Halogaland, and was a high-born man. But when Grettir came to Thorkel
he welcomed him right heartily, and bade Grettir abide with him that
winter, and laid many words thereto.

This offer Grettir took, and was with Thorkel that winter in great
joyance and fame.




CHAP. XXI.

Of Grettir and Biorn and the Bear.


There was a man, hight Biorn, who was dwelling with Thorkel; he was
a man of rash temper, of good birth, and somewhat akin to Thorkel; he
was not well loved of men, for he would slander much those who were
with Thorkel, and in this wise he sent many away. Grettir and he
had little to do together; Biorn thought him of little worth weighed
against himself, but Grettir was unyielding, so that things fell
athwart between them. Biorn was a mightily boisterous man, and made
himself very big; many young men gat into fellowship with him in these
things, and would stray abroad by night. Now it befell, that early in
winter a savage bear ran abroad from his winter lair, and got so grim
that he spared neither man nor beast. Men thought he had been roused
by the noise that Biorn and his fellows had made. The brute got so
hard to deal with that he tore down the herds of men, and Thorkel
had the greatest hurt thereof, for he was the richest man in the
neighbourhood.