And after that, certainly Grettir and Illugi were let alone. The fame
of them and of their seizure of Drangey and the blood feud between them
and Thorbjorn, called The Hook, went wide through all that part of
Iceland, and many the man that put off from the mainland and sailed to
the island, just to hail the Outlaw, at the head of the ladder, and wish
him well. Thus the summer and the next winter passed.
At about the break-up of the winter night, The Hook began to importune
his foster-mother, Thurid, that she should make good her promise as to
the winning of Grettir. At last she said: "If you are to have my rede,
I must have my will. Strike hands with my hand then, and swear to me to
do those things that I shall say." And The Hook struck hands and sware
the oath.
Then, though he was loath to visit the island again, she bade him man an
eight-oared boat and flit her out to Drangey.
When they had reached the island, and after much shouting had brought
Grettir and Illugi to the edge of the rock, Thorbjorn again renewed his
offer, saying further that if there were now but few sheep left upon the
island, he would add a bag of silver pennies to make the difference
good.
"Bootless be your quest," answered Grettir. "Wot this well. What I have
said, I have said. My bones shall rot upon Drangey ere I set foot on
other soil."
But at his words the carline, who till now had sat huddled in rags and
warps in the bow of the boat, stirred herself and screamed out:
"An ill word for a fair offer. The wits are out of these men that they
may not know the face of their good fortune, and upon an evil time have
they put their weal from them. Now this I cast over thee, Grettir; that
thou be left of all health and good-hap, all good heed and wisdom, and
that the longer ye live the less shall be thy luck. Good hope have I,
Grettir, that thy days of gladness shall be fewer in time to come than
in time gone by."
And at the words behold, Grettir the Strong, whose might no two men
could master, staggered as though struck, and then a rage came upon him,
and plucking up a stone from the earth, he flung it at the heap of rags
in the boat, so that it fell upon the hag’s leg and brake it.
"An evil deed, brother," said Illugi. "Surely no good will come of
that."
"Nor none from the words of that hell-cat yonder," answered Grettir.
"Not over-much were-gild were paid for us, though the price should be
one carline’s life."
The Hook sailed back to the mainland after this, and sat at home while
the leg of his foster-mother mended. But when she was able to walk
again, she bade him lead her forth upon the shore. For a time she
hobbled up and down till she had found a piece of driftwood to her
liking. She turned over, now upon this side, now upon that, mumbling to
herself the while, till The Hook, puzzled, said:
"What work ye there, foster-mother?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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