"Thou mayst know well enough," said Grettir, "that I should not have
brought such things to pass as I have wrought, if I were not well
knit."

"Better should I deem it," said Thorstein, "if they were slenderer and
somewhat luckier withal."

Grettir said, "True it is, as folk say, No man makes himself;
but let me see thine arms," said he.

Thorstein did so; he was the longest and gauntest of men; and Grettir
laughed, and said,

"No need to look at that longer; hooked together are the ribs in thee;
nor, methinks, have I ever seen such tongs as thou bearest about, and
I deem thee to be scarce of a woman's strength."

"That may be," said Thorstein; "yet shall thou know that these same
thin arms shall avenge thee, else shall thou never be avenged; who may
know what shall be, when all is over and done?"

No more is told of their talk together; the spring wore on, and
Grettir took ship in the summer. The brothers parted in friendship,
and saw each other never after.




CHAP. XLII.