Thóri answered, But what shall I have next winter if the weather is as bad as this, or worse?

I offer you this choice: to be repaid in the summer with an equal amount of hay of the same quality, and I will bring it here to your place myself.

If you do not have enough hay now, how will you have enough in the summer? But I know that you have much more power than I have, and you could take the hay from me if you wished.

You misunderstand me. You know very well that silver is the common currency of the land, and I’ll pay you with that.

I don’t want your silver.

Then take in payment whatever goods Odd and Arngrim decide you should have.

There aren’t many workmen here, and I dislike traveling about or going to a lot bother like this.

Then I’ll have the goods brought home to you.

I don’t have enough room for them, so they would surely spoil.

I’ll get hides to tie around them so that they will be safe.

I won’t have other men tramping in my houses.

Then the goods can stay at my house over the winter, and I will safeguard them.

I know all your prattle how, said Thóri, and I won’t have any business with you.

Then things will take a graver course, said Blund-Ketil, because even though you have forbidden it, we will take the hay, paying for it with money, and taking advantage of our greater numbers.

Then Thóri became silent and was in no good mood. Blund-Ketil had the hay bound with ropes. After that, the men heaved the goods onto the horses and carried them away; but they estimated generously how much hay Thóri might need for the livestock on the farm, and they left that much.

Now we shall tell what Thóri began doing. He left home with his fosterson Helgi, and they rode to Norðtungu and were very well greeted there. Arngrim asked what news they had.

Thóri answered, I haven’t heard of anything newer than the robbery.

What robbery was that?

Blund-Ketil has stolen all my hay, so that I have hardly any left to feed my cattle during the cold weather.

Is that so? asked Arngrim.

Not at all, said Helgi. Blund-Ketil conducted himself quite honestly in the affair. Then he told what had happened between the two men.

Anrgrim answered, That sounds more likely; it is better that he has the hay than that it rot at your place.

In an evil hour I offered to foster your child, said Thóri. There is no end to the oppression I have to suffer before I get help here, let alone my rights, and that is a monstrous shame.

The fostering was ill-advised from the beginning, said Arngrim, because I can see that in helping you I am helping an evil man.

Your words do not hurt me, said Thóri, but I think it is a shame that men steal from me, because this theft affects you also.

And they parted thus.

Thóri rode away and came to Breiðabolstað. Odd greeted him well and asked if there was any news.

I have heard nothing newer than the robbery, said Thóri.

What robbery was that? asked Odd.

Blund-Ketil took all my hay, said Thóri, so that now I am out of feed; so I would like to have your assistance. Furthermore, this matter concerns you directly because you are the leader of the district and it is your duty to see that justice is done when wrongs are committed. Also, you may recall that Blund-Ketil set himself up against you.

Is that right, Helgi? asked Odd.

Helgi said that Thóri had completely twisted the facts, and then he told Odd what had actually happened.

I will have nothing to do with this, said Odd. If I had been hard-pressed, I would have done the same as he did.

Thóri answered, It is truly said that ‘It is best to know evil men only by hearsay, and the unkindest blows come from your own side. Thereupon he rode away with Helgi and they went home, and Thóri was in a bad mood.

Thorvald, son of Tungu-Odd, had landed in the north-country that summer and had stayed up there through the winter. As summer approached, he traveled south to find his father, and on the way he stayed overnight at Arngrim’s place on Norðrtungu, where he was well entertained. There was another man already there as a guest, whose name was Viðfari; he was a drifter who went from one corner of the land to the other. He was closely related to Thóri, and they were of similar disposition. That same evening, he took up his bed-roll and fled, not stopping until he reached Thóri’s place.

Thóri greeted him with open arms, saying, I know that I shall benefit in some way from your coming.

That may be, replied Viðfari, because now Thorvald, Odd’s son, has come to Norðrtungu and is a guest there.

Thóri said, I thought that something good was going to happen to me, because I was so glad when I saw you.

Night passed, and early that morning Thóri and his fosterson rode to Norðrtungu; many people had come there. Helgi was given a seat, but Thóri paced the floor. Thorvald, sitting on a dais-bench talking with Arngrim, noticed Thóri.

Who is that man pacing the floor? he asked.

That is my son’s foster father, answered Arngrim.

Well, said Thorvald, Why is he not given a seat?

Arngrim said it was no matter if Thóri was not offered a seat.

We can’t have that, said Thorvald. He had Thóri summoned and he gave him a seat beside him. Then he asked Thóri concerning the most recent news.

Thóri said, It was a hard blow when Blund-Ketil robbed me.

Have you two come to terms? asked Thorvald.

Far from it, said Thóri.

Thorvald turned to Arngrim. How is it, Arngrim, that you chiefs allow such shameful things to go on?

He lies for the most part, said Arngrim, and besides, the matter is not really important.

It’s true, though, that Blund-Ketil took the hay?

Yes, he did, said Arngrim.

But every man has a right to dispose of his own property as he wishes, said Thorvald, and Thóri gains little from your friendship if he gets walked over in this way.

Thóri said, I like you very much, Thorvald, and something tells me that you will help me get my rights in this case.

I don’t have much authority or power, replied Thorvald.

I’ll give you half of my wealth if you support my case and see that I either get self-judgment or he gets outlawry, so that my enemies won’t be allowed to keep what rightfully belongs to me.

Don’t do this, Thorvald, said Arngrim, because he is not a good man to help. Besides, you would be setting yourself up against a man who is wise and mighty, and well-liked by everyone.

I see that you envy my receiving his money, said Thorvald, and you begrudge it to me.

Thóri said to Thorvald, I think you will find that I have quite a lot of wealth, and it’s well known that everywhere men owe me money.

Arngrim said, I would like to persuade you not to get involved in this case, Thorvald, but you must do as you think fit; but I’m afraid that much evil will result from this.

Thorvald answered, I won’t refuse wealth when it is offered.

Then Thóri and he shook hands on the money arrangement and on Thorvald’s assumption of Thóri’s right of prosecution in the case against Blund-Ketil. Then Arngrim spoke again.

How do you intend to go about this case? he asked.

Thorvald answered, I shall go first to see my father and ask his advice.

Thóri said, That does not suit me; I want no delay. I’ve staked a great deal in this, and I want to have the process served on Blund-Ketil as early tomorrow as possible.

Thorvald said, Apparently it is true what they say: you are not a lucky man, and you will cause evil; yet it shall be done.

Then he and Thóri agreed to meet at a certain place the next morning.

Very early in the morning Thorvald rode out, accompanied by Arngrim and thirty men. They met Thóri, and he had only two with him: Helgi, Arngrim’s son, and Viðfari, Thóri’s kinsman.

Why do you have so few men? asked Thorvald.

I knew that you would have enough, replied Thóri.

Then they rode along Hliðina [the Slope]. When this company of men was seen from the different farms, everyone rushed out of their homes, thinking that the sooner they reached Blund-Ketil’s place the better. Consequently, there were many men there. Thorvald and his men rode up to the farmyard, dismounted, and walked up to the house. As soon as Blund-Ketil saw this, he went to meet them and told them to make themselves at home.

Thorvald replied, We didn’t come here to eat. I want to know how you will answer for taking Thóri’s hay.

I will say to you what I said to Thóri: set whatever price on the hay you wish, and I will give you gifts besides, and more and better ones as you are more deserving than Thóri. And I will settle with you in such a way that all men will say that you are greatly honored.

Then Thorvald fell silent, for he thought that this was a generous offer.

Thóri said, This is unacceptable, and there is no need even to think about it. I had the same offer a long time ago. I don’t consider myself helped much if this is the result. It profited me little to give you my money.

Then Thorvald said, What will you do concerning the legal side of this case, Blund-Ketil?

Nothing , but I’ll let you judge and decide according to your own will.

Thorvald replied, Then I see no other alternative than to serve summons on you.

He then summoned Blund-Ketil for thievery and named witnesses, and the summons was couched in the strongest possible terms. Blund-Ketil turned toward his home, and he met the Eastman Ørn as he was going to look after his wares.

Are you wounded? asked Ørn. You’re as red as blood.

No, said Blund-Ketil, I am not wounded, but what has happened is just as bad. Words have been used against me that I never before heard uttered. I am called thief and robber.

Ørn took his bow and fitted an arrow to the string, and he came out just as the others were mounting their horses. He shot and hit a man, who then sank down from his horse. The man was Helgi, son of Arngrim Goði. The others ran to him. Thóri thrust his way through the men, pushing them away and telling them to give room.

This concerns me most, he said. He bent down over Helgi, but the boy was already dead. Thóri asked, Are you very weak, my fosterson? He then straighted up from the corpse and said, The lad spoke to me, and twice he said, ‘Burn, burn Blund-Ketil in!

Now it goes as I feared, said Arngrim, for evil comes from evil men. I suspected that much evil would come from you, Thóri. And I am not certain what the lad really said, whatever you may prattle, yet it does not seem unlikely that such a thing [burning of Blund-Ketil] may be done. This affair began in evil, and it may well end there.

Thóri replied, It seems to me that you ought to have something more important to do than rant and rave at me.

Arngrim and his followers then rode away past the edge of the forest where they were hidden and then dismounted. They stayed there until night. Blund-Ketil thanked his men well for their aid, and he suggested that each man ride home at his convenience.

It is said that as soon as it was dark, Thorvald and his men rode to the house in Ornólfsdal. Everyone was asleep there. They dragged a pile of firewood to the house and set fire to it. Blund-Ketil and his men did not awaken until the whole house was ablaze above them. Blund-Ketil asked who it was that had lighted so hot a fire. Thóri told him who it was. Blund-Ketil asked if anything could bring about peace. Thóri said there was no choice other than to burn. The men did not leave until every person in the house had burned to death. Hersteinn, son of Blund-Ketil, had gone that evening to the home of his foster-father, who was called Thorbjørn and nicknamed the Strider. It was said that he was a long-headed man.

Hersteinn awoke in the morning and asked whether his foster father were awake.

Thorbjørn said that he was, And what do you want?

Hersteinn answered, I dreamed that my father came in here with all his clothes on fire, so that he seemed as one flame to me.

They arose and went out, and immediately saw the fire. They seized their weapens and rushed over, but all the men were gone when they got there.

Hersteinn said, Grievous things have happened here. What do you suggest we do?

Thorbjørn answered, Now I’ll make use of the offer that Tungu-Odd has so often made to me: that I should come to him if ever I should need any help.

I doubt that there is much hope in that, said Hersteinn.

In spite of what Hersteinn said, they left and came to Breiðabolstað and called Odd out. He went out and greeted them well, and asked them the latest news. They told him what had happened, and he said it was unfortunate.

Thorbjørn spoke up. You recall, Odd, that you have promised me your support. Now I ask you to give me good counsel and assist me.

Tungu-Odd said that he would do so.