Grettir the Strong, an Icelandic Saga | Page 7

all their loose property that same night to a ship and escaped

with her sons Asmund and Asgrim to her father Sighvat. A little later
she sent her sons to Hedin, her foster-father in Soknadal, where they
remained for a time and then wanted to return to their mother. They left
at last, and at Yule-tide came to Ingjald the Trusty at Hvin. His wife
Gyda persuaded him to take them in, and they spent the winter there. In
the spring Onund came to northern Agdir, having learned of the murder
of Ondott. He met Signy and asked her what assistance they would
have of him. She said they were most anxious to punish Grim for the
death of Ondott. So the sons were sent for, and when they met Onund
Treefoot they all joined together and had Grim's doings closely
watched.
In the summer there was a beer-brewing at Grim's for a jarl named
Audun, whom he had invited. When Onund and the sons of Ondott
heard of it, they appeared at his house unexpectedly and set fire to it.
Grim the Hersir and about thirty men were burnt in the house. They
captured a quantity of valuables. Then Onund went into the forest,
while the two brothers took the boat of their foster-father Ingjald,
rowed away and lay in hiding a little way off. Soon jarl Audun
appeared, on his way to the feast, as had been arranged, but on arriving
he missed his host. So he
collected his men around him and stayed
there a few nights, quite unaware of Onund and his companions. He
slept in a loft with two other men. Onund knew everything that was
going on in the house and sent for the two brothers to come to him. On
their arrival he asked them whether they preferred to keep watch on the
house or to attack the jarl. They chose to attack. They then battered the
entrance of the loft with beams until the door gave way. Asmund seized
the two men who were with the jarl and threw them to the ground with
such violence that they were we11-nigh killed.
Asgrim rushed at the jarl and demanded of him weregild for his father,
for he had been in league with Grim and took part in the attack when
Ondott was murdered. The jarl said he had no money about him and
asked for time. Asgrim then placed the point of his spear against his
breast and ordered him to pay up on the spot. Then the jarl took a
necklace from his neck and gave it to him with three gold rings and a
velvet mantle. Asgrim took the things and bestowed a name upon the

jarl. He called him Audun Nannygoat.
When the farmers and people about heard of the disturbances they all
came out to help the jar]. Onund had a large force with him, and there
was a great battle in which many a good farmer and many a follower of
the jarl were slain. The brothers returned to Onund and reported what
had occurred with the jarl. Onund said it was a pity they had not killed
him. It would, he said, have been something to make up for the losses
which he had suffered from King Harald. They said the disgrace was
far worse for the jarl as it was, and they went off to Surnadal to Eirik
Beery, a Landman there, who took them all in for the winter. At
Yule-tide they had a great drinking bout with a man named Hallsteinn,
nicknamed Stallion. Eirik opened the feast and entertained them
generously. Then it was Hallsteinn's turn, and they began to quarrel.
Hallsteinn struck Eirik with a deer's horn, for which Eirik got no
revenge, but had to go home with it, to the great annoyance of Ondott's
sons. A little later Asgrim went to
Hallsteinn's house and gave him a
severe wound. All the people who were present started up and attacked
Asgrim. He defended himself vigorously and escaped in the dark,
leaving them under the belief that they had killed him. Onund and
Asmund, on
hearing that Asgrim had been killed, were at a loss what
they could do in the matter. Eirik's advice was that they should betake
themselves to Iceland, for it would never do for them to remain in the
land where the king could get at them. This they determined to do.
Each of them had his own ship and they made ready for the voyage to
Iceland. Hallsteinn was laid low with his wound and died before Onund
sailed with his party. Kolbeinn, the man who was mentioned before,
went in the ship with Onund.
CHAPTER VIII
ONUND AND ASMUND SAIL TO ICELAND
Onund and Asmund set sail directly when they were ready