The Book of Dreams and Ghosts by Andrew Lang (inspirational books TXT) 📖

“‘I do not think myself utterly lost although I see some wretched ghosts,’ said Thorgaut.  ‘It will be no light matter for others if I am scared, and I will not throw up the place on that account.’

“Their bargain was quickly made, and Thorgaut was to have charge of the sheep during the winter.  The summer went past, and Thorgaut began his duties with the winter nights, and was well liked by every one.  Glam began to come again, and rode on the house-top, which Thorgaut thought great sport, and said that the thrall would have to come to close quarters before he would be afraid of him.  Thorhall bade him not say too much about it.  ‘It will be better for you,’ said he, ‘if you have no trial of each other.’

“‘Your courage has indeed been shaken out of you,’ said Thorgaut, ‘but I am not going to fall dead for such talk.’

“The winter went on till Christmas came again, and on Christmas eve the shepherd went out to his sheep.  ‘I trust,’ said the good-wife, ‘that things will not go after the old fashion.’

“‘Have no fear of that, good-wife,’ said Thorgaut; ‘there will be something worth talking about if I don’t come back.’

“The weather was very cold, and a heavy drift blowing.  Thorgaut was in the habit of coming home when it was half-dark, but on this occasion he did not return at his usual time.  People came to church, and they now began to think that things were not unlikely to fall out as they had done before.  Thorhall wished to make search for the shepherd, but the church-goers refused, saying that they would not risk themselves in the hands of evil demons by night, and so no search was made.

“After their morning meal on Christmas day they went out to look for the shepherd.  They first made their way to Glam’s cairn, guessing that he was the cause of the man’s disappearance.  On coming near to this they saw great tidings, for there they found the shepherd with his neck broken and every bone in his body smashed in pieces.  They carried him to the church, and he did no harm to any man thereafter.  But Glam began to gather strength anew, and now went so far in his mischief that every one fled from Thorhall-stead, except the yeoman and his wife.

“The same cattleman, however, had been there for a long time, and Thorhall would not let him leave, because he was so faithful and so careful.  He was very old, and did not want to go away either, for he saw that everything his master had would go to wreck and ruin, if there was no one to look after it.

“One morning after the middle of winter the good-wife went out to the byre to milk the cows.  It was broad daylight by this time, for no one ventured to be outside earlier than that, except the cattleman, who always went out when it began to grow clear.  She heard a great noise and fearful bellowing in the byre, and ran into the house again, crying out and saying that some awful thing was going on there.  Thorhall went out to the cattle and found them goring each other with their horns.  To get out of their way, he went through into the barn, and in doing this he saw the cattleman lying on his back with his head in one stall and his feet in another.  He went up to him and felt him and soon found that he was dead, with his back broken over the upright stone between two of the stalls.

“The yeoman thought it high time to leave the place now, and fled from his farm with all that he could remove.  All the live-stock that he left behind was killed by Glam, who then went through the whole glen and laid waste all the farms up from Tongue.

“Thorhall spent the rest of the winter with various friends.  No one could go up into the glen with horse or dog, for these were killed at once; but when spring came again and the days began to lengthen, Glam’s walkings grew less frequent, and Thorhall determined to return to his homestead.  He had difficulty in getting servants, but managed to set up his home again at Thorhall-stead.  Things went just as before.  When autumn came, the hauntings began again, and now it was the yeoman’s daughter who was most assailed, till in the end she died of fright.  Many plans were tried, but all to no effect, and it seemed as if all Water-dale would be laid waste unless some remedy could be found.

“All this befell in the days of Grettir, the son of Asmund, who was the strongest man of his day in Iceland.  He had been abroad at this time, outlawed for three years, and was only eighteen years of age when he returned.  He had been at home all through the autumn, but when the winter nights were well advanced, he rode north to Water-dale, and came to Tongue, where lived his uncle Jökull.  His uncle received him heartily, and he stayed there for three nights.  At this time there was so much talk about Glam’s walkings, that nothing was so largely spoken of as these.  Grettir inquired closely about all that had happened, and Jökull said that the stories told no more than had indeed taken place; ‘but are you intending to go there, kinsman?’ said he.  Grettir answered that he was.  Jökull bade him not do so, ‘for it is a dangerous undertaking, and a great risk for your friends to lose you, for in our opinion there is not another like you among the young men, and “ill will come of ill” where Glam is.  Far better it is to deal with mortal men than with such evil spirits.’

“Grettir, however, said that he had a mind to fare to Thorhall-stead, and see how things had been going on there.  Jökull replied: ‘I see now that it is of no use to hold you back, but the saying is true that “good luck and good heart are not the same’”.  Grettir answered: ‘“Woe stands at one man’s door when it has entered another’s house”.  Think how it may go with yourself before the end.’

“‘It may be,’ said Jökull, ‘that both of us see some way into the future, and yet neither of us can do anything to prevent it.’

“After this they parted, and neither liked the other’s forebodings.

“Grettir rode to Thorhall-stead, and the yeoman received him heartily.  He asked Grettir where he was going, who said that he wished to stay there all night if he would allow him.  Thorhall said that he would be very glad if he would stay, ‘but few men count it a gain to be guests here for long.  You must have heard how matters stand, and I shall be very unwilling for you to come to any harm on my account.  And even although you yourself escape safe and sound, I know for certain that you will lose your horse, for no man that comes here can keep that uninjured.’

“Grettir answered that there were horses enough to be got, whatever might happen to this one.  Thorhall was delighted that he was willing to stay, and gave him the heartiest reception.  The horse was strongly secured in an out-house; then they went to sleep, and that night passed without Glam appearing.

“‘Your coming here,’ said Thorhall, ‘has made a happy change, for Glam is in the habit of riding the house every night, or breaking up the doors, as you may see for yourself.’

“‘Then one of two things will happen,’ said Grettir; ‘either he will not restrain himself for long, or the hauntings will cease for more than one night.  I shall stay for another night, and see how things go.’

“After this they went to look at Grettir’s horse, and found that he had not been meddled with, so the yeoman thought that everything was going on well, Grettir stayed another night, and still the thrall did not come about them.  Thorhall thought that things were looking brighter, but when he went to look to Grettir’s horse he found the out-house broken up, the horse dragged outside, and every bone in it broken.  He told Grettir what had happened, and advised him to secure his own safety, ‘for your death is certain if you wait for Glam’.

“Grettir answered: ‘The least I can get for my horse is to see the thrall’.  Thorhall replied that it would do him no good to see him, ‘for he is unlike anything in human shape; but I am fain of every hour that you are willing to stay here’.

“The day wore on, and when it was bed-time Grettir would not take off his clothes, but lay down on the floor over against Thorhall’s bed-closet.  He put a thick cloak above himself, buttoning one end beneath his feet, and doubling the other under his head, while he looked out at the hole for the neck.  There was a strong plank in front of the floored space, and against this he pressed his feet.  The door-fittings were all broken off from the outer door, but there was a hurdle set up instead, and roughly secured.  The wainscot that had once stretched across the hall was all broken down, both above and below the cross-beam.  The beds were all pulled out of their places, and everything was in confusion.

“A light was left burning in the hall, and when the third part of the night was past Grettir heard loud noises outside.  Then something went up on top of the house, and rode above the hall, beating the roof with its heels till every beam cracked.  This went on for a long time; then it came down off the house and went to the door.  When this was opened Grettir saw the thrall thrust in his head; ghastly big he seemed, and wonderfully huge of feature.  Glam came in slowly, and raised himself up when he was inside the doorway, till he loomed up against the roof.  Then he turned his face down the hall, laid his arms on the cross-beam, and glared all over the place.  Thorhall gave no sign during all this, for he thought it bad enough to hear what was going on outside.

“Grettir lay still and never moved.  Glam saw that there was a bundle lying on the floor, and moved further up the hall and grasped the cloak firmly.  Grettir placed his feet against the plank, and yielded not the least.  Glam tugged a second time, much harder than before, but still the cloak did not move.  A third time he pulled with both his hands, so hard that he raised Grettir up from the floor, and now they wrenched the cloak asunder between them.  Glam stood staring at the piece which he held in his hands, and wondering greatly who could have pulled so hard against him.  At that moment Grettir sprang in under the monster’s hands, and threw his arms around his waist, intending to make him fall backwards.  Glam, however, bore down upon him so strongly that Grettir was forced to give way before him.  He then tried to stay himself against the seat-boards, but these gave way with him, and everything that came in their path was broken.

“Glam wanted to get him outside, and although Grettir set his feet against everything that he could, yet Glam succeeded in dragging him out into the porch.  There they had a fierce struggle, for the thrall meant to have him out of doors, while Grettir saw that bad as it was to deal with Glam inside the house it would be worse outside, and therefore strove with all his might