Thorarinn is a poor, cantankerous retired Viking with bad vision. Despite his poverty, he is a bondi who breeds horses. His son, Thorstein, is said to be a good, even-tempered man who does the work of three. He becomes involved in a horse-fight with Thord, a horse-breeder for Bjarni Brodd-Helgason. When it becomes apparent Thord’s horse is losing, Thord strikes Thorstein’s horse. Thorstein then strikes Thord’s horse; Thord in turn strikes Thorstein. Thorstein dismisses the strike as an accident to avoid conflict. Two of Bjarni’s farmhands, Thorvall and Thorhall, create the insulting nickname of Staff-Struck for Thorstein.
