The Story of Grettir the Strong | Page 9

Onund said he did in manly wise, but that his good hope for matches of
any gain was gone by now.
Thrand answered, "Ufeigh has a daughter who is called Asa,
thitherward will we turn if it seem good to thee." Onund showed that he
was willing enough hereto; so afterwards they talked the matter over
with Ufeigh; he answered well, and said that he knew how that Onund
was a man of great kin and rich of chattels; "but his lands," said he, "I
put at low worth, nor do I deem him to be a hale man, and withal my
daughter is but a child."
Thrand said, that Onund was a brisker man yet than many who were
hale of both legs, and so by Thrand's help was this bargain struck;
Ufeigh was to give his daughter but chattels for dowry, because those
lands that were in Norway neither would lay down any money for.
A little after Thrand wooed the daughter of Thormod Shaft, and both
were to sit in troth for three winters.
So thereafter they went a harrying in the summer, but were in Barra in
the winter-tide.

CHAP. IV.
There were two vikings called Vigbiod and Vestmar; they were
South-islanders, and lay out both winter and summer; they had thirteen
ships, and harried mostly in Ireland, and did many an ill deed there till
Eyvind the Eastman took the land-wardship; thereafter they got them
gone to the South-isles, and harried there and all about the firths of
Scotland: against these went Thrand and Onund, and heard that they
had sailed to that island, which is called Bute. Now Onund and his folk
came there with five ships; and when the vikings see their ships and
know how many they are, they deem they have enough strength
gathered there, and take their weapons and lay their ships in the midst
betwixt two cliffs, where was a great and deep sound; only on one side
could they be set on, and that with but five ships at once. Now Onund
was the wisest of men, and bade lay five ships up into the sound, so
that he and his might have back way when they would, for there was
plenty of sea-room astern. On one board of them too was a certain
island, and under the lee thereof he let one ship lie, and his men

brought many great stones forth on to the sheer cliffs above, yet might
not be seen withal from the ships.
Now the vikings laid their ships boldly enough for the attack, and
thought that the others quailed; and Vigbiod asked who they were that
were in such jeopardy. Thrand said that he was the brother of Eyvind
the Eastman, "and here beside me is Onund Treefoot my fellow."
Then laughed the vikings, and shouted--
"Treefoot, Treefoot, foot of tree, Trolls take thee and thy company."
"Yea, a sight it is seldom seen of us, that such men should go into battle
as have no might over themselves."
Onund said that they could know nought thereof ere it were tried; and
withal they laid their ships alongside one of the other, and there began a
great fight, and either side did boldly. But when they came to handy
blows, Onund gave back toward the cliff, and when the vikings saw
this, they deemed he was minded to flee, and made towards his ship,
and came as nigh to the cliff as they might. But in that very point of
time those came forth on to the edge of the cliff who were appointed so
to do, and sent at the vikings so great a flight of stones that they might
not withstand it.
Then fell many of the viking-folk, and others were hurt so that they
might not bear weapon; and withal they were fain to draw back, and
might not, because their ships were even then come into the narrowest
of the sound, and they were huddled together both by the ships and the
stream; but Onund and his men set on fiercely, whereas Vigbiod was,
but Thrand set on Vestmar, and won little thereby; so, when the folk
were thinned on Vigbiod's ship, Onund's men and Onund himself got
ready to board her: that Vigbiod saw, and cheered on his men without
stint: then he turned to meet Onund, and the more part fled before him;
but Onund bade his men mark how it went between them; for he was of
huge strength. Now they set a log of wood under Onund's knee, so that
he stood firmly enow; the viking fought his way forward along the ship
till he reached Onund, and he smote at him with his sword, and the
stroke took the shield, and sheared off