“I will strive no longer with thee,” and with that he went away.
Now she loved him much, and could not calm herself, but wept out
loud. Thiostolf went up to her and said, “This is sorry sport
for thee, and so it must not be often again.”
“Nay,” she said, “but thou shalt not avenge this, nor meddle at
all whatever passes between Glum and me.”
He went off with a spiteful grin.
17. GLUM’S SLAYING
Now Glum called men to follow him, and Thiostolf got ready and
went with them. So they went up South Reykiardale and then up
along by Baugagil and so south to Crossfell. But some of his
band he sent to the Sulafells, and they all found very many
sheep. Some of them, too, went by way of Scoradale, and it came
about at last that those twain, Glum and Thiostolf, were left
alone together. They went south from Crossfell and found there a
flock of wild sheep, and they went from the south towards the
fell, and tried to drive them down; but still the sheep got away
from them up on the fell. Then each began to scold the other,
and Thiostolf said at last that Glum had no strength save to
tumble about in Hallgerda’s arms.
Then Glum said, “`A man’s foes are those of his own house.’
Shall I take upbraiding from thee, runaway thrall as thou art?”
Thiostolf said, “Thou shalt soon have to own that I am no thrall,
for I will not yield an inch to thee.”
Then Glum got angry, and cut at him with his hand-axe, but he
threw his axe in the way, and the blow fell on the haft with a
downward stroke and bit into it about the breadth of two fingers.
Thiostolf cut at him at once with his axe, and smote him on the
shoulder, and the stroke hewed asunder the shoulderbone and
collarbone, and the wound bled inwards. Glum grasped at
Thiostolf with his left hand so fast, that he fell; but Glum
could not hold him, for death came over him. Then Thiostolf
covered his body with stones, and took off his gold ring. Then
he went straight to Varmalek. Hallgerda was sitting out of
doors, and saw that his axe was bloody. He said, “I know not
what thou wilt think of it, but I tell thee Glum is slain.”
“That must be thy deed,” she says.
“So it is,” he says.
She laughed and said, “Thou dost not stand for nothing in this
sport.”
“What thinkest thou is best to be done now?” he asked.
“Go to Hrut, my father’s brother,” she said, “and let him see
about thee.”
“I do not know,” says Thiostolf, “whether this is good advice;
but still I will take thy counsel in this matter.”
So he took his horse, and rode west to Hrutstede that night. He
binds his horse at the back of the house, and then goes round to
the door, and gives a great knock. After that he walks round the
house, north about. It happened that Hrut was awake. He sprang
