The Story of Grettir the Strong | Page 5

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, and of Grettir's meeting with Kormak on Ramfirth-neck
XXXI. How Grettir met Bardi, the Son of Gudmund, as he came back from the Heath-slayings
XXXII. Of the Haunting at Thorhall-stead; and how Thorhall took a Shepherd by the rede of Skapti the Lawman, and what befell thereafter
XXXIII. Of the doings of Glam at Thorhall-stead
XXXIV. Grettir hears of the Hauntings
XXXV. Grettir goes to Thorhall-stead, and