"Why should they not be free to do as they will?" says Grettir; "but I
well would that one or two of them tarry here behind with me, or ever
I go overboard."

Haflidi says, "Such deeds are not to be done, and we shall never
thrive if ye rush into such madness; but I shall give thee good rede."

"What is that?" says Grettir.

"They blame thee for singing ill things of them; now, therefore, I
would that thou sing some scurvy rhyme to me, for then it might be
that they would bear with thee the easier."

"To thee I never sing but good," says Grettir: "I am not going to make
thee like these starvelings."

"One may sing so," says Haflidi, "that the lampoon be not so foul when
it is searched into, though at first sight it be not over fair."

"I have ever plenty of that skill in me," says Grettir.

Then Haflidi went to the men where they were baling, and said, "Great
is your toil, and no wonder that ye have taken ill liking to Grettir."

"But his lampoons we deem worse than all the rest together," they
said.

Haflidi said in a loud voice, "He will surely fare ill for it in the
end."