The Story of Grettir the Strong | Page 5

the necessary polish for an enjoyable saga, was
committed to writing as it flowed ready made from the tongue of the
people. Its style, in common with that of all the sagas, shows evidences
enough of this: for the rest, the only name connected with it is that of

Sturla Thordson the Lawman, a man of good position and family, and a
prolific author, who was born in 1214 and died 1284; there is, however,
no proof that he wrote the present work, though we think the passages
in it that mention his name show clearly enough that he had something
to do with the story of Grettir: on the whole, we are inclined to think
that a story of Grettir was either written by him or under his auspices,
but that the present tale is the work of a later hand, nor do we think so
complete a saga-teller, as his other undoubted works show him to have
been, would ever have finished his story with the epilogue of Spes and
Thorstein Dromund, steeped as that latter part is with the spirit of the
mediaeval romances, even to the distinct appropriation of a marked and
well-known episode of the Tristram; though it must be admitted that he
had probably plenty of opportunity for being versed in that romance, as
Tristram was first translated into the tongue of Norway in the year 1226,
by Brother Robert, at the instance of King Hakon Hakonson, whose
great favourite Sturla Thordson was, and whose history was written by
him.
For our translation of this work we have no more to say than to
apologise for its shortcomings, and to hope, that in spite of them, it will
give some portion of the pleasure to our readers which we felt in
accomplishing it ourselves.
EIRÍKR MAGNÚSSON, WILLIAM MORRIS.
LONDON, April 1869.

CHRONOLOGY OF THE STORY.
872. The battle of Hafrsfirth. 874. Begins the settlement of Iceland. cca.
897. Thrand and Ufeigh Grettir settle Gnup-Wardsrape. cca. 900.
Onund Treefoot comes to Iceland. cca. 920. Death of Onund Treefoot.
929. The Althing established. 997 (?). Grettir born. 1000. Christianity
sanctioned by law. 1004. Skapti Thorodson made lawman. 1011.
Grettir slays Skeggi; goes abroad, banished for three years. 1012.
Slaying of Thorir Paunch and his fellows in Haramsey. Earl Eric goes
to Denmark. 1013. Slaying of Biorn at the Island of Gartar. Slaying of
Thorgils Makson. Illugi Asmundson born. Death of Thorkel Krafla.
1014. Slaying of Gunnar in Tunsberg. Grettir goes back to Iceland;
fights with the men of Meal on Ramfirth-neck. Heath-slayings.
Thorgeir Havarson outlawed. Fight with Glam the ghost. 1015. Fight of

Nesjar in Norway. Slaying of Thorbiorn Tardy. Grettir fares abroad.
Burning of the sons of Thorir of Garth. Death of Asmund the
Greyhaired. 1016. Grettir meets King Olaf; fails to bear iron; goes east
to Tunsberg to Thorstein Dromund. Slaying of Atli of Biarg. Grettir
outlawed at the Thing for the burning of the sons of Thorir; his return
to Iceland. Slaying of Thorbiorn Oxmain and his son Arnor. 1017.
Grettir at Reek-knolls. Lawsuit for the slaying of Thorbiorn Oxmain.
Grettir taken by the Icefirth churls. 1018. Grettir at Liarskogar with
Thorstein Kuggson; his travels to the East to Skapti the lawman and
Thorhall of Tongue, and thence to the Keel-mountain, where he met
Hallmund (Air) for the first time. 1019-1021. Grettir on Ernewaterheath.
1021. Grettir goes to the Marshes. 1022-1024. Grettir in Fairwoodfell.
1024. Grettir visits Hallmund again. 1025. Grettir discovers
Thorirs-dale. 1025-1026. Grettir travels round by the East; haunts
Madderdale-heath and Reek-heath. 1026. Thorstein Kuggson slain.
1027. Grettir at Sand-heaps in Bard-dale. 1028. Grettir haunts the west
by Broadfirth-dales, meets Thorod Snorrison. 1028-1031. Grettir in
Drangey. 1029. Grettir visits Heron-ness-thing. 1030. Grettir fetches
fire from Reeks. Skapti the law man dies. 1031. Death of Snorri Godi
and Grettir Asmundson. 1033. Thorbiorn Angle slain.

CONTENTS.
Preface
Chronology of the Story

CHAP.
I. XIII. The Forefathers of Grettir
XIV. Of Grettir as a Child, and his froward ways with his father
XV. Of the Ball-play on Midfirth Water
XVI. Of the Slaying of Skeggi
XVII. Of Grettir's Voyage out
XVIII. Of Grettir at Haramsey and his dealings with Karr the
Old
XIX. Of Yule at Haramsey, and how Grettir dealt with the
Bearserks
XX. How Thorfinn met Grettir at Haramsey again

XXI. Of Grettir and Biorn and the Bear
XXII. Of the Slaying of Biorn
XXIII. The Slaying of Hiarandi
XXIV. Of the Slaying of Gunnar, and Grettir's strife with Earl
Svein
XXV. The Slaying of Thorgils Makson
XXVI. Of Thorstein Kuggson, and the gathering for the Bloodsuit
for the Slaying of Thorgils Makson
XXVII. The Suit for the Slaying of Thorgils Makson
XXVIII. Grettir comes out to Iceland again
XXIX. Of the Horse-fight at Longfit
XXX. Of Thorbiorn Oxmain and Thorbiorn Tardy,