第50章

THORSTEINN DROMUND'S ARMS

Grettir stayed with Thorsteinn for the rest of the winter and on into the spring. One morning when Thorsteinn and Grettir were above in their sleepingroom Grettir put out his arm from the bed-clothes and Thorsteinn noticed it when he awoke. Soon after Grettir woke too, and Thorsteinn said: "I have been looking at your arms, kinsman, and think it is not wonderful that your blows fall heavily upon some. Never have I seen any man's arms that were like yours.""You may know," said Grettir, "that I should not have done the deeds I have if I had not been very mighty.""Yet methinks it would be of advantage," said Thorsteinn, "if your arm were more slender and your fortune better.""True," said Grettir, "is the saying that no man shapes his own fortune. Let me see your arm."Thorsteinn showed it to him. He was a tall lanky man. Grettir smiled and said:

"There is no need to look long at that; all your ribs are run together. I never saw such a pair of tongs as you carry about!

Why, you are scarcely as strong as a woman!""It may be so," said Thorsteinn, "and yet you may know that these thin arms of mine and no others will avenge you some day; -- if you are avenged.""Who shall know how it will be when the end comes?" said Grettir;"but that seems unlikely."No more is related of their conversation. The spring came and Grettir took a ship for Iceland in the summer. The brothers parted with friendship and never saw one another again.