CHAP. XVII.

Of Grettir's voyage out.


There was a man called Haflidi, who dwelt at Reydarfell in
Whiteriverside, he was a seafaring man and had a sailing ship, which
lay up Whiteriver: there was a man on board his ship, hight Bard,
who had a wife with him young and fair. Asmund sent a man to Haflidi,
praying him to take Grettir and look after him; Haflidi said that he
had heard that the man was ill ruled of mood; yet for the sake of the
friendship between him and Asmund he took Grettir to himself, and made
ready for sailing abroad.

Asmund would give to his son no faring-goods but victuals for the
voyage and a little wadmall. Grettir prayed him for some weapon, but
Asmund answered, "Thou hast not been obedient to me, nor do I know
how far thou art likely to work with weapons things that may be of any
gain; and no weapon shalt thou have of me."

"No deed no reward," says Grettir. Then father and son parted
with little love. Many there were who bade Grettir farewell, but few
bade him come back.

But his mother brought him on his road, and before they parted she
spoke thus, "Thou art not fitted out from home, son, as I fain would
thou wert, a man so well born as thou; but, meseems, the greatest
shortcoming herein is that thou hast no weapons of any avail, and my