gaped over the corner of the
shield, and went on very madly. Grettir took a sweep along over the
field, and when he came alongside of the bearserk's horse, sent up
his foot under the tail of the shield so hard, that the shield went up
into the mouth of him, and his throat was riven asunder, and his jaws
fell down on his breast. Then he wrought so that, all in one rush, he
caught hold of the helmet with his left hand, and swept the viking off
his horse; and with the other hand drew the short-sword that he was
girt withal, and drave it at his neck, so that off the head flew. But
when Snoekoll's fellows saw that, they fled, each his own way, and
Grettir had no mind to follow, for he saw there was no heart in them.

The bonder thanked him well for his work and many other men too; and
that deed was deemed to have been wrought both swiftly and hardily.

Grettir was there through Yule, and the farmer saw him off handsomely:
then he went east to Tunsberg, and met his brother Thorstein; he
received Grettir fondly, and asked of his travels and how he won the
bearserk. Then Grettir sang a stave--

"There the shield that men doth save