CHAP. XLVII.

Grettir comes out to Iceland again.


When summer was far spent came Grettir Asmundson out to Whiteriver
in Burgfirth; folk went down to the ship from thereabout, and these
tidings came all at once to Grettir; the first, that his father was
dead, the second, that his brother was slain, the third, that he
himself was made an outlaw throughout all the land. Then sang Grettir
this stave:--

"Heavy tidings thick and fast
On the singer now are cast;
My father dead, my brother dead,
A price set upon my head;
Yet, O grove of Hedin's maid,
May these things one day be paid;
Yea upon another morn
Others may be more forlorn."

So men say that Grettir changed nowise at these tidings, but was even
as merry as before.

Now he abode with the ship awhile, because he could get no horse to
his mind. But there was a man called Svein, who dwelt at Bank up from
Thingness, he was a good bonder and a merry man, and often sang such