Then Rolf was ashamed that he had ever thought of such a thing. So he
spent a night with Grettir, there among the geysirs, and wonderful
were the things that he saw. And in the morning they cooked again at
the boiling spring. Then, as they sat eating, Grettir said by chance:
"Thou saidst thou art poor. Did Snorri give the money for the priest's
dues, and the court's?"
"What are those dues?" asked Rolf.
Grettir cried: "Has no money been paid for thine outlawry?"
"None by me," answered Rolf.
"And thy neighbor Einar," asked Grettir. "What was he doing when thou
earnest away?"
"They were preparing for departure, so that I heard a groom say they
would start before sunrise in the morning."
Then Grettir sprang up, and went and caught Rolf's pony; he saddled
it, and brought it to the lad. "Go home!" he cried. "Too little dost
thou know of the law. For if those dues were paid, then thou hadst a
year in which to take ship. But they are not paid, so thy enemy can
make thee full outlaw ten days after the rising of the Althing, by
executing the act of distress at thy house. Three days are gone
already, and thou art far from home. For this was Einar hastening
away. Now take my advice, and go south, and ship thence."
"Nay," answered Rolf, "first I must see my mother, and perhaps I can
reach home in time. Now fare thee well, Grettir. When thy outlawry is
finished, then thou shalt gain me my property again."
But Grettir said nay to that. "Well do I know," said he, "that we two
shall never meet again. For from here I go to the island of Drangey,
to keep myself if I may until my outlawry is over. No stronger place
is there in Iceland for defence. But Hallmund the Air-sprite, my
friend, foretold I should never come out of my outlawry. Thus I shall
never again mix in this affair of thine."
Rolf could answer nothing.
"And in my turn," said Grettir, "thus I foretell thy fate. No man
shall help thee here. With thine own strength and craft must thou
regain thine own, or never more be master of thy fathers hall!"
Then Rolf was heavy-hearted as he bade Grettir farewell. And Grettir
did as he had said: he went to his home at Biarg, and went thence with
his brother Illugi to Drangey. How he fared there may be read in the
Grettir's Saga. But Rolf fared west to his home. He had lost much
time, as Grettir had feared; yet as he neared Cragness on the eleventh
day after the rising of the Althing he saw no one, and it was just
noon. And only at high noon might the act be executed which would make
him full outlaw. So he rode into the yard.
Then there stepped out to meet him from the house Ondott Crafty, who
came forward with a greeting. He spoke well to the boy, and bade him
alight, yet seemed to wish to get very near. Rolf dismounted on the
further side of his horse. "What doest thou here?" he asked.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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