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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text @@ -0,0 +1,16924 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Njal's Saga, by Unknown Icelanders + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Njal's Saga + +Author: Unknown Icelanders + +Release Date: November 11, 2004 + + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NJAL'S SAGA*** + + +E-text produced, edited, and prepared by Douglas B. Killings +(DeTroyes@AOL.COM), July 1995. Document scanning provided by +David Reid and John Servilio. + + + + +The Story of Burnt Njal +<Njal's Saga> + + +Originally written in Icelandic, sometime in the 13th Century +A.D. Author unknown. + + +This electronic edition was produced, edited, and prepared by +Douglas B. Killings (DeTroyes@AOL.COM), July 1995. Document +scanning provided by David Reid and John Servilio. + + + + + +THE STORY OF BURNT NJAL + + +1. OF FIDDLE MORD + +There was a man named Mord whose surname was Fiddle; he was the +son of Sigvat the Red, and he dwelt at the "Vale" in the +Rangrivervales. He was a mighty chief, and a great taker up of +suits, and so great a lawyer that no judgments were thought +lawful unless he had a hand in them. He had an only daughter, +named Unna. She was a fair, courteous, and gifted woman, and +that was thought the best match in all the Rangrivervales. + +Now the story turns westward to the Broadfirth dales, where, at +Hauskuldstede, in Laxriverdale, dwelt a man named Hauskuld, who +was Dalakoll's son, and his mother's name was Thorgerda.(1) He +had a brother named Hrut, who dwelt at Hrutstede; he was of the +same mother as Hauskuld, but his father's name was Heriolf. Hrut +was handsome, tall and strong, well skilled in arms, and mild of +temper; he was one of the wisest of men -- stern towards his +foes, but a good counsellor on great matters. It happened once +that Hauskuld bade his friends to a feast, and his brother Hrut +was there, and sat next him. Hauskuld had a daughter named +Hallgerda, who was playing on the floor with some other girls. +She was fair of face and tall of growth, and her hair was as soft +as silk; it was so long, too, that it came down to her waist. +Hauskuld called out to her, "Come hither to me, daughter." So +she went up to him, and he took her by the chin, and kissed her; +and after that she went away. + +Then Hauskuld said to Hrut, "What dost thou think of this maiden? +Is she not fair?" Hrut held his peace. Hauskuld said the same +thing to him a second time, and then Hrut answered, "Fair enough +is this maid, and many will smart for it, but this I know not, +whence thief's eyes have come into our race." Then Hauskuld was +wroth, and for a time the brothers saw little of each other. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Thorgerda was daughter of Thorstein the Red who was Olaf the + White's son, Ingialld's son, Helgi's son. Ingialld's mother + was Thora, daughter of Sigurd Snake-i'-the-eye, who was + Ragnar Hairybreek's son. And the Deeply-wealthy was + Thorstein the Red's mother; she was daughter of Kettle + Flatnose, who was Bjorn Boun's son, Grim's son, Lord of Sogn + in Norway. + + + +2. HRUT WOOS UNNA + +It happened once that those brothers, Hauskuld and Hrut, rode to +the Althing, and there was much people at it. Then Hauskuld said +to Hrut, "One thing I wish, brother, and that is, that thou +wouldst better thy lot and woo thyself a wife." + +Hrut answered, "That has been long on my mind, though there +always seemed to be two sides to the matter; but now I will do as +thou wishest; whither shall we turn our eyes?" + +Hauskuld answered, "Here now are many chiefs at the Thing, and +there is plenty of choice, but I have already set my eyes on a +spot where a match lies made to thy hand. The woman's name is +Unna, and she is a daughter of Fiddle Mord, one of the wisest of +men. He is here at the Thing and his daughter too, and thou +mayest see her if it pleases thee." + +Now the next day, when men were going to the High Court, they saw +some well-dressed women standing outside the booths of the men +from the Rangrivervales. Then Hauskuld said to Hrut "Yonder now +is Unna, of whom I spoke; what thinkest thou of her?" + +"Well," answered Hrut; "but yet I do not know whether we should +get on well together." + +After that they went to the High Court, where Fiddle Mord was +laying down the law as was his wont, and after he had done he +went home to his booth. + +Then Hauskuld and Hrut rose, and went to Mord's booth. They went +in and found Mord sitting in the innermost part of the booth, and +they bade him "Good-day." He rose to meet them, and took +Hauskuld by the hand and made him sit down by his side, and Hrut +sat next to Hauskuld. So after they had talked much of this and +that, at last Hauskuld said, "I have a bargain to speak to thee +about; Hrut wishes to become thy son-in-law, and buy thy +daughter, and I, for my part, will not be sparing in the matter." + +Mord answered, "I know that thou art a great chief, but thy +brother is unknown to me." + +"He is a better man than I," answered Hauskuld. + +"Thou wilt need to lay down a large sum with him, for she is heir +to all I leave behind me," said Mord. + +"There is no need," said Hauskuld, "to wait long before thou +hearest what I give my word he shall have. He shall have +Kamness and Hrutstede, up as far as Thrandargil, and a trading- +ship beside, now on her voyage." + +Then said Hrut to Mord, "Bear in mind, now, husband, that my +brother has praised me much more than I deserve for love's sake; +but if after what thou hast heard, thou wilt make the match, I am +willing to let thee lay down the terms thyself." + +Mord answered, "I have thought over the terms; she shall have +sixty hundreds down, and this sum shall be increased by a third +more in thine house, but if ye two have heirs, ye shall go halves +in the goods." + +Then said Hrut, "I agree to these terms, and now let us take +witness." After that they stood up and shook hands, and Mord +betrothed his daughter Unna to Hrut, and the bridal feast was to +be at Mord's house, half a month after Midsummer. + +Now both sides ride home from the Thing, and Hauskuld and Hrut +ride westward by Hallbjorn's beacon. Then Thiostolf, the son of +Bjorn Gullbera of Reykriverdale, rode to meet them, and told them +how a ship had come out from Norway to the White River, and how +aboard of her was Auzur Hrut's father's brother, and he wished +Hrut to come to him as soon as ever he could. When Hrut heard +this, he asked Hauskuld to go with him to the ship, so Hauskuld +went with his brother, and when they reached the ship, Hrut gave +his kinsman Auzur a kind and hearty welcome. Auzur asked them +into his booth to drink, so their horses were unsaddled, and they +went in and drank, and while they were drinking, Hrut said to +Auzur, "Now, kinsman, thou must ride west with me, and stay with +me this winter." + +"That cannot be, kinsman, for I have to tell thee the death of +thy brother Eyvind, and he has left thee his heir at the Gula +Thing, and now thy foes will seize thy heritage, unless thou +comest to claim it." + +"What's to be done now, brother?" said Hrut to Hauskuld, "for +this seems a hard matter, coming just as I have fixed my bridal +day." + +"Thou must ride south," said Hauskuld, "and see Mord, and ask him +to change the bargain which ye two have made, and to let his +daughter sit for thee three winters as thy betrothed, but I will +ride home and bring down thy wares to the ship." + +Then said Hrut, "My wish is that thou shouldest take meal and +timber, and whatever else thou needest out of the lading." So +Hrut had his horses brought out, and he rode south, while +Hauskuld rode home west. Hrut came east to the Rangrivervales to +Mord, and had a good welcome, and he told Mord all his business, +and asked his advice what he should do. + +"How much money is this heritage," asked Mord, and Hrut said it +would come to a hundred marks, if he got it all. + +"Well," said Mord, "that is much when set against what I shall +leave behind me, and thou shalt go for it, if thou wilt." + +After that they broke their bargain, and Unna was to sit waiting +for Hrut three years as his betrothed. Now Hrut rides back to +the ship, and stays by her during the summer, till she was ready +to sail, and Hauskuld brought down all Hrut's wares and money to +the ship, and Hrut placed all his other property in Hauskuld's +hands to keep for him while he was away. Then Hauskuld rode home +to his house, and a little while after they got a fair wind and +sail away to sea. They were out three weeks, and the first land +they made was Hern, near Bergen, and so sail eastward to the Bay. + + + +3. HRUT AND GUNNHILLDA, KING'S MOTHER + +At that time Harold Grayfell reigned in Norway; he was the son of +Eric Bloodaxe, who was the son of Harold Fair-hair; his mother's +name was Gunnhillda, a daughter of Auzur Toti, and they had their +abode east, at the King's Crag. Now the news was spread, how a +ship had come thither east into the Bay, and as soon as +Gunnhillda heard of it, she asked what men from Iceland were +abroad, and they told her Hrut was the man's name, Auzur's +brother's son. Then Gunnhillda said, "I see plainly that he +means to claim his heritage, but there is a man named Soti, who +has laid his hands on it." + +After that she called her waiting-man, whose name was Augmund, +and said, "I am going to send thee to the Bay to find out Auzur +and Hrut, and tell them that I ask them both to spend this winter +with me. Say, too, that I will be their friend, and if Hrut will +carry out my counsel, I will see after his suit, and anything +else he takes in hand, and I will speak a good word, too, for him +to the king." + +After that he set off and found them; and as soon as they knew +that he was Gunnhillda's servant, they gave him good welcome. He +took them aside and told them his errand, and after that they +talked over their plans by themselves. Then Auzur said to Hrut, +"Methinks, kinsman, here is little need for long talk, our plans +are ready made for us; for I know Gunnhillda's temper; as soon as +ever we say we will not go to her she will drive us out of the +land, and take all our goods by force; but if we go to her, then +she will do us such honour as she has promised." + +Augmund went home, and when he saw Gunnhillda, he told her how +his errand had ended, and that they would come, and Gunnhillda +said, "It is only what was to be looked for; for Hrut is said to +be a wise and well-bred man; and now do thou keep a sharp look +out, and tell me as soon as ever they come to the town." + +Hrut and Auzur went east to the King's Crag, and when they +reached the town, their kinsmen and friends went out to meet and +welcome them. They asked whether the king were in the town, and +they told them he was. After that they met Augmund, and he +brought them a greeting from Gunnhillda, saying, that she could +not ask them to her house before they had seen the king, lest men +should say, "I make too much of them." Still she would do all +she could for them, and she went on, "Tell Hrut to be out-spoken +before the king, and to ask to be made one of his body-guard;" +"and here," said Augmund, "is a dress of honour which she sends +to thee, Hrut, and in it thou must go in before the king." After +that he went away. + +The next day Hrut said, "Let us go before the king." + +"That may well be," answered Auzur. + +So they went, twelve of them together, and all of them friends or +kinsmen, and came into the hall where the king sat over his +drink. Hrut went first and bade the king "Good-day," and the +king, looking steadfastly at the man who was well-dressed, asked +him his name. So he told his name. + +"Art thou an Icelander?" said the king. + +He answered, "Yes." + +"What drove thee hither to seek us?" + +Then Hrut answered, "To see your state, lord; and, besides, +because I have a great matter of inheritance here in the land, +and I shall have need of your help if I am to get my rights." + +The king said, "I have given my word that every man shall have +lawful justice here in Norway; but hast thou any other errand in +seeking me?" + +"Lord!" said Hrut, "I wish you to let me live in your court, and +become one of your men." + +At this the king holds his peace, but Gunnhillda said, "It seems +to me as if this man offered you the greatest honour, for +methinks if there were many such men in the body-guard, it would +be well filled." + +"Is he a wise man?" asked the king. + +"He is both wise and willing," said she. + +"Well," said the king, "methinks my mother wishes that thou +shouldst have the rank for which thou askest, but for the sake of +our honour and the custom of the land, come to me in half a +month's time, and then thou shalt be made one of my body-guard. +Meantime, my mother will take care of thee, but then come to me." + +Then Gunnhillda said to Augmund, "Follow them to my house, and +treat them well." + +So Augmund went out, and they went with him, and he brought them +to a hall built of stone, which was hung with the most beautiful +tapestry, and there too was Gunnhillda's high seat. + +Then Augmund said to Hrut, "Now will be proved the truth of all +that I said to thee from Gunnhillda. Here is her high seat, and +in it thou shalt sit, and this seat thou shalt hold, though she +comes herself into the hall." + +After that he made them good cheer, and they had sat down but a +little while when Gunnhillda came in. Hrut wished to jump up and +greet her. + +"Keep thy seat!" she says, "and keep it too all the time thou art +my guest." + +Then she sat herself down by Hrut, and they fell to drink, and at +even she said, "Thou shalt be in the upper chamber with me +to-night, and we two together." + +"You shall have your way," he answers. + +After that they went to sleep, and she locked the door inside. +So they slept that night, and in the morning fell to drinking +again. Thus they spent their life all that halfmonth, and +Gunnhillda said to the men who were there, "Ye shall lose nothing +except your lives if you say to any one a word of how Hrut and I +are going on." + +When the half-month was over Hrut gave her a hundred ells of +household woollen and twelve rough cloaks, and Gunnhillda thanked +him for his gifts. Then Hrut thanked her and gave her a kiss and +went away. She bade him "farewell." And next day he went before +the king with thirty men after him and bade the king "Good-day." +The king said, "Now, Hrut, thou wilt wish me to carry out towards +thee what I promised." + +So Hrut was made one of the king's body-guard, and he asked, +"Where shall I sit?" + +"My mother shall settle that," said the king. + +Then she got him a seat in the highest room, and he spent the +winter with the king in much honour. + + + +4. OF HRUT'S CRUISE + +When the spring came he asked about Soti, and found out he had +gone south to Denmark with the inheritance. Then Hrut went to +Gunnhillda and tells her what Soti had been about. Gunnhillda +said, "I will give thee two long-ships, full manned, and along +with them the bravest man, Wolf the Unwashed, our overseer of +guests; but still go and see the king before thou settest off." + +Hrut did so; and when he came before the king, then he told the +king of Soti's doings, and how he had a mind to hold on after +him. + +The king said, "What strength has my mother handed over to thee?" + +"Two long-ships and Wolf the Unwashed to lead the men," says +Hrut. + +"Well given," says the king. "Now I will give thee other two +ships, and even then thou'lt need all the strength thou'st got." + +After that he went down with Hrut to the ship, and said, "fare +thee well." Then Hrut sailed away south with his crews. + + + +5. ATLI ARNVID SON'S SLAYING + +There was a man named Atli, son of Arnvid, Earl of East Gothland. +He had kept back the taxes from Hacon Athelstane's foster child, +and both father and son had fled away from Jemtland to Gothland. +After that, Atli held on with his followers out of the Maelar by +Stock Sound, and so on towards Denmark, and now he lies out in +Oresound.(1) He is an outlaw both of the Dane-King and of the +Swede-King. Hrut held on south to the Sound, and when he came +into it he saw a many ships in the Sound. Then Wolf said, +"What's best to be done now, Icelander?" + +"Hold on our course," said Hrut, "for `nothing venture, nothing +have.' My ship and Auzur's shall go first, but thou shalt lay +thy ship where thou likest." + +"Seldom have I had others as a shield before me," says Wolf, and +lays his galley side by side with Hrut's ship; and so they hold +on through the Sound. Now those who are in the Sound see that +ships are coming up to them, and they tell Atli. + +He answered, "Then may be there'll be gain to be got." + +After that men took their stand on board each ship; "but my +ship," says Atli, "shall be in the midst of the fleet." + +Meantime Hrut's ships ran on, and as soon as either side could +hear the other's hail, Atli stood up and said, "Ye fare unwarily. +Saw ye not that war-ships were in the Sound. But what's the name +of your chief?" + +Hrut tells his name. + +"Whose man art thou," says Atli. + +"One of king Harold Grayfell's body-guard." + +Atli said. "'Tis long since any love was lost between us, father +and son, and your Norway kings." + +"Worse luck for thee," says Hrut. + +"Well," says Atli, "the upshot of our meeting will be, that thou +shalt not be left alive to tell the tale;" and with that he +caught up a spear and hurled it at Hrut's ship, and the man who +stood before it got his death. After that the battle began, and +they were slow in boarding Hrut's ship. Wolf, he went well +forward, and with him it was now cut, now thrust. Atli's +bowman's name was Asolf; he sprung up on Hrut's ship, and was +four men's death before Hrut was aware of him; then he turned +against him, and when they met, Asolf thrust at and through +Hrut's shield, but Hrut cut once at Asolf, and that was his +death-blow. Wolf the Unwashed saw that stroke, and called out, +"Truth to say, Hrut, thou dealest big blows, but thou'st much to +thank Gunnhillda for." + +"Something tells me," says Hrut, "that thou speakest with a `fey' +mouth." + +Now Atli sees a bare place for a weapon on Wolf, and shot a spear +through him and now the battle grows hot: Atli leaps up on Hrut's +ship, and clears it fast round about, and now Auzur turns to meet +him, and thrust at him, but fell down full length on his back, +for another man thrust at him. Now Hrut turns to meet Atli: he +cut at once at Hrut's shield, and clove it all in two, from top +to point; just then Atli got a blow on his hand from a stone, and +down fell his sword. Hrut caught up the sword, and cut his foot +from under him. After that he dealt him his death-blow. There +they took much goods, and brought away with them two ships which +were best, and stayed there only a little while. But meantime +Soti and his crew had sailed past them, and he held on his course +back to Norway, and made the land at Limgard's side. There Soti +went on shore, and there he met Augmund, Gunnhillda's page; he +knew him at once, and asks, "How long meanest thou to be here?" + +"Three nights," says Soti. + +"Whither away, then?" says Augmund. + +"West, to England," says Soti, "and never to come back again to +Norway while Gunnhillda's rule is in Norway." + +Augmund went away, and goes and finds Gunnhillda, for she was a +little way off, at a feast, and Gudred, her son, with her. +Augmund told Gunnhillda what Soti meant to do, and she begged +Gudred to take his life. So Gudred set off at once, and came +unawares on Soti, and made them lead him up the country, and hang +him there. But the goods he took, and brought them to his +mother, and she got men to carry them all down to the King's +Crag, and after that she went thither herself. + +Hrut came back towards autumn, and had gotten great store of +goods. He went at once to the king, and had a hearty welcome. +He begged them to take whatever they pleased of his goods, and +the king took a third. Gunnhillda told Hrut how she had got hold +of the inheritance, and had Soti slain. He thanked her, and gave +her half of all he had. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Oresound, the gut between Denmark and Sweden, at the + entrance of the Baltic, commonly called in English, the + Sound. + + + +6. HRUT SAILS OUT TO ICELAND + +Hrut stayed with the king that winter in good cheer, but when +spring came he grew very silent. Gunnhillda finds that out, and +said to him when they two were alone together, "Art thou sick at +heart?" + +"So it is," said Hrut, "as the saying runs -- `Ill goes it with +those who are born on a barren land.'" + +"Wilt thou to Iceland?" she asks. + +"Yes," he answered. + +"Hast thou a wife out there?" she asked; and he answers, "No." + +"But I am sure that is true," she says; and so they ceased +talking about the matter. + +Shortly after Hrut went before the king and bade him Good-day; +and the king said, "What dost thou want now, Hrut?" + +"I am come to ask, lord, that you give me leave to go to +Iceland." + +"Will thine honour be greater there than here?" asks the king. + +"No, it will not," said Hrut; "but every one must win the work +that is set before him." + +"It is pulling a rope against a strong man," said Gunnhillda, "so +give him leave to go as best suits him." + +There was a bad harvest that year in the land, yet Gunnhillda +gave Hrut as much meal as he chose to have; and now he busks him +to sail out to Iceland, and Auzur with him; and when they were +"all-boun," Hrut went to find the king and Gunnhillda. She led +him aside to talk alone, and said to him, "Here is a gold ring +which I will give thee;" and with that she clasped it round his +wrist. + +"Many good gifts have I had from thee," said Hrut. + +Then she put her hands round his neck and kissed him, and said, +"If I have as much power over thee as I think, I lay this spell +on thee that thou mayst never have any pleasure in living with +that woman on whom thy heart is set in Iceland, but with other +women thou mayst get on well enough, and now it is like to go +well with neither of us; but thou hast not believed what I have +been saying." + +Hrut laughed when he heard that, and went away; after that he +came before the king and thanked him; and the king spoke kindly +to him, and bade him "farewell." Hrut went straight to his ship, +and they had a fair wind all the way until they ran into +Borgarfirth. + +As soon as the ship was made fast to the land, Hrut rode west +home, but Auzur stayed by the ship to unload her and lay her up. +Hrut rode straight to Hauskuldstede, and Hauskuld gave him a +hearty welcome, and Hrut told him all about his travels. After +that they send men east across the rivers to tell Fiddle Mord to +make ready for the bridal feast; but the two brothers rode to the +ship, and on the way Hauskuld told Hrut how his money-matters +stood, and his goods had gained much since he was away. Then +Hrut said, "The reward is less worth than it ought to be, but I +will give thee as much meal as thou needst for thy household next +winter." + +Then they drew the ship on land on rollers, and made her snug in +her shed, but all the wares on board her they carried away into +the Dales westward. Hrut stayed at home at Hrutstede till winter +was six weeks off, and then the brothers made ready and Auzur +with them, to ride to Hrut's wedding. Sixty men ride with them, +and they rode east till they came to Rangriver plains. There +they found a crowd of guests, and the men took their seats on +benches down the length of the hall, but the women were seated on +the cross-benches on the dais, and the bride was rather downcast. +So they drank out the feast and it went off well. Mord pays down +his daughter's portion, and she rides west with her husband and +his train. So they ride till they reach home. Hrut gave over +everything into her hands inside the house, and all were pleased +at that; but for all that she and Hrut did not pull well together +as man and wife, and so things went on till spring, and when +spring came Hrut had a journey to make to the Westfirths, to get +in the money for which he had sold his wares; but before he set +off his wife says to him, "Dost thou mean to be back before men +ride to the Thing?" + +"Why dost thou ask?" said Hrut. + +"I will ride to the Thing," she said, "to meet my father." + +"So it shall be," said he, "and I will ride to the Thing along +with thee." + +"Well and good," she says. + +After that Hrut rode from home west to the Firths, got in all his +money, and laid it out anew, and rode home again. When he came +home he busked him to ride to the Thing, and made all his +neighbours ride with him. His brother Hauskuld rode among the +rest. Then Hrut said to his wife, "If thou hast as much mind now +to go to the Thing as thou saidst a while ago, busk thyself and +ride along with me." + +She was not slow in getting herself ready, and then they all +rode to the Thing. Unna went to her father's booth, and he gave +her a hearty welcome, but she seemed somewhat heavy-hearted, and +when he saw that he said to her, "I have seen thee with a merrier +face. Hast thou anything on thy mind?" + +She began to weep, and answered nothing. Then he said to her +again. "Why didst thou ride to the Thing, if thou wilt not tell +me thy secret? Dost thou dislike living away there in the west?" + +Then she answered him, "I would give all I own in the world that +I had never gone thither." + +"Well!" said Mord, "I'll soon get to the bottom of this." Then +he sends men to fetch Hauskuld and Hrut, and they came +straightway; and when they came in to see Mord, he rose up to +meet them and gave them a hearty welcome, and asked them to sit +down. Then they talked a long time in a friendly way, and at +last Mord said to Hauskuld, "Why does my daughter think so ill of +life in the west yonder?" + +"Let her speak out," said Hrut, "if she has anything to lay to my +charge." + +But she brought no charge against him. Then Hrut made them ask +his neighbours and household how he treated her, and all bore him +good witness, saying that she did just as she pleased in the +house. + +Then Mord said, "Home thou shalt go, and be content with thy lot; +for all the witness goes better for him than for thee." + +After that Hrut rode home from the Thing, and his wife with him, +and all went smoothly between them that summer; but when spring +came it was the old story over again, and things grew worse and +worse as the spring went on. Hrut had again a journey to make +west to the Firths, and gave out that he would not ride to the +Althing, but Unna his wife said little about it. So Hrut went +away west to the Firths. + + + +7. UNNA SEPARATES FROM HRUT + +Now the time for the Thing was coming on. Unna spoke to Sigmund, +Auzur's son, and asked if he would ride to the Thing with her; he +said he could not ride if his kinsman Hrut set his face against +it. + +"Well!" says she, "I spoke to thee because I have better right to +ask this from thee than from any one else." + +He answered, "I will make a bargain with thee: thou must promise +to ride back west with me, and to have no underhand dealings +against Hrut or myself." + +So she promised that, and then they rode to the Thing. Her +father Mord was at the Thing, and was very glad to see her, and +asked her to stay in his booth while the Thing lasted, and she +did so. + +"Now," said Mord, "what hast thou to tell me of thy mate, Hrut?" + +Then she sung him a song, in which she praised Hrut's liberality, +but said he was not master of himself. She herself was ashamed +to speak out. + +Mord was silent a short time, and then said, "Thou hast now that +on thy mind I see, daughter, which thou dost not wish that any +one should know save myself, and thou wilt trust to me rather +than any one else to help thee out of thy trouble." + +Then they went aside to talk, to a place where none could +overhear what they said; and then Mord said to his daughter, +"Now, tell me all that is between you two, and don't make more of +the matter than it is worth." + +"So it shall be," she answered, and sang two songs, in which she +revealed the cause of their misunderstanding; and when Mord +pressed her to speak out, she told him how she and Hrut could not +live together, because he was spellbound, and that she wished to +leave him. + +"Thou didst right to tell me all this," said Mord, "and now I +will give thee a piece of advice, which will stand thee in good +stead, if thou canst carry it out to the letter. First of all, +thou must ride home from the Thing, and by that time thy husband +will have come back, and will be glad to see thee; thou must be +blithe and buxom to him, and he will think a good change has come +over thee, and thou must show no signs of coldness or ill-temper, +but when spring comes thou must sham sickness, and take to thy +bed. Hrut will not lose time in guessing what thy sickness can +be, nor will he scold thee at all, but he will rather beg every +one to take all the care they can of thee. After that he will +set off west to the Firths, and Sigmund with him, for he will +have to flit all his goods home from the Firths west, and he will +be away till the summer is far spent. But when men ride to the +Thing, and after all have ridden from the Dales that mean to ride +thither; then thou must rise from thy bed and summon men to go +along with thee to the Thing; and when thou art 'all-boun,' then +shalt thou go to thy bed, and the men with thee who are to bear +thee company, and thou shalt take witness before thy husband's +bed, and declare thyself separated from him by such a lawful +separation as may hold good according to the judgment of the +Great Thing, and the laws of the land; and at the man's door the +main door of the house, thou shalt take the same witness. After +that ride away, and ride over Laxriverdale Heath, and so on over +Holtbeacon Heath; for they will look for thee by way of +Hrutfirth. And so ride on till thou comest to me; then I will +see after the matter. But into his hands thou shalt never come +more." + +Now she rides home from the Thing, and Hrut had come back before +her, and made her hearty welcome. She answered him kindly, and +was blithe and forbearing towards him. So they lived happily +together that half-year; but when spring came she fell sick, and +kept her bed. Hrut set off west to the Firths, and bade them +tend her well before he went. Now, when the time for the Thing +comes, she busked herself to ride away, and did in every way as +had been laid down for her; and then she rides away to the Thing. +The country folk looked for her, but could not find her. Mord +made his daughter welcome, and asked her if she had followed his +advice; and she says, "I have not broken one tittle of it." + +Then she went to the Hill of Laws, and declared herself separated +from Hrut; and men thought this strange news. Unna went home +with her father, and never went west from that day forward. + + + +8. MORD CLAIMS HIS GOODS FROM HRUT + +Hrut came home, and knit his brows when he heard his wife was +gone, but yet kept his feelings well in hand, and stayed at home +all that half-year, and spoke to no one on the matter. Next +summer he rode to the Thing, with his brother Hauskuld, and they +had a great fellowing. But when he came to the Thing, he asked +whether Fiddle Mord were at the Thing, and they told him he was; +and all thought they would come to words at once about their +matter, but it was not so. At last, one day when the brothers +and others who were at the Thing went to the Hill of Laws, Mord +took witness and declared that he had a money-suit against Hrut +for his daughter's dower, and reckoned the amount at ninety +hundreds in goods, calling on Hrut at the same time to pay and +hand it over to him, and asking for a fine of three marks. He +laid the suit in the Quarter Court, into which it would come by +law, and gave lawful notice, so that all who stood on the Hill of +Laws might hear. + +But when he had thus spoken, Hrut said, "Thou hast undertaken +this suit, which belongs to thy daughter, rather for the greed of +gain and love of strife than in kindliness and manliness. But I +shall have something to say against it; for the goods which +belong to me are not yet in thy hands. Now, what I have to say +is this, and I say it out, so that all who hear me on this hill +may bear witness: I challenge thee to fight on the island; there +on one side shall be laid all thy daughter's dower, and on the +other I will lay down goods worth as much, and whoever wins the +day shall have both dower and goods; but if thou wilt not fight +with me, then thou shalt give up all claim to these goods." + +Then Mord held his peace, and took counsel with his friends about +going to fight on the island, and Jorund the priest gave him an +answer. + +"There is no need for thee to come to ask us for counsel in this +matter, for thou knowest if thou fightest with Hrut thou wilt +lose both life and goods. He has a good cause, and is besides +mighty in himself and one of the boldest of men." + +Then Mord spoke out, that he would not fight with Hrut, and there +arose a great shout and hooting on the hill, and Mord got the +greatest shame by his suit. + +After that men ride home from the Thing, and those brothers +Hauskuld and Hrut ride west to Reykriverdale, and turned in as +guests at Lund, where Thiostolf, Bjorn Gullbera's son, then +dwelt. There had been much rain that day, and men got wet, so +long-fires were made down the length of the hall. Thiostolf, the +master of the house, sat between Hauskuld and Hrut, and two boys, +of whom Thiostolf had the rearing, were playing on the floor, and +a girl was playing with them. They were great chatterboxes, for +they were too young to know better. So one of them said, "Now I +will be Mord, and summon thee to lose thy wife because thou hast +not been a good husband to her." + +Then the other answered, "I will be Hrut, and I call on thee to +give up all claim to thy goods, if thou darest not to fight with +me." + +This they said several times, and all the household burst out +laughing. Then Hauskuld got wroth, and struck the boy who called +himself Mord with a switch, and the blow fell on his face, and +grazed the skin. + +"Get out with thee," said Hauskuld to the boy, "and make no game +of us;" but Hrut said, "Come hitherto me," and the boy did so. +Then Hrut drew a ring from his finger and gave it to him, and +said, "Go away, and try no man's temper henceforth." + +Then the boy went away saying, "Thy manliness I will bear in mind +all my life." + +From this matter Hrut got great praise, and after that they went +home; and that was the end of Mord's and Hrut's quarrel, + + + +9. THORWALD GETS HALLGERDA TO WIFE + +Now, it must be told how Hallgerda, Hauskuld's daughter, grows +up, and is the fairest of women to look on; she was tall of +stature, too, and therefore she was called "Longcoat." She was +fair-haired, and had so much of it that she could hide herself in +it; but she was layish and hard-hearted. Her foster-father's +name was Thiostolf: he was a Southislander (1) by stock: he was a +strong man, well skilled in arms, and had slain many men, and +made no atonement in money for one of them. It was said, too, +that his rearing had not bettered Hallgerda's temper. + +There was a man named Thorwald; he was Oswif's son, and dwelt out +on Middlefells strand, under the Fell. He was rich and well to +do, and owned the islands called Bearisles, which lie out in +Broadfirth, whence he got meal and stock fish. This Thorwald was +a strong and courteous man, though somewhat hasty in temper. +Now, it fell out one day that Thorwald and his father were +talking together of Thorwald's marrying, and where he had best +look for a wife, and it soon came out that he thought there +wasn't a match fit for him far or near. + +"Well," said Oswif, "wilt thou ask for Hallgerda Longcoat, +Hauskuld's daughter." + +"Yes! I will ask for her," said Thorwald. + +"But that is not a match that will suit either of you," Oswif +went on to say, "for she has a will of her own, and thou art +stern-tempered and unyielding." + +"For all that I will try my luck there," said Thorwald, "so it's +no good trying to hinder me." + +"Ay!" said Oswif, "and the risk is all thine own." + +After that they set off on a wooing journey to Hauskuldstede, and +had a hearty welcome. They were not long in telling Hauskuld +their business, and began to woo; then Hauskuld answered, "As for +you, I know how you both stand in the world, but for my own part +I will use no guile towards you. My daughter has a hard temper, +but as to her looks and breeding you can both see for +yourselves." + +"Lay down the terms of the match," answered Thorwald, "for I will +not let her temper stand in the way of our bargain." + +Then they talked over the terms of the bargain, and Hauskuld +never asked his daughter what she thought of it, for his heart +was set on giving her away and so they came to an understanding +as to the terms of the match. After that Thorwald betrothed +himself to Hallgerda, and rode away home when the matter was +settled. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) That is, he came from what we call the Western Isles or + Hebrides. The old appellation still lingers in "Sodor (i.e. + the South Isles) and Man." + + + +10. HALLGERDA'S WEDDING + +Hauskuld told Hallgerda of the bargain he had made, and she said, +"Now that has been put to the proof which I have all along been +afraid of, that thou lovest me not so much as thou art always +saying, when thou hast not thought it worth while to tell me a +word of all this matter. Besides, I do not think this match so +good a one as thou hast always promised me." + +So she went on, and let them know in every way that she thought +she was thrown away. + +Then Hauskuld said, "I do not set so much store by thy pride as +to let it stand in the way of my bargains; and my will, not +thine, shall carry the day if we fall out on any point." + +"The pride of all you kinsfolk is great," she said, "and so it is +not wonderful if I have some of it." + +With that she went away, and found her foster-father Thiostolf, +and told him what was in store for her, and was very heavy- +hearted. Then Thiostolf said, "Be of good cheer, for thou wilt +be married a second time, and then they will ask thee what thou +thinkest of the match; for I will do in all things as thou +wishest, except in what touches thy father or Hrut." + +After that they spoke no more of the matter, and Hauskuld made +ready the bridal feast, and rode off to ask men to it. So he +came to Hrutstede and called Hrut out to speak with him. Hrut +went out, and they began to talk, and Hauskuld told him the whole +story of the bargain, and bade him to the feast, saying, "I +should be glad to know that thou dost not feel hurt though I did +not tell thee when the bargain was being made." + +"I should be better pleased," said Hrut "to have nothing at all +to do with it; for this match will bring luck neither to him nor +to her; but still I will come to the feast if thou thinkest it +will add any honour to thee." + +"Of course I think so," said Hauskuld, and rode off home. + +Oswif and Thorwald also asked men to come, so that no fewer than +one hundred guests were asked. + +There was a man named Swan, who dwelt in Bearfirth, which lies +north from Steingrimsfirth. This Swan was a great wizard, and he +was Hallgerda's mother's brother. He was quarrelsome, and hard +to deal with, but Hallgerda asked him to the feast, and sends +Thiostolf to him; so he went, and it soon got to friendship +between him and Swan. + +Now men come to the feast, and Hallgerda sat upon the cross- +bench, and she was a very merry bride. Thiostolf was always +talking to her, though he sometimes found time to speak to Swan, +and men thought their talking strange. The feast went off well, +and Hauskuld paid down Hallgerda's portion with the greatest +readiness. After he had done that, he said to Hrut, "Shall I +bring out any gifts beside?" + +"The day will come," answered Hrut, "when thou wilt have to waste +thy goods for Hallgerda's sake, so hold thy hand now." + + + +11. THORWALD'S SLAYING + +Thorwald rode home from the bridal feast, and his wife with him, +and Thiostolf, who rode by her horse's side, and still talked to +her in a low voice. Oswif turned to his son and said, "Art thou +pleased with thy match? and how went it when ye talked +together." + +"Well," said he, "she showed all kindness to me. Thou mightst +see that by the way she laughs at every word I say." + +"I don't think her laughter so hearty as thou dost," answered +Oswif, "but this will be put to the proof by and by." + +So they ride on till they come home, and at night she took her +seat by her husband's side, and made room for Thiostolf next +herself on the inside. Thiostolf and Thorwald had little to do +with each other, and few words were thrown away between them that +winter, and so time went on. Hallgerda was prodigal and +grasping, and there was nothing that any of their neighbours had +that she must not have too, and all that she had, no matter +whether it were her own or belonged to others she wasted. But +when the spring came there was a scarcity in the house, both of +meal and stock fish, so Hallgerda went up to Thorwald and said, +"Thou must not be sitting in-doors any longer, for we want for +the house both meal and fish." + +"Well," said Thorwald, "I did not lay in less for the house this +year than I laid in before, and then it used to last till +summer." + +"What care I," said Hallgerda, "if thou and thy father have made +your money by starving yourselves." + +Then Thorwald got angry and gave her a blow on the face and drew +blood, and went away and called his men and ran the skiff down to +the shore. Then six of them jumped into her and rowed out to the +Bear-isles, and began to load her with meal and fish. + +Meantime it is said that Hallgerda sat out of doors heavy at +heart. Thiostolf went up to her and saw the wound on her face, +and said, "Who has been playing thee this sorry trick?" + +"My husband, Thorwald," she said, "and thou stoodst aloof, though +thou wouldst not if thou hadst cared at all for me." + +"Because I knew nothing about it," said Thiostolf, "but I will +avenge it." + +Then he went away down to the shore and ran out a six-oared boat, +and held in his hand a great axe that he had with a haft overlaid +with iron. He steps into the boat and rows out to the +Bear-isles, and when he got there all the men had rowed away but +Thorwald and his followers, and he stayed by the skiff to load +her, while they brought the goods down to him. So Thiostolf came +up just then and jumped into the skiff, and began to load with +him, and after a while he said, "Thou canst do but little at this +work, and that little thou dost badly." + +"Thinkst thou thou canst do it better," said Thorwald. + +"There's one thing to be done which I can do better than thou," +said Thiostolf, and then he went on, "The woman who is thy wife +has made a bad match, and you shall not live much longer +together." + +Then Thorwald snatched up a fishing-knife that lay by him, and +made a stab at Thiostolf; he had lifted his axe to his shoulder +and dashed it down. It came on Thorwald's arm and crushed the +wrist, but down fell the knife. Then Thiostolf lifted up his axe +a second time and gave Thorwald a blow on the head, and he fell +dead on the spot. + + + +12. THIOSTOLF'S FLIGHT + +While this was going on, Thorwald's men came down with their +load, but Thiostolf was not slow in his plans. He hewed with +both hands at the gunwale of the skiff and cut it down about two +planks; then he leapt into his boat, but the dark blue sea poured +into the skiff, and down she went with all her freight. Down too +sank Thorwald's body, so that his men could not see what had been +done to him, but they knew well enough that he was dead. +Thiostolf rowed away up the firth, but they shouted after him +wishing him ill luck. He made them no answer, but rowed on till +he got home, and ran the boat up on the beach, and went up to the +house with his axe, all bloody as it was, on his shoulder. +Hallgerda stood out of doors, and said, "Thine axe is bloody; +what hast thou done?" + +"I have done now what will cause thee to be wedded a second +time." + +"Thou tellest me then that Thorwald is dead," she said. + +"So it is," said he, "and now look out for my safety." + +"So I will," she said; "I will send thee north to Bearfirth, to +Swanshol, and Swan, my kinsman, will receive thee with open arms. +He is so mighty a man that no one will seek thee thither." + +So he saddled a horse that she had, and jumped on his back, and +rode off north to Bearfirth, to Swanshol, and Swan received him +with open arms, and said: "That's what I call a man who does not +stick at trifles! And now I promise thee if they seek thee here, +they shall get nothing but the greatest shame." + +Now, the story goes back to Hallgerda, and how she behaved. She +called on Liot the Black, her kinsman, to go with her, and bade +him saddle their horses, for she said, "I will ride home to my +father." + +While he made ready for their journey, she went to her chests and +unlocked them and called all the men of her house about her, and +gave each of them some gift; but they all grieved at her going. +Now she rides home to her father; and he received her well, for +as yet he had not heard the news. But Hrut said to Hallgerda, +"Why did not Thorwald come with thee?" and she answered, "He is +dead." + +Then said Hauskuld, "That was Thiostolf's doing." + +"It was," she said. + +"Ah!" said Hauskuld, "Hrut was not far wrong when he told me that +this bargain would draw mickle misfortune after it. But there's +no good in troubling one's self about a thing that's done and +gone." + +Now, the story must go back to Thorwald's mates, how there they +are, and how they begged the loan of a boat to get to the +mainland. So a boat was lent them at once, and they rowed up the +firth to Reykianess, and found Oswif, and told him these tidings. + +He said, "Ill luck is the end of ill redes, and now I see how it +has all gone. Hallgerda must have sent Thiostolf to Bearfirth, +but she herself must have ridden home to her father. Let us now +gather folk and follow him up thither north." So they did that, +and went about asking for help, and got together many men. And +then they all rode off to Steingrims river, and so on to +Liotriverdale and Selriverdale, till they came to Bearfirth. + +Now Swan began to speak, and gasped much. "Now Oswif's fetches +are seeking us out." Then up sprung Thiostolf, but Swan said, +"Go thou out with me, there won't be need of much." So they went +out both of them, and Swan took a goatskin and wrapped it about +his own head, and said, "Become mist and fog, become fright and +wonder mickle to all those who seek thee." + +Now, it must be told how Oswif, his friends, and his men are +riding along the ridge; then came a great mist against them, and +Oswif said, "This is Swan's doing; 'twere well if nothing worse +followed." A little after a mighty darkness came before their +eyes, so that they could see nothing, and then they fell off +their horses' backs, and lost their horses, and dropped their +weapons, and went over head and ears into bogs, and some went +astray into the wood, till they were on the brink of bodily harm. +Then Oswif said, "If I could only find my horse and weapons, then +I'd turn back;" and he had scarce spoken these words than they +saw somewhat, and found their horses and weapons. Then many +still egged the others on to look after the chase once more; and +so they did, and at once the same wonders befell them, and so +they fared thrice. Then Oswif said, "Though the course be not +good, let us still turn back. Now, we will take counsel a second +time, and what now pleases my mind best, is to go and find +Hauskuld, and ask atonement for my son; for there's no hope of +honour where there's good store of it." + +So they rode thence to the Broadfirth dales, and there is nothing +to be told about them till they came to Hauskuldstede, and Hrut +was there before them. Oswif called out Hauskuld and Hrut, and +they both went out and bade him good day. After that they began +to talk. Hauskuld asked Oswif whence he came. He said he had +set out to search for Thiostolf, but couldn't find him. Hauskuld +said he must have gone north to Swanshol, "and thither it is not +every man's lot to go to find him." + +"Well," says Oswif, "I am come hither for this, to ask atonement +for my son from thee." + +Hauskuld answered, "I did not slay thy son, nor did I plot his +death; still it may be forgiven thee to look for atonement +somewhere." + +"Nose is next of kin, brother, to eyes," said Hrut, "and it is +needful to stop all evil tongues, and to make him atonement for +his son, and so mend thy daughter's state, for that will only be +the case when this suit is dropped, and the less that is said +about it the better it will be." + +Hauskuld said, "Wilt thou undertake the award?" + +"That I will," says Hrut, "nor will I shield thee at all in my +award; for if the truth must be told thy daughter planned his +death." + +Then Hrut held his peace some little while, and afterwards he +stood up, and said to Oswif, "Take now my hand in handsel as a +token that thou lettest the suit drop." + +So Oswif stood up and said, "This is not an atonement on equal +terms when thy brother utters the award, but still thou (speaking +to Hrut) hast behaved so well about it that I trust thee +thoroughly to make it." Then he stood up and took Hauskuld's +hand, and came to an atonement in the matter, on the +understanding that Hrut was to make up his mind and utter the +award before Oswif went away. After that, Hrut made his award, +and said, "For the slaying of Thorwald I award two hundred in +silver" -- that was then thought a good price for a man -- "and +thou shalt pay it down at once, brother, and pay it too with an +open hand." + +Hauskuld did so, and then Hrut said to Oswif, "I will give thee a +good cloak which I brought with me from foreign lands." + +He thanked him for his gift, and went home well pleased at the +way in which things had gone. + +After that Hauskuld and Hrut came to Oswif to share the goods, +and they and Oswif came to a good agreement about that too, and +they went home with their share of the goods, and Oswif is now +out of our story. Hallgerda begged Hauskuld to let her come back +home to him, and he gave her leave, and for a long time there was +much talk about Thorwald's slaying. As for Hallgerda's goods +they went on growing till they were worth a great sum. + + + +13. GLUM'S WOOING + +Now three brothers are named in the story. One was called +Thorarin, the second Ragi, and the third Glum. They were the +sons of Olof the Halt, and were men of much worth and of great +wealth in goods. Thorarin's surname was Ragi's brother; he had +the Speakership of the Law after Rafn Heing's son. He was a very +wise man, and lived at Varmalek, and he and Glum kept house +together. Glum had been long abroad; he was a tall, strong, +handsome man. Ragi their brother was a great manslayer. Those +brothers owned in the south Engey and Laugarness. One day the +brothers Thorarin and Glum were talking together, and Thorarin +asked Glum whether he meant to go abroad, as was his wont? + +He answered, "I was rather thinking now of leaving off trading +voyages." + +"What hast thou then in thy mind? Wilt thou woo thee a wife?" + +"That I will," says he, "if I could only get myself well +matched." + +Then Thorarin told off all the women who were unwedded in +Borgarfirth, and asked him if he would have any of these, "Say +the word, and I will ride with thee!" + +But Glum answered, "I will have none of these." + +"Say then the name of her thou wishest to have," says Thorarin. + +Glum answered, "If thou must know, her name is Hallgerda, and she +is Hauskuld's daughter away west in the dales." + +"Well," says Thorarin, "'tis not with thee as the saw says, `be +warned by another's woe'; for she was wedded to a man, and she +plotted his death." + +Glum said, "Maybe such ill-luck will not befall her a second +time, and sure I am she will not plot my death. But now, if thou +wilt show me any honour, ride along with me to woo her." + +Thorarin said, "There's no good striving against it, for what +must be is sure to happen." Glum often talked the matter over +with Thorarin, but he put it off a long time. At last it came +about that they gathered men together and rode off ten in +company, west to the dales, and came to Hauskuldstede. Hauskuld +gave them a hearty welcome, and they stayed there that night. +But early next morning, Hauskuld sends for Hrut, and he came +thither at once: and Hauskuld was out of doors when he rode into +the "town". Then Hauskuld told Hrut what men had come thither. + +"What may it be they want?" asked Hrut. + +"As yet," says Hauskuld, "they have not let out to me that they +have any business." + +"Still," says Hrut, "their business must be with thee. They will +ask the hand of thy daughter, Hallgerda. If they do, what answer +wilt thou make?" + +"What dost thou advise me to say?" says Hauskuld. + +"Thou shalt answer well," says Hrut; "but still make a clean +breast of all the good and all the ill thou knowest of the +woman." + +But while the brothers were talking thus, out came the guests. +Hauskuld greeted them well, and Hrut bade both Thorarin and his +brothers good morning. After that they all began to talk, and +Thorarin said, "I am come hither, Hauskuld, with my brother Glum +on this errand, to ask for Hallgerda thy daughter, at the hand of +my brother Glum. Thou must know that he is a man of worth." + +"I know well," says Hauskuld, "that ye are both of you powerful +and worthy men; but I must tell you right out, that I chose a +husband for her before, and that turned out most unluckily for +us." + +Thorarin answered, "We will not let that stand in the way of the +bargain; for one oath shall not become all oaths, and this may +prove to be a good match, though that turned out ill; besides +Thiostolf had most hand in spoiling it." + +Then Hrut spoke: "Now I will give you a bit of advice -- this: if +ye will not let all this that has already happened to Hallgerda +stand in the way of the match, mind you do not let Thiostolf go +south with her if the match comes off, and that he is never there +longer than three nights at a time, unless Glum gives him leave, +but fall an outlaw by Glum's hand without atonement if he stay +there longer. Of course, it shall be in Glum's power to give him +leave; but he will not if he takes my advice. And now this match +shall not be fulfilled, as the other was, without Hallgerda's +knowledge. She shall now know the whole course of this bargain, +and see Glum, and herself settle whether she will have him or +not; and then she will not be able to lay the blame on others if +it does not turn out well. And all this shall be without craft +or guile." + +Then Thorarin said, "Now, as always, it will prove best if thy +advice be taken." + +Then they sent for Hallgerda, and she came thither, and two women +with her. She had on a cloak of rich blue woof, and under it a +scarlet kirtle, and a silver girdle round her waist, but her hair +came down on both sides of her bosom, and she had turned the +locks up under her girdle. She sat down between Hrut and her +father, and she greeted them all with kind words, and spoke well +and boldly, and asked what was the news. After that she ceased +speaking. + +Then Glum said, "There has been some talk between thy father and +my brother Thorarin and myself about a bargain. It was that I +might get thee, Hallgerda, if it be thy will, as it is theirs; +and now, if thou art a brave woman, thou wilt say right out +whether the match is at all to thy mind; but if thou hast +anything in thy heart against this bargain with us, then we will +not say anything more about it." + +Hallgerda said, "I know well that you are men of worth and might, +ye brothers. I know too that now I shall be much better wedded +than I was before; but what I want to know is, what you have said +already about the match, and how far you have given your words in +the matter. But so far as I now see of thee, I think I might +love thee well if we can but hit it off as to temper." + +So Glum himself told her all about the bargain, and left nothing +out, and then he asked Hauskuld and Hrut whether he had repeated +it right. Hauskuld said he had; and then Hallgerda said, "Ye +have dealt so well with me in this matter, my father and Hrut, +that I will do what ye advise, and this bargain shall be struck +as ye have settled it." + +Then Hrut said, "Methinks it were best that Hauskuld and I should +name witnesses, and that Hallgerda should betroth herself, if the +Lawman thinks that right and lawful. + +"Right and lawful it is," says Thorarin. + +After that Hallgerda's goods were valued, and Glum was to lay +down as much against them, and they were to go shares, half and +half, in the whole. Then Glum bound himself to Hallgerda as his +betrothed, and they rode away home south; but Hauskuld was to +keep the wedding-feast at his house. And now all is quiet till +men ride to the wedding. + + + +14. GLUM'S WEDDING + +Those brothers gathered together a great company, and they were +all picked men. They rode west to the dales and came to +Hauskuldstede, and there they found a great gathering to meet +them. Hauskuld and Hrut, and their friends, filled one bench, +and the bridegroom the other. Hallgerda sat upon the cross bench +on the dais, and behaved well. Thiostolf went about with his axe +raised in air, and no one seemed to know that he was there, and +so the wedding went off well. But when the feast was over, +Hallgerda went away south with Glum and his brothers. So when +they came south to Varmalek, Thorarin asked Hallgerda if she +would undertake the housekeeping. "No, I will not," she said. +Hallgerda kept her temper down that winter, and they liked her +well enough. But when the spring came, the brothers talked about +their property, and Thorarin said, "I will give up to you the +house at Varmalek, for that is readiest to your hand, and I will +go down south to Laugarness and live there, but Engey we will +have both of us in common." + +Glum was willing enough to do that. So Thorarin went down to the +south of that district, and Glum and his wife stayed behind +there, and lived in the house at Varmalek. + +Now Hallgerda got a household about her; she was prodigal in +giving, and grasping in getting. In the summer she gave birth to +a girl. Glum asked her what name it was to have? + +"She shall be called after my father's mother, and her name shall +be Thorgerda," for she came down from Sigurd Fafnir's-bane on the +father's side, according to the family pedigree. + +So the maiden was sprinkled with water, and had this name given +her, and there she grew up, and got like her mother in looks and +feature. Glum and Hallgerda agreed well together, and so it went +on for a while. About that time these tidings were heard from +the north and Bearfirth, how Swan had rowed out to fish in the +spring, and a great storm came down on him from the east, and how +he was driven ashore at Fishless, and he and his men were there +lost. But the fishermen who were at Kalback thought they saw +Swan go into the fell at Kalbackshorn, and that he was greeted +well; but some spoke against that story, and said there was +nothing in it. But this all knew that he was never seen again +either alive or dead. So when Hallgerda heard that, she thought +she had a great loss in her mother's brother. Glum begged +Thorarin to change lands with him, but he said he would not; +"but," said he, "if I outlive you, I mean to have Varmalek to +myself." When Glum told this to Hallgerda, she said, "Thorarin +has indeed a right to expect this from us." + + + +15. THIOSTOLF GOES TO GLUM'S HOUSE + +Thiostolf had beaten one of Hauskuld's house-carles, so he drove +him away. He took his horse and weapons, and said to Hauskuld, +"Now, I will go away and never come back." + +"All will be glad at that," says Hauskuld. + +Thiostolf rode till he came to Varmalek, and there he got a +hearty welcome from Hallgerda, and not a bad one from Glum. He +told Hallgerda how her father had driven him away, and begged her +to give him her help and countenance. She answered him by +telling him she could say nothing about his staying there before +she had seen Glum about it. + +"Does it go well between you?" he says. + +"Yes," she says, "our love runs smooth enough." + +After that she went to speak to Glum, and threw her arms round +his neck and said, "Wilt thou grant me a boon which I wish to ask +of thee?" + +"Grant it I will," he says, "if it be right and seemly; but what +is it thou wishest to ask?" + +"Well," she said, "Thiostolf has been driven away from the west, +and what I want thee to do is to let him stay here; but I will +not take it crossly if it is not to thy mind." + +Glum said, "Now that thou behavest so well, I will grant thee thy +boon; but I tell thee, if he takes to any ill he shall be sent +off at once." + +She goes then to Thiostolf and tells him, and he answered, "Now, +thou art still good, as I had hoped." + +After that he was there, and kept himself down a little while, +but then it was the old story, he seemed to spoil all the good he +found; for he gave way to no one save to Hallgerda alone, but she +never took his side in his brawls with others. Thorarin, Glum's +brother, blamed him for letting him be there, and said ill luck +would come of it, and all would happen as had happened before if +he were there. Glum answered him well and kindly, but still kept +on in his own way. + + + +16. GLUM'S SHEEP HUNT + +Now once on a time when autumn came, it happened that men had +hard work to get their flocks home, and many of Glum's wethers +were missing. Then Glum said to Thiostolf, "Go thou up on the +fell with my house-carles and see if ye cannot find out anything +about the sheep." + +"'Tis no business of mine," says Thiostolf, "to hunt up sheep, +and this one thing is quite enough to hinder it. I won't walk in +thy thralls' footsteps. But go thyself, and then I'll go with +thee." + +About this they had many words. The weather was good, and +Hallgerda was sitting out of doors. Glum went up to her and +said, "Now Thiostolf and I have had a quarrel, and we shall not +live much longer together." And so he told her all that they had +been talking about. + +Then Hallgerda spoke up for Thiostolf, and they had many words +about him. At last Glum gave her a blow with his hand, and said, +"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 +up at once, and put on his jerkin and pulled on his shoes. Then +he took up his sword, and wrapped a cloak about his left arm, up +as far as the elbow. Men woke up just as he went out; there he +saw a tall stout man at the back of the house, and knew it was +Thiostolf. Hrut asked him what news? + +"I tell thee Glum is slain." says Thiostolf. + +"Who did the deed?" says Hrut. + +"I slew him," says Thiostolf. + +"Why rodest thou hither?" says Hrut. + +"Hallgerda sent me to thee," says Thiostolf. + +"Then she has no hand in this deed," says Hrut, and drew his +sword. Thiostolf saw that, and would not be behind hand, so he +cuts at Hrut at once. Hrut got out of the way of the stroke by a +quick turn, and at the same time struck the back of the axe so +smartly with a side-long blow of his left hand, that it flew out +of Thiostolf's grasp. Then Hrut made a blow with his sword in +his right hand at Thiostolf's leg, just above the knee, and cut +it almost off so that it hung by a little piece, and sprang in +upon him at the same time, and thrust him hard back. After that +he smote him on the head, and dealt him his death-blow. +Thiostolf fell down on his back at full length, and then out came +Hrut's men, and saw the tokens of the deed. Hrut made them take +Thiostolf away, and throw stones over his body, and then he went +to find Hauskuld, and told him of Glum's slaying, and also of +Thiostolf's. He thought it harm that Glum was dead and gone, but +thanked him for killing Thiostolf. A little while after, +Thorarin Ragi's brother hears of his brother Glum's death, then +he rides with eleven men behind him west to Hauskuldstede, and +Hauskuld welcomed him with both hands, and he is there the night. +Hauskuld sent at once for Hrut to come to him, and he went at +once, and next day they spoke much of the slaying of Glum, and +Thorarin said "Wilt thou make me any atonement for my brother, +for I have had a great loss?" + +Hauskuld answered, "I did not slay thy brother, nor did my +daughter plot his death; but as soon as ever Hrut knew it he slew +Thiostolf." + +Then Thorarin held his peace, and thought the matter had taken a +bad turn. But Hrut said, "Let us make his journey good; he has +indeed had a heavy loss, and if we do that we shall be well +spoken of. So let us give him gifts, and then he will be our +friend ever afterwards." + +So the end of it was, that those brothers gave him gifts, and he +rode back south. He and Hallgerda changed homesteads in the +spring, and she went south to Laugarness and he to Varmalek. And +now Thorarin is out of the story. + + + +18. FIDDLE MORD'S DEATH + +Now it must be told how Fiddle Mord took a sickness and breathed +his last; and that was thought great scathe. His daughter Unna +took all the goods he left behind him. She was then still +unmarried the second time. She was very layish, and unthrifty of +her property; so that her goods and ready money wasted away, and +at last she had scarce anything left but land and stock. + + + +19. GUNNAR COMES INTO THE STORY + +There was a man whose name was Gunnar. He was one of Unna's +kinsmen, and his mother's name was Rannveig (1). Gunnar's father +was named Hamond (2). Gunnar Hamond's son dwelt at Lithend, in +the Fleetlithe. He was a tall man in growth, and a strong man -- +best skilled in arms of all men. He could cut or thrust or shoot +if he chose as well with his left as with his right hand, and he +smote so swiftly with his sword, that three seemed to flash +through the air at once. He was the best shot with the bow of +all men, and never missed his mark. He could leap more than his +own height, with all his war-gear, and as far backwards as +forwards. He could swim like a seal, and there was no game in +which it was any good for any one to strive with him; and so it +has been said that no man was his match. He was handsome of +feature, and fair skinned. His nose was straight, and a little +turned up at the end. He was blue-eyed and bright-eyed, and +ruddy-cheeked. His hair thick, and of good hue, and hanging down +in comely curls. The most courteous of men was he, of sturdy +frame and strong will, bountiful and gentle, a fast friend, but +hard to please when making them. He was wealthy in goods. His +brother's name was Kolskegg; he was a tall strong man, a noble +fellow, and undaunted in everything. Another brother's name was +Hjort; he was then in his childhood. Orm Skogarnef was a base- +born brother of Gunnar's; he does not come into this story. +Arnguda was the name of Gunnar's sister. Hroar, the priest at +Tongue, had her to wife (3). + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) She was the daughter of Sigfuss, the son of Sighvat the Red; + he was slain at Sandhol Ferry. +(2) He was the son of Gunnar Baugsson, after whom Gunnar's holt + is called. Hamond's mother's name was Hrafnhilda. She was + the daughter of Storolf Heing's son. Storolf was brother to + Hrafn the Speaker of the Law, the son of Storolf was Orin + the Strong. +(3) He was the son of Uni the Unborn, Gardar's son who found + Iceland. Arnguda's son was Hamond the Halt, who dwelt at + Hamondstede. + + + +20. OF NJAL AND HIS CHILDREN + +There was a man whose name was Njal. He was the son of Thorgeir +Gelling, the son of Thorolf. Njal's mother's name was Asgerda +(1). Njal dwelt at Bergthorsknoll in the land-isles; he had +another homestead on Thorolfsfell. Njal was wealthy in goods, +and handsome of face; no beard grew on his chin. He was so great +a lawyer, that his match was not to be found. Wise too he was, +and foreknowing and foresighted (2). Of good counsel, and ready +to give it, and all that he advised men was sure to be the best +for them to do. Gentle and generous, he unravelled every man's +knotty points who came to see him about them. Bergthora was his +wife's name; she was Skarphedinn's daughter, a very high- +spirited, brave-hearted woman, but somewhat hard-tempered. They +had six children, three daughters and three sons, and they all +come afterwards into this story. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) She was the daughter of Lord Ar the Silent. She had come + out hither to Iceland from Norway, and taken land to the + west of Markfleet, between Auldastone and Selialandsmull. + Her son was Holt-Thorir, the father of Thorleif Crow, from + whom the Wood-dwellers are sprung, and of Thorgrim the Tall, + and Skorargeir. +(2) This means that Njal was one of those gifted beings who, + according to the firm belief of that age, had a more than + human insight into things about to happen. It answers very + nearly to the Scottish "second sight." + + + +21. UNNA GOES TO SEE GUNNAR + +Now it must be told how Unna had lost all her ready money. She +made her way to Lithend, and Gunnar greeted his kinswoman well. +She stayed there that night, and the next morning they sat out of +doors and talked. The end of their talk was, that she told him +how heavily she was pressed for money. + +"This is a bad business," he said. + +"What help wilt thou give me out of my distress?" she asked. + +He answered, "Take as much money as thou needest from what I have +out at interest." + +"Nay," she said, "I will not waste thy goods." + +"What then dost thou wish?" + +"I wish thee to get back my goods out of Hrut's hands," she +answered. + +"That, methinks, is not likely," said he, "when thy father could +not get them back, and yet he was a great lawyer, but I know +little about law." + +She answered, "Hrut pushed that matter through rather by boldness +than by law; besides, my father was old, and that was why men +thought it better not to drive things to the uttermost. And now +there is none of my kinsmen to take this suit up if thou hast not +daring enough." + +"I have courage enough," he replied, "to get these goods back; +but I do not know how to take the suit up." + +"Well!" she answered, "go and see Njal of Bergthorsknoll, he will +know how to give thee advice. Besides, he is a great friend of +thine." + +"'Tis like enough he will give me good advice, as he gives it to +every one else," says Gunnar. + +So the end of their talk was, that Gunnar undertook her cause, +and gave her the money she needed for her housekeeping, and after +that she went home. + +Now Gunnar rides to see Njal, and he made him welcome, and they +began to talk at once. + +Then Gunnar said, "I am come to seek a bit of good advice from +thee." + +Njal replied, "Many of my friends are worthy of this, but still I +think I would take more pains for none than for thee." + +Gunnar said, "I wish to let thee know that I have undertaken to +get Unna's goods back from Hrut." + +"A very hard suit to undertake," said Njal, "and one very +hazardous how it will go; but still I will get it up for thee in +the way I think likeliest to succeed, and the end will be good if +thou breakest none of the rules I lay down; if thou dost, thy +life is in danger." + +"Never fear; I will break none of them," said Gunnar. + +Then Njal held his peace for a little while, and after that he +spoke as follows: -- + + + +22. NJAL'S ADVICE + +"I have thought over the suit, and it will do so. Thou shalt ride +from home with two men at thy back. Over all thou shalt have a +great rough cloak, and under that, a russet kirtle of cheap +stuff, and under all, thy good clothes. Thou must take a small +axe in thy hand, and each of you must have two horses, one fat, +the other lean. Thou shalt carry hardware and smith's work with +thee hence, and ye must ride off early to-morrow morning, and +when ye are come across Whitewater westwards, mind and slouch thy +hat well over thy brows. Then men will ask who is this tall man, +and thy mates shall say, `Here is Huckster Hedinn the Big, a man +from Eyjafirth, who is going about with smith's work for sale.' +This Hedinn is ill-tempered and a chatterer -- a fellow who +thinks he alone knows everything. Very often he snatches back +his wares, and flies at men if everything is not done as he +wishes. So thou shalt ride west to Borgarfirth offering all +sorts of wares for sale, and be sure often to cry off thy +bargains, so that it will be noised abroad that Huckster Hedinn +is the worst of men to deal with, and that no lies have been told +of his bad behaviour. So thou shalt ride to Northwaterdale, and +to Hrutfirth, and Laxriverdale, till thou comest to +Hauskuldstede. There thou must stay a night, and sit in the +lowest place, and hang thy head down. Hauskuld will tell them +all not to meddle nor make with Huckster Hedinn, saying he is a +rude unfriendly fellow. Next morning thou must be off early and +go to the farm nearest Hrutstede. There thou must offer thy +goods for sale, praising up all that is worst, and tinkering up +the faults. The master of the house will pry about and find out +the faults. Thou must snatch the wares away from him, and speak +ill to him. He will say, 'twas not to be hoped that thou wouldst +behave well to him, when thou behavest ill to every one else. +Then thou shalt fly at him, though it is not thy wont, but mind +and spare thy strength, that thou mayest not be found out. Then +a man will be sent to Hrutstede to tell Hrut he had best come and +part you. He will come at once and ask thee to his house, and +thou must accept his offer. Thou shalt greet Hrut and he will +answer well. A place will be given thee on the lower bench over +against Hrut's high seat. He will ask if thou art from the +North, and thou shalt answer that thou art a man of Eyjafirth. +He will go on to ask if there are very many famous men there. +`Shabby fellows enough and to spare,' thou must answer. `Dost +thou know Reykiardale and the parts about?' he will ask. To +which thou must answer, `I know all Iceland by heart.' + +"`Are there any stout champions left in Reykiardale?' he will +ask. `Thieves and scoundrels,' thou shalt answer. Then Hrut +will smile and think it sport to listen. You two will go on to +talk of the men in the Eastfirth Quarter, and thou must always +find something to say against them. At last your talk will come +Rangrivervale, and then thou must say, there is small choice of +men left in those parts since Fiddle Mord died. At the same time +sing some stave to please Hrut, for I know thou art a skald. +Hrut will ask what makes thee say there is never a man to come in +Mord's place? and then thou must answer, that he was so wise a +man and so good a taker up of suits, that he never made a false +step in upholding his leadership. He will ask, `Dost thou know +how matters fared between me and him?' + +"`I know all about it,' thou must reply, `he took thy wife from +thee, and thou hadst not a word to say.' + +"Then Hrut will ask, `Dost thou not think it was some disgrace to +him when he could not get back his goods, though he set the suit +on foot?' + +"`I can answer thee that well enough,' thou must say. `Thou +challengedst him to single combat; but he was old, and so his +friends advised him not to fight with thee, and then they let the +suit fall to the ground.' + +"`True enough,' Hrut will say. `I said so, and that passed for +law among foolish men; but the suit might have been taken up +again at another Thing if he had the heart.' + +"`I know all that,' thou must say. + +"Then he will ask, `Dost thou know anything about law?' + +"`Up in the North I am thought to know something about it,' thou +shalt say. `But still I should like thee to tell me how this +suit should be taken up.' + +"`What suit dost thou mean?' he will ask. + +"`A suit,' thou must answer, `which does not concern me. I want +to know how a man must set to work who wishes to get back Unna's +dower.' + +"Then Hrut will say, `In this suit I must be summoned so that I +can hear the summons, or I must be summoned here in my lawful +house.' + +"`Recite the summons, then,' thou must say, 'and I will say it +after thee.' + +"Then Hrut will summon himself; and mind and pay great heed to +every word he says. After that Hrut will bid thee repeat the +summons, and thou must do so, and say it all wrong, so that no +more than every other word is right. + +"Then Hrut will smile and not mistrust thee, but say that scarce a +word is right. Thou must throw the blame on thy companions, and +say they put thee out, and then thou must ask him to say the +words first, word by word, and to let thee say the words after +him. He will give thee leave, and summon himself in the suit, +and thou shalt summon after him there and then, and this time say +every word right. When it is done, ask Hrut if that were rightly +summoned, and he will answer, `There is no flaw to be found in +it.' Then thou shalt say in a loud voice, so that thy companions +may hear, `I summon thee in the suit which Unna, Mord's daughter, +has made over to me with her plighted hand.' + +"But when men are sound asleep, you shall rise and take your +bridles and saddles, and tread softly, and go out of the house, +and put your saddles on your fat horses in the fields, and so +ride off on them, but leave the others behind you. You must ride +up into the hills away from the home pastures and stay there +three nights, for about so long will they seek you. After that +ride home south, riding always by night and resting by day. As +for us, we will then ride this summer to the Thing, and help thee +in thy suit." So Gunnar thanked Njal, and first of all rode +home. + + + +23. HUCKSTER HEDINN. + +Gunnar rode from home two nights afterwards, and two men with +him; they rode along until they got on Bluewoodheath and then men +on horseback met them and asked who that tall man might be of +whom so little was seen. But his companions said it was Huckster +Hedinn. Then the others said a worse was not to be looked for +behind, when such a man as he went before. Hedinn at once made +as though he would have set upon them, but yet each went their +way. So Gunnar went on doing everything as Njal had laid it down +for him, and when he came to Hauskuldstede he stayed there the +night, and thence he went down the dale till he came to the next +farm to Hrutstede. There he offered his wares for sale, and +Hedinn fell at once upon the farmer. This was told to Hrut, and +he sent for Hedinn, and Hedinn went at once to see Hrut, and had +a good welcome. Hrut seated him over against himself, and their +talk went pretty much as Njal had guessed; but when they came to +talk of Rangrivervale, and Hrut asked about the men there, Gunnar +sung this stave -- + + "Men in sooth are slow to find -- + So the people speak by stealth, + Often this hath reached my ears -- + All through Rangar's rolling vales. + Still I trow that Fiddle Mord, + Tried his hand in fight of yore; + Sure was never gold-bestower, + Such a man for might and wit." + +Then Hrut said, "Thou art a skald, Hedinn. But hast thou never +heard how things went between me and Mord?" Then Hedinn sung +another stave -- + + "Once I ween I heard the rumour, + How the Lord of rings (1) bereft thee; + From thine arms earth's offspring (2) tearing, + Trickfull he and trustful thou. + Then the men, the buckler-bearers, + Begged the mighty gold-begetter, + Sharp sword oft of old he reddened, + Not to stand in strife with thee." + +So they went on, till Hrut, in answer told him how the suit must +be taken up, and recited the summons. Hedinn repeated it all +wrong, and Hrut burst out laughing, and had no mistrust. Then he +said, Hrut must summon once more, and Hrut did so. Then Hedinn +repeated the summons a second time, and this time right, and +called his companions to witness how he summoned Hrut in a suit +which Unna, Mord's daughter, had made over to him with her +plighted hand. At night he went to sleep like other men, but as +soon as ever Hrut was sound asleep, they took their clothes and +arms, and went out and came to their horses, and rode off across +the river, and so up along the bank by Hiardarholt till the dale +broke off among the hills, and so there they are upon the fells +between Laxriverdale and Hawkdale, having got to a spot where no +one could find them unless he had fallen on them by chance. + +Hauskuld wakes up that night at Hauskuldstede, and roused all his +household. "I will tell you my dream," he said. "I thought I +saw a great bear go out of this house, and I knew at once this +beast's match was not to be found; two cubs followed him, wishing +well to the bear, and they all made for Hrutstede and went into +the house there. After that I woke. Now I wish to ask if any of +you saw aught about yon tall man." + +Then one man answered him, "I saw how a golden fringe and a bit +of scarlet cloth peeped out at his arm, and on his right arm he +had a ring of gold." + +Hauskuld said, "This beast is no man's fetch, but Gunnar's of +Lithend, and now methinks I see all about it. Up! let us ride +to Hrutstede," And they did so. Hrut lay in his locked bed, and +asks who have come there? Hauskuld tells who he is, and asked +what guests might be there in the house? + +"Only Huckster Hedinn is here," says Hrut. + +"A broader man across the back, it will be, I fear," says +Hauskuld, "I guess here must have been Gunnar of Lithend." + +"Then there has been a pretty trial of cunning," says Hrut. + +"What has happened?" says Hauskuld. + +"I told him how to take up Unna's suit, and I summoned myself and +he summoned after, and now he can use this first step in the +suit, and it is right in law." + +"There has, indeed, been a great falling off of wit on one side," +said Hauskuld, "and Gunnar cannot have planned it all by himself; +Njal must be at the bottom of this plot, for there is not his +match for wit in all the land." + +Now they look for Hedinn, but he is already off and away; after +that they gathered folk, and looked for them three days, but +could not find them. Gunnar rode south from the fell to Hawkdale +and so east of Skard, and north to Holtbeaconheath, and so on +until he got home. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Lord of rings," a periphrasis for a chief, that is, Mord. +(2) "Earth's offspring," a periphrasis for woman, that is, Unna. + + + +24. GUNNAR AND HRUT STRIVE AT THE THING. + +Gunnar rode to the Althing, and Hrut and Hauskuld rode thither +too with a very great company. Gunnar pursues his suit, and +began by calling on his neighbours to bear witness, but Hrut and +his brother had it in their minds to make an onslaught on him, +but they mistrusted their strength. + +Gunnar next went to the court of the men of Broadfirth, and bade +Hrut listen to his oath and declaration of the cause of the suit, +and to all the proofs which he was about to bring forward. After +that he took his oath, and declared his case. After that he +brought forward his witnesses of the summons, along with his +witnesses that the suit had been handed over to him. All this +time Njal was not at the court. Now Gunnar pursued his suit till +he called on the defendant to reply. Then Hrut took witness, and +said the suit was naught, and that there was a flaw in the +pleading; he declared that it had broken down because Gunnar had +failed to call those three witnesses which ought to have been +brought before the court. The first, that which was taken before +the marriage-bed, the second, before the man's door, the third, +at the Hill of Laws. By this time Njal was come to the court and +said the suit and pleading might still be kept alive if they +chose to strive in that way. + +"No," says Gunnar, "I will not have that; I will do the same to +Hrut as he did to Mord my kinsman; or, are those brothers Hrut +and Hauskuld so near that they may hear my voice." + +"Hear it we can," says Hrut. "What dost thou wish?" + +Gunnar said, "Now all men here present be ear-witnesses, that I +challenge thee Hrut to single combat, and we shall fight to-day +on the holm, which is here in Oxwater. But if thou wilt not +fight with me, then pay up all the money this very day." + +After that Gunnar sung a stave -- + + "Yes, so must it be, this morning -- + Now my mind is full of fire -- + Hrut with me on yonder island + Raises roar of helm and shield. + All that bear my words bear witness, + Warriors grasping Woden's guard, + Unless the wealthy wight down payeth + Dower of wife with flowing veil." + +After that Gunnar went away from the court with all his +followers. Hrut and Hauskuld went home too, and the suit was +never pursued nor defended from that day forth. Hrut said, as +soon as he got inside the booth, "This has never happened to me +before, that any man has offered me combat and I have shunned +it." + +"Then thou must mean to fight," says Hauskuld, "but that shall +not be if I have my way; for thou comest no nearer to Gunnar than +Mord would have come to thee, and we had better both of us pay up +the money to Gunnar." + +After that the brothers asked the householders of their own +country what they would lay down, and they one and all said they +would lay down as much as Hrut wished. + +"Let us go then," says Hauskuld, "to Gunnar's booth, and pay down +the money out of hand." That was told to Gunnar, and he went out +into the doorway of the booth, and Hauskuld said, "Now it is +thine to take the money." + +Gunnar said, "Pay it down, then, for I am ready to take it." + +So they paid down the money truly out of hand, and then Hauskuld +said, "Enjoy it now, as thou hast gotten it." Then Gunnar sang +another stave: -- + + "Men who wield the blade of battle + Hoarded wealth may well enjoy, + Guileless gotten this at least, + Golden meed I fearless take; + But if we for woman's quarrel, + Warriors born to brandish sword, + Glut the wolf with manly gore, + Worse the lot of both would be." + +Hrut answered, "Ill will be thy meed for this." + +"Be that as it may," says Gunnar. + +Then Hauskuld and his brother went home to their booth, and he +had much upon his mind, and said to Hrut, "Will this unfairness +of Gunnar's never be avenged?" + +"Not so," says Hrut; "'twill be avenged on him sure enough, but +we shall have no share nor profit in that vengeance. And after +all it is most likely that he will turn to our stock to seek for +friends." + +After that they left off speaking of the matter. Gunnar showed +Njal the money, and he said, "The suit has gone off well." + +"Ay," says Gunnar, "but it was all thy doing." + +Now men rode home from the Thing, and Gunnar got very great +honour from the suit. Gunnar handed over all the money to Unna, +and would have none of it, but said he thought he ought to look +more for help from her and her kin hereafter than from other men. +She said, so it should be. + + + +25. UNNA'S SECOND WEDDING + +There was a man named Valgard, he kept house at Hof by Rangriver, +he was the son of Jorund the Priest, and his brother was Wolf +Aurpriest (1). Those brothers, Wolf Aurpriest, and Valgard the +Guileful, set off to woo Unna, and she gave herself away to +Valgard without the advice of any of her kinsfolk. But Gunnar +and Njal, and many others thought ill of that, for he was a +cross-grained man and had few friends. They begot between them a +son, whose name was Mord, and he is long in this story. When he +was grown to man's estate, he worked ill to his kinsfolk but +worst of all to Gunnar. He was a crafty man in his temper, but +spiteful in his counsels. + +Now we will name Njal's sons. Skarphedinn was the eldest of +them. He was a tall man in growth, and strong withal; a good +swordsman; he could swim like a seal, the swiftest-looted of men, +and bold and dauntless; he had a great flow of words and quick +utterance; a good skald too; but still for the most part he kept +himself well in hand; his hair was dark brown, with crisp curly +locks; he had good eyes; his features were sharp, and his face +ashen pale, his nose turned up and his front teeth stuck out, and +his mouth was very ugly. Still he was the most soldierlike of +men. + +Grim was the name of Njal's second son. He was fair of face and +wore his hair long. His hair was dark, and he was comelier to +look on than Skarphedinn. A tall strong man. + +Helgi was the name of Njal's third son. He too was fair of face +and had fine hair. He was a strong man and well-skilled in arms. +He was a man of sense and knew well how to behave. They were all +unwedded at that time, Njal's sons. + +Hauskuld was the fourth of Njal's sons. He was baseborn. His +mother was Rodny, and she was Hauskuld's daughter, the sister of +Ingialld of the Springs. + +Njal asked Skarphedinn one day if he would take to himself a +wife. He bade his father settle the matter. Then Njal asked for +his hand Thorhilda, the daughter of Ranvir of Thorolfsfell, and +that was why they had another homestead there after that. +Skarphedinn got Thorhilda, but he stayed still with his father to +the end. Grim wooed Astrid of Deepback; she was a widow and very +wealthy. Grim got her to wife, and yet lived on with Njal. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) The son of Ranveig the Silly, the son of Valgard, the son of + Aefar, the son of Vemund Wordstopper, the son of Thorolf + Hooknose, the son of Thrand the Old, the son of Harold + Hilditann, the son of Hraereck Ringscatterer. The mother of + Harold Hilditann, was Aud the daughter of Ivar Widefathom, + the son of Halfdan the Clever. The brother of Valgard the + Guileful was Wolf Aurpriest -- from whom the Pointdwellers + sprung -- Wolf Aurpriest was the father of Swart, the father + of Lodmund, the father of Sigfus, the father of Saemund the + Wise. But from Valgard is sprung Kolbein the Young. + + + +26. OF ASGRIM AND HIS CHILDREN + +There was a man named Asgrim (1). He was Ellidagrim's son. The +brother of Asgrim Ellidagrim's son was Sigfus (2). Gauk +Trandil's son was Asgrim's foster-brother, who is said to have +been the fairest man of his day, and best skilled in all things; +but matters went ill with them, for Asgrim slew Gauk. + +Asgrim had two sons, and each of them was named Thorhall. They +were both hopeful men. Grim was the name of another of Asgrim's +sons, and Thorhalla was his daughter's name. She was the fairest +of women, and well behaved. + +Njal came to talk with his son Helgi, and said, "I have thought +of a match for thee, if thou wilt follow my advice." + +"That I will surely," says he, "for I know that thou both meanest +me well, and canst do well for me; but whither hast thou turned +thine eyes." + +"We will go and woo Asgrim Ellidagrim's son's daughter, for that +is the best choice we can make." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Ellidagrim was Asgrim's son, Aundot the Crow's son. His + mother's name was Jorunn, and she was the daughter of Teit, + the son of Kettlebjorn the Old of Mossfell. The mother of + Teit was Helga, daughter of Thord Skeggi's son, Hrapp's son, + Bjorn's son the Roughfooted, Grim's son, the Lord of Sogn in + Norway. The mother of Jorunn was Olof Harvest-heal, + daughter of Bodvar, Viking-Kari's son. +(2) His daughter was Thorgerda, mother of Sigfus, the father of + Saemund the Learned. + + + +27. HELGI NJAL'S SON'S WOOING + +A little after they rode out across Thurso water, and fared till +they came into Tongue. Asgrim was at home, and gave them a +hearty welcome; and they were there that night. Next morning +they began to talk, and then Njal raised the question of the +wooing, and asked for Thorhalla for his son Helgi's hand. Asgrim +answered that well, and said there were no men with whom he would +be more willing to make this bargain than with them. They fell +a-talking then about terms, and the end of it was that Asgrim +betrothed his daughter to Helgi, and the bridal day was named. +Gunnar was at that feast, and many other of the bestmen. After +the feast Njal offered to foster in his house Thorhall, Asgrim's +son, and he was with Njal long after. He loved Njal more than +his own father. Njal taught him law, so that he became the +greatest lawyer in Iceland in those days. + + + +28. HALLVARD COMES OUT TO ICELAND + +There came a ship out from Norway, and ran into Arnbael's Oyce +(1), and the master of the ship was Hallvard the White, a man +from the Bay (2). He went to stay at Lithend, and was with +Gunnar that winter, and was always asking him to fare abroad with +him. Gunnar spoke little about it, but yet said more unlikely +things might happen; and about spring he went over to +Bergthorsknoll to find out from Njal whether he thought it a wise +step in him to go abroad. + +"I think it is wise," says Njal; "they will think thee there an +honourable man, as thou art." + +"Wilt thou perhaps take my goods into thy keeping while I am +away, for I wish my brother Kolskegg to fare with me; but I would +that thou shouldst see after my household along with my mother." + +"I will not throw anything in the way of that," says Njal; "lean +on me in this thing as much as thou likest." + +"Good go with thee for thy words," says Gunnar, and he rides +then home. + +The Easterling (3) fell again to talk with Gunnar that he should +fare abroad. Gunnar asked if he had ever sailed to other lands? +He said he had sailed to every one of them that lay between +Norway and Russia, and so, too, I have sailed to Biarmaland (4). + +"Wilt thou sail with me eastward ho?" says Gunnar. + +"That I will of a surety," says he. + +Then Gunnar made up his mind to sail abroad with him. Njal took +all Gunnar's goods into his keeping. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Oyce," a north country word for the mouth of a river, from + the Icelandic. +(2) "The Bay" (comp. ch. ii., and other passages), the name + given to the great bay in the east of Norway, the entrance + of which from the North Sea is the Cattegat, and at the end + of which is the Christiania Firth. The name also applies to + the land round the Bay, which thus formed a district, the + boundary of which, on the one side, was the promontory + called Lindesnaes, or the Naze, and on the other, the + Gota-Elf, the river on which the Swedish town of Gottenburg + stands, and off the mouth of which lies the island of + Hisingen, mentioned shortly after. +(3) Easterling, i.e., the Norseman Hallvard. +(4) Permia, the country one comes to after doubling the North + Cape. + + + +29. GUNNAR GOES ABROAD + +So Gunnar fared abroad, and Kolskegg with him. They sailed first +to Tonsberg (1), and were there that winter. There had then been +a shift of rulers in Norway. Harold Grayfell was then dead, and +so was Gunnhillda. Earl Hacon the Bad, Sigurd's son, Hacon's +son, Gritgarth's son, then ruled the realm. The mother of Hacon +was Bergliot, the daughter of Earl Thorir. Her mother was Olof +Harvest-heal. She was Harold Fair-hair's daughter. + +Hallvard asks Gunnar if he would make up his mind to go to Earl +Hacon? + +"No; I will not do that," says Gunnar. "Hast thou ever a long- +ship?" + +"I have two," he says. + +"Then I would that we two went on warfare; and let us get men to +go with us." + +"I will do that," says Hallvard. + +After that they went to the Bay, and took with them two ships, +and fitted them out thence. They had good choice of men, for +much praise was said of Gunnar. + +"Whither wilt thou first fare?" says Gunnar. + +"I wish to go south-east to Hisingen, to see my kinsman Oliver," +says Hallvard. + +"What dost thou want of him?" says Gunnar. + +He answered, "He is a fine brave fellow, and he will be sure to +get us some more strength for our voyage." + +"Then let us go thither," says Gunnar. + +So, as soon as they were "boun," they held on east to Hisingen, +and had there a hearty welcome. Gunnar had only been there a +short time ere Oliver made much of him. Oliver asks about his +voyage, and Hallvard says that Gunnar wishes to go a-warfaring to +gather goods for himself. + +"There's no use thinking of that," says Oliver, "when ye have no +force." + +"Well," says Hallvard, "then you may add to it." + +"So I do mean to strengthen Gunnar somewhat," says Oliver; "and +though thou reckonest thyself my kith and kin, I think there is +more good in him." + +"What force, now, wilt thou add to ours?" he asks. + +"Two long-ships, one with twenty, and the other with thirty seats +for rowers." + +"Who shall man them?" asks Hallvard. + +"I will man one of them with my own house-carles, and the freemen +around shall man the other. But still I have found out that +strife has come into the river, and I know not whether ye two +will be able to get away; for they are in the river." + +"Who?" says Hallvard. + +"Brothers twain," says Oliver; "one's name is Vandil, and the +other's Karli, sons of Sjolf the Old, east away out of Gothland." + +Hallvard told Gunnar that Oliver had added some ships to theirs, +and Gunnar was glad at that. They busked them for their voyage +thence, till they were "allboun." Then Gunnar and Hallvard went +before Oliver, and thanked him; he bade them fare warily for the +sake of those brothers. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) A town at the mouth of the Christiania Firth. It was a + great place for traffic in early times, and was long the + only mart in the south-east of Norway. + + + +30. GUNNAR GOES A-SEA-ROVING + +So Gunnar held on out of the river, and he and Kolskegg were both +on board one ship. But Hallvard was on board another. Now, they +see the ships before them, and then Gunnar spoke, and said, "Let +us be ready for anything if they turn towards us! but else let +us have nothing to do with them." + +So they did that, and made all ready on board their ships. The +others parted their ships asunder, and made a fareway between the +ships. Gunnar fared straight on between the ships, but Vandil +caught up a grappling-iron, and cast it between their ships and +Gunnar's ship, and began at once to drag it towards him. + +Oliver had given Gunnar a good sword; Gunnar now drew it, and had +not yet put on his helm. He leapt at once on the forecastle of +Vandil's ship, and gave one man his death-blow. Karli ran his +ship alongside the other side of Gunnar's ship, and hurled a +spear athwart the deck, and aimed at him about the waist. Gunnar +sees this, and turned him about so quickly that no eye could +follow him, and caught the spear with his left hand, and hurled +it back at Karli's ship, and that man got his death who stood +before it. Kolskegg snatched up a grapnel and cast it at Karli's +ship, and the fluke fell inside the hold, and went out through +one of the planks and in rushed the coal-blue sea, and all the +men sprang on board other ships. + +Now Gunnar leapt back to his own ship, and then Hallvard came up, +and now a great battle arose. They saw now that their leader was +unflinching, and every man did as well as he could. Sometimes +Gunnar smote with the sword, and sometimes he hurled the spear, +and many a man had his bane at his hand. Kolskegg backed him +well. As for Karli, he hastened in a ship to his brother Vandil, +and thence they fought that day. During the day Kolskegg took a +rest on Gunnar's ship, and Gunnar sees that. Then he sung a +song -- + + "For the eagle ravine-eager, + Raven of my race, to-day + Better surely hast thou catered, + Lord of gold, than for thyself; + Here the morn come greedy ravens + Many any a rill of wolf (1) to sup, + But thee burning thirst down-beareth, + Prince of battle's Parliament!" + +After that Kolskegg took a beaker full of mead, and drank it off, +and went on fighting afterwards; and so it came about that those +brothers sprang up on the ship of Vandil and his brother, and +Kolskegg went on one side, and Gunnar on the other. Against +Gunnar came Vandil, and smote at once at him with his sword, and +the blow fell on his shield. Gunnar gave the shield a twist as +the sword pierced it, and broke it short off at the hilt. Then +Gunnar smote back at Vandil, and three swords seemed to be aloft, +and Vandil could not see how to shun the blow. Then Gunnar cut +both his legs from under him, and at the same time Kolskegg ran +Karli through with a spear. After that they took great war +spoil. + +Thence they held on south to Denmark, and thence east to Smoland, +(2) and had victory wherever they went. They did not come back +in autumn. The next summer they held on to Reval, and fell in +there with sea-rovers, and fought at once, and won the fight. +After that they steered east to Osel,(3) and lay there somewhile +under a ness. There they saw a man coming down from the ness +above them; Gunnar went on shore to meet the man, and they had a +talk. Gunnar asked him his name, and he said it was Tofi. +Gunnar asked again what he wanted. + +"Thee I want to see," says the man. "Two warships lie on the +other side under the ness, and I will tell thee who command them: +two brothers are the captains -- one's name is Hallgrim, and the +other's Kolskegg. I know them to be mighty men of war; and I +know too that they have such good weapons that the like are not +to be had. Hallgrim has a bill which he had made by seething- +spells; and this is what the spells say, that no weapon shall +give him his death-blow save that bill. That thing follows +it too that it is known at once when a man is to be slain with +that bill, for something sings in it so loudly that it may be +heard along way off -- such a strong nature has that bill in it." + +Then Gunnar sang a song -- + + "Soon shall I that spearhead seize, + And the bold sea-rover slay, + Him whose blows on headpiece ring, + Heaper up of piles of dead. + Then on Endil's courser (4) bounding, + O'er the sea-depths I will ride, + While the wretch who spells abuseth, + Life shall lose in Sigar's storm." (5) + +"Kolskegg has a short sword; that is also the best of weapons. +Force, too, they have -- a third more than ye. They have also +much goods, and have stowed them away on land, and I know clearly +where they are. But they have sent a spy-ship off the ness, and +they know all about you. Now they are getting themselves ready +as fast as they can; and as soon as they are `boun,' they mean +to run out against you. Now you have either to row away at once, +or to busk yourselves as quickly as ye can; but if ye win the day +then I will lead you to all their store of goods." + +Gunnar gave him a golden finger-ring, and went afterwards to his +men and told them that war-ships lay on the other side of the +ness, "and they know all about us; so let us take to our arms and +busk us well, for now there is gain to be got." + +Then they busked them; and just when they were `boun' they see +ships coming up to them. And now a fight sprung up between them, +and they fought long, and many men fell. Gunnar slew many a man. +Hallgrim and his men leapt on board Gunnar's ship. Gunnar turns +to meet him, and Hallgrim thrust at him with his bill. There was +a boom athwart the ship, and Gunnar leapt nimbly back over it. +Gunnar's shield was just before the boom, and Hallgrim thrust his +bill into it, and through it, and so on into the boom. Gunnar +cut at Hallgrim's arm hard, and lamed the forearm, but the sword +would not bite. Then down fell the bill, and Gunnar seized the +bill, and thrust Hallgrim through, and then sang a song -- + + "Slain is he who spoiled the people, + Lashing them with flashing steel; + Heard have I how Hallgrim's magic + Helm-rod forged in foreign land; + All men know, of heart-strings doughty, + How this bill hath come to me, + Deft in fight, the wolf's dear feeder, + Death alone us two shall part." + +And that vow Gunnar kept, in that he bore the bill while he +lived. Those namesakes the two Kolskeggs fought together, and +it was a near thing which would get the better of it. Then +Gunnar came up, and gave the other Kolskegg his death-blow. +After that the sea-rovers begged for mercy. Gunnar let them have +that choice, and he let them also count the slain, and take the +goods which the dead men owned, but he gave the others whom he +spared their arms and their clothing, and bade them be off to the +lands that fostered them. So they went off, and Gunnar took all +the goods that were left behind. + +Tofi came to Gunner after the battle, and offered to lead him to +that store of goods which the sea-rovers had stowed away, and +said that it was both better and larger than that which they had +already got. + +Gunnar said he was willing to go, and so he went ashore, and Tofi +before him, to a wood, and Gunnar behind him. They came to a +place where a great heap of wood was piled together. Tofi says +the goods were under there, then they tossed off the wood, and +found under it both gold and silver, clothes, and good weapons. +They bore those goods to the ships, and Gunnar asks Tofi in what +way he wished him to repay him. + +Tofi answered, "I am a Dansk man by race, and I wish thou wouldst +bring me to my kinsfolk." + +Gunnar asks why he was there away east? + +"I was taken by sea-rovers," says Tofi, "and they put me on land +here in Osel, and here I have been ever since." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Rill of wolf -- stream of blood. +(2) A province of Sweden. +(3) An island in the Baltic, off the coast of Esthonia. +(4) "Endil's courser" -- periphrasis for a ship. +(5) "Sigar's storm" -- periphrasis for a sea-fight. + + + +31. GUNNAR GOES TO KING HAROLD GORM'S SON AND EARL HACON + +Gunnar took Tofi on board, and said to Kolskegg and Hallvard, +"Now we will hold our course for the north lands." + +They were well pleased at that, and bade him have his way. So +Gunnar sailed from the east with much goods. He had ten ships, +and ran in with them to Heidarby in Denmark. King Harold Gorm's +son was there up the country, and he was told about Gunnar, and +how too that there was no man his match in all Iceland. He sent +men to him to ask him to come to him, and Gunnar went at once to +see the king, and the king made him a hearty welcome, and sat him +down next to himself. Gunnar was there half a month. The king +made himself sport by letting Gunnar prove himself in divers +feats of strength against his men, and there were none that were +his match even in one feat. + +Then the king said to Gunnar, "It seems to me as though thy peer +is not to be found far or near," and the king offered to get +Gunnar a wife, and to raise him to great power if he would settle +down there. + +Gunnar thanked the king for his offer and said, "I will first of +all sail back to Iceland to see my friends and kinsfolk." + +"Then thou wilt never come back to us," says the king. + +"Fate will settle that, lord," says Gunnar. + +Gunnar gave the king a good long-ship, and much goods besides, +and the king gave him a robe of honour, and golden-seamed gloves, +and a fillet with a knot of gold on it, and a Russian hat. + +Then Gunnar fared north to Hisingen. Oliver welcomed him with +both hands, and he gave back to Oliver his ships, with their +lading, and said that was his share of the spoil. Oliver took +the goods, and said Gunnar was a good man and true, and bade him +stay with him some while. Hallvard asked Gunnar if he had a mind +to go to see Earl Hacon. Gunnar said that was near his heart, +"for now I am somewhat proved, but then I was not tried at all +when thou badest me do this before." + +After that they fared north to Drontheim to see Earl Hacon, and +he gave Gunnar a hearty welcome, and bade him stay with him that +winter, and Gunnar took that offer, and every man thought him a +man of great worth. At Yule the Earl gave him a gold ring. + +Gunnar set his heart on Bergliota, the Earl's kinswoman, and it +was often to be seen from the Earl's way, that he would have +given her to him to wife if Gunnar had said anything about that. + + + +32. GUNNAR COMES OUT TO ICELAND + +When the spring came, the Earl asks Gunnar what course he meant +to take. He said he would go to Iceland. The Earl said that had +been a bad year for grain, "and there will be little sailing out +to Iceland, but still thou shalt have meal and timber both in thy +ship." + +Gunnar fitted out his ship as early as he could, and Hallvard +fared out with him and Kolskegg. They came out early in the +summer, and made Arnbael's Oyce before the Thing met. + +Gunnar rode home from the ship, but got men to strip her and lay +her up. But when they came home all men were glad to see them. +They were blithe and merry to their household, nor had their +haughtiness grown while they were away. + +Gunnar asks if Njal were at home; and he was told that he was at +home; then he let them saddle his horse, and those brothers rode +over to Bergthorsknoll. + +Njal was glad at their coming, and begged them to stay there that +night, and Gunnar told him of his voyages. + +Njal said he was a man of the greatest mark, "and thou hast been +much proved; but still thou wilt be more tried hereafter; for +many will envy thee." + +"With all men I would wish to stand well," says Gunnar. + +"Much bad will happen," said Njal, "and thou wilt always have +some quarrel to ward off." + +"So be it, then," says Gunnar, "so that I have a good ground on +my side." + +"So will it be too," says Njal, "if thou hast not to smart for +others." + +Njal asked Gunnar if he would ride to the Thing. Gunnar said he +was going to ride thither, and asks Njal whether he were going to +ride; but he said he would not ride thither, "and if I had my +will thou wouldst do the like." + +Gunnar rode home, and gave Njal good gifts, and thanked him for +the care he had taken of his goods. Kolskegg urged him on much +to ride to the Thing, saying, "There thy honour will grow, for +many will flock to see thee there." + +"That has been little to my mind," says Gunnar, "to make a show +of myself; but I think it good and right to meet good and worthy +men." + +Hallvard by this time was also come thither, and offered to ride +to the Thing with them. + + + +33. GUNNAR'S WOOING + +So Gunnar rode, and they all rode. But when they came to the +Thing they were so well arrayed that none could match them in +bravery; and men came out of every booth to wonder at them. +Gunnar rode to the booths of the men of Rangriver, and was there +with his kinsmen. Many men came to see Gunnar, and ask tidings +of him; and he was easy and merry to all men, and told them all +they wished to hear. + +It happened one day that Gunnar went away from the Hill of Laws, +and passed by the booths of the men from Mossfell; then he saw a +woman coming to meet him, and she was in goodly attire; but when +they met she spoke to Gunnar at once. He took her greeting well, +and asks what woman she might be. She told him her name was +Hallgerda, and said she was Hauskuld's daughter, Dalakoll's son. +She spoke up boldly to him, and bade him tell her of his voyages; +but he said he would not gainsay her a talk. Then they sat them +down and talked. She was so clad that she had on a red kirtle, +and had thrown over her a scarlet cloak trimmed with needlework +down to the waist. Her hair came down to her bosom, and was both +fair and full. Gunnar was clad in the scarlet clothes which King +Harold Gorm's son had given him; he had also the gold ring on his +arm which Earl Hacon had given him. + +So they talked long out loud, and at last it came about that he +asked whether she were unmarried. She said, so it was, "and +there are not many who would run the risk of that." + +"Thinkest thou none good enough for thee?" + +"Not that," she says, "but I am said to be hard to please in +husbands." + +"How wouldst thou answer, were I to ask for thee?" + +"That cannot be in thy mind," she says. + +"It is though," says he. + +"If thou hast any mind that way, go and see my father." + +After that they broke off their talk. + +Gunnar went straightway to the Dalesmen's booths, and met a man +outside the doorway, and asks whether Hauskuld were inside the +booth? + +The man says that he was. Then Gunnar went in, and Hauskuld and +Hrut made him welcome. He sat down between them, and no one +could find out from their talk that there had ever been any +misunderstanding between them. At last Gunnar's speech turned +thither; how these brothers would answer if he asked for +Hallgerda? + +"Well," says Hauskuld, "if that is indeed thy mind." + +Gunnar says that he is in earnest, "but we so parted last time, +that many would think it unlikely that we should ever be bound +together." + +"How thinkest thou, kinsman Hrut?" says Hauskuld. + +Hrut answered, "Methinks this is no even match." + +"How dost thou make that out?" says Gunnar. + +Hrut spoke, "In this wise will I answer thee about this matter, +as is the very truth. Thou art a brisk brave man well to do, and +unblemished; but she is much mixed up with ill report, and I will +not cheat thee in anything." + +"Good go with thee for thy words," says Gunnar, "but still I +shall hold that for true, that the old feud weighs with ye, if ye +will not let me make this match." + +"Not so," says Hrut, "'t is more because I see that thou art +unable to help thyself; but though we make no bargain, we would +still be thy friends." + +"I have talked to her about it," says Gunnar, "and it is not far +from her mind." + +Hrut says, "I know that you have both set your hearts on this +match; and, besides, ye two are those who run the most risk as to +how it turns out." + +Hrut told Gunnar unasked all about Hallgerda's temper, and Gunnar +at first thought that there was more than enough that was +wanting; but at last it came about that they struck a bargain. + +Then Hallgerda was sent for, and they talked over the business +when she was by, and now, as before, they made her betroth +herself. The bridal feast was to be at Lithend, and at first +they were to set about it secretly; but the end after all was +that every one knew of it. + +Gunnar rode home from the Thing, and came to Bergthorsknoll, and +told Njal of the bargain he had made. He took it heavily. + +Gunnar asks Njal why he thought this so unwise? + +"Because from her," says Njal, "will arise all kind of ill if +she comes hither east." + +"Never shall she spoil our friendship," says Gunnar. + +"Ah! but yet that may come very near," says Njal; "and, besides, +thou wilt have always to make atonement for her." + +Gunnar asked Njal to the wedding, and all those as well whom he +wished should be at it from Njal's house. + +Njal promised to go; and after that Gunnar rode home, and then +rode about the district to bid men to his wedding. + + + +34. OF THRAIN SIGFUS' SON + +There was a man named Thrain, he was the son of Sigfus, the son +of Sighvat the Red. He kept house at Gritwater on Fleetlithe. +He was Gunnar's kinsman, and a man of great mark. He had to wife +Thorhillda Skaldwife; she had a sharp tongue of her own, and was +given to jeering. Thrain loved her little. He and his wife were +bidden to the wedding, and she and Bergthora, Skarphedinn's +daughter, Njal's wife, waited on the guests with meat and drink. + +Kettle was the name of the second son of Sigfus; he kept house in +the Mark, east of Markfleet. He had to wife Thorgerda, Njal's +daughter. Thorkell was the name of the third son of Sigfus; the +fourth's name was Mord; the fifth's Lambi; the sixth's Sigmund; +the seventh's Sigurd. These were all Gunnar's kinsmen, and great +champions. Gunnar bade them all to the wedding. + +Gunnar had also bidden Valgard the Guileful, and Wolf Aurpriest, +and their sons Runolf and Mord. + +Hauskuld and Hrut came to the wedding with a very great company, +and the sons of Hauskuld, Thorleik, and Olof, were there; the +bride, too, came along with them, and her daughter Thorgerda came +also, and she was one of the fairest of women; she was then +fourteen winters old. Many other women were with her, and +besides there were Thorkatla Asgrim Ellidagrim's son's daughter, +and Njal's two daughters, Thorgerda and Helga. + +Gunnar had already many guests to meet them, and he thus arranged +his men. He sat on the middle of the bench, and on the inside, +away from him, Thrain Sigfus' son, then Wolf Aurpriest, then +Valgard the Guileful, then Mord and Runolf, then the other sons +of Sigfus, Lambi sat outermost of them. + +Next to Gunnar on the outside, away from him, sat Njal, then +Skarphedinn, then Helgi, then Grim, then Hauskuld Njal's son, +then Hafr the Wise, then Ingialld from the Springs, then the sons +of Thorir from Holt away east. Thorir would sit outermost of the +men of mark, for every one was pleased with the seat he got. + +Hauskuld, the bride's father, sat on the middle of the bench over +against Gunnar, but his sons sat on the inside away from him; +Hrut sat on the outside away from Hauskuld, but it is not said +how the others were placed. The bride sat in the middle of the +cross bench on the dais; but on one hand of her sat her daughter +Thorgerda, and on the other Thorkatla Asgrim Ellidagrim's son's +daughter. + +Thorhillda went about waiting on the guests, and Bergthora bore +the meat on the board. + +Now Thrain Sigfus' son kept staring at Thorgerda Glum's daughter; +his wife Thorhillda saw this, and she got wroth, and made a +couplet upon him. + +"Thrain," she says, + + "Gaping mouths are no wise good, + Goggle eyne are in thy head." + +He rose at once up from the board, and said he would put +Thorhillda away. "I will not bear her jibes and jeers any +longer;" and he was so quarrelsome about this, that he would not +be at the feast unless she were driven away. And so it was, that +she went away; and now each man sat in his place, and they drank +and were glad. + +Then Thrain began to speak, "I will not whisper about that which +is in my mind. This I will ask thee, Hauskuld Dalakoll's son, +wilt thou give me to wife Thorgerda, thy kinswoman?" + +"I do not know that," says Hauskuld; "methinks thou art ill +parted from the one thou hadst before. But what kind of man is +he, Gunnar?" + +Gunnar answers, "I will not say aught about the man, because he +is near of kin; but say thou about him, Njal," says Gunnar, "for +all men will believe it." + +Njal spoke, and said, "That is to be said of this man, that the +man is well to do for wealth, and a proper man in all things. A +man, too, of the greatest mark; so that ye may well make this +match with him." + +Then Hauskuld spoke, "What thinkest thou we ought to do, kinsman +Hrut?" + +"Thou mayst make the match, because it is an even one for her," +says Hrut. + +Then they talk about the terms of the bargain, and are soon of +one mind on all points. + +Then Gunnar stands up, and Thrain too, and they go to the cross +bench. Gunnar asked that mother and daughter whether they would +say yes to this bargain. They said they would find no fault with +it, and Hallgerda betrothed her daughter. Then the places of the +women were shifted again, and now Thorhalla sate between the +brides. And now the feast sped on well, and when it was over, +Hauskuld and his company ride west, but the men of Rangriver rode +to their own abode. Gunnar gave many men gifts, and that made +him much liked. + +Hallgerda took the housekeeping under her, and stood up for her +rights in word and deed. Thorgerda took to housekeeping at +Gritwater, and was a good housewife. + + + +35. THE VISIT TO BERGTHORSKNOLL + +Now it was the custom between Gunnar and Njal, that each made the +other a feast, winter and winter about, for friendship's sake; +and it was Gunnar's turn to go to feast at Njal's. So Gunnar and +Hallgerda set off for Bergthorsknoll, and when they got there +Helgi and his wife were not at home. Njal gave Gunnar and his +wife a hearty welcome, and when they had been there a little +while, Helgi came home with Thorhalla his wife. Then Bergthora +went up to the crossbench, and Thorhalla with her, and Bergthora +said to Hallgerda, "Thou shalt give place to this woman." + +She answered, "To no one will I give place, for I will not be +driven into the corner for any one." + +"I shall rule here," said Bergthora. After that Thorhalla sat +down, and Bergthora went round the table with water to wash the +guests' hands. Then Hallgerda took hold of Bergthora's hand, and +said, "There's not much to choose, though, between you two. Thou +hast hangnails on every finger, and Njal is beardless." + +"That's true," says Bergthora, "yet neither of us finds fault +with the other for it; but Thorwald, thy husband, was not +beardless, and yet thou plottedst his death." + +Then Hallgerda said, "It stands me in little stead to have the +bravest man in Iceland if thou dost not avenge this, Gunnar!" + +He sprang up and strode across away from the board, and said, +"Home I will go, and it were more seemly that thou shouldest +wrangle with those of thine own household, and not under other +men's roofs; but as for Njal, I am his debtor for much honour, +and never will I be egged on by thee like a fool." + +After that they set off home. + +"Mind this Bergthora," said Hallgerda, "that we shall meet +again." + +Bergthora said she should not be better off for that. Gunnar +said nothing at all, but went home to Lithend, and was there at +home all the winter. And now the summer was running on towards +the Great Thing. + + + +36. KOL SLEW SWART + +Gunnar rode away to the Thing, but before he rode from home he +said to Hallgerda, "Be good now while I am away, and show none of +thine ill temper in anything with which my friends have to do." + +"The trolls take thy friends," says Hallgerda. + +So Gunnar rode to the Thing, and saw it was not good to come to +words with her. Njal rode to the Thing too, and all his sons +with him. + +Now it must be told of what tidings happened at home. Njal and +Gunnar owned a wood in common at Redslip; they had not shared the +wood, but each was wont to hew in it as he needed, and neither +said a word to the other about that. Hallgerda's grieve's (1) +name was Kol; he had been with her long, and was one of the worst +of men. There was a man named Swart; he was Njal's and +Bergthora's housecarle; they were very fond of him. Now +Bergthora told him that he must go up into Redslip and hew wood; +but she said, "I will get men to draw home the wood." + +He said he would do the work she set him to win; and so he went +up into Redslip, and was to be there a week. + +Some gangrel men came to Lithend from the east across Markfleet, +and said that Swart had been in Redslip, and hewn wood, and done +a deal of work. + +"So," says Hallgerda, "Bergthora must mean to rob me in many +things, but I'll take care that he does not hew again." + +Rannveig, Gunnar's mother, heard that, and said, "There have been +good housewives before now, though they never set their hearts on +manslaughter." + +Now the night wore away, and early next morning Hallgerda came to +speak to Kol, and said, "I have thought of some work for thee;" +and with that she put weapons into his hands, and went on to say +-- "Fare thou to Redslip; there wilt thou find Swart." + +"What shall I do to him?" he says. + +"Askest thou that, when thou art the worst of men?" she says. +"Thou shalt kill him." + +"I can get that done," he says, "but 'tis more likely that I +shall lose my own life for it." + +"Everything grows big in thy eyes," she says, "and thou behavest +ill to say this after I have spoken up for thee in everything. I +must get another man to do this if thou darest not." + +He took the axe, and was very wroth, and takes a horse that +Gunnar owned, and rides now till he comes east of Markfleet. +There he got off and bided in the wood, till they had carried +down the firewood, and Swart was left alone behind. Then Kol +sprang on him, and said, "More folk can hew great strokes than +thou alone;" and so he laid the axe on his head, and smote him +his death-blow, and rides home afterwards, and tells Hallgerda of +the slaying. + +She said, "I shall take such good care of thee, that no harm +shall come to thee." + +"May be so," says he, "but I dreamt all the other way as I slept +ere I did the deed." + +Now they come up into the wood, and find Swart slain, and bear +him home. Hallgerda sent a man to Gunnar at the Thing to tell +him of the slaying. Gunnar said no hard words at first of +Hallgerda to the messenger, and men knew not at first whether he +thought well or ill of it. A little after he stood up, and bade +his men go with him: they did so, and fared to Njal's booth. +Gunnar sent a man to fetch Njal, and begged him to come out. +Njal went out at once, and he and Gunnar fell a-talking, and +Gunnar said, "I have to tell thee of the slaying of a man, and my +wife and my grieve Kol were those who did it; but Swart, thy +housecarle, fell before them." + +Njal held his peace while he told him the whole story. Then Njal +spoke, "Thou must take heed not to let her have her way in +everything." + +Gunnar said, "Thou thyself shalt settle the terms." + +Njal spoke again, "'Twill be hard work for thee to atone for all +Hallgerda's mischief; and somewhere else there will be a broader +trail to follow than this which we two now have a share in, and +yet, even here there will be much awanting before all be well; +and herein we shall need to bear in mind the friendly words that +passed between us of old; and something tells me that thou wilt +come well out of it, but still thou wilt be sore tried." + +Then Njal took the award into his own hands from Gunnar, and +said, "I will not push this matter to the uttermost; thou shalt +pay twelve ounces of silver; but I will add this to my award, +that if anything happens from our homestead about which thou hast +to utter an award, thou wilt not be less easy in thy terms." + +Gunnar paid up the money out of hand, and rode home afterwards. +Njal, too, came home from the Thing, and his sons. Bergthora saw +the money, and said, "This is very justly settled; but even as +much money shall be paid for Kol as time goes on." + +Gunnar came home from the Thing and blamed Hallgerda. She said, +better men lay unatoned in many places. Gunnar said, she might +have her way in beginning a quarrel, "but how the matter is to be +settled rests with me." + +Hallgerda was for ever chattering of Swart's slaying, but +Bergthora liked that ill. Once Njal and her sons went up to +Thorolfsfell to see about the house-keeping there, but that +selfsame day this thing happened when Bergthora was out of doors: +she sees a man ride up to the house on a black horse. She stayed +there and did not go in, for she did not know the man. That man +had a spear in his hand, and was girded with a short sword. She +asked this man his name. + +"Atli is my name," says he. + +She asked whence he came. + +"I am an Eastfirther," he says. + +"Whither shalt thou go?" she says. + +"I am a homeless man," says he, "and I thought to see Njal and +Skarphedinn, and know if they would take me in." + +"What work is handiest to thee?" says she. + +"I am a man used to field-work," he says, "and many things else +come very handy to me; but I will not hide from thee that I am a +man of hard temper, and it has been many a man's lot before now +to bind up wounds at my hand." + +"I do not blame thee," she says, "though thou art no milksop." + +Atli said, "Hast thou any voice in things here?" + +"I am Njal's wife," she says, "and I have as much to say to our +housefolk as he." + +"Wilt thou take me in then?" says he. + +"I will give thee thy choice of that," says she. "If thou wilt +do all the work that I set before thee, and that, though I wish +to send thee where a man's life is at stake." + +"Thou must have so many men at thy beck," says he, "that thou +wilt not need me for such work." + +"That I will settle as I please," she says. + +"We will strike a bargain on these terms," says he. + +Then she took him into the household. Njal and his sons came +home and asked Bergthora what man that might be? + +"He is thy house-carle," she says, "and I took him in." Then she +went on to say he was no sluggard at work. + +"He will be a great worker enough, I daresay," says Njal, "but I +do not know whether he will be such a good worker." + +Skarphedinn was good to Atli. + +Njal and his sons ride to the Thing in the course of the summer; +Gunnar was also at the Thing. + +Njal took out a purse of money. + +"What money is that, father?" + +"Here is the money that Gunnar paid me for our housecarle last +summer." + +"That will come to stand thee in some stead," says Skarphedinn, +and smiled as he spoke. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Grieve, i.e., bailiff, head workman. + + + +37. THE SLAYING OF KOL, WHOM ATLI SLEW + +Now we must take up the story and say, that Atli asked Bergthora +what work he should do that day? + +"I have thought of some work for thee," she says; "thou shalt go +and look for Kol until thou find him; for now shalt thou slay him +this very day, if thou wilt do my will." + +"This work is well fitted," says Atli, "for each of us two are +bad fellows; but still I will so lay myself out for him that one +or other of us shall die." + +"Well mayst thou fare," she says, "and thou shalt not do this +deed for nothing." + +He took his weapons and his horse, and rode up to Fleetlithe, and +there met men who were coming down from Lithend. They were at +home east in the Mark. They asked Atli whither he meant to go? +He said he was riding to look for an old jade. They said that +was a small errand for such a workman, "but still 'twould be +better to ask those who have been about last night." + +"Who are they?" says he. + +"Killing-Kol," say they, "Hallgerda's house-carle, fared from the +fold just now, and has been awake all night." + +"I do not know whether I dare to meet him," says Atli, "he is +bad-tempered, and may be that I shall let another's wound be my +warning." + +"Thou bearest that look beneath the brows as though thou wert no +coward," they said, and showed him where Kol was. + +Then he spurred his horse and rides fast, and when he meets Kol, +Atli said to him, "Go the pack-saddle bands well," says Atli. + +"That's no business of thine, worthless fellow, nor of any one +else whence thou comest." + +Atli said, "Thou hast something behind that is earnest work, but +that is to die." + +After that Atli thrust at him with his spear, and struck him +about his middle. Kol swept at him with his axe, but missed him, +and fell off his horse, and died at once. + +Atli rode till he met some of Hallgerda's workmen, and said, "Go +ye up to the horse yonder, and look to Kol, for he has fallen +off, and is dead." + +"Hast thou slain him?" say they. + +"Well, 'twill seem to Hallgerda as though he has not fallen by +his own hand." + +After that Atli rode home and told Bergthora; she thanked him for +this deed, and for the words which he had spoken about it. + +"I do not know," says he, "what Njal will think of this." + +"He will take it well upon his hands," she says, "and I will tell +thee one thing as a token of it, that he has carried away with +him to the Thing the price of that thrall which we took last +spring, and that money will now serve for Kol; but though peace +be made thou must still be ware of thyself, for Hallgerda will +keep no peace." + +"Wilt thou send at all a man to Njal to tell him of the slaying?" + +"I will not," she says, "I should like it better that Kol were +unatoned." + +Then they stopped talking about it. + +Hallgerda was told of Kol's slaying, and of the words that Atli +had said. She said Atli should be paid off for them. She sent a +man to the Thing to tell Gunnar of Kol's slaying; he answered +little or nothing, and sent a man to tell Njal. He too made no +answer, but Skarphedinn said, "Thralls are men of more mettle +than of yore; they used to fly at each other and fight, and no +one thought much harm of that; but now they will do naught but +kill," and as he said this he smiled. + +Njal pulled down the purse of money which hung up in the booth, +and went out: his sons went with him to Gunnar's booth. + +Skarphedinn said to a man who was in the doorway of the booth, +"Say thou to Gunnar that my father wants to see him." + +He did so, and Gunnar went out at once and gave Njal a hearty +welcome. After that they began to talk. + +"'Tis ill done," says Njal, "that my housewife should have broken +the peace, and let thy house-carle be slain." + +"She shall not have blame for that," says Gunnar. + +"Settle the award thyself," says Njal. + +"So I will do," says Gunnar, "and I value those two men at an +even price, Swart and Kol. Thou shalt pay me twelve ounces in +silver." + +Njal took the purse of money and handed it to Gunnar. Gunnar +knew the money, and saw it was the same that he had paid Njal. +Njal went away to his booth, and they were just as good friends +as before. When Njal came home, he blamed Bergthora; but she +said she would never give way to Hallgerda. Hallgerda was very +cross with Gunnar, because he had made peace for Kol's slaying. +Gunnar told her he would never break with Njal or his sons, and +she flew into a great rage; but Gunnar took no heed of that, and +so they sat for that year, and nothing noteworthy happened. + + + +38. THE KILLING OF ATLI THE THRALL + +Next spring Njal said to Atli, "I wish that thou wouldst change +thy abode to the east firths, so that Hallgerda may not put an +end to thy life?" + +"I am not afraid of that," says Atli, "and I will willingly stay +at home if I have the choice." + +"Still that is less wise," says Njal. + +"I think it better to lose my life in thy house than to change my +master; but this I will beg of thee, if I am slain, that a +thrall's price shall not be paid for me." + +"Thou shalt be atoned for as a free man; but perhaps Bergthora +will make thee a promise which she will fulfil, that revenge, man +for man, shall be taken for thee." + +Then he made up his mind to be a hired servant there. + +Now it must be told of Hallgerda that she sent a man west to +Bearfirth, to fetch Brynjolf the Unruly, her kinsman. He was a +base son of Swan, and he was one of the worst of men. Gunnar +knew nothing about it. Hallgerda said he was well fitted to be a +grieve. So Brynjolf came from the west, and Gunnar asked what he +was to do there? He said he was going to stay there. + +"Thou wilt not better our household," says Gunnar, "after what +has been told me of thee, but I will not turn away any of +Hallgerda's kinsmen, whom she wishes to be with her." + +Gunnar said little, but was not unkind to him, and so things went +on till the Thing. Gunnar rides to the Thing and Kolskegg rides +too, and when they came to the Thing they and Njal met, for he +and his sons were at the Thing, and all went well with Gunnar and +them. + +Bergthora said to Atli, "Go thou up into Thorolfsfell and work +there a week." + +So he went up thither, and was there on the sly, and burnt +charcoal in the wood. + +Hallgerda said to Brynjolf, "I have been told Atli is not at +home, and he must be winning work on Thorolfsfell." + +"What thinkest thou likeliest that he is working at," says he. + +"At something in the wood," she says. + +"What shall I do to him?" he asks. + +"Thou shalt kill him," says she. + +He was rather slow in answering her, and Hallgerda said, "'Twould +grow less in Thiostolf's eyes to kill Atli if he were alive." + +"Thou shalt have no need to goad me on much more," he says, and +then he seized his weapons, and takes his horse and mounts, and +rides to Thorolfsfell. There he saw a great reek of coalsmoke +east of the homestead, so he rides thither, and gets off his +horse and ties him up, but he goes where the smoke was thickest. +Then he sees where the charcoal pit is, and a man stands by it. +He saw that he had thrust his spear in the ground by him. +Brynjolf goes along with the smoke right up to him, but he was +eager at his work, and saw him not. Brynjolf gave him a stroke +on the head with his axe, and he turned so quick round that +Brynjolf loosed his hold of the axe, and Atli grasped the spear, +and hurled it after him. Then Brynjolf cast himself down on the +ground, but the spear flew away over him. + +"Lucky for thee that I was not ready for thee," says Atli, "but +now Hallgerda will be well pleased, for thou wilt tell her of my +death; but it is a comfort to know that thou wilt have the same +fate soon; but come now take thy axe which has been here." + +He answered him never a word, nor did he take the axe before he +was dead. Then he rode up to the house on Thorolfsfell, and told +of the slaying, and after that rode home and told Hallgerda. She +sent men to Bergthorsknoll, and let them tell Bergthora that now +Kol's slaying was paid for. + +After that Hallgerda sent a man to the Thing to tell Gunnar of +Atli's killing. + +Gunnar stood up, and Kolskegg with him, and Kolskegg said, +"Unthrifty will Hallgerda's kinsmen be to thee." + +Then they go to see Njal, and Gunnar said, "I have to tell thee +of Atli's killing." He told him also who slew him, and went on, +"And now I will bid thee atonement for the deed, and thou shalt +make the award thyself." + +Njal said, "We two have always meant never to come to strife +about anything; but still I cannot make him out a thrall." + +Gunnar said that was all right, and stretched out his hand. + +Njal named his witnesses, and they made peace on those terms. + +Skarphedinn said, "Hallgerda does not let our housecarles die +of old age." + +Gunnar said, "Thy mother will take care that blow goes for blow +between the houses." + +"Ay, ay," says Njal, "there will be enough of that work." + +After that Njal fixed the price at a hundred in silver, but +Gunnar paid it down at once. Many who stood by said that the +award was high; Gunnar got wroth, and said that a full atonement +was often paid for those who were no brisker men than Atli. + +With that they rode home from the Thing. + +Bergthora said to Njal when she saw the money, "Thou thinkest +thou hast fulfilled thy promise, but now my promise is still +behind." + +"There is no need that thou shouldst fulfil it," says Njal. + +"Nay," says she, "thou hast guessed it would be so; and so it +shall be." + +Hallgerda said to Gunnar, "Hast thou paid a hundred in silver for +Atli's slaying, and made him a free man?" + +"He was free before," says Gunnar, "and besides, I will not make +Njal's household outlaws who have forfeited their rights." + +"There's not a pin to choose between you," she said, "for both of +you are so blate?" + +"That's as things prove," says he. + +Then Gunnar was for a long time very short with her, till she +gave way to him; and now all was still for the rest of that year; +in the spring Njal did not increase his household, and now men +ride to the Thing about summer. + + + +39. THE SLAYING OF BRYNJOLF THE UNRULY + +There was a man named Thord, he was surnamed Freedmanson. +Sigtrygg was his father's name, and he had been the freedman of +Asgerd, and he was drowned in Markfleet. That was why Thord was +with Njal afterwards. He was a tall man and a strong, and he had +fostered all Njal's sons. He had set his heart on Gudfinna +Thorolf's daughter, Njal's kinswoman; she was housekeeper at home +there, and was then with child. + +Now Bergthora came to talk with Thord Freedmanson; she said, +"Thou shalt go to kill Brynjolf, Hallgerda's kinsman." + +"I am no man-slayer," he says, "but still I will do whatever thou +wilt." + +"This is my will," she says. + +After that he went up to Lithend, and made them call Hallgerda +out, and asked where Brynjolf might be. + +"What's thy will with him," she says. + +"I want him to tell me where he has hidden Atli's body; I have +heard say that he has buried it badly." + +She pointed to him and said he was down yonder in Acretongue. + +"Take heed," says Thord, "that the same thing does not befall him +as befell Atli." + +"Thou art no man-slayer," she says, "and so naught will come of +it even if ye two do meet." + +"Never have I seen man's blood, nor do I know how I should feel +if I did," he says, and gallops out of the "town" and down to +Acretongue. + +Rannveig, Gunnar's mother, had heard their talk. + +"Thou goadest his mind much, Hallgerda," she says, "but I think +him a dauntless man, and that thy kinsman will find." + +They met on the beaten way, Thord and Brynjolf; and Thord said, +"Guard thee, Brynjolf, for I will do no dastard's deed by thee." + +Brynjolf rode at Thord, and smote at him with his axe. He smote +at him at the same time with his axe, and hewed in sunder the +haft just above Brynjolf's hands, and then hewed at him at once a +second time, and struck him on the collar-bone, and the blow went +straight into his trunk. Then he fell from horseback, and was +dead on the spot. + +Thord met Hallgerda's herdsman, and gave out the slaying as done +by his hand, and said where he lay, and bade him tell Hallgerda +of the slaying. After that he rode home to Bergthorsknoll, and +told Bergthora of the slaying, and other people too. + +"Good luck go with thy hands," she said. + +The herdsman told Hallgerda of the slaying; she was snappish at +it, and said much ill would come of it, if she might have her +way. + + + +40. GUNNAR AND NJAL MAKE PEACE ABOUT BRYNJOLF'S SLAYING + +Now these tidings come to the Thing, and Njal made them tell him +the tale thrice, and then he said, "More men now become man- +slayers than I weened." + +Skarphedinn spoke, "That man, though, must have been twice fey," +he says, "who lost his life by our foster-father's hand, who has +never seen man's blood. And many would think that we brothers +would sooner have done this deed with the turn of temper that we +have." + +"Scant space wilt thou have," says Njal, "ere the like befalls +thee; but need will drive thee to it." + +Then they went to meet Gunnar, and told him of the slaying. +Gunnar spoke and said that was little man-scathe, "but yet he was +a free man." + +Njal offered to make peace at once, and Gunnar said yes, and he +was to settle the terms himself. He made his award there and +then, and laid it at one hundred in silver. Njal paid down the +money on the spot, and they were at peace after that. + + + +41. SIGMUND COMES OUT TO ICELAND + +There was a man whose name was Sigmund. He was the son of Lambi, +the son of Sighvat the Red. He was a great voyager, and a comely +and a courteous man; tall too, and strong. He was a man of proud +spirit, and a good skald, and well trained in most feats of +strength. He was noisy and boisterous, and given to jibes and +mocking. He made the land east in Homfirth. Skiolld was the +name of his fellow-traveller; he was a Swedish man, and ill to do +with. They took horse and rode from the east out of Hornfirth, +and did not draw bridle before they came to Lithend, in the +Fleetlithe. Gunnar gave them a hearty welcome, for the bonds of +kinship were close between them. Gunnar begged Sigmund to stay +there that winter, and Sigmund said he would take the offer if +Skiolld his fellow might be there too. + +"Well, I have been so told about him," said Gunnar, "that he is +no betterer of thy temper; but as it is, thou rather needest to +have it bettered. This, too, is a bad house to stay at, and I +would just give both of you a bit of advice, my kinsman, not to +fire up at the egging on of my wife Hallgerda; for she takes much +in hand that is far from my will." + +"His hands are clean who warns another," says Sigmund. + +"Then mind the advice given thee," says Gunnar, "for thou art +sure to be sore tried; and go along always with me, and lean upon +my counsel." + +After that they were in Gunnar's company. Hallgerda was good to +Sigmund; and it soon came about that things grew so warm that she +loaded him with money, and tended him no worse than her own +husband; and many talked about that, and did not know what lay +under it. + +One day Hallgerda said to Gunnar, "It is not good to be content +with that hundred in silver which thou tookest for my kinsman +Brynjolf. I shall avenge him if I may," she says. + +Gunnar said he had no mind to bandy words with her, and went +away. He met Kolskegg, and said to him, "Go and see Njal; and +tell him that Thord must be ware of himself though peace has been +made for, methinks, there is faithlessness somewhere." + +He rode off and told Njal, but Njal told Thord, and Kolskegg rode +home, and Njal thanked them for their faithfulness. + +Once on a time they two were out in the "town," Njal and Thord; a +he-goat was wont to go up and down in the "town," and no one was +allowed to drive him away. Then Thord spoke and said, "Well, +this is a wondrous thing!" + +"What is it that thou see'st that seems after a wondrous +fashion?" says Njal. + +"Methinks the goat lies here in the hollow, and he is all one +gore of blood." + +Njal said that there was no goat there, nor anything else. + +"What is it then?" says Thord. + +"Thou must be a `fey' man," says Njal, "and thou must have seen +the fetch that follows thee, and now be ware of thyself." + +"That will stand me in no stead," says Thord, "if death is doomed +for me." + +Then Hallgerda came to talk with Thrain Sigfus' son, and said, "I +would think thee my son-in-law indeed," she says, "if thou +slayest Thord Freedmanson." + +"I will not do that," he says, "for then I shall have the wrath +of my kinsman Gunnar; and besides, great things hang on this +deed, for this slaying would soon be avenged." + +"Who will avenge it?" she asks; "is it the beardless carle?" + +"Not so," says he, "his sons will avenge it." + +After that they talked long and low, and no man knew what counsel +they took together. + +Once it happened that Gunnar was not at home, but those +companions were. Thrain had come in from Gritwater, and then he +and they and Hallgerda sat out of doors and talked. Then +Hallgerda said, "This have ye two brothers in arms, Sigmund and +Skiolld, promised to slay Thord Freedmanson; but Thrain thou hast +promised me that thou wouldst stand by them when they did the +deed." + +They all acknowledged that they had given her this promise. + +"Now I will counsel you how to do it," she says: "Ye shall ride +east into Homfirth after your goods, and come home about the +beginning of the Thing, but if ye are at home before it begins, +Gunnar will wish that ye should ride to the Thing with him. Njal +will be at the Thing and his sons and Gunnar, but then ye two +shall slay Thord." + +They all agreed that this plan should be carried out. After that +they busked them east to the Firth, and Gunnar was not aware of +what they were about, and Gunnar rode to the Thing. Njal sent +Thord Freedmanson away east under Eyjafell, and bade him be away +there one night. So he went east, but he could not get back from +the east, for the Fleet had risen so high that it could not be +crossed on horseback ever so far up. Njal waited for him one +night, for he had meant him to have ridden with him; and Njal +said to Bergthora that she must send Thord to the Thing as soon +as ever he came home. Two nights after, Thord came from the +east, and Bergthora told him that he must ride to the Thing, "But +first thou shalt ride up into Thorolfsfell and see about the farm +there, and do not be there longer than one or two nights." + + + +42. THE SLAYING OF THORD FREEDMANSON + +Then Sigmund came from the east and those companions. Hallgerda +told them that Thord was at home, but that he was to ride +straightway to the Thing after a few nights' space. "Now ye will +have a fair chance at him," she says, "but if this goes off, ye +will never get nigh him." Men came to Lithend from Thorolfsfell, +and told Hallgerda that Thord was there. Hallgerda went to +Thrain Sigfus' son, and his companions, and said to him, "Now is +Thord on Thorolfsfell, and now your best plan is to fall on him +and kill him as he goes home." + +"That we will do," says Sigmund. So they went out, and took +their weapons and horses and rode on the way to meet him. +Sigmund said to Thrain, "Now thou shalt have nothing to do with +it; for we shall not need all of us." + +"Very well, so I will," says he. + +Then Thord rode up to them a little while after, and Sigmund said +to him, "Give thyself up," he says, "for now shalt thou die." + +"That shall not be," says Thord, "come thou to single combat with +me." + +"That shall not be either," says Sigmund; "we will make the most +of our numbers; but it is not strange that Skarphedinn is strong, +for it is said that a fourth of a foster-child's strength comes +from the foster-father." + +"Thou wilt feel the force of that," says Thord, "for Skarphedinn +will avenge me." + +After that they fall on him, and he breaks a spear of each of +them, so well did he guard himself. Then Skiolld cut off his +hand, and he still kept them off with his other hand for some +time, till Sigmund thrust him through. Then he fell dead to +earth. They drew over him turf and stones; and Thrain said, "We +have won an ill work, and Njal's sons will take this slaying ill +when they hear of it." + +They ride home and tell Hallgerda. She was glad to hear of the +slaying, but Rannveig, Gunnar's mother, said, "It is said `but a +short while is hand fain of blow,' and so it will be here; but +still Gunnar will set thee free from this matter. But if +Hallgerda makes thee take another fly in thy mouth, then that +will be thy bane." + +Hallgerda sent a man to Bergthorsknoll, to tell the slaying, and +another man to the Thing, to tell it to Gunnar. Bergthora said +she would not fight against Hallgerda with ill words about such a +matter; "That," quoth she, "would be no revenge for so great a +quarrel." + + + +43. NJAL AND GUNNAR MAKE PEACE FOR THE SLAYING OF THORD + +But when the messenger came to the Thing to tell Gunnar of the +slaying, then Gunnar said, "This has happened ill, and no tidings +could come to my ears which I should think worse; but yet we will +now go at once and see Njal. I still hope he may take it well, +though he be sorely tried." + +So they went to see Njal, and called him to come out and talk to +them. He went out at once to meet Gunnar, and they talked, nor +were there any more men by at first than Kolskegg. + +"Hard tidings have I to tell thee," says Gunnar; "the slaying of +Thord Freedmanson, and I wish to offer thee selfdoom for the +slaying." + +Njal held his peace some while, and then said, "That is well +offered, and I will take it; but yet it is to be looked for that +I shall have blame from my wife or from my sons for that, for it +will mislike them much; but still I will run the risk, for I know +that I have to deal with a good man and true; nor do I wish that +any breach should arise in our friendship on my part." + +"Wilt thou let thy sons be by, pray?" says Gunnar. + +"I will not," says Njal, "for they will not break the peace which +I make, but if they stand by while we make it they will not pull +well together with us." + +"So it shall be," says Gunnar. "See thou to it alone." + +Then they shook one another by the hand, and made peace well and +quickly. + +Then Njal said, "The award that I make is two hundred in silver, +and that thou wilt think much." + +"I do not think it too much," says Gunnar, and went home to his +booth. + +Njal's sons came home, and Skarphedinn asked whence that great +sum of money came, which his father held in his hand. + +Njal said, "I tell you of your foster-father's Thord's slaying, +and we two, Gunnar and I, have now made peace in the matter, and +he has paid an atonement for him as for two men." + +"Who slew him?" says Skarphedinn. + +"Sigmund and Skiolld, but Thrain was standing near too," says +Njal. + +"They thought they had need of much strength," says Skarphedinn, +and sang a song -- + + "Bold in deeds of derring-do, + Burdeners of ocean's steeds, + Strength enough it seems they needed + All to slay a single man; + When shall we our hands uplift? + We who brandish burnished steel -- + Famous men erst reddened weapons, + When? if now we quiet sit?" + +"Yes! when shall the day come when we shall lift our hands?" + +"That will not be long off," says Njal, "and then thou shalt not +be baulked; but still, methinks, I set great store on your not +breaking this peace that I have made." + +"Then we will not break it," says Skarphedinn, "but if anything +arises between us, then we will bear in mind the old feud." + +"Then I will ask you to spare no one," says Njal. + + + +44. SIGMUND MOCKS NJAL AND HIS SONS + +Now men ride home from the Thing; and when Gunnar came home, he +said to Sigmund, "Thou art a more unlucky man than I thought, and +turnest thy good gifts to thine own ill. But still I have made +peace for thee with Njal and his sons; and now, take care that +thou dost not let another fly come into thy mouth. Thou art not +at all after my mind, thou goest about with jibes and jeers, with +scorn and mocking; but that is not my turn of mind. That is why +thou gettest on so well with Hallgerda, because ye two have your +minds more alike." + +Gunnar scolded him a long time, and he answered him well, and +said he would follow his counsel more for the time to come than +he had followed it hitherto. Gunnar told him then they might get +on together. Gunnar and Njal kept up their friendship though the +rest of their people saw little of one another. It happened once +that some gangrel women came to Lithend from Bergthorsknoll; they +were great gossips and rather spiteful tongued. Hallgerda had a +bower, and sate often in it, and there sate with her her daughter +Thorgerda, and there too were Thrain and Sigmund, and a crowd of +women. Gunnar was not there, nor Kolskegg. These gangrel women +went into the bower, and Hallgerda greeted them, and made room +for them; then she asked them for news, but they had none to +tell. Hallgerda asked where they had been overnight; they said +at Bergthorsknoll. + +"What was Njal doing?" she says. + +"He was hard at work sitting still," they said. + +"What were Njal's sons doing?" she says; "they think themselves +men at any rate." + +"Tall men they are in growth," they say, "but as yet they are all +untried; Skarphedinn whetted an axe, Grim fitted a spearhead to +the shaft, Helgi riveted a hilt on a sword, Hauskuld strengthened +the handle of a shield." + +"They must be bent on some great deed," says Hallgerda. + +"We do not know that," they say. + +"What were Njal's house-carles doing?" she asks. + +"We don't know what some of them were doing, but one was carting +dung up the hill-side." + +"What good was there in doing that?" she asks. + +"He said it made the swathe better there than anywhere else," +they reply. "Witless now is Njal," says Hallgerda, "though he +knows how to give counsel on everything." + +"How so?" they ask. + +"I will only bring forward what is true to prove it," says she; +"why doesn't he make them cart dung over his beard that he may be +like other men? Let us call him `the Beardless Carle': but his +sons we will call `Dung-beardlings'; and now do pray give some +stave about them, Sigmund, and let us get some good by thy gift +of song." + +"I am quite ready to do that," says he, and sang these verses: + + "Lady proud with hawk in hand, + Prithee why should dungbeard boys, + Reft of reason, dare to hammer + Handle fast on battle shield? + For these lads of loathly feature -- + Lady scattering swanbath's beams (1) -- + Shalt not shun this ditty shameful + Which I shape upon them now. + + "He the beardless carle shall listen + While I lash him with abuse, + Loon at whom our stomachs sicken, + Soon shall bear these words of scorn; + Far too nice for such base fellows + Is the name my bounty gives, + Een my muse her help refuses, + Making mirth of dungbeard boys. + + "Here I find a nickname fitting + For those noisome dungbeard boys, -- + Loath am I to break my bargain + Linked with such a noble man -- + Knit we all our taunts together -- + Known to me is mind of man -- + Call we now with outburst common, + Him, that churl, the beardless carle." + +"Thou art a jewel indeed," says Hallgerda; "how yielding thou art +to what I ask!" + +Just then Gunnar came in. He had been standing outside the door +of the bower, and heard all the words that had passed. They were +in a great fright when they saw him come in, and then all held +their peace, but before there had been bursts of laughter. + +Gunnar was very wroth, and said to Sigmund, "Thou art a foolish +man, and one that cannot keep to good advice, and thou revilest +Njal's sons, and Njal himself who is most worth of all; and this +thou doest in spite of what thou hast already done. Mind, this +will be thy death. But if any man repeats these words that thou +hast spoken, or these verses that thou hast made, that man shall +be sent away at once, and have my wrath beside." + +But they were all so sore afraid of him, that no one dared to +repeat those words. After that he went away, but the gangrel +women talked among themselves, and said that they would get a +reward from Bergthora if they told her all this. + +They went then away afterwards down thither, and took Bergthora +aside and told her the whole story of their own free will. + +Bergthora spoke and said, when men sate down to the board, "Gifts +have been given to all of you, father and sons, and ye will be no +true men unless ye repay them somehow." + +"What gifts are these?" asks Skarphedinn. + +"You, my sons," says Bergthora, "have got one gift between you +all. Ye are nicknamed `Dungbeardlings,' but my husband `the +Beardless Carle.'" + +"Ours is no woman's nature," says Skarphedinn, "that we should +fly into a rage at every little thing." + +"And yet Gunnar was wroth for your sakes," says she, "and he is +thought to be good-tempered. But if ye do not take vengeance for +this wrong, ye will avenge no shame." + +"The carline, our mother, thinks this fine sport," says +Skarphedinn, and smiled scornfully as he spoke, but still the +sweat burst out upon his brow, and red flecks came over his +checks, but that was not his wont. Grim was silent and bit his +lip. Helgi made no sign, and he said never a word. Hauskuld +went off with Bergthora; she came into the room again, and +fretted and foamed much. + +Njal spoke and said, "`Slow and sure,' says the proverb, +mistress! and so it is with many things, though they try men's +tempers, that there are always two sides to a story, even when +vengeance is taken." + +But at even when Njal was come into his bed, he heard that an axe +came against the panel and rang loudly, but there was another +shut bed, and there the shields were hung up, and he sees that +they are away. He said, "Who have taken down our shields?" + +"Thy sons went out with them," says Bergthora. + +Njal pulled his shoes on his feet, and went out at once, and +round to the other side of the house, and sees that they were +taking their course right up the slope; he said, "Whither away, +Skarphedinn?" + +"To look after thy sheep," he answers. + +"You would not then be armed," said Njal, "if you meant that, and +your errand must be something else." + +Then Skarphedinn sang a song, + + "Squanderer of hoarded wealth, + Some there are that own rich treasure, + Ore of sea that clasps the earth, + And yet care to count their sheep; + Those who forge sharp songs of mocking, + Death songs, scarcely can possess + Sense of sheep that crop the grass; + Such as these I seek in fight;" + +and said afterwards, "We shall fish for salmon, father." + +"'Twould be well then if it turned out so that the prey does not +get away from you." + +They went their way, but Njal went to his bed, and he said to +Bergthora, "Thy sons were out of doors all of them, with arms, +and now thou must have egged them on to something." + +"I will give them my heartfelt thanks," said Bergthora, "if they +tell me the slaying of Sigmund." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Swanbath's beams" -- periphrasis for gold. + + + +45. THE SLAYING OF SIGMUND AND SKIOLLD + +Now they, Njal's sons, fare up to Fleetlithe, and were that night +under the Lithe, and when the day began to break, they came near +to Lithend. That same morning both Sigmund and Skiolld rose up +and meant to go to the studhorses; they had bits with them, and +caught the horses that were in the "town" and rode away on them. +They found the stud-horses between two brooks. Skarphedinn +caught sight of them, for Sigmund was in bright clothing. +Skarphedinn said, "See you now the red elf yonder, lads?" They +looked that way, and said they saw him. + +Skarphedinn spoke again: "Thou, Hauskuld, shalt have nothing to +do with it, for thou wilt often be sent about alone without due +heed; but I mean Sigmund for myself; methinks that is like a man; +but Grim and Helgi, they shall try to slay Skiolld." + +Hauskuld sat him down, but they went until they came up to them. +Skarphedinn said to Sigmund, "Take thy weapons and defend +thyself; that is more needful now than to make mocking songs on +me and my brothers." + +Sigmund took up his weapons, but Skarphedinn waited the while. +Skiolld turned against Grim and Helgi, and they fell hotly to +fight. Sigmund had a helm on his head, and a shield at his side, +and was girt with a sword, his spear was in his hand; now he +turns against Skarphedinn, and thrusts at once at him with his +spear, and the thrust came on his shield. Skarphedinn dashes the +spearhaft in two, and lifts up his axe and hews at Sigmund, and +cleaves his shield down to below the handle. Sigmund drew his +sword and cut at Skarphedinn, and the sword cuts into his shield, +so that it stuck fast. Skarphedinn gave the shield such a quick +twist, that Sigmund let go his sword. Then Skarphedinn hews at +Sigmund with his axe; the "Ogress of war." Sigmund had on a +corselet, the axe came on his shoulder. Skarphedinn cleft the +shoulder-blade right through, and at the same time pulled the axe +towards him. Sigmund fell down on both knees, but sprang up +again at once. + +"Thou hast lilted low to me already," says Skarphedinn, "but +still thou shalt fall upon thy mother's bosom ere we two part." + +"Ill is that then," says Sigmund. + +Skarphedinn gave him a blow on his helm, and after that dealt +Sigmund his death-blow. + +Grim cut off Skiolld's foot at the ankle-joint, but Helgi thrust +him through with his spear, and he got his death there and then. + +Skarphedinn saw Hallgerda's shepherd, just as he had hewn off +Sigmund's head; he handed the head to the shepherd, and bade him +bear it to Hallgerda, and said she would know whether that head +had made jeering songs about them, and with that he sang a +song -- + + "Here! this head shalt thou, that heapest + Hoards from ocean-caverns won, (1) + Bear to Hallgerd with my greeting, + Her that hurries men to fight; + Sure am I, O firewood splitter! + That yon spendthrift knows it well, + And will answer if it ever + Uttered mocking songs on us." + +The shepherd casts the head down as soon as ever they parted, +for he dared not do so while their eyes were on him. They fared +along till they met some men down by Markfleet, and told them the +tidings. Skarphedinn gave himself out as the slayer of Sigmund +and Grim and Helgi as the slayers of Skiolld; then they fared +home and told Njal the tidings. He answers them, "Good luck to +your hands! Here no self-doom will come to pass as things +stand." + +Now we must take up the story, and say that the shepherd came +home to Lithend. He told Hallgerda the tidings. + +"Skarphedinn put Sigmund's head into my hands," he says, "and +bade me bring it thee; but I dared not do it, for I knew not how +thou wouldst like that." + +"'Twas ill that thou didst not do that," she says; "I would have +brought it to Gunnar, and then he would have avenged his kinsman, +or have to bear every man's blame." + +After that she went to Gunnar and said, "I tell thee of thy +kinsman Sigmund's slaying: Skarphedinn slew him, and wanted them +to bring me the head." + +"Just what might be looked for to befall him," says Gunnar, "for +ill redes bring ill luck, and both you and Skarphedinn have often +done one another spiteful turns." + +Then Gunnar went away; he let no steps be taken towards a suit +for manslaughter, and did nothing about it. Hallgerda often put +him in mind of it, and kept saying that Sigmund had fallen +unatoned. Gunnar gave no heed to that. + +Now three Things passed away, at each of which men thought that +he would follow up the suit; then a knotty point came on Gunnar's +hands, which he knew not how to set about, and then he rode to +find Njal. He gave Gunnar a hearty welcome. Gunnar said to +Njal, "I am come to seek a bit of good counsel at thy hands about +a knotty point." + +"Thou art worthy of it," says Njal, and gave him counsel what to +do. Then Gunnar stood up and thanked him. Njal then spoke, and +said, and took Gunnar by the hand, "Over long hath thy kinsman +Sigmund been unatoned." + +"He has been long ago atoned," says Gunnar, "but still I will not +fling back the honour offered me." + +Gunnar had never spoken an ill word of Njal's sons. Njal would +have nothing else than that Gunnar should make his own award in +the matter. He awarded two hundred in silver, but let Skiolld +fall without a price. They paid down all the money at once. + +Gunnar declared this their atonement at the Thingskala Thing, +when most men were at it, and laid great weight on the way in +which they (Njal and his sons) had behaved; he told too those bad +words which cost Sigmund his life, and no man was to repeat them +or sing the verses, but if any sung them, the man who uttered +them was to fall without atonement. + +Both Gunnar and Njal gave each other their words that no such +matters should ever happen that they would not settle among +themselves; and this pledge was well kept ever after, and they +were always friends. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Thou, that heapest boards," etc. -- merely a periphrasis + for man, and scarcely fitting, except in irony, to a + splitter of firewood. + + + +46. OF GIZUR THE WHITE AND GEIR THE PRIEST + +There was a man named Gizur the White; he was Teit's son; +Kettlebjorn the Old's son, of Mossfell. (1) Bishop Isleif was +Gizur's son. Gizur the White kept house at Mossfell, and was a +great chief. That man is also named in this story whose name was +Geir the Priest; his mother was Thorkatla, another daughter of +Kettlebjorn the Old of Mossfell. Geir kept house at Lithe. He +and Gizur backed one another in every matter. At that time Mord +Valgard's son kept house at Hof on the Rangrivervales; he was +crafty and spiteful. Valgard his father was then abroad, but his +mother was dead. He was very envious of Gunnar of Lithend. He +was wealthy, so far as goods went, but had not many friends. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Teit's mother's name was Helga. She was a daughter of Thord + Longbeard, who was the son of Hrapp, who was the son of + Bjorn the Rough-footed, who was the son of Grim, the Lord of + Sogn in Norway. Gizur's mother's name was Olof. She was a + daughter of Lord Baudvar, Viking-Kari's son. + + + +47. OF OTKELL IN KIRKBY + +There was a man named Otkell; he was the son of Skarf, the son of +Hallkell, who fought with Grim of Grimsness, and felled him on +the holm. (1) This Hallkell and Kettlebjorn the Old were +brothers. + +Otkell kept house at Kirkby; his wife's name was Thorgerda; she +was a daughter of Mar, the son of Runolf, the son of Naddad of +the Faroe Isles. Otkell was wealthy in goods. His son's name +was Thorgeir; he was young in years, and a bold dashing man. + +Skamkell was the name of another man; he kept house at another +farm called Hof (2); he was well off for money, but he was a +spiteful man and a liar; quarrelsome too, and ill to deal with. +He was Otkell's friend. Hallkell was the name of Otkell's +brother; he was a tall strong man, and lived there with Otkell; +their brother's name was Hallbjorn the White; he brought out to +Iceland a thrall, whose name was Malcolm; he was Irish, and had +not many friends. + +Hallbjorn went to stay with Otkell, and so did his thrall +Malcolm. The thrall was always saying that he should think +himself happy if Otkell owned him. Otkell was kind to him, and +gave him a knife and belt, and a full suit of clothes, but the +thrall turned his hand to any work that Otkell wished. + +Otkell wanted to make a bargain with his brother for the thrall; +he said he would give him the thrall, but said, too, that he was +a worse treasure than he thought. But as soon as Otkell owned +the thrall, then he did less and less work. Otkell often said +outright to Hallbjorn, that he thought the thrall did little +work; and he told Otkell that there was worse in him yet to +come. + +At that time came a great scarcity, so that men fell short both +of meat and hay, and that spread over all parts of Iceland. +Gunnar shared his hay and meat with many men; and all got them +who came thither, so long as his stores lasted. At last it came +about that Gunnar himself fell short both of hay and meat. Then +Gunnar called on Kolskegg to go along with him; he called too on +Thrain Sigfus' son, and Lambi Sigurd's son. They fared to +Kirkby, and called Otkell out. He greeted them, and Gunnar said, +"It so happens that I am come to deal with thee for hay and meat, +if there be any left." + +Otkell answers, "There is store of both, but I will sell thee +neither." + +"Wilt thou give me them then," says Gunnar, "and run the risk of +my paying thee back somehow?" + +"I will not do that either," says Otkell. + +Skamkell all the while was giving him bad counsel. + +Then Thrain Sigfus' son, said, "It would serve him right if we +take both hay and meat and lay down the worth of them instead." + +Skamkell answered, "All the men of Mossfell must be dead and gone +then, if ye, sons of Sigfus, are to come and rob them." + +"I will have no hand in any robbery," says Gunnar. + +"Wilt thou buy a thrall of me?" says Otkell. + +"I'll not spare to do that," says Gunnar. After that Gunnar +bought the thrall, and fared away as things stood. + +Njal hears of this, and said, "Such things are ill done, to +refuse to let Gunnar buy; and it is not a good outlook for others +if such men as he cannot get what they want." + +"What's the good of thy talking so much about such a little +matter," says Bergthora; "far more like a man would it be to let +him have both meat and hay, when thou lackest neither of them." + +"That is clear as day," says Njal, "and I will of a surety supply +his need somewhat." + +Then he fared up to Thorolfsfell, and his sons with him, and they +bound hay on fifteen horses; but on five horses they had meat. +Njal came to Lithend, and called Gunnar out. He greeted them +kindly. + +"Here is hay and meat," said Njal, "which I will give thee; and +my wish is, that thou shouldst never look to any one else than to +me if thou standest in need of anything." + +"Good are thy gifts," says Gunnar, "but methinks thy friendship +is still more worth, and that of thy sons." + +After that Njal fared home, and now the spring passes away. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) That is, slew him in a duel. +(2) Mord Valgard's son lived at the other farm called Hof. + + + +48. HOW HALLGERDA MAKES MALCOLM STEAL FROM KIRKBY + +Now Gunnar is about to ride to the Thing, but a great crowd of +men from the Side (1) east turned in as guests at his house. + +Gunnar bade them come and be his guests again, as they rode back +from the Thing; and they said they would do so. + +Now they ride to the Thing, and Njal and his sons were there. +That Thing was still and quiet. + +Now we must take up the story, and say that Hallgerda comes to +talk with Malcolm the thrall. + +"I have thought of an errand to send thee on," she says; "thou +shalt go to Kirkby." + +"And what shall I do there?" he says. + +"Thou shalt steal from thence food enough to load two horses, and +mind and have butter and cheese; but thou shalt lay fire in the +storehouse, and all will think that it has arisen out of +heedlessness, but no one will think that there has been theft." + +"Bad have I been," said the thrall, "but never have I been a +thief." + +"Hear a wonder!" says Hallgerda, "thou makest thyself good, thou +that hast been both thief and murderer; but thou shalt not dare +to do aught else than go, else will I let thee be slain." + +He thought he knew enough of her to be sure that she would so do +if he went not; so he took at night two horses and laid +packsaddles on them, and went his way to Kirkby. The house-dog +knew him and did not bark at him, and ran and fawned on him. +After that he went to the storehouse and loaded the two horses +with food out of it, but the storehouse he burnt, and the dog he +slew. + +He went up along by Rangriver, and his shoe-thong snapped; so he +takes his knife and makes the shoe right, but he leaves the knife +and belt lying there behind him. + +He fares till he comes to Lithend; then he misses the knife, but +dares not to go back. + +Now he brings Hallgerda the food, and she showed herself well +pleased at it. + +Next morning when men came out of doors at Kirkby there they saw +great scathe. Then a man was sent to the Thing to tell Otkell; +he bore the loss well, and said it must have happened because the +kitchen was next to the storehouse; and all thought that that was +how it happened. + +Now men ride home from the Thing, and many rode to Lithend. +Hallgerda set food on the board, and in came cheese and butter. +Gunnar knew that such food was not to be looked for in his house, +and asked Hallgerda whence it came? + +"Thence," she says; "whence thou mightest well eat of it; +besides, it is no man's business to trouble himself with +housekeeping." + +Gunner got wroth and said, "Ill indeed is it if I am a partaker +with thieves;" and with that he gave her a slap on the cheek. + +She said she would bear that slap in mind and repay it if she +could. + +So she went off and he went with her, and then all that was +on the board was cleared away, but flesh-meat was brought in +instead, and all thought that was because the flesh was thought +to have been got in a better way. + +Now the men who had been at the Thing fare away. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) That is, from the sea-side or shore, the long narrow strip + of habitable land between the mountains and the sea in the + south-east of Iceland. + + + +49. OF SKAMKELL'S EVIL COUNSEL + +Now we must tell of Skamkell. He rides after some sheep up along +Rangriver, and he sees something shining in the path. He finds a +knife and belt, and thinks he knows both of them. He fares with +them to Kirkby; Otkell was out of doors when Skamkell came. He +spoke to him and said, "Knowest thou aught of these pretty +things?" + +"Of a surety," says Otkell, "I know them." + +"Who owns them?" asks Skamkell. + +"Malcolm the thrall," says Otkell. + +"Then more shall see and know them than we two," says Skamkell, +"for true will I be to thee in counsel." + +They showed them to many men, and all knew them. Then Skamkell +said, "What counsel wilt thou now take?" + +"We shall go and see Mord Valgard's son," answers Otkell, "and +seek counsel of him." + +So they went to Hof, and showed the pretty things to Mord, and +asked him if he knew them? + +He said he knew them well enough, but what was there in that? +"Do you think you have a right to look for anything at Lithend?" + +"We think it hard for us," says Skamkell, "to know what to do, +when such mighty men have a hand in it." + +"That is so, sure enough," says Mord, "but yet I will get to know +those things, out of Gunnar's household, which none of you will +ever know." + +"We would give thee money," they say, "if thou wouldst search out +this thing." + +"That money I shall buy full dear," answered Mord, "but still, +perhaps, it may be that I will look at the matter." + +They gave him three marks of silver for lending them his help. + +Then he gave them this counsel, that women should go about from +house to house with small ware, and give them to the housewives, +and mark what was given them in return. + +"For," he says, "'tis the turn of mind of all men first to give +away what has been stolen, if they have it in their keeping, and +so it will be here also, if this hath-happened by the hand of +man. Ye shall then come and show me what has been given to each +in each house, and I shall then be free from farther share in +this matter, if the truth comes to light." + +To this they agreed, and went home afterwards. + +Mord sends women about the country, and they were away half a +month. Then they came back, and had big bundles. Mord asked +where they had most given them? + +They said that at Lithend most was given them, and Hallgerda had +been most bountiful to them. + +He asked what was given them there. + +"Cheese," say they. + +He begged to see it, and they showed it to him, and it was in +great slices. These he took and kept. + +A little after, Mord fared to see Otkell, and bade that he would +bring Thorgerda's cheese-mould; and when that was done, he laid +the slices down in it, and lo! they fitted the mould in every +way. + +Then they saw, too, that a whole cheese had been given to them. + +Then Mord said, "Now may ye see that Hallgerda must have stolen +the cheese;" and they all passed the same judgment; and then Mord +said, that now he thought he was free of this matter. + +After that they parted. + +Shortly after Kolskegg fell to talking with Gunnar and said, "Ill +is it to tell, but the story is in every man's mouth, that +Hallgerda must have stolen, and that she was at the bottom of all +that great scathe that befell at Kirkby." + +Gunner said that he too thought that must be so. "But what is to +be done now?" + +Kolskegg answered, "Thou wilt think it thy most bounden duty to +make atonement for thy wife's wrong, and methinks it were best +that thou farest to see Otkell, and makest him a handsome offer." + +"This is well spoken," says Gunnar, "and so it shall be." + +A little after Gunnar sent after Thrain Sigfus' son and Lambi +Sigurd's son, and they came at once. + +Gunnar told them whither he meant to go, and they were well +pleased. Gunnar rode with eleven men to Kirkby, and called +Otkell out. Skamkell was there too, and said, "I will go out +with thee, and it will be best now to have the balance of wit on +thy side. And I would wish to stand closest by thee when thou +needest it most, and now this will be put to the proof. Methinks +it were best that thou puttest on an air of great weight." + +Then they, Otkell and Skamkell, and Hallkell, and Hallbjorn, went +out all of them. + +They greeted Gunnar, and he took their greeting well. Otkell +asks whither he meant to go? + +"No farther than here," says Gunnar, "and my errand hither is to +tell thee about that bad mishap, how it arose from the plotting +of my wife and that thrall whom I bought from thee." + +"'Tis only what was to be looked for," says Hallbjorn. + +"Now I will make thee a good offer," says Gunnar, "and the offer +is this, that the best men here in the country round settle the +matter." + +"This is a fair-sounding offer," said Skamkell, "but an unfair +and uneven one. Thou art a man who has many friends among the +householders, but Otkell has not many friends." + +"Well," says Gunnar, "then I will offer thee that I shall make an +award, and utter it here on this spot, and so we will settle the +matter, and my good-will shall follow the settlement. But I will +make thee an atonement by paying twice the worth of what was +lost." + +"This choice shalt thou not take," said Skamkell; "and it is +unworthy to give up to him the right to make his own award, when +thou oughtest to have kept it for thyself." + +So Otkell said, "I will not give up to thee, Gunnar, the right to +make thine own award." + +"I see plainly," said Gunnar, "the help of men who will be paid +off for it one day, I daresay; but come now, utter an award for +thyself." + +Otkell leant toward Skamkell and said, "What shall I answer now?" + +"This thou shalt call a good offer, but still put thy suit into +the hands of Gizur the White, and Geir the Priest, and then many +will say this, that thou behavest like Hallkell, thy grandfather, +who was the greatest of champions." + +"Well offered is this, Gunnar," said Otkell, "but still my will +is thou wouldst give me time to see Gizur the White." + +"Do now whatever thou likest in the matter," said Gunnar; "but +men will say this, that thou couldst not see thine own honour +when thou wouldst have none of the choices I offer thee." + +Then Gunnar rode home, and when he had gone away, Hallbjorn said, +"Here I see how much man differs from man. Gunnar made thee good +offers, but thou wouldst take none of them; or how dost thou +think to strive with Gunnar in a quarrel, when no one is his +match in fight. But now he is still so kind-hearted a man that +it may be he will let these offers stand, though thou art only +ready to take them afterwards. Methinks it were best that thou +farest to see Gizur the White and Geir the Priest now this very +hour." + +Otkell let them catch his horse, and made ready in every way. +Otkell was not sharpsighted, and Skamkell walked on the way along +with him, and said to Otkell, "Methought it strange that thy +brother would not take this toil from thee, and now I will make +thee an offer to fare instead of thee, for I know that the +journey is irksome to thee." + +"I will take that offer," says Otkell, "but mind and be as +truthful as ever thou canst." + +"So it shall be," says Skamkell. + +Then Skamkell took his horse and cloak, but Otkell walks home. + +Hallbjorn was out of doors, and said to Otkell, "Ill is it to +have a thrall for one's bosom friend, and we shall rue this for +ever that thou hast turned back, and it is an unwise step to send +the greatest liar on an errand, of which one may so speak that +men's lives hang on it." + +"Thou wouldst be sore afraid," says Otkell, "if Gunnar had his +bill aloft, when thou art so scared now." + +"No one knows who will be most afraid then," said Hallbjorn; "but +this thou wilt have to own, that Gunnar does not lose much time +in brandishing his bill when he is wroth." + +"Ah!" said Otkell, "ye are all of you for yielding but Skamkell." + +And then they were both wroth. + + + +50. OF SKAMKELL'S LYING + +Skamkell came to Mossfell, and repeated all the offers to Gizur. + +"It so seems to me," says Gizur, "as though these have been +bravely offered; but why took he not these offers?" + +"The chief cause was," answers Skamkell, "that all wished to show +thee honour, and that was why he waited for thy utterance; +besides, that is best for all." + +So Skamkell stayed there the night over, but Gizur sent a man to +fetch Geir the Priest; and he came there early. Then Gizur told +him the story and said, "What course is to be taken now?" + +"As thou no doubt hast already made up thy mind -- to make the +best of the business for both sides." + +"Now we will let Skamkell tell his tale a second time, and see +how he repeats it." + +So they did that, and Gizur said, "Thou must have told this story +right; but still I have seen thee to be the wickedest of men, and +there is no faith in faces if thou turnest out well." + +Skamkell fared home, and rides first to Kirkby and calls Otkell +out. He greets Skamkell well, and Skamkell brought him the +greeting of Gizur and Geir. + +"But about this matter of the suit," he says, "there is no need +to speak softly, how that it is the will of both Gizur and Geir +that this suit should not be settled in a friendly way. They +gave that counsel that a summons should be set on foot, and that +Gunnar should be summoned for having partaken of the goods, but +Hallgerda for stealing them." + +"It shall be done," said Otkell, "in everything as they have +given counsel." + +"They thought most of this," says Skamkell, "that thou hadst +behaved so proudly; but as for me, I made as great a man of thee +in everything as I could." + +Now Otkell tells all this to his brothers, and Hallbjorn said, +"This must be the biggest lie." + +Now the time goes on until the last of the summoning days before +the Althing came. + +Then Otkell called on his brothers and Skamkell to ride on the +business of the summons to Lithend. + +Hallbjorn said he would go, but said also that they would rue +this summoning as time went on. + +Now they rode twelve of them together to Lithend, but when they +came into the "town," there was Gunnar out of doors, and knew +naught of their coming till they had ridden right up to the +house. + +He did not go in-doors then, and Otkell thundered out the summons +there and then; but when they had made an end of the summoning +Skamkell said, "Is it all right, master?" + +"Ye know that best;" says Gunnar, "but I will put thee in mind of +this journey one of these days, and of thy good help." + +"That will not harm us," says Skamkell, "if thy bill be not +aloft." + +Gunnar was very wroth and went in-doors, and told Kolskegg, and +Kolskegg said, "Ill was it that we were not out of doors; they +should have come here on the most shameful journey, if we had +been by." + +"Everything bides its time," says Gunnar; "but this journey will +not turn out to their honour." + +A little after Gunnar went and told Njal. + +"Let it not worry thee a jot," said Njal, "for this will be the +greatest honour to thee, ere this Thing comes to an end. As for +us, we will all back thee with counsel and force." + +Gunnar thanked him and rode home. + +Otkell rides to the Thing, and his brothers with him and +Skamkell. + + + +51. OF GUNNAR + +Gunnar rode to the Thing and all the sons of Sigfus; Njal and his +sons too, they all went with Gunnar; and it was said that no band +was so well knit and hardy as theirs. + +Gunnar went one day to the booth of the Dalemen; Hrut was by the +booth and Hauskuld, and they greeted Gunnar well. Now Gunnar +tells them the whole story of the suit up to that time. + +"What counsel gives Njal?" asks Hrut. + +"He bade me seek you brothers," says Gunnar, "and said he was +sure that he and you would look at the matter in the same light." + +"He wishes then," says Hrut, "that I should say what I think +for kinship's sake; and so it shall be. Thou shalt challenge +Gizur the White to combat on the island, if they do not leave the +whole award to thee; but Kolskegg shall challenge Geir the +Priest. As for Otkell and his crew, men must be got ready to +fall on them; and now we have such great strength all of us +together, that thou mayst carry out whatever thou wilt." + +Gunnar went home to his booth and told Njal. + +"Just what I looked for," said Njal. + +Wolf Aurpriest got wind of this plan, and told Gizur, and Gizur +said to Otkell, "Who gave thee that counsel that thou shouldst +summon Gunnar?" + +"Skamkell told me that was the counsel of both Geir the Priest +and thyself." + +"But where is that scoundrel?" says Gizur, "who has thus lied." + +"He lies sick up at our booth," says Otkell. + +"May he never rise from his bed," says Gizur. "Now we must all +go to see Gunnar, and offer him the right to make his own award; +but I know not whether he will take that now." + +Many men spoke ill of Skamkell, and he lay sick all through the +Thing. + +Gizur and his friends went to Gunnar's booth; their coming was +known, and Gunnar was told as he sat in his booth, and then they +all went out and stood in array. + +Gizur the White came first, and after a while he spoke and said, +"This is our offer -- that thou, Gunnar, makest thine own award +in this suit." + +"Then," says Gunnar, "it was no doubt far from thy counsel that I +was summoned." + +"I gave no such counsel," says Gizur, "neither I nor Geir." + +"Then thou must clear thyself of this charge by fitting proof." + +"What proof dost thou ask?" says Gizur. + +"That thou takest an oath," says Gunnar. + +"That I will do," says Gizur, "if thou wilt take the award into +thine own hands." + +"That was the offer I made a while ago," says Gunnar; "but now, +methinks, I have a greater matter to pass judgment on." + +"It will not be right to refuse to make thine own award," said +Njal; "for the greater the matter, the greater the honour in +making it." + +"Well," said Gunnar, "I will do this to please my friends, and +utter my award; but I give Otkell this bit of advice, never to +give me cause for quarrel hereafter." + +Then Hrut and Hauskuld were sent for, and they came thither, and +then Gizur the White and Gier the Priest took their oaths; but +Gunnar made his award, and spoke with no man about it, and +afterwards he uttered it as follows: + +"This is my award," he says; "first, I lay it down that the +storehouse must be paid for, and the food that was therein; but +for the thrall, I will pay thee no fine, for that thou hiddest +his faults; but I award him back to thee; for as the saying is, +`Birds of a feather flock most together.' Then, on the other +hand, I see that thou hast summoned me in scorn and mockery, and +for that I award to myself no less a sum than what the house that +was burnt and the stores in it were worth; but if ye think it +better that we be not set at one again, then I will let you have +your choice of that, but if so I have already made up my mind +what I shall do, and then I will fulfil my purpose." + +"What we ask," said Gizur, "is that thou shouldst not be hard on +Otkell, but we beg this of thee, on the other hand, that thou +wouldst be his friend." + +"That shall never be," said Gunnar, "so long as I live; but he +shall have Skamkell's friendship; on that he has long leant." + +"Well," answers Gizur, "we will close with thee in this matter, +though thou alone layest down the terms." + +Then all this atonement was made and hands were shaken on it, and +Gunnar said to Otkell, "It were wiser to go away to thy kinsfolk; +but if thou wilt be here in this country, mind that thou givest +me no cause of quarrel." + +"That is wholesome counsel," said Gizur; "and so he shall do." + +So Gunnar had the greatest honour from that suit, and afterwards +men rode home from the Thing. + +Now Gunnar sits in his house at home, and so things are quiet for +a while. + + + +52. OF RUNOLF, THE SON OF WOLF AURPRIEST + +There was a man named Runolf, the son of Wolf Aurpriest, he kept +house at the Dale, east of Markfleet. He was Otkell's guest once +when he rode from the Thing. Otkell gave him an ox, all black, +without a spot of white, nine winters old. Runolf thanked him +for the gift, and bade him come and see him at home whenever he +chose to go; and this bidding stood over for some while, so that +he had not paid the visit. Runolf often sent men to him and put +him in mind that he ought to come; and he always said he would +come, but never went. + +Now Otkell had two horses, dun coloured, with a black stripe down +the back; they were the best steeds to ride in all the country +round, and so fond of each other that whenever one went before +the other ran after him. + +There was an Easterling staying with Otkell, whose name was +Audulf; he had set his heart on Signy, Otkell's daughter. Audulf +was a tall man in growth, and strong. + + + +53. HOW OTKELL RODE OVER GUNNAR + +It happened next spring that Otkell said that they would ride +east to the Dale, to pay Runolf a visit, and all showed +themselves well pleased at that. Skamkell and his two brothers, +and Audulf and three men more, went along with Otkell. Otkell +rode one of the dun horses, but the other ran loose by his side. +They shaped their course east towards Markfleet; and now Otkell +gallops ahead, and now the horses race against each other, and +they break away from the path up towards the Fleetlithe. + +Now, Otkell goes faster than he wished, and it happened that +Gunnar had gone away from home out of his house all alone; and he +had a corn-sieve in one hand, but in the other a hand-axe. He +goes down to his seed field and sows his corn there, and had laid +his cloak of fine stuff and his axe down by his side, and so he +sows the corn a while. + +Now, it must be told how Otkell rides faster than he would. He +had spurs on his feet, and so he gallops down over the ploughed +field, and neither of them sees the other; and just as Gunnar +stands upright, Otkell rides down upon him and drives one of the +spurs into Gunnar's ear, and gives him a great gash, and it +bleeds at once much. + +Just then Otkell's companions rode up. + +"Ye may see, all of you," says Gunnar, "that thou hast drawn my +blood, and it is unworthy to go on so. First thou hast summoned +me, but now thou treadest me under foot, and ridest over me." + +Skamkell said, "Well it was no worse, master, but thou wast not +one whit less wroth at the Thing, when thou tookest the selfdoom +and clutchedst thy bill." + +Gunnar said, "When we two next meet thou shalt see the bill." +After that they part thus, and Skamkell shouted out and said, "Ye +ride hard, lads!" + +Gunnar went home, and said never a word to any one about what had +happened, and no one thought that this wound could have come by +man's doing. + +It happened, though, one day, that he told it to his brother +Kolskegg, and Kolskegg said, "This thou shalt tell to more men, +so that it may not be said that thou layest blame on dead men; +for it will be gainsaid if witnesses do not know beforehand what +has passed between you." + +Then Gunnar told it to his neighbours, and there was little talk +about it at first. + +Otkell comes east to the Dale, and they get a hearty welcome +there, and sit there a week. + +Skamkell told Runolf all about their meeting with Gunnar, and how +it had gone off; and one man happened to ask how Gunnar behaved. + +"Why," said Skamkell, "if it were a low-born man it would have +been said that he had wept." + +"Such things are ill spoken," says Runolf, "and when ye two next +meet, thou wilt have to own that there is no voice of weeping in +his frame of mind; and it will be well if better men have not to +pay for thy spite. Now it seems to me best when ye wish to go +home that I should go with you, for Gunnar will do me no harm." + +"I will not have that," says Otkell; "but I will ride across the +Fleet lower down." + +Runolf gave Otkell good gifts, and said they should not see one +another again. + +Otkell bade him then to bear his sons in mind if things turned +out so. + + + +54. THE FIGHT AT RANGRIVER + +Now we must take up the story, and say that Gunnar was out of +doors at Lithend, and sees his shepherd galloping up to the yard. +The shepherd rode straight into the "town"; and Gunnar said, "Why +ridest thou so hard?" + +"I would be faithful to thee," said the man; "I saw men riding +down along Markfleet, eight of them together, and four of them +were in coloured clothes." + +Gunnar said, "That must be Otkell." + +The lad said, "I have often heard many temper-trying words of +Skamkell's; for Skamkell spoke away there east at Dale, and said +that thou sheddest tears when they rode over thee; but I tell it +thee because I cannot bear to listen to such speeches of +worthless men." + +"We must not be word-sick," says Gunnar, "but from this day forth +thou shall do no other work than what thou choosest for thyself." + +"Shall I say aught of this to Kolskegg thy brother?" asked the +shepherd. + +"Go thou and sleep," says Gunnar; "I will tell Kolskegg." + +The lad laid him down and fell asleep at once, but Gunnar took +the shepherd's horse and laid his saddle on him; he took his +shield, and girded him with his sword, Oliver's gift; he sets his +helm on his head; takes his bill, and something sung loud in it, +and his mother, Rannveig, heard it. She went up to him and said +"Wrathful art thou now, my son, and never saw I thee thus +before." + +Gunnar goes out, and drives the butt of his spear into the earth, +and throws himself into the saddle, and rides away, + +His mother, Rannveig, went into the sitting-room, where there was +a great noise of talking. + +"Ye speak loud," she says, "but yet the bill gave a louder sound +when Gunnar went out." + +Kolskegg heard what she said, and spoke, "This betokens no small +tidings. + +"That is well," says Hallgerda, "now they will soon prove whether +he goes away from them weeping." + +Kolskegg takes his weapons and seeks him a horse, and rides after +Gunnar as fast as he could. + +Gunnar rides across Acretongue, and so to Geilastofna and thence +to Rangriver, and down the stream to the ford at Hof. There were +some women at the milking-post there. Gunnar jumped off his +horse and tied him up. By this time the others were riding up +towards him; there were flat stones covered with mud in the path +that led down to the ford. + +Gunnar called out to them and said, "Now is the time to guard +yourselves; here now is the bill, and here now ye will put it to +the proof whether I shed one tear for all of you." + +Then they all of them sprang off their horses' backs and made +towards Gunnar. Hallbjorn was the foremost. + +"Do not thou come on," says Gunnar; "thee last of all would I +harm; but I will spare no one if I have to fight for my life." + +"That I cannot do," says Hallbjorn; "thou wilt strive to kill my +brother for all that, and it is a shame if I sit idly by." And +as he said this he thrust at Gunnar with a great spear which he +held in both hands. + +Gunnar threw his shield before the blow, but Hallbjorn pierced +the shield through. Gunnar thrust the shield down so hard that +it stood fast in the earth (1), but he brandished his sword so +quickly that no eye could follow it, and he made a blow with the +sword, and it fell on Hallbjorn's arm above the wrist, so that it +cut it off. + +Skamkell ran behind Gunnar's back and makes a blow at him with a +great axe. Gunnar turned short round upon him and parries the +blow with the bill, and caught the axe under one of its horns +with such a wrench that it flew out of Skamkell's hand away into +the river. + +Then Gunnar sang a song: + + "Once thou askedst, foolish fellow, + Of this man, this seahorse racer, + When as fast as feet could foot it + Forth ye fled from farm of mine, + Whether that were rightly summoned? + Now with gore the spear we redden, + Battle-eager, and avenge us + Thus on thee, vile source of strife." + +Gunnar gives another thrust with his bill, and through Skamkell, +and lifts him up and casts him down in the muddy path on his +head. + +Audulf the Easterling snatches up a spear and launches it at +Gunnar. Gunnar caught the spear with his hand in the air, and +hurled it back at once, and it flew through the shield and the +Easterling too, and so down into the earth. + +Otkell smites at Gunnar with his sword, and aims at his leg just +below the knee, but Gunnar leapt up into the air and he misses +him. Then Gunnar thrusts at him the bill and the blow goes +through him. + +Then Kolskegg comes up, and rushes at once at Hallkell and dealt +him his death-blow with his short sword. There and then they +slay eight men. + +A woman who saw all this, ran home and told Mord, and besought +him to part them. + +"They alone will be there," he says, "of whom I care not though +they slay one another." + +"Thou canst not mean to say that," she says, "for thy kinsman +Gunnar, and thy friend Otkell will be there." + +"Baggage, that thou art," he says, "thou art always chattering," +and so he lay still in-doors while they fought. + +Gunnar and Kolskegg rode home after this work, and they rode hard +up along the river bank, and Gunnar leapt off his horse and came +down on his feet. + +Then Kolskegg said, "Hard now thou ridest, brother!" + +"Ay," said Gunnar, "that was what Skamkell said when he uttered +those very words when they rode over me." + +"Well, thou hast avenged that now," says Kolskegg. + +"I would like to know," says Gunnar, "whether I am by so much the +less brisk and bold than other men, because I think more of +killing men than they?" + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) This shews that the shields were oblong, running down to a + point. + + + +55. NJAL'S ADVICE TO GUNNAR + +Now those tidings are heard far and wide, and many said that they +thought they had not happened before it was likely. Gunnar rode +to Bergthorsknoll and told Njal of these deeds. + +Njal said, "Thou hast done great things, but thou hast been +sorely tried." + +"How will it now go henceforth?" says Gunnar. + +"Wilt thou that I tell thee what hath not yet come to pass?" asks +Njal. "Thou wilt ride to the Thing, and thou wilt abide by my +counsel and get the greatest honour from this matter. This will +be the beginning of thy manslayings." + +"But give me some cunning counsel," says Gunnar. + +"I will do that," says Njal, "never slay more than one man in the +same stock, and never break the peace which good men and true +make between thee and others, and least of all in such a matter +as this." + +Gunnar said, "I should have thought there was more risk of that +with others than with me." + +"Like enough," says Njal, "but still thou shalt so think of thy +quarrels, that if that should come to pass of which I have warned +thee, then thou wilt have but a little while to live; but +otherwise, thou wilt come to be an old man." + +Gunnar said, "Dost thou know what will be thine own death?" + +"I know it," says Njal. + +"What?" asks Gunnar. + +"That," says Njal, "which all would be the last to think." + +After that Gunnar rode home. + +A man was sent to Gizur the White and Geir the Priest, for they +had the blood-feud after Otkell. Then they had a meeting, and +had a talk about what was to be done; and they were of one mind +that the quarrel should be followed up at law. Then some one was +sought who would take the suit up, but no one was ready to do +that. + +"It seems to me," says Gizur, "that now there are only two +courses, that one of us two undertakes the suit, and then we +shall have to draw lots who it shall be, or else the man will be +unatoned. We may make up our minds, too, that this will be a +heavy suit to touch; Gunnar has many kinsmen and is much beloved; +but that one of us who does not draw the lot, shall ride to the +Thing and never leave it until the suit comes to an end." + +After that they drew lots, and Geir the Priest drew the lot to +take up the suit. + +A little after, they rode from the west over the river, and came +to the spot where the meeting had been by Rangriver, and dug up +the bodies, and took witness to the wounds. After that they gave +lawful notice and summoned nine neighbours to bear witness in the +suit. + +They were told that Gunnar was at home with about thirty men; +then Geir the Priest asked whether Gizur would ride against him +with one hundred men. + +"I will not do that," says he, "though the balance of force is +great on our side." + +After that they rode back home. The news that the suit was set +on foot was spread all over the country, and the saying ran that +the Thing would be very noisy and stormy. + + + +56. GUNNAR AND GEIR THE PRIEST STRIVE AT THE THING + +There was a man named Skapti. He was the son of Thorod (1). +That father and son were great chiefs, and very well skilled in +law. Thorod was thought to be rather crafty and guileful. They +stood by Gizur the White in every quarrel. + +As for the Lithemen and the dwellers by Rangriver, they came in a +great body to the Thing. Gunnar was so beloved that all said +with one voice that they would back him. + +Now they all come to the Thing and fit up their booths. In +company with Gizur the White were these chiefs: Skapti Thorod's +son, Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, Oddi of Kidberg, and Halldor +Ornolf's son. + +Now one day men went to the Hill of Laws, and then Geir the +Priest stood up and gave notice that he had a suit of +manslaughter against Gunnar for the slaying of Otkell. Another +suit of manslaughter he brought against Gunnar for the slaying of +Halljborn the White; then, too, he went on in the same way as to +the slaying of Audulf, and so, too, as to the slaying of +Skamkell. Then, too, he laid a suit of manslaughter against +Kolskegg for the slaying of Hallkell. + +And when he had given due notice of all his suits of manslaughter +it was said that he spoke well. He asked, too, in what Quarter +court the suits lay, and in what house in the district the +defendants dwelt. After that men went away from the Hill of +Laws, and so the Thing goes on till the day when the courts were +to be set to try suits. Then either side gathered their men +together in great strength. + +Geir the Priest and Gizur the White stood at the court of the men +of Rangriver looking north, and Gunnar and Njal stood looking +south towards the court. + +Geir the Priest bade Gunnar to listen to his oath, and then he +took the oath, and afterwards declared his suit. + +Then he let men bear witness of the notice given by the suit; +then he called upon the neighbours who were to form the inquest +to take their seats; then he called on Gunnar to challenge the +inquest; and then he called on the inquest to utter their +finding. Then the neighbours who were summoned on the inquest +went to the court and took witness, and said that there was a bar +to their finding in the suit as to Audulf's slaying, because the +next of kin who ought to follow it up was in Norway, and so they +had nothing to do with that suit. + +After that they uttered their finding in the suit as to Otkell, +and brought in Gunnar as truly guilty of killing him. + +Then Geir the Priest called on Gunnar for his defence, and took +witness of all the steps in the suit which had been proved. + +Then Gunnar, in his turn, called on Geir the Priest to listen to +his oath, and to the defence which he was about to bring forward +in the suit. Then he took the oath and said, "This defence I +make to this suit, that I took witness and outlawed Otkell before +my neighbours for that bloody wound which I got when Otkell gave +me a hurt with his spur; but thee, Geir the Priest, I forbid by a +lawful protest made before a priest, to pursue this suit, and so, +too, I forbid the judges to hear it; and with this I make all the +steps hitherto taken in this suit void and of none-effect. I +forbid thee by a lawful protest, a full, fair, and binding +protest, as I have a right to forbid thee by the common custom of +the Thing and by the law of the land. + +"Besides, I will tell thee something else which I mean to do," +says Gunnar. + +"What!" says Geir, "wilt thou challenge me to the island as thou +art wont, and not bear the law?" + +"Not that," says Gunnar; "I shall summon thee at the Hill of Laws +for that thou calledst those men on the inquest who had no right +to deal with Audulf's slaying, and I will declare thee for that +guilty of outlawry." + +Then Njal said, "Things must not take this turn, for the only end +of it will be that this strife will be carried to the uttermost. +Each of you, as it seems to me, has much on his side. There are +some of these manslaughters, Gunnar, about which thou canst say +nothing to hinder the court from finding thee guilty; but thou +hast set on foot a suit against Geir, in which he, too, must be +found guilty. Thou too, Geir the Priest, shalt know that this +suit of outlawry which hangs over thee shall not fall to the +ground if thou wilt not listen to my words." + +Thorod the Priest said, "It seems to us as though the most +peaceful way would be that a settlement and atonement were come +to in the suit. But why sayest thou so little, Gizur the White?" + +"It seems to me," says Gizur, "as though we shall need to have +strong props for our suit; we may see, too, that Gunnar's friends +stand near him, and so the best turn for us that things can take +will be that good men and true should utter an award on the suit, +if Gunnar so wills it." + +"I have ever been willing to make matters up," says Gunnar; "and +besides, ye have much wrong to follow up, but still I think I was +hard driven to do as I did." + +And now the end of those suits was, by the counsel of the wisest +men, that all the suits were put to arbitration; six men were to +make this award, and it was uttered there and then at the Thing. + +The award was that Skamkell should be unatoned. The blood money +for Otkell's death was to be set off against the hurt Gunnar got +from the spur; and as for the rest of the manslaughters, they +were paid for after the worth of the men, and Gunnar's kinsmen +gave money so that all the fines might be paid up at the Thing. + +Then Geir the Priest and Gizur the White went up and gave Gunnar +pledges that they would keep the peace in good faith. + +Gunnar rode home from the Thing, and thanked men for their help, +and gave gifts to many, and got the greatest honour from the +suit. + +Now Gunnar sits at home in his honour. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Thorod's mother was Thorvor, she was daughter of Thormod + Skapti's son, son of Oleif the Broad, son of Oliver + Barncarle. + + + +57. OF STARKAD AND HIS SONS + +There was a man named Starkad; he was a son of Bork the Waxy- +toothed-blade, the son of Thorkell Clubfoot, who took the land +round about Threecorner as the first settler. His wife's name +was Hallbera (1). The sons of Starkad and Hallbera were these: +Thorgeir and Bork and Thorkell. Hildigunna the Leech was their +sister. + +They were very proud men in temper, hard-hearted and unkind. +They treated men wrongfully. + +There was a man named Egil; he was a son of Kol, who took land as +a settler between Storlek and Reydwater. The brother of Egil was +Aunund of Witchwood, father of Hall the Strong, who was at the +slaying of Holt-Thorir with the sons of Kettle the Smooth- +tongued. + +Egil kept house at Sandgil; his sons were these: Kol, and Ottar, +and Hauk. Their mother's name was Steinvor; she was Starkad's +sister. + +Egil's sons were tall and strifeful; they were most unfair men. +They were always on one side with Starkad's sons. Their sister +was Gudruna Nightsun, and she was the bestbred of women. + +Egil had taken into his house two Easterlings; the one's name was +Thorir and the other's Thorgrim. They were not long come out +hither for the first time, and were wealthy and beloved by their +friends; they were well skilled in arms, too, and dauntless in +everything. + +Starkad had a good horse of chesnut hue, and it was thought that +no horse was his match in fight. Once it happened that these +brothers from Sandgil were away under the Threecorner. They had +much gossip about all the householders in the Fleetlithe, and +they fell at last to asking whether there was any one that would +fight a horse against them. + +But there were some men there who spoke so as to flatter and +honour them, that not only was there no one who would dare do +that, but that there was no one that had such a horse. + +Then Hildigunna answered, "I know that man who will dare to fight +horses with you." + +"Name him," they say. + +"Gunnar has a brown horse," she says, "and he will dare to fight +his horse against you, and against any one else." + +"As for you women," they say, "you think no one can be Gunnar's +match; but though Geir the Priest or Gizur the White have come +off with shame from before him, still it is not settled that we +shall fare in the same way." + +"Ye will fare much worse," she says: and so there arose out of +this the greatest strife between them. Then Starkad said, "My +will is that ye try your hands on Gunnar last of all; for ye will +find it hard work to go against his good luck." + +"Thou wilt give us leave, though, to offer him a horsefight?" + +"I will give you leave, if ye play him no trick." + +They said they would be sure to do what their father said. + +Now they rode to Lithend; Gunnar was at home, and went out, and +Kolskegg and Hjort went with him, and they gave them a hearty +welcome, and asked whither they meant to go? + +"No farther than hither," they say. "We are told that thou hast a +good horse, and we wish to challenge thee to a horse-fight." + +"Small stories can go about my horse," says Gunnar; "he is young +and untried in every way." + +"But still thou wilt be good enough to have the fight, for +Hildigunna guessed that thou wouldest be easy in matching thy +horse." + +"How came ye to talk about that?" says Gunnar. + +"There were some men," say they, "who were sure that no one would +dare to fight his horse with ours." + +"I would dare to fight him," says Gunnar; "but I think that was +spitefully said." + +"Shall we look upon the match as made, then?" they asked. + +"Well, your journey will seem to you better if ye have your way +in this; but still I will beg this of you, that we so fight our +horses that we make sport for each other, but that no quarrel may +arise from it, and that ye put no shame upon me; but if ye do to +me as ye do to others, then there will be no help for it but that +I shall give you such a buffet as it will seem hard to you to put +up with. In a word, I shall do then just as ye do first." + +Then they ride home. Starkad asked how their journey had gone +off; they said that Gunnar had made their going good. + +"He gave his word to fight his horse, and we settled when and +where the horse-fight should be; but it was plain in everything +that he thought he fell short of us, and he begged and prayed to +get off." + +"It will often be found," says Hildigunna, "that Gunnar is slow +to be drawn into quarrels, but a hard hitter if he cannot avoid +them." + +Gunnar rode to see Njal, and told him of the horse-fight, and +what words had passed between them, "But how dost thou think the +horse-fight will turn out?" + +"Thou wilt be uppermost," says Njal, "but yet many a man's bane +will arise out of this fight." + +"Will my bane perhaps come out of it?" asks Gunnar. + +"Not out of this," says Njal; "but still they will bear in mind +both the old and the new feud who fare against thee, and thou +wilt have naught left for it but to yield." + +Then Gunnar rode home. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) She was daughter of Hroald the Red and Hildigunna Thorstein + Titling's daughter. The mother of Hildigunna was Aud Eyvind + Karf's daughter, the sister of Modolf the Wise of Mosfell, + from whom the Modylfings are sprung. + + + +58. HOW GUNNAR'S HORSE FOUGHT + +Just then Gunnar heard of the death of his father-in-law +Hauskuld; a few nights after, Thorgerda, Thrain's wife, was +delivered at Gritwater, and gave birth to a boy child. Then she +sent a man to her mother, and bade her choose whether it should +be called Glum or Hauskuld. She bade call it Hauskuld. So that +name was given to the boy. + +Gunnar and Hallgerda had two sons, the one's name was Hogni and +the other's Grani. Hogni was a brave man of few words, +distrustful and slow to believe, but truthful. + +Now men ride to the horse-fight, and a very great crowd is +gathered together there. Gunnar was there and his brothers, and +the sons of Sigfus. Njal and all his sons. There too was come +Starkad and his sons, and Egil and his sons, and they said to +Gunnar that now they would lead the horses together. + +Gunnar said, "That was well." + +Skarphedinn said, "Wilt thou that I drive thy horse, kinsman +Gunnar?" + +"I will not have that," says Gunnar. + +"It wouldn't be amiss though," says Skarphedinn; "we are hot- +headed on both sides." + +"Ye would say or do little," says Gunnar, "before a quarrel would +spring up; but with me it will take longer, though it will be all +the same in the end." + +After that the horses were led together; Gunnar busked him to +drive his horse, but Skarphedinn led him out. Gunnar was in a +red kirtle, and had about his loins a broad belt, and a great +riding-rod in his hand. + +Then the horses ran at one another, and bit each other long, so +that there was no need for any one to touch them, and that was +the greatest sport. + +Then Thorgeir and Kol made up their minds that they would push +their horse forward just as the horses rushed together, and see +if Gunnar would fall before him. + +Now the horses ran at one another again, and both Thorgeir and +Kol ran alongside their horses' flank. + +Gunnar pushes his horse against them, and what happened in a +trice was this, that Thorgeir and his brother fall down flat on +their backs, and their horse a-top of them. + +Then they spring up and rush at Gunnar. Gunnar swings himself +free and seizes Kol, casts him down on the field, so that he lies +senseless. Thorgeir Starkad's son smote Gunnar's horse such a +blow that one of his eyes started out. Gunnar smote Thorgeir +with his riding-rod, and down falls Thorgeir senseless; but +Gunnar goes to his horse, and said to Kolskegg, "Cut off the +horse's head; he shall not live a maimed and blemished beast." + +So Kolskegg cut the head off the horse. + +Then Thorgeir got on his feet and took his weapons, and wanted to +fly at Gunnar, but that was stopped, and there was a great throng +and crush. + +Skarphedinn said, "This crowd wearies me, and it is far more +manly that men should fight it out with weapons; and so he sang a +song: + + "At the Thing there is a throng; + Past all bounds the crowding comes; + Hard 'twill be to patch up peace + 'Twixt the men. This wearies me; + Worthier is it far for men + Weapons red with gore to stain; + I for one would sooner tame + Hunger huge of cub of wolf." + +Gunnar was still, so that one man held him, and spoke no ill +words. + +Njal tried to bring about a settlement, or to get pledges of +peace; but Thorgeir said he would neither give nor take peace; +far rather, he said, would he see Gunnar dead for the blow. + +Kolskegg said, "Gunnar has before now stood too fast, than that +he should have fallen for words alone, and so it will be again." + +Now men ride away from the horse-field, every one to his home. +They make no attack on Gunnar, and so that halfyear passed away. +At the Thing, the summer after, Gunnar met Olaf the peacock, his +cousin, and he asked him to come and see him, but yet bade him be +ware of himself; "For," says he, "they will do us all the harm +they can, and mind and fare always with many men at thy back." + +He gave him much good counsel beside, and they agreed that there +should be the greatest friendship between them. + + + +59. OF ASGRIM AND WOLF UGGIS' SON + +Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing +against Wolf Uggis' son. It was a matter of inheritance. Asgrim +took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a +bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five +neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine. +And now they have this as their bar. + +Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single +combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get +their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that +I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they +were not here themselves." + +"But," says Wolf, "this quarrel is not one between thee and me." + +"Still it shall be as good as though it were," says Gunnar. + +And the end of the suit was, that Wolf had to pay down all the +money. + +Then Asgrim said to Gunnar, "I will ask thee to come and see me +this summer, and I will ever be with thee in lawsuits, and never +against thee." + +Gunnar rides home from the Thing, and a little while after he and +Njal met. Njal besought Gunnar to be ware of himself, and said +he had been told that those away under the Threecorner meant to +fall on him, and bade him never go about with a small company, +and always to have his weapons with him. Gunnar said so it +should be, and told him that Asgrim had asked him to pay him a +visit, "and I mean to go now this harvest." + +"Let no men know before thou farest how long thou wilt be away," +said Njal; "but, besides, I beg thee to let my sons ride with +thee, and then no attack will be made on thee." + +So they settled that among themselves. + +Now the summer wears away till it was eight weeks to winter, and +then Gunnar says to Kolskegg, "Make thee ready to ride, for we +shall ride to a feast at Tongue." + +"Shall we say anything about it to Njal's sons?" said Kolskegg. + +"No," says Gunnar; "they shall fall into no quarrels for me." + + + +60. AN ATTACK AGAINST GUNNAR AGREED ON + +They rode three together, Gunnar and his brothers. Gunnar had +the bill and his sword, Oliver's gift; but Kolskegg had his short +sword; Hjort, too, had proper weapons. + +Now they rode to Tongue, and Asgrim gave them a hearty welcome, +and they were there some while. At last they gave it out that +they meant to go home there and then. Asgrim gave them good +gifts, and offered to ride east with them, but Gunnar said there +was no need of any such thing; and so he did not go. + +Sigurd Swinehead was the name of a man who dwelt by Thurso water. +He came to the farm under the Threecorner, for he had given his +word to keep watch on Gunnar's doings, and so he went and told +them of his journey home; "and," quoth he, "there could never be +a finer chance than just now, when he has only two men with him." + +"How many men shall we need to have to lie in wait for him?" says +Starkad. + +"Weak men shall be as nothing before him," he says; "and it is +not safe to have fewer than thirty men." + +"Where shall we lie in wait?" + +"By Knafaholes," he says; "there he will not see us before he +comes on us." + +"Go thou to Sandgil and tell Egil that fifteen of them must busk +themselves thence, and now other fifteen will go hence to +Knafaholes." + +Thorgeir said to Hildigunna, "This hand shall show thee Gunnar +dead this very night." + +"Nay, but I guess," says she, "that thou wilt hang thy head after +ye two meet." + +So those four, father and sons, fare away from the Threecorner, +and eleven men besides, and they fared to Knafaholes, and lay in +wait there. + +Sigurd Swinehead came to Sandgil and said, "Hither am I sent by +Starkad and his sons to tell thee, Egil, that ye, father and +sons, must fare to Knafaholes to lie in wait for Gunnar." + +"How many shall we fare in all?" says Egil. + +"Fifteen, reckoning me," he says. + +Kol said, "Now I mean to try my hand on Kolskegg." + +"Then I think thou meanest to have a good deal on thy hands," +says Sigurd. + +Egil begged his Easterlings to fare with him. They said they had +no quarrel with Gunnar; "and besides," says Thorir, "ye seem to +need much help here, when a crowd of men shall go against three +men." + +Then Egil went away and was wroth. + +Then the mistress of the house said to the Easterling, "In an +evil hour hath my daughter Gudruna humbled herself, and broken +the point of her maidenly pride, and lain by thy side as thy +wife, when thou wilt not dare to follow thy father-in-law, and +thou must be a coward," she says. + +"I will go," he says, "with thy husband, and neither of us two +shall come back." + +After that he went to Thorgrim his messmate, and said, "Take thou +now the keys of my chests; for I shall never unlock them again. +I bid thee take for thine own whatever of our goods thou wilt; +but sail away from Iceland, and do not think of revenge for me. +But if thou dost not leave the land, it will be thy death." + +So the Easterling joined himself to their band. + + + +61. GUNNAR'S DREAM + +Now we must go back and say that Gunnar rides east over Thurso +water, but when he had gone a little way from the river, he grew +very drowsy, and bade them lie down and rest there. + +They did so. He fell fast asleep, and struggled much as he +slumbered. + +Then Kolskegg said, "Gunnar dreams now." But Hjort said, "I +would like to wake him." + +"That shall not be," said Kolskegg, "but he shall dream his +dream out." + +Gunnar lay, a very long while, and threw off his shield from him, +and he grew very warm. Kolskegg said, "What hast thou dreamt, +kinsman?" + +"That have I dreamt," says Gunnar, "which if I had dreamt it +there, I would never have ridden with so few men from Tongue." + +"Tell us thy dream," says Kolskegg. + +Then Gunnar sang a song: + + "Chief, that chargest foes in fight! + Now I fear that I have ridden + Short of men from Tongue, this harvest; + Raven's fast I sure shall break. + Lord, that scatters Ocean's fire! (1) + This, at least, I long to say, + Kite with wolf shall fight for marrow + Ill I dreamt with wandering thought." + +"I dreamt, methought, that I was riding on by Knafaholes, and +there I thought I saw many wolves, and they all made at me; but I +turned away from them straight towards Rangriver, and then +methought they pressed hard on me on all sides, but I kept them +at bay, and shot all those that were foremost, till they came so +close to me that I could not use my bow against them. Then I +took my sword, and I smote with it with one hand, but thrust at +them with my bill with the other. Shield myself then I did not, +and methought then I knew not what shielded me. Then I slew many +wolves, and thou, too, Kolskegg; but Hjort methought they pulled +down, and tore open his breast, and one methought had his heart +in his maw; but I grew so wroth that I hewed that wolf asunder +just below the brisket, and after that methought the wolves +turned and fled. Now my counsel is, brother Hjort, that thou +ridest back west to Tongue." + +"I will not do that," says Hjort; "though I know my death is +sure, I will stand by thee still." + +Then they rode and came east by Knafaholes, and Kolskegg said, +"Seest thou, kinsman! Many spears stand up by the holes, and men +with weapons." + +"It does not take me unawares," says Gunnar, "that my dream comes +true." + +"What is best to be done now?" says Kolskegg; "I guess thou wilt +not run away from them." + +"They shall not have that to jeer about," says Gunnar, "but we +will ride on down to the ness by Rangriver; there is some vantage +ground there." + +Now they rode on to the ness, and made them ready there, and as +they rode on past them, Kol called out and said, "Whither art +thou running to now, Gunnar?" + +But Kolskegg said, "Say the same thing farther on when this day +has come to an end." + + +ENDNOTES: + +1. "Ocean's fire," a periphrasis for "gold." The whole line is + a periphrasis for "bountiful chief." + + + +62. THE SLAYING OF HJORT AND FOURTEEN MEN + +After that Starkad egged on his men, and then they turn down upon +them into the ness. Sigurd Swinehead came first and had a red +targe, but in his other hand he held a cutlass. Gunnar sees him +and shoots an arrow at him from his bow; he held the shield up +aloft when he saw the arrow flying high, and the shaft passes +through the shield and into his eye, and so came out at the nape +of his neck, and that was the first man slain. + +A second arrow Gunnar shot at Ulfhedinn, one of Starkad's men, +and that struck him about the middle and he fell at the feet of a +yeoman, and the yeoman over him. Kolskegg cast a stone and +struck the yeoman on the head, and that was his deathblow. + +Then Starkad said, "'Twill never answer our end that he should +use his bow, but let us come on well and stoutly." Then each man +egged on the other, and Gunnar guarded himself with his bow and +arrows as long as he could; after that he throws them down, and +then he takes his bill and sword and fights with both hands. +There is long the hardest fight, but still Gunnar and Kolskegg +slew man after man. + +Then Thorgeir, Starkad's son, said, "I vowed to bring Hildigunna +thy head, Gunnar." + +Then Gunnar sang a song: + + "Thou, that battle-sleet down bringeth, + Scarce I trow thou speakest truth; + She, the girl with golden armlets, + Cannot care for such a gift; + But, O serpent's hoard despoiler! + If the maid must have my head -- + Maid whose wrist Rhine's fire (1) wreatheth, + Closer come to crash of spear." + +"She will not think that so much worth having," says Gunnar; "but +still to get it thou wilt have to come nearer!" + +Thorgeir said to his brothers, "Let us run all of us upon him at +once; he has no shield and we shall have his life in our hands." + +So Bork and Thorkel both ran forward and were quicker than +Thorgeir. Bork made a blow at Gunnar, and Gunnar threw his bill +so hard in the way, that the sword flew out of Bork's hand; then +he sees Thorkel standing on his other hand within stroke of +sword. Gunnar was standing with his body swayed a little on one +side, and he makes a sweep with his sword, and caught Thorkel on +the neck, and off flew his head. + +Kol Egil's son, said, "Let me get at Kolskegg," and turning to +Kolskegg he said, "This I have often said, that we two would be +just about an even match in fight." + +"That we can soon prove," says Kolskegg. + +Kol thrust at him with his spear; Kolskegg had just slain a man +and had his hands full, and so he could not throw his shield +before the blow, and the thrust came upon his thigh, on the +outside of the limb and went through it. + +Kolskegg turned sharp round, and strode towards him, and smote +him with his short sword on the thigh, and cut off his leg, and +said, "Did it touch thee or not?" + +"Now," says Kol, "I pay for being bare of my shield." + +So he stood a while on his other leg and looked at the stump. + +"Thou needest not to look at it," said Kolskegg; "'tis even as +thou seest, the leg is off." + +Then Kol fell down dead. + +But when Egil sees this, he runs at Gunnar and makes a cut at +him; Gunnar thrusts at him with the bill and struck him in the +middle, and Gunnar hoists him up on the bill and hurls him out +into Rangriver. + +Then Starkad said, "Wretch that thou art indeed," Thorir +Easterling, "when thou sittest by; but thy host, and father-in- +law Egil, is slain." + +Then the Easterling sprung up and was very wroth. Hjort had been +the death of two men, and the Easterling leapt on him and smote +him full on the breast. Then Hjort fell down dead on the spot. + +Gunnar sees this and was swift to smite at the Easterling, and +cuts him asunder at the waist. + +A little while after Gunnar hurls the bill at Bork, and struck +him in the middle, and the bill went through him and stuck in the +ground. + +Then Kolskegg cut off Hauk Egil's son's head, and Gunnar smites +off Otter's hand at the elbow-joint. Then Starkad said, "Let us +fly now. We have not to do with men!" + +Gunnar said, "Ye two will think it a sad story if there is naught +on you to show that ye have both been in the battle." + +Then Gunnar ran after Starkad and Thorgeir, and gave them each a +wound. After that they parted; and Gunnar and his brothers had +then wounded many men who got away from the field, but fourteen +lost their lives, and Hjort the fifteenth. + +Gunnar brought Hjort home, laid out on his shield, and he was +buried in a cairn there. Many men grieved for him, for he had +many dear friends. + +Starkad came home, too, and Hildigunna dressed his wounds and +Thorgeir's, and said, "Ye would have given a great deal not to +have fallen out with Gunnar." + +"So we would," says Starkad. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Rhine's fire," a periphrasis for gold. + + + +63. NJAL'S COUNSEL TO GUNNAR + +Steinvor, at Sandgil, besought Thorgrim the Easterling to take in +hand the care of her goods, and not to sail away from Iceland, +and so to keep in mind the death of his messmate and kinsman. + +"My messmate Thorir," said he, "foretold that I should fall by +Gunnar's hand if I stayed here in the land, and he must have +foreseen that when he foreknew his own death." + +"I will give thee," she says, "Gudruna my daughter to wife, and +all my goods into the bargain." + +"I knew not," he said, "that thou wouldest pay such a long +price." + +After that they struck the bargain that he shall have her, and +the wedding feast was to be the next summer. + +Now Gunnar rides to Bergthorsknoll, and Kolskegg with him. Njal +was out of doors and his sons, and they went to meet Gunnar and +gave them a hearty welcome. After that they fell a-talking, and +Gunnar said, "Hither am I come to seek good counsel and help at +thy hand." + +"That is thy due," said Njal. + +"I have fallen into a great strait," says Gunnar, "and slain many +men, and I wish to know what thou wilt make of the matter?" + +"Many will say this," said Njal, "that thou hast been driven into +it much against thy will; but now thou shalt give me time to take +counsel with myself." + +Then Njal went away all by himself, and thought over a plan, and +came back and said, "Now have I thought over the matter somewhat, +and it seems to me as though this must be carried through -- if +it be carried through at all -- with hardihood and daring. +Thorgeir has got my kinswoman Thorfinna with child, and I will +hand over to thee the suit for seduction. Another suit of +outlawry against Starkad I hand over also to thee, for having +hewn trees in my wood on the Threecorner ridge. Both these suits +shalt thou take up. Thou shalt fare too, to the spot where ye +fought, and dig up the dead, and name witnesses to the wounds, +and make all the dead outlaws, for that they came against thee +with that mind to give thee and thy brothers wounds or swift +death. But if this be tried at the Thing, and it be brought up +against thee that thou first gave Thorgeir a blow, and so mayst +neither plead thine own cause nor that of others, then I will +answer in that matter, and say that I gave thee back thy rights +at the Thingskala-Thing, so that thou shouldest be able to plead +thine own suit as well as that of others, and then there will be +an answer to that point. Thou shalt also go to see Tyrfing of +Berianess, and he must hand over to thee a suit against Aunund of +Witchwood, who has the blood feud after his brother Egil." + +Then first of all Gunnar rode home; but a few nights after Njal's +sons and Gunnar rode thither where the bodies were, and dug them +up that were buried there. Then Gunnar summoned them all as +outlaws for assault and treachery, and rode home after that. + + + +64. OF VALGARD AND MORD + +That same harvest Valgard the Guileful came out to Iceland, and +fared home to Hof. Then Thorgeir went to see Valgard and Mord, +and told them what a strait they were in if Gunnar were to be +allowed to make all those men outlaws whom he had slain. + +Valgard said that must be Njal's counsel, and yet everything had +not come out yet which he was likely to have taught him. + +Then Thorgeir begged those kinsmen for help and backing, but they +held out a long while, and at last asked for, and got a large sum +of money. + +That, too, was part of their plan, that Mord should ask for +Thorkatla, Gizur the White's daughter, and Thorgeir was to ride +at once west across the river with Valgard and Mord. + +So the day after they rode twelve of them together and came to +Mossfell. There they were heartily welcomed, and they put the +question to Gizur about the wooing, and the end of it was that +the match should be made, and the wedding feast was to be in half +a month's space at Mossfell. + +They ride home, and after that they ride to the wedding and there +was a crowd of guests to meet them, and it went off well. +Thorkatla went home with Mord and took the housekeeping in hand, +but Valgard went abroad again the next summer. + +Now Mord eggs on Thorgeir to set his suit on foot against Gunnar, +and Thorgeir went to find Aunund; he bids him now to begin a suit +for manslaughter for his brother Egil and his sons; "but I will +begin one for the manslaughter of my brothers, and for the wounds +of myself and my father." + +He said he was quite ready to do that, and then they set out, and +give notice of the manslaughter, and summon nine neighbours who +dwelt nearest to the spot where the deed was done. This +beginning of the suit was heard of at Lithend; and then Gunnar +rides to see Njal, and told him, and asked what he wished them to +do next. + +"Now," says Njal, "thou shalt summon those who dwell next to the +spot, and thy neighbours; and call men to witness before the +neighbours, and choose out Kol as the slayer in the manslaughter +of Hjort thy brother: for that is lawful and right; then thou +shalt give notice of the suit for manslaughter at Kol's hand, +though he be dead. Then shalt thou call men to witness, and +summon the neighbours to ride to the Allthing to bear witness of +the fact, whether they, Kol and his companions, were on the spot, +and in onslaught when Hjort was slain. Thou shalt also summon +Thorgeir for the suit of seduction, and Aunund at the suit of +Tyrfing." + +Gunnar now did in everything as Njal gave him counsel. This men +thought a strange beginning of suits, and now these matters come +before the Thing. Gunnar rides to the Thing, and Njal's sons and +the sons of Sigfus. Gunnar had sent messengers to his cousins +and kinsmen, that they should ride to the Thing, and come with as +many men as they could, and told them that this matter would lead +to much strife. So they gathered together in a great band from +the west. + +Mord rode to the Thing and Runolf of the Dale, and those under +the Threecorner, and Aunund of Witchwood. But when they come to +the Thing, they join them in one company with Gizur the White and +Geir the Priest. + + + +65. OF FINES AND ATONEMENTS + +Gunnar, and the sons of Sigfus, and Njal's sons, went altogether +in one band, and they marched so swiftly and closely that men who +came in their way had to take heed lest they should get a fall; +and nothing was so often spoken about over the whole Thing as +these great lawsuits. + +Gunnar went to meet his cousins, and Olaf and his men greeted him +well. They asked Gunnar about the fight, but he told them all +about it, and was just in all he said; he told them, too, what +steps he had taken since. + +Then Olaf said, "'Tis worth much to see how close Njal stands by +thee in all counsel." + +Gunnar said he should never be able to repay that, but then he +begged them for help; and they said that was his due. + +Now the suits on both sides came before the court, and each +pleads his cause. + +Mord asked, "How it was that a man could have the right to set a +suit on foot who, like Gunnar, had already made himself an outlaw +by striking Thorgeir a blow?" + +"Wast thou," answered Njal, "at Thingskala-Thing last autumn?" + +"Surely I was," says Mord. + +"Heardest thou," asks Njal, "how Gunnar offered him full +atonement? Then I gave back Gunnar his right to do all lawful +deeds." + +"That is right and good law," says Mord, "but how does the matter +stand if Gunnar has laid the slaying of Hjort at Kol's door, when +it was the Easterling that slew him?" + +"That was right and lawful," says Njal, "when he chose him as the +slayer before witnesses." + +"That was lawful and right, no doubt," says Mord; "but for what +did Gunnar summon them all as outlaws?" + +"Thou needest not to ask about that," says Njal, "when they went +out to deal wounds and manslaughter." + +"Yes," says Mord, "but neither befell Gunnar." + +"Gunnar's brothers," said Njal, "Kolskegg and Hjort, were there, +and one of them got his death and the other a flesh wound." + +"Thou speakest nothing but what is law," says Mord, "though it is +hard to abide by it." + +Then Hiallti Skeggi's son of Thursodale, stood forth and said. "I +have had no share in any of your lawsuits; but I wish to know +whether thou wilt do something, Gunnar, for the sake of my words +and friendship." + +"What askest thou?" says Gunnar. + +"This," he says, "that ye lay down the whole suit to the award +and judgment of good men and true." + +"If I do so," said Gunnar, "then thou shalt never be against me, +whatever men I may have to deal with." + +"I will give my word to that," says Hjallti. + +After that he tried his best with Gunnar's adversaries, and +brought it about that they were all set at one again. And after +that each side gave the other pledges of peace; but for +Thorgeir's wound came the suit for seduction, and for the hewing +in the wood, Starkad's wound. Thorgeir's brothers were atoned +for by half fines, but half fell away for the onslaught on +Gunnar. Egil's slaying and Tyrfing's lawsuit were set off +against each other. For Hjort's slaying, the slaying of Kol and +of the Easterling were to come, and as for all the rest, they +were atoned for with half fines. + +Njal was in this award, and Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and Hjallti +Skeggi's son. + +Njal had much money out at interest with Starkad, and at Sandgil +too, and he gave it all to Gunnar to make up these fines. + +So many friends had Gunnar at the Thing, that he not only paid up +there and then all the fines on the spot, but gave besides gifts +to many chiefs who had lent him help; and he had the greatest +honour from the suit; and all were agreed in this, that no man +was his match in all the South Quarter. + +So Gunnar rides home from the Thing and sits there in peace, but +still his adversaries envied him much for his honour. + + + +66. OF THORGEIR OTKELL'S SON + +Now we must tell of Thorgeir Otkell's son; he grew up to be a +tall strong man, true-hearted and guileless, but rather too ready +to listen to fair words. He had many friends among the best men, +and was much beloved by his kinsmen. + +Once on a time Thorgeir Starkad's son had been to see his kinsman +Mord. + +"I can ill brook," he says, "that settlement of matters which we +and Gunnar had, but I have bought thy help so long as we two are +above ground; I wish thou wouldest think out some plan and lay it +deep; this is why I say it right out, because I know that thou +art Gunnar's greatest foe, and he too thine. I will much +increase thine honour if thou takest pains in this matter." + +"It will always seem as though I were greedy of gain, but so it +must be. Yet it will be hard to take care that thou mayest not +seem to be a truce-breaker, or peace-breaker, and yet carry out +thy point. But now I have been told that Kolskegg means to try a +suit, and regain a fourth part of Moeidsknoll, which was paid to +thy father as an atonement for his son. He has taken up this +suit for his mother, but this too is Gunnar's counsel, to pay in +goods and not to let the land go. We must wait till this comes +about, and then declare that he has broken the settlement made +with you. He has also taken a cornfield from Thorgeir Otkell's +son, and so broken the settlement with him too. Thou shalt go to +see Thorgeir Otkell's son, and bring him into the matter with +thee, and then fall on Gunnar; but if ye fail in aught of this, +and cannot get him hunted down, still ye shall set on him over +and over again. I must tell thee that Njal has 'spaed' his +fortune, and foretold about his life, if he slays more than once +in the same stock, that it would lead him to his death, if it so +fell out that he broke the settlement made after the deed. +Therefore shalt thou bring Thorgeir into the suit, because he has +already slain his father; and now, if ye two are together in an +affray, thou shalt shield thyself; but he will go boldly on, and +then Gunnar will slay him. Then he has slain twice in the same +stock, but thou shalt fly from the fight. And if this is to drag +him to his death he will break the settlement afterwards, and so +we may wait till then." + +After that Thorgeir goes home and tells his father secretly. +Then they agreed among themselves that they should work out this +plot by stealth. + + + +67. OF THORGEIR STARKAD'S SON + +Sometime after Thorgeir Starkad's son fared to Kirkby to see his +namesake, and they went aside to speak, and talked secretly all +day; but at the end Thorgeir Starkad's son gave his namesake a +spear inlaid with gold, and rode home afterwards; they made the +greatest friendship the one with the other. + +At the Thingskala-Thing in the autumn, Kolskegg laid claim to the +land at Moeidsknoll, but Gunnar took witness, and offered ready +money, or another piece of land at a lawful price to those under +the Threecorner. + +Thorgeir took witness also, that Gunnar was breaking the +settlement made between them. + +After that the Thing was broken up, and so the next year wore +away. + +Those namesakes were always meeting, and there was the greatest +friendship between them. Kolskegg spoke to Gunnar and said, "I +am told that there is great friendship between those namesakes, +and it is the talk of many men that they will prove untrue, and I +would that thou wouldst be ware of thyself." + +"Death will come to me when it will come," says Gunnar, "wherever +I may be, if that is my fate." + +Then they left off talking about it. + +About autumn, Gunnar gave out that they would work one week there +at home, and the next down in the isles, and so make an end of +their hay-making. At the same time, he let it be known that +every man would have to leave the house, save himself and the +women. + +Thorgeir under Threecorner goes to see his namesake, but as soon +as they met they began to talk after their wont, and Thorgeir +Starkad's son, said, "I would that we could harden our hearts +and fall on Gunnar." + +"Well," says Thorgeir Otkell's son, "every struggle with Gunnar +has had but one end, that few have gained the day; besides, +methinks it sounds ill to be called a peace-breaker." + +"They have broken the peace, not we," says Thorgeir Starkad's +son. "Gunnar took away from thee thy cornfield; and he has taken +Moeidsknoll from my father and me." + +And so they settle it between them to fall on Gunnar; and then +Thorgeir said that Gunnar would be all alone at home in a few +nights' space, "and then thou shalt come to meet me with eleven +men, but I will have as many." + +After that Thorgeir rode home. + + + +68. OF NJAL AND THOSE NAMESAKES + +Now when Kolskegg and the house-carles had been three nights in +the isles, Thorgeir Starkad's son had news of that, and sends +word to his namesake that he should come to meet him on +Threecorner ridge. + +After that Thorgeir of the Threecorner busked him with eleven +men; he rides up on the ridge and there waits for his namesake. + +And now Gunnar is at home in his house, and those namesakes ride +into a wood hard by. There such a drowsiness came over them that +they could do naught else but sleep. So they hung their shields +up in the boughs, and tethered their horses, and laid their +weapons by their sides. + +Njal was that night up in Thorolfsfell, and could not sleep at +all, but went out and in by turns. + +Thorhilda asked Njal why he could not sleep? + +"Many things now flit before my eyes," said he; "I see many +fetches of Gunnar's bitter foes, and what is very strange is +this, they seem to be mad with rage, and yet they fare without +plan or purpose." + +A little after, a man rode up to the door and got off his horse's +back and went in, and there was come the shepherd of Thorhilda +and her husband. + +"Didst thou find the sheep?" she asked. + +"I found what might be more worth," said he. + +"What was that?" asked Njal. + +"I found twenty-four men up in the wood yonder; they had tethered +their horses, but slept themselves. Their shields they had hung +up in the boughs." + +But so closely had he looked at them that he told of all their +weapons and wargear and clothes, and then Njal knew plainly who +each of them must have been, and said to him, "'Twere good +hiring if there were many such shepherds; and this shall ever +stand to thy good; but still I will send thee on an errand." + +He said at once he would go. + +"Thou shalt go," says Njal, "to Lithend and tell Gunnar that he +must fare to Gritwater, and then send after men; but I will go to +meet with those who are in the wood and scare them away. This +thing hath well come to pass, so that they shall gain nothing by +this journey, but lose much." + +The shepherd set off and told Gunnar as plainly as he could the +whole story. Then Gunnar rode to Gritwater and summoned men to +him. + +Now it is to be told of Njal how he rides to meet these +namesakes. + +"Unwarily ye lie here," he says, "or for what end shall this +journey have been made? And Gunnar is not a man to be trifled +with. But if the truth must be told then, this is the greatest +treason. Ye shall also know this, that Gunnar is gathering +force, and he will come here in the twinkling of an eye, and slay +you all, unless ye ride away home." + +They bestirred them at once, for they were in great fear, and +took their weapons, and mounted their horses and galloped home +under the Threecorner. + +Njal fared to meet Gunnar and bade him not to break up his +company. + +"But I will go and seek for an atonement; now they will be finely +frightened; but for this treason no less a sum shall be paid when +one has to deal with all of them, than shall be paid for the +slaying of one or other of those namesakes, though such a thing +should come to pass. This money I will take into my keeping, and +so lay it out that it may be ready to thy hand when thou hast +need of it." + + + +69. OLAF THE PEACOCK'S GIFTS TO GUNNAR + +Gunnar thanked Njal for his aid, and Njal rode away under the +Threecorner, and told those namesakes that Gunnar would not break +up his band of men before he had fought it out with them. + +They began to offer terms for themselves, and were full of dread, +and bade Njal to come between them with an offer of atonement. + +Njal said that could only be if there were no guile behind. Then +they begged him to have a share in the award, and said they would +hold to what he awarded. + +Njal said he would make no award unless it were at the Thing, and +unless the best men were by; and they agreed to that. + +Then Njal came between them, so that they gave each other pledges +of peace and atonement. + +Njal was to utter the award, and to name as his fellows those +whom he chose. + +A little while after those namesakes met Mord Valgard's son, and +Mord blamed them much for having laid the matter in Njal's hands, +when he was Gunnar's great friend. He said that would turn out +ill for them. + +Now men ride to the Althing after their wont, and now both sides +are at the Thing. + +Njal begged for a hearing, and asked all the best men who were +come thither, what right at law they thought Gunnar had against +those namesakes for their treason. They said they thought such a +man had great right on his side. + +Njal went on to ask, whether he had a right of action against all +of them, or whether the leaders had to answer for them all in the +suit? + +They say that most of the blame would fall on the leaders, but a +great deal still on them all. + +"Many will say this," said Mord, "that it was not without a cause +when Gunnar broke the settlement made with those namesakes." + +"That is no breach of settlement," says Njal, "that any man +should take the law against another; for with law shall our land +be built up and settled, and with lawlessness wasted and +spoiled." + +Then Njal tells them that Gunnar had offered land for +Moeidsknoll, or other goods. + +Then those namesakes thought they had been beguiled by Mord, and +scolded him much, and said that this fine was all his doing. + +Njal named twelve men as judges in the suit, and then every man +paid a hundred in silver who had gone out, but each of those +namesakes two hundred. + +Njal took this money into his keeping but either side gave the +other pledges of peace, and Njal gave out the terms. + +Then Gunnar rode from the Thing west to the Dales, till he came +to Hjardarholt, and Olaf the Peacock gave him a hearty welcome. +There he sat half a month, and rode far and wide about the Dales, +and all welcomed him with joyful hands. But at their parting +Olaf said, "I will give thee three things of price, a gold ring, +and a cloak which Moorkjartan the Erse king owned, and a hound +that was given me in Ireland; he is big, and no worse follower +than a sturdy man. Besides, it is part of his nature that he has +man's wit, and he will bay at every man whom he knows is thy foe, +but never at thy friends; he can see, too, in any man's face, +whether he means thee well or ill, and he will lay down his life +to be true to thee. This hound's name is Sam." + +After that he spoke to the hound, "Now shalt thou follow Gunnar, +and do him all the service thou canst." + +The hound went at once to Gunnar and laid himself down at his +feet. + +Olaf bade Gunnar to be ware of himself, and said he had many +enviers, "For now thou art thought to be a famous man throughout +all the land." + +Gunnar thanked him for his gifts and good counsel, and rode home. + +Now Gunnar sits at home for sometime, and all is quiet. + + + +70. MORD'S COUNSEL + +A little after, those namesakes and Mord met, and they were not +at all of one mind. They thought they had lost much goods for +Mord's sake, but had got nothing in return; and they bade him set +on foot some other plot which might do Gunnar harm. + +Mord said so it should be. "But now this is my counsel, that +thou, Thorgeir Otkell's son shouldest beguile Ormilda, Gunnar's +kinswoman; but Gunnar will let his displeasure grow against thee +at that, and then I will spread that story abroad that Gunnar +will not suffer thee to do such things. Then ye two shall some +time after make an attack on Gunnar, but still ye must not seek +him at home, for there is no thinking of that while the hound is +alive." + +So they settled this plan among them that it should be brought +about. + +Thorgeir began to turn his steps towards Ormilda, and Gunnar +thought that ill, and great dislike arose between them. + +So the winter wore away. Now comes the summer, and their secret +meetings went on oftener than before. + +As for Thorgeir of the Threecorner and Mord, they were always +meeting; and they plan an onslaught on Gunnar when he rides down +to the isles to see after the work done by his house-caries. + +One day Mord was ware of it when Gunnar rode down to the isles, +and sent a man off under the Threecorner to tell Thorgeir that +then would be the likeliest time to try to fall on Gunnar. + +They bestirred them at once, and fare thence twelve together, but +when they came to Kirkby there they found thirteen men waiting +for them. + +Then they made up their minds to ride down to Rangriver and lie +in wait there for Gunnar. + +But when Gunnar rode up from the isles, Kolskegg rode with him. +Gunnar had his bow and his arrows and his bill. Kolskegg had his +short sword and weapons to match. + + + +71. THE SLAYING OF THORGEIR OTKELL'S SON + +That token happened as Gunnar and his brother rode up towards +Rangriver, that much blood burst out on the bill. + +Kolskegg asked what that might mean. + +Gunnar says, "If such tokens took place in other lands, it was +called `wound-drops,' and Master Oliver told me also that this +only happened before great fights." + +So they rode on till they saw men sitting by the river on the +other side, and they had tethered their horses. + +Gunnar said, "Now we have an ambush." + +Kolskegg answered, "Long have they been faithless; but what is +best to be done now?" + +"We will gallop up alongside them to the ford," says Gunnar, "and +there make ready for them." + +The others saw that and turned at once towards them. + +Gunnar strings his bow, and takes his arrows and throws them on +the ground before him, and shoots as soon as ever they come +within shot; by that Gunnar wounded many men, but some he slew. + +Then Thorgeir Otkell's son spoke and said, "This is no use; let +us make for him as hard as we can." + +They did so, and first went Aunund the Fair, Thorgeir's kinsman. +Gunnar hurled the bill at him, and it fell on his shield and +clove it in twain, but the bill rushed through Aunund. Augmund +Shockhead rushed at Gunnar behind his back. Kolskegg saw that +and cut off at once both Augmund's legs from under him, and +hurled him out into Rangriver, and he was drowned there and then. + +Then a hard battle arose; Gunnar cut with one hand and thrust +with the other. Kolskegg slew some men and wounded many. + +Thorgeir Starkad's son called out to his namesake, "It looks very +little as though thou hadst a father to avenge." + +"True it is," he answers, "that I do not make much way, but yet +thou hast not followed in my footsteps; still I will not bear thy +reproaches." + +With that he rushes at Gunnar in great wrath, and thrust his +spear through his shield, and so on through his arm. + +Gunnar gave the shield such a sharp twist that the spearhead +broke short off at the socket. Gunnar sees that another man was +come within reach of his sword, and he smites at him and deals +him his death-blow. After that, he clutches his bill with both +hands; just then, Thorgeir Otkell's son had come near him with a +drawn sword, and Gunnar turns on him in great wrath, and drives +the bill through him, and lifts him up aloft, and casts him out +into Rangriver, and he drifts down towards the ford, and stuck +fast there on a stone; and the name of that ford has since been +Thorgeir's ford. + +Then Thorgeir Starkad's son said, "Let us fly now; no victory +will be fated to us this time." + +So they all turned and fled from the field. + +"Let us follow them up now," says Kolskegg "and take thou thy bow +and arrows, and thou wilt come within bowshot of Thorgeir +Starkad's son." + +Then Gunnar sang a song: + + "Reaver of rich river-treasure, + Plundered will our purses be, + Though to-day we wound no other + Warriors wight in play of spears + Aye, if I for all these sailors + Lowly lying, fines must pay -- + This is why I hold my hand, + Hearken, brother dear, to me." + +"Our purses will be emptied," says Gunnar, "by the time that +these are atoned for who now lie here dead." + +"Thou wilt never lack money," says Kolskegg; "but Thorgeir will +never leave off before he compasses thy death." + +Gunnar sang another song: + + "Lord of water-skates (1) that skim + Sea-king's fields, more good as he, + Shedding wounds' red stream, must stand + In my way ere I shall wince. + I, the golden armlets' warder, + Snakelike twined around my wrist, + Ne'er shall shun a foeman's faulchion + Flashing bright in din of fight." + +"He, and a few more as good as he," says Gunnar, "must stand in +my path ere I am afraid of them." + +After that they ride home and tell the tidings. Hallgerda was +well pleased to hear them, and praised the deed much. + +Rannveig said, "May be the deed is good; but somehow," she says, +"I feel too downcast about it to think that good can come of it." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Water-skates," a periphrasis for ships. + + + +72. OF THE SUITS FOR MANSLAUGHTER AT THE THING + +These tidings were spread far and wide, and Thorgeir's death was +a great grief to many a man. Gizur the White and his men rode to +the spot and gave notice of the manslaughter, and called the +neighbours on the inquest to the Thing. Then they rode home +west. + +Njal and Gunnar met and talked about the battle. Then Njal said +to Gunnar, "Now be ware of thyself. Now hast thou slain twice in +the same stock; and so now take heed to thy behaviour, and think +that it is as much as thy life is worth, if thou dost not hold to +the settlement that is made." + +"Nor do I mean to break it in any way," says Gunnar, "but still I +shall need thy help at the Thing." + +"I will hold to my faithfulness to thee," said Njal, "till my +death day." + +Then Gunnar rides home. Now the Thing draws near; and each side +gather a great company; and it is a matter of much talk at the +Thing how these suits will end. + +Those two, Gizur the White, and Geir the Priest, talked with each +other as to who should give notice of the suit of manslaughter +after Thorgeir, and the end of it was that Gizur took the suit on +his hand, and gave notice of it at the Hill of Laws, and spoke in +these words: -- + +"I gave notice of a suit for assault laid down by law against +Gunnar Hamond's son; for that he rushed with an onslaught laid +down by law on Thorgeir Otkell's son, and wounded him with a body +wound, which proved a death wound, so that Thorgeir got his +death. + +"I say on this charge he ought to become a convicted outlaw, not +to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in +any need. + +"I say that his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the +men of the Quarter, whose right it is by law to seize the goods +of outlaws. + +"I give notice of this charge in the Quarter Court, into which +this suit ought by law to come. + +"I give this lawful notice in the hearing of all men at the Hill +of Laws. + +"I give notice now of this suit, and of full forfeiture and +outlawry against Gunnar Hamond's son." + +A second time Gizur took witness, and gave notice of a suit +against Gunnar Hamond's son, for that he had wounded Thorgeir +Otkell's son with a body wound which was a death wound, and from +which Thorgeir got his death, on such and such a spot when Gunnar +first sprang on Thorgeir with an onslaught, laid down by law. + +After that he gave notice of this declaration as he had done of +the first. Then he asked in what Quarter Court the suit lay, and +in what house in the district the defendant dwelt. + +When that was over, men left the Hill of Laws, and all said that +he spoke well. + +Gunnar kept himself well in hand and said little or nothing. + +Now the Thing wears away till the day when the courts were to be +set. + +Then Gunnar stood looking south by the court of the men of +Rangriver, and his men with him. + +Gizur stood looking north, and calls his witnesses, and bade +Gunnar to listen to his oath, and to his declaration of the suit, +and to all the steps and proofs which he meant to bring forward. +After that he took his oath, and then he brought forward the suit +in the same shape before the court, as he had given notice of it +before. Then he made them bring forward witness of the notice, +then he bade the neighbours on the inquest to take their seats, +and called upon Gunnar to challenge the inquest. + + + +73. OF THE ATONEMENT + +Then Njal spoke and said, "Now I can no longer sit still and take +no part. Let us go to where the neighbours sit on the inquest." + +They went thither and challenged four neighbours out of the +inquest, but they called on the five that were left to answer the +following question in Gunnar's favour, "Whether those namesakes +had gone out with that mind to the place of meeting to do Gunnar +a mischief if they could?" + +But all bore witness at once that so it was. + +Then Njal called this a lawful defence to the suit, and said he +would bring forward proof of it unless they gave over the suit to +arbitration. + +Then many chiefs joined in praying for an atonement, and so it +was brought about that twelve men should utter an award in the +matter. + +Then either side went and handselled this settlement to the +other. Afterwards the award was made, and the sum to be paid +settled, and it was all to be paid down then and there at the +Thing. + +But besides, Gunnar was to go abroad and Kolskegg with him, and +they were to be away three winters; but if Gunnar did not go +abroad when he had a chance of a passage, then he was to be slain +by the kinsmen of those whom he had killed. + +Gunnar made no sign, as though he thought the terms of atonement +were not good. He asked Njal for that money which he had handed +over to him to keep. Njal had laid the money out at interest and +paid it down all at once, and it just came to what Gunnar had to +pay for himself. + +Now they ride home. Gunnar and Njal rode both together from the +Thing, and then Njal said to Gunnar, "Take good care, messmate, +that thou keepest to this atonement, and bear in mind what we +have spoken about; for though thy former journey abroad brought +thee to great honour, this will be a far greater honour to thee. +Thou wilt come back with great glory, and live to be an old man, +and no man here will then tread on thy heel; but if thou dost not +fare away, and so breakest thy atonement, then thou wilt be slain +here in the land, and that is ill knowing for those who are thy +friends." + +Gunnar said he had no mind to break the atonement, and he rides +home and told them of the settlement. + +Rannveig said it was well that he fared abroad, for then they +must find some one else to quarrel with. + + + +74. KOLSKEGG GOES ABROAD + +Thrain Sigfus' son said to his wife that he meant to fare abroad +that summer. She said that was well. So he took his passage +with Hogni the White. + +Gunnar took his passage with Arnfin of the Bay; and Kolskegg was +to go with him. + +Grim and Helgi, Njal's sons, asked their father's leave to go +abroad too, and Njal said, "This foreign voyage ye will find hard +work, so hard that it will be doubtful whether ye keep your +lives; but still ye two will get some honour and glory, but it is +not unlikely that a quarrel will arise out of your journey when +ye come back." + +Still they kept on asking their father to let them go, and the +end of it was that he bade them go if they chose. + +Then they got them a passage with Bard the Black, and Olof +Kettle's son of Elda; and it is the talk of the whole country +that all the better men in that district were leaving it. + +By this time Gunnar's sons, Hogni and Grani, were grown up; they +were men of very different turn of mind. Grani had much of his +mother's temper, but Hogni was kind and good. + +Gunnar made men bear down the wares of his brother and himself to +the ship, and when all Gunnar's baggage had come down, and the +ship was all but "boun," then Gunnar rides to Bergthorsknoll, and +to other homesteads to see men, and thanked them all for the help +they had given him. + +The day after he gets ready early for his journey to the ship, +and told all his people that he would ride away for good and all, +and men took that much to heart, but still they said that they +looked to his coming back afterwards. + +Gunnar threw his arms round each of the household when he was +"boun," and every one of them went out of doors with him; he +leans on the butt of his spear and leaps into the saddle, and he +and Kolskegg ride away. + +They ride down along Markfleet, and just then Gunnar's horse +tripped and threw him off. He turned with his face up towards +the Lithe and the homestead at Lithend, and said, "Fair is the +Lithe; so fair that it has never seemed to me so fair; the corn +fields are white to harvest and the home mead is mown; and now I +will ride back home, and not fare abroad at all." + +"Do not this joy to thy foes," says Kolskegg, "by breaking thy +atonement, for no man could think thou wouldst do thus, and thou +mayst be sure that all will happen as Njal has said." + +"I will not go away any whither," said Gunnar, "and so I would +thou shouldest do too." + +"That shall not be," says Kolskegg; "I will never do a base thing +in this, nor in any thing else which is left to my good faith; +and this is that one thing that could tear us asunder; but tell +this to my kinsman and to my mother that I never mean to see +Iceland again, for I shall soon learn that thou art dead, +brother, and then there will be nothing left to bring me back." + +So they parted there and then. Gunnar rides home to Lithend, but +Kolskegg rides to the ship, and goes abroad. + +Hallgerda was glad to see Gunnar when he came home, but his +mother said little or nothing. + +How Gunnar sits at home that fall and winter, and had not many +men with him. + +Now the winter leaves the farmyard. Olaf the Peacock asked +Gunnar and Hallgerda to come and stay with him; but as for the +farm, to put it into the hands of his mother and his son Hogni. + +Gunnar thought that a good thing at first, and agreed to it, but +when it came to the point he would not do it. + +But at the Thing next summer, Gizur the White, and Geir the +Priest, gave notice of Gunnar's outlawry at the Hill of Laws; and +before the Thing broke up Gizur summoned all Gunnar's foes to +meet in the "Great Rift." (1) He summoned Starkad under the +Threecorner, and Thorgeir his son; Mord and Valgard the Guileful; +Geir the Priest and Hjalti Skeggi's son; Thorbrand and Asbrand, +Thorleik's sons; Eyjulf, and Aunund his son. Aunund of Witchwood +and Thorgrim the Easterling of Sandgil. + +Then Gizur spoke and said, "I will make you all this offer, that +we go out against Gunnar this summer and slay him." + +"I gave my word to Gunnar," said Hjalti, "here at the Thing, +when he showed himself most willing to yield to my prayer, that I +would never be in any attack upon him; and so it shall be." + +Then Hjalti went away, but those who were left behind made up +their minds to make an onslaught on Gunnar, and shook hands on +the bargain, and laid a fine on any one that left the +undertaking. + +Mord was to keep watch and spy out when there was the best chance +of falling on him, and they were forty men in this league, and +they thought it would be a light thing for them to hunt down +Gunnar, now that Kolskegg was away, and Thrain and many other of +Gunnar's friends. + +Men ride from the Thing, and Njal went to see Gunnar, and told +him of his outlawry, and how an onslaught was planned against +him. + +"Methinks thou art the best of friends," says Gunnar; "thou +makest me aware of what is meant." + +"Now," says Njal, "I would that Skarphedinn should come to thy +house, and my son Hauskuld; they will lay down their lives for +thy life." + +"I will not," says Gunnar, "that thy sons should be slain for my +sake, and thou hast a right to look for other things from me." + +"All thy care will come to nothing," says Njal; "quarrels will +turn thitherward where my sons are as soon as thou art dead and +gone." + +"That is not unlikely," says Gunnar, "but still it would mislike +me that they fell into them for me; but this one thing I will ask +of thee, that ye see after my son Hogni, but I say naught of +Grani, for he does not behave himself much after my mind." + +Njal rode home, and gave his word to do that. + +It is said that Gunnar rode to all meetings of men, and to all +lawful Things, and his foes never dared to fall on him. + +And so some time went on that he went about as a free and +guiltless man. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Great Rift," Almannagja -- The great volcanic rift, or + "geo," as it would be called in Orkney and Shetland, which + bounds the plain of the Allthing on one side. + + + +75. THE RIDING TO LITHEND + +Next autumn Mord Valgard's son sent word that Gunnar would be all +alone at home, but all his people would be down in the isles to +make an end of their haymaking. Then Gizur the White and Geir +the Priest rode east over the rivers as soon as ever they heard +that, and so east across the sands to Hof. Then they sent word +to Starkad under the Threecorner, and there they all met who were +to fall on Gunnar, and took counsel how they might best bring it +about. + +Mord said that they could not come on Gunnar unawares, unless +they seized the farmer who dwelt at the next homestead, whose +name was Thorkell, and made him go against his will with them to +lay hands on the hound Sam, and unless he went before them to the +homestead to do this. + +Then they set out east for Lithend, but sent to fetch Thorkell. +They seized him and bound him, and gave him two choices -- one +that they would slay him, or else he must lay hands on the hound; +but he chooses rather to save his life, and went with them. + +There was a beaten sunk road, between fences, above the farm yard +at Lithend, and there they halted with their band. Master +Thorkell went up to the homestead, and the tyke lay on the top of +the house, and he entices the dog away with him into a deep +hollow in the path. Just then the hound sees that there are men +before them, and he leaps on Thorkell and tears his belly open. + +Aunund of Witchwood smote the hound on the head with his axe, so +that the blade sunk into the brain. The hound gave such a great +howl that they thought it passing strange, and he fell down dead. + + + +76. GUNNAR'S SLAYING + +Gunnar woke up in his hall and said, "Thou hast been sorely +treated, Sam, my fosterling, and this warning is so meant that +our two deaths will not be far apart." + +Gunnar's hall was made all of wood, and roofed with beams above, +and there were window-slits under the beams that carried the +roof, and they were fitted with shutters. + +Gunnar slept in a loft above the hall, and so did Hallgerda and +his mother. + +Now when they were come near to the house they knew not whether +Gunnar were at home, and bade that some one would go straight up +to the house and see if he could find out. But the rest sat them +down on the ground. + +Thorgrim the Easterling went and began to climb up on the hall; +Gunnar sees that a red kirtle passed before the windowslit, and +thrusts out the bill, and smote him on the middle. Thorgrim's +feet slipped from under him, and he dropped his shield, and down +he toppled from the roof. + +Then he goes to Gizur and his band as they sat on the ground. + +Gizur looked at him and said, "Well, is Gunnar at home?" + +"Find that out for yourselves," said Thorgrim; "but this I am +sure of, that his bill is at home," and with that he fell down +dead. + +Then they made for the buildings. Gunnar shot out arrows at +them, and made a stout defence, and they could get nothing done. +Then some of them got into the out houses and tried to attack him +thence, but Gunnar found them out with his arrows there also, and +still they could get nothing done. + +So it went on for a while, then they took a rest, and made a +second onslaught. Gunnar still shot out at them, and they could +do nothing, and fell off the second time. Then Gizur the White +said, "Let us press on harder; nothing comes of our onslaught." + +Then they made a third bout of it, and were long at it, and then +they fell off again. + +Gunnar said, "There lies an arrow outside on the wall, and it is +one of their shafts; I will shoot at them with it, and it will be +a shame to them if they get a hurt from their own weapons." + +His mother said, "Do not so, my son; nor rouse them again when +they have already fallen off from the attack." + +But Gunnar caught up the arrow and shot it after them, and struck +Eylif Aunund's son, and he got a great wound; he was standing all +by himself, and they knew not that he was wounded. + +"Out came an arm yonder," says Gizur, "and there was a gold ring +on it, and took an arrow from the roof, and they would not look +outside for shafts if there were enough in doors; and now ye +shall made a fresh onslaught." + +"Let us burn him house and all," said Mord. + +"That shall never be," says Gizur, "though I knew that my life +lay on it; but it is easy for thee to find out some plan, such a +cunning man as thou art said to be." + +Some ropes lay there on the ground, and they were often used to +strengthen the roof. Then Mord said, "Let us take the ropes and +throw one end over the end of the carrying beams, but let us +fasten the other end to these rocks and twist them tight with +levers, and so pull the roof off the hall." + +So they took the ropes and all lent a hand to carry this out, and +before Gunnar was aware of it, they had pulled the whole roof off +the hall. + +Then Gunnar still shoots with his bow so that they could never +come nigh him. Then Mord said again that they must burn the +house over Gunnar's head. But Gizur said, "I know not why thou +wilt speak of that which no one else wishes, and that shall never +be." + +Just then Thorbrand Thorleik's son, sprang up on the roof, and +cuts asunder Gunnar's bowstring. Gunnar clutches the bill with +both hands, and turns on him quickly and drives it through him, +and hurls him down on the ground. + +Then up sprung Asbrand his brother. Gunnar thrusts at him with +his bill, and he threw his shield before the blow, but the bill +passed clean through the shield and broke both his arms, and down +he fell from the wall. + +Gunnar had already wounded eight men and slain those twain (1). +By that time Gunnar had got two wounds, and all men said that he +never once winced either at wounds or death. + +Then Gunnar said to Hallgerda, "Give me two locks of thy hair, +and ye two, my mother and thou, twist them together into a +bowstring for me." + +"Does aught lie on it?" she says. + +"My life lies on it;" he said; "for they will never come to close +quarters with me if I can keep them off with my bow." + +"Well!" she says, "now I will call to thy mind that slap on the +face which thou gavest me; and I care never a whit whether thou +holdest out a long while or a short." + +Then Gunnar sang a song: + + "Each who hurts the gory javelin + Hath some honour of his own, + Now my helpmeet wimple-hooded + Hurries all my fame to earth. + No one owner of a war-ship + Often asks for little things, + Woman, fond of Frodi's flour (2), + Wends her hand as she is wont." + +"Every one has something to boast of," says Gunnar, "and I will +ask thee no more for this." + +"Thou behavest ill," said Rannveig, "and this shame shall long be +had in mind." + +Gunnar made a stout and bold defence, and now wounds other eight +men with such sore wounds that many lay at death's door. Gunnar +keeps them all off until he fell worn out with toil. Then they +wounded him with many and great wounds, but still he got away out +of their hands, and held his own against them a while longer, but +at last it came about that they slew him. + +Of this defence of his, Thorkell the Skald of Gota-Elf sang in +the verses which follow -- + + "We have heard how south in Iceland + Gunnar guarded well himself, + Boldly battle's thunder wielding, + Fiercest foeman on the wave; + Hero of the golden collar, + Sixteen with the sword he wounded; + In the shock that Odin loveth, + Two before him tasted death." + +But this is what Thormod Olaf's son sang -- + + "None that scattered sea's bright sunbeams (3), + Won more glorious fame than Gunnar, + So runs fame of old in Iceland, + Fitting fame of heathen men; + Lord of fight when helms were crashing, + Lives of foeman twain he took, + Wielding bitter steel he sorely + Wounded twelve, and four besides." + +Then Gizur spoke and said, "We have now laid low to earth a +mighty chief, and hard work has it been, and the fame of this +defence of his shall last as long as men live in this land." + +After that he went to see Rannveig and said, "Wilt thou grant us +earth here for two of our men who are dead, that they may lie in +a cairn here?" + +"All the more willingly for two," she says, "because I wish with +all my heart I had to grant it to all of you." + +"It must be forgiven thee," he says, "to speak thus, for thou +hast had a great loss." + +Then he gave orders that no man should spoil or rob anything +there. + +After that they went away. + +Then Thorgeir Starkad's son said, "We may not be in our house at +home for the sons of Sigfus, unless thou Gizur or thou Geir be +here south some little while." + +"This shall be so," says Gizur, and they cast lots, and the lot +fell on Geir to stay behind. + +After that he came to the Point, and set up his house there; he +had a son whose name was Hroald; he was base born, and his +mother's name was Biartey (4); he boasted that he had given +Gunnar his death blow. Hroald was at the Point with his father. + +Thorgeir Starkad's son boasted of another wound which he had +given to Gunnar. + +Gizur sat at home at Mossfell. Gunnar's slaying was heard of, +and ill spoken of throughout the whole country, and his death was +a great grief to many a man. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Thorgrim Easterling and Thorbrand. +(2) "Frodi's flour," a periphrasis for "gold." +(3) "Sea's bright sunbeams," a periphrasis for "gold." +(4) She was a sister of Thorwald the Scurvy, who was slain at + Horsebeck in Grimsness. + + + + +77. GUNNAR SINGS A SONG DEAD + +Njal could ill brook Gunnar's death, nor could the sons of Sigfus +brook it either. + +They asked whether Njal thought they had any right to give notice +of a suit of manslaughter for Gunnar, or to set the suit on foot. + +He said that could not be done, as the man had been outlawed; but +said it would be better worth trying to do something to wound +their glory, by slaying some men in vengeance after him. + +They cast a cairn over Gunnar, and made him sit upright in the +cairn. Rannveig would not hear of his bill being buried in the +cairn, but said he alone should have it as his own, who was ready +to avenge Gunnar. So no one took the bill. + +She was so hard on Hallgerda, that she was on the point of +killing her; and she said that she had been the cause of her +son's slaying. + +Then Hallgerda fled away to Gritwater, and her son Grani with +her, and they shared the goods between them; Hogni was to have +the land at Lithend and the homestead on it, but Grani was to +have the land let out on lease. + +Now this token happened at Lithend, that the neat-herd and the +serving-maid were driving cattle by Gunnar's cairn. They thought +that he was merry, and that he was singing inside the cairn. +They went home and told Rannveig, Gunnar's mother, of this token, +but she bade them go and tell Njal. + +Then they went over to Bergthorsknoll and told Njal, but he made +them tell it three times over. + +After that, he had a long talk all alone with Skarphedinn; and +Skarphedinn took his weapons and goes with them to Lithend. + +Rannveig and Hogni gave him a hearty welcome, and were very glad +to see him. Rannveig asked him to stay there some time, and he +said he would. + +He and Hogni were always together, at home and abroad. Hogni was +a brisk, brave man, well-bred and well-trained in mind and body, +but distrustful and slow to believe what he was told, and that +was why they dared not tell him of the token. + +Now those two, Skarphedinn and Hogni, were out of doors one +evening by Gunnar's cairn on the south side. The moon and stars +were shining clear and bright, but every now and then the clouds +drove over them. Then all at once they thought they saw the +cairn standing open, and lo! Gunnar had turned himself in the +cairn and looked at the moon. They thought they saw four lights +burning in the cairn, and none of them threw a shadow. They saw +that Gunnar was merry, and he wore a joyful face. He sang a +song, and so loud, that it might have been heard though they had +been further off. + + "He that lavished rings in largesse, + When the fights' red rain-drips fell, + Bright of face, with heart-strings hardy, + Hogni's father met his fate; + Then his brow with helmet shrouding, + Bearing battle-shield, he spake, + `I will die the prop of battle, + Sooner die than yield an inch, + Yes, sooner die than yield an inch.'" + +After that the cairn was shut up again. + +"Wouldst thou believe these tokens if Njal or I told them to +thee?" says Skarphedinn. + +"I would believe them," he says, "if Njal told them, for it is +said he never lies." + +"Such tokens as these mean much," says Skarphedinn, "when he +shows himself to us, he who would sooner die than yield to his +foes; and see how he has taught us what we ought to do." + +"I shall be able to bring nothing to pass," says Hogni, "unless +thou wilt stand by me." + +"Now," says Skarphedinn, "will I bear in mind how Gunnar behaved +after the slaying of your kinsman Sigmund; now I will yield you +such help as I may. My father gave his word to Gunnar to do that +whenever thou or thy mother had need of it." + +After that they go home to Lithend. + + + +78. GUNNAR OF LITHEND AVENGED + +"Now we shall set off at once," says Skarphedinn, "this very +night; for if they learn that I am here, they will be more wary +of themselves." + +"I will fulfil thy counsel," says Hogni. + +After that they took their weapons when all men were in their +beds. Hogni takes down the bill, and it gave a sharp ringing +sound. + +Rannveig sprang up in great wrath and said, "Who touches the +bill, when I forbade every one to lay hand on it?" + +"I mean," says Hogni, "to bring it to my father, that he may bear +it with him to Valhalla, and have it with him when the warriors +meet." + +"Rather shalt thou now bear it," she answered, "and avenge thy +father; for the bill has spoken of one man's death or more." + +Then Hogni went out, and told Skarphedinn all the words that his +grandmother had spoken. + +After that they fare to the Point, and two ravens flew along with +them all the way. They came to the Point while it was still +night. Then they drove the flock before them up to the house, +and then Hroald and Tjorfi ran out and drove the flock up the +hollow path, and had their weapons with them. + +Skarphedinn sprang up and said, "Thou needest not to stand and +think if it be really as it seems. Men are here." + +Then Skarphedinn smites Tjorfi his deathblow. Hroald had a spear +in his hand, and Hogni rushes at him; Hroald thrusts at him, but +Hogni hewed asunder the spear-shaft with his bill, and drives the +bill through him. + +After that they left them there dead, and turn away thence under +the Threecorner. + +Skarphedinn jumps up on the house and plucks the grass, and those +who were inside the house thought it was cattle that had come on +the roof. Starkad and Thorgeir took their weapons and upper +clothing, and went out and round about the fence of the yard. +But when Starkad sees Skarphedinn he was afraid, and wanted to +turn back. + +Skarphedinn cut him down by the fence. Then Hogni comes against +Thorgeir and slays him with the bill. + +Thence they went to Hof, and Mord was outside in the field, and +begged for mercy, and offered them full atonement. + +Skarphedinn told Mord the slaying of those four men, and sang a +song: + + "Four who wielded warlike weapons + We have slain, all men of worth, + Them at once, gold-greedy fellow, + Thou shalt follow on the spot; + Let us press this pinch-purse so, + Pouring fear into his heart; + Wretch! reach out to Gunnar's son + Right to settle all disputes." + +"And the like journey," says Skarphedinn, "shalt thou also fare, +or hand over to Hogni the right to make his own award, if he will +take these terms." + +Hogni said his mind had been made up not to come to any terms +with the slayers of his father; but still at last he took the +right to make his own award from Mord. + + + +79. HOGNI TAKES AN ATONEMENT FOR GUNNAR'S DEATH + +Njal took a share in bringing those who had the blood-feud after +Starkad and Thorgeir to take an atonement, and a district meeting +was called together, and men were chosen to make the award, and +every matter was taken into account, even the attack on Gunnar, +though he was an outlaw; but such a fine as was awarded, all that +Mord paid; for they did not close their award against him before +the other matter was already settled, and then they set off one +award against the other. + +Then they were all set at one again, but at the Thing there was +great talk, and the end of it was, that Geir the Priest and Hogni +were set at one again, and that atonement they held to ever +afterwards. + +Geir the Priest dwelt in the Lithe till his deathday, and he is +out of the story. + +Njal asked as a wife for Hogni Alfeida the daughter of Weatherlid +the Skald, and she was given away to him. Their son was Ari, who +sailed for Shetland, and took him a wife there; from him is come +Einar the Shetlander, one of the briskest and boldest of men. + +Hogni kept up his friendship with Njal, and he is now out of the +story. + + + +80. OF KOLSKEGG: HOW HE WAS BAPTIZED + +Now it is to be told of Kolskegg how he comes to Norway, and is +in the Bay east that winter. But the summer after he fares east +to Denmark, and bound himself to Sweyn Forkbeard the Dane-king, +and there he had great honour. + +One night he dreamt that a man came to him; he was bright and +glistening, and he thought he woke him up. He spoke, and said to +him, "Stand up and come with me." + +"What wilt thou with me?" he asks. + +"I will get thee a bride, and thou shalt be my knight." + +He thought he said yea to that, and after that he woke up. + +Then he went to a wizard and told him the dream, but he read it +so that he should fare to southern lands and become God's knight. + +Kolskegg was baptized in Denmark, but still he could not rest +there, but fared east to Russia, and was there one winter. Then +he fared thence out to Micklegarth (1), and there took service +with the Emperor. The last that was heard of him was, that he +wedded a wife there, and was captain over the Varangians, and +stayed there till his deathday; and he, too, is out of this +story. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Constantinople. + + + +81. OF THRAIN: HOW HE SLEW KOL + +Now we must take up the story, and say how Thrain Sigfus' son +came to Norway. They made the land north in Helgeland, and held +on south to Drontheim, and so to Hlada (1). But as soon as Earl +Hacon heard of that, he sent men to them, and would know what men +were in the ship. They came back and told him who the men were. +Then the earl sent for Thrain Sigfus' son, and he went to see +him. The earl asked of what stock he might be. He said that he +was Gunnar of Lithend's near kinsman. The earl said, "That shall +stand thee in good stead; for I have seen many men from Iceland, +but none his match." + +"Lord," said Thrain, "is it your will that I should be with you +this winter?" + +The earl took to him, and Thrain was there that winter, and was +thought much of. + +There was a man named Kol, he was a great sea-rover. He was the +son of Asmund Ashside, east out of Smoland. He lay east in the +Gota-Elf, and had five ships, and much force. + +Thence Kol steered his course out of the river to Norway and +landed at Fold (2), in the bight of the "Bay," and came on +Hallvard Soti unawares, and found him in a loft. He kept them +off bravely till they set fire to the house, then he gave himself +up; but they slew him, and took there much goods, and sailed +thence to Lodese (3). + +Earl Hacon heard these tidings, and made them make Kol an outlaw +over all his realm, and set a price upon his head. + +Once on a time it so happened that the earl began to speak thus, +"Too far off from us now is Gunnar of Lithend. He would slay my +outlaw if he were here; but now the Icelanders will slay him, and +it is ill that he hath not fared to us." + +Then Thrain Sigfus' son answered, "I am not Gunnar, but still I +am near akin to him, and I will undertake this voyage." + +The earl said, "I should be glad of that, and thou shalt be very +well fitted out for the journey." + +After that his son Eric began to speak, and said, "Your word, +father, is good to many men, but fulfilling it is quite another +thing. This is the hardest undertaking; for this sea-rover is +tough and ill to deal with, wherefore thou wilt need to take +great pains, both as to men and ships for this voyage." + +Thrain said, "I will set out on this voyage, though it looks +ugly." + +After that the earl gave him five ships, and all well trimmed +and manned. Along with Thrain was Gunnar Lambi's son, and Lambi +Sigurd's son. Gunnar was Thrain's brother's son, and had come to +him young, and each loved the other much. + +Eric, the earl's son, went heartily along with them, and looked +after strength for them, both in men and weapons and made such +changes in them as he thought were needful. After they were +"boun," Eric got them a pilot. Then they sailed south along the +land; but wherever they came to land, the earl allowed them to +deal with whatever they needed as their own. + +So they held on east to Lodese, and then they heard that Kol was +gone to Denmark. Then they shaped their course south thither; +but when they came south to Helsingborg, they met men in a boat +who said that Kol was there just before them, and would be +staying there for a while. + +One day when the weather was good, Kol saw the ships as they +sailed up towards him, and said he had dreamt of Earl Hacon the +night before, and told his people he was sure these must be his +men, and bade them all to take their weapons. + +After that they busked them, and a fight arose; and they fought +long, so that neither side had the mastery. + +Then Kol sprang up on Thrain's ship, and cleared the gangways +fast, and slays many men. He had a gilded helm. + +Now Thrain sees that this is no good, and now he eggs on his men +to go along with him, but he himself goes first and meets Kol. + +Kol hews at him, and the blow fell on Thrain's shield, and cleft +it down from top to bottom. Then Kol got a blow on the arm, from +a stone and then down fell his sword. + +Thrain hews at Kol, and the stroke came on his leg so that it cut +it off. After that they slew Kol, and Thrain cut off his head, +and they threw the trunk overboard, but kept his head. + +They took much spoil, and then they held on north to Drontheim, +and go to see the earl. + +The earl gave Thrain a hearty welcome, and he shewed the earl +Kol's head, but the earl thanked him for that deed. + +Eric said it was worth more than words alone, and the earl said +so it was, and bade them come along with him. + +They went thither, where the earl had made them make a good ship +that was not made like a common long-ship. It had a vulture's +head, and was much carved and painted. + +"Thou art a great man for show, Thrain," said the earl, "and so +have both of you, kinsmen, been, Gunnar and thou; and now I will +give thee this ship, but it is called the Vulture. Along with it +shall go my friendship; and my will is that thou stayest with me +as long as thou wilt." + +He thanked him for his goodness, and said he had no longing to go +to Iceland just yet. + +The earl had a journey to make to the marches of the land to meet +the Swede-king. Thrain went with him that summer, and was a +shipmaster and steered the Vulture, and sailed so fast that few +could keep up with him, and he was much envied. But it always +came out that the earl laid great store on Gunnar, for he set +down sternly all who tried Thrain's temper. + +So Thrain was all that winter with the earl, but next spring the +earl asked Thrain whether he would stay there or fare to Iceland; +but Thrain said he had not yet made up his mind, and said that he +wished first to know tidings from Iceland. + +The earl said that so it should be as he thought it suited him +best; and Thrain was with the earl. + +Then those tidings were heard from Iceland, which many thought +great news, the death of Gunnar of Lithend. Then the earl would +not that Thrain should fare out of Iceland, and so there he +stayed with him. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Hlada or Lada, and sometimes in the plural Ladir, was the + old capital of Drontheim, before Nidaros -- the present + Drontheim -- was founded. Drontheim was originally the name + of the country round the firth of the same name, and is not + used in the old sagas for a town. +(2) The country round the Christiania Firth, at the top of "the + Bay." +(3) A town in Sweden on the Gota-Elf. + + + +82. NJAL'S SONS SAIL ABROAD + +Now it must be told how Njal's sons, Grim and Helgi, left Iceland +the same summer that Thrain and his fellows went away; and in the +ship with them were Olaf Kettle's son of Elda, and Bard the +Black. They got so strong a wind from the north that they were +driven south into the main; and so thick a mist came over them +that they could not tell whither they were driving, and they were +out a long while. At last they came to where was a great ground +sea, and thought then they must be near land. So then Njal's +sons asked Bard if he could tell at all to what land they were +likely to be nearest. + +"Many lands there are," said he, "which we might hit with the +weather we have had -- the Orkneys, or Scotland, or Ireland." + +Two nights after, they saw land on both boards, and a great +surf running up in the firth. They cast anchor outside the +breakers, and the wind began to fall; and next morning it was +calm. Then they see thirteen ships coming out to them. + +Then Bard spoke and said, "What counsel shall we take now, for +these men are going to make an onslaught on us?" + +So they took counsel whether they should defend themselves or +yield, but before they could make up their minds, the Vikings +were upon them. Then each side asked the other their names, and +what their leaders were called. So the leaders of the chapmen +told their names, and asked back who led that host. One called +himself Gritgard, and the other Snowcolf, sons of Moldan of +Duncansby in Scotland, kinsmen of Malcolm the Scot king. + +"And now," says Gritgard, "we have laid down two choices, one +that ye go on shore, and we will take your goods; the other is, +that we fall on you and slay every man that we can catch." + +"The will of the chapmen," answers Helgi, "is to defend +themselves." + +But the chapmen called out, "Wretch that thou art to speak thus! +What defence can we make? Lading is less than life." + +But Grim, he fell upon a plan to shout out to the Vikings, and +would not let them hear the bad choice of the chapmen. + +Then Bard and Olaf said, "Think ye not that these Icelanders will +make game of you sluggards; take rather your weapons and guard +your goods." + +So they all seized their weapons, and bound themselves, one with +another, never to give up so long as they had strength to fight. + + + +83. OF KARI SOLMUND'S SON + +Then the Vikings shot at them and the fight began, and the +chapmen guard themselves well. Snowcolf sprang aboard and at +Olaf, and thrust his spear through his body, but Grim thrust at +Snowcolf with his spear, and so stoutly, that he fell overboard. +Then Helgi turned to meet Grim, and they two drove down all the +Vikings as they tried to board, and Njal's sons were ever where +there was most need. Then the Vikings called out to the chapmen +and bade them give up, but they said they would never yield. +Just then some one looked seaward, and there they see ships +coming from the south round the Ness, and they were not fewer +than ten, and they row hard and steer thitherwards. Along their +sides were shield on shield, but on that ship that came first +stood a man by the mast, who was clad in a silken kirtle, and had +a gilded helm, and his hair was both fair and thick; that man had +a spear inlaid with gold in his hand. + +He asked, "Who have here such an uneven game?" + +Helgi tells his name, and said that against them are Gritgard and +Snowcolf. + +"But who are your captains?" he asks. + +Helgi answered, "Bard the Black, who lives, but the other, who +is dead and gone, was called Olaf." + +"Are ye men from Iceland?" says he. + +"Sure enough we are," Helgi answers. + +He asked whose sons they were, and they told him, then he knew +them and said, "Well known names have ye all, father and sons +both." + +"Who art thou?" asks Helgi. + +"My name is Kari, and I am Solmund's son." + +"Whence comest thou?" says Helgi. + +"From the Southern Isles." + +"Then thou art welcome," says Helgi, "if thou wilt give us a +little help." + +"I'll give ye all the help ye need," says Kari; "but what do +ye ask?" + +"To fall on them," says Helgi. + +Kari says that so it shall be. So they pulled up to them, and +then the battle began the second time; but when they had fought a +little while, Kari springs up on Snowcolf's ship; he turns to +meet him and smites at him with his sword. Kari leaps nimbly +backwards over a beam that lay athwart the ship, and Snowcolf +smote the beam so that both edges of the sword were hidden. Then +Kari smites at him, and the sword fell on his shoulder, and the +stroke was so mighty that he cleft in twain shoulder, arm, and +all, and Snowcolf got his death there and then. Gritgard hurled +a spear at Kari, but Kari saw it and sprang up aloft, and the +spear missed him. Just then Helgi and Grim came up both to meet +Kari, and Helgi springs on Gritgard and thrusts his spear through +him, and that was his death blow; after that they went round the +whole ship on both boards, and then men begged for mercy. So +they gave them all peace, but took all their goods. After that +they ran all the ships out under the islands. + + + +84. OF EARL SIGURD + +Sigurd was the name of an earl who ruled over the Orkneys; he was +the son of Hlodver, the son of Thorfinn the skullsplitter, the +son of Turf-Einar, the son of Rognvald, Earl of Moeren, the son +of Eystein the Noisy. Kari was one of Earl Sigurd's body-guard, +and had just been gathering scatts in the Southern Isles from +Earl Gilli. Now Kari asks them to go to Hrossey (1), and said +the earl would take to them well. They agreed to that, and went +with Kari and came to Hrossey. Kari led them to see the earl, +and said what men they were. + +"How came they," says the earl, "to fall upon thee?" + +"I found them," says Kari, "in Scotland's firths, and they were +fighting with the sons of Earl Moldan, and held their own so well +that they threw themselves about between the bulwarks, from side +to side, and were always there where the trial was greatest, and +now I ask you to give them quarters among your body-guard." + +"It shall be as thou choosest," says the earl, "thou hast already +taken them so much by the hand." + +Then they were there with the earl that winter, and were worthily +treated, but Helgi was silent as the winter wore on. The earl +could not tell what was at the bottom of that, and asked why he +was so silent, and what was on his mind. "Thinkest thou it not +good to be here?" + +"Good, methinks, it is here," he says. + +"Then what art thou thinking about?" asks the earl. + +"Hast thou any realm to guard in Scotland?" asks Helgi. + +"So we think," says the earl, "but what makes thee think about +that, or what is the matter with it?" + +"The Scots," says Helgi, "must have taken your steward's life, +and stopped all the messengers, that none should cross the +Pentland Firth." + +"Hast thou the second sight?" said the earl. + +"That has been little proved," answers Helgi. + +"Well," says the earl, "I will increase thy honour if this be so, +otherwise thou shalt smart for it." + +"Nay," says Kari, "Helgi is not that kind of man, and like enough +his words are sooth, for his father has the second sight." + +After that the earl sent men south to Straumey (2) to Arnljot, +his steward there, and after that Arnljot sent them across the +Pentland Firth, and they spied out and learnt that Earl Hundi and +Earl Melsnati had taken the life of Havard in Thraswick, Earl +Sigurd's brother-in-law. So Arnljot sent word to Earl Sigurd to +come south with a great host and drive those earls out of his +realm, and as soon as the earl heard that, he gathered together a +mighty host from all the isles. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) The mainland of Orkney, now Pomona. +(2) Now Stroma, in the Pentland Firth. + + + +85. THE BATTLE WITH THE EARLS + +After that the earl set out south with his host, and Kari went +with him, and Njal's sons too. They came south to Caithness. +The earl had these realms in Scotland, Ross and Moray, +Sutherland, and the Dales. There came to meet them men from +those realms, and said that the earls were a short way off with a +great host. Then Earl Sigurd turns his host thither, and the +name of that place is Duncansness above which they met, and it +came to a great battle between them. Now the Scots had let some +of their host go free from the main battle, and these took the +earl's men in flank, and many men fell there till Njal's sons +turned against the foe, and fought with them and put them to +flight; but still it was a hard fight, and then Njal's sons +turned back to the front by the earl's standard, and fought well. +Now Kari turns to meet Earl Melsnati, and Melsnati hurled a spear +at him, but Kari caught the spear and threw it back and through +the earl. Then Earl Hundi fled, but they chased the fleers until +they learnt that Malcolm was gathering a host at Duncansby. Then +the earl took counsel with his men, and it seemed to all the best +plan to turn back, and not to fight with such a mighty land +force; so they turned back. But when the earl came to Staumey +they shared the battle-spoil. After that he went north to +Hrossey, and Njal's sons and Kari followed him. Then the earl +made a great feast, and at that feast he gave Kari a good sword, +and a spear inlaid with gold; but he gave Helgi a gold ring and a +mantle, and Grim a shield and sword. After that he took Helgi +and Grim into his body-guard, and thanked them for their good +help. They were with the earl that winter and the summer after, +till Kari went sea-roving; then they went with him, and harried +far and wide that summer, and everywhere won the victory. They +fought against Godred, King of Man, and conquered him; and after +that they fared back, and had gotten much goods. Next winter +they were still with the earl, and when the spring came Njal's +sons asked leave to go to Norway. The earl said they should go +or not as they pleased, and he gave them a good ship and smart +men. As for Kari, he said he must come that summer to Norway +with Earl Hacon's scatts, and then they would meet; and so it +fell out that they gave each other their word to meet. After +that Njal's sons put out to sea and sailed for Norway, and made +the land north near Drontheim. + + + +86. HRAPP'S VOYAGE FROM ICELAND + +There was a man named Kolbein, and his surname was Arnljot's son; +he was a man from Drontheim; he sailed out to Iceland that same +summer in which Kolskegg and Njal's sons went abroad. He was +that winter east in Broaddale; but the spring after, he made his +ship ready for sea in Gautawick; and when men were almost "boun," +a man rowed up to them in a boat, and made the boat fast to the +ship, and afterwards he went on board the ship to see Kolbein. + +Kolbein asked that man for his name. + +"My name is Hrapp," says he. + +"What wilt thou with me?" says Kolbein. + +"I wish to ask thee to put me across the Iceland main." + +"Whose son art thou?" asks Kolbein. + +"I am a son of Aurgunleid, the son of Geirolf the Fighter." + +"What need lies on thee," asked Kolbein, "to drive thee abroad?" + +"I have slain a man," says Hrapp. + +"What manslaughter was that," says Kolbein, "and what men have +the blood-feud?" + +"The men of Weaponfirth," says Hrapp, "but the man I slew was +Aurlyg, the son of Aurlyg, the son of Roger the White." + +"I guess this," says Kolbein, "that he will have the worst of it +who bears thee abroad." + +"I am the friend of my friend," said Hrapp, "but when ill is done +to me I repay it. Nor am I short of money to lay down for my +passage." + +Then Kolbein took Hrapp on board, and a little while after a fair +breeze sprung up, and they sailed away on the sea. + +Hrapp ran short of food at sea and then he sate him down at the +mess of those who were nearest to him. They sprang up with ill +words, and so it was that they came to blows, and Hrapp, in a +trice, has two men under him. + +Then Kolbein was told, and he bade Hrapp to come and share his +mess, and he accepted that. + +Now they come off the sea, and lie outside off Agdirness. + +Then Kolbein asked where that money was which he had offered to +pay for his fare? + +"It is out in Iceland," answers Hrapp. + +"Thou wilt beguile more men than me, I fear," says Kolbein; "but +now I will forgive thee all the fare." + +Hrapp bade him have thanks for that. "But what counsel dost thou +give as to what I ought to do?" + +"That first of all," he says, "that thou goest from the ship as +soon as ever thou canst, for all Easterlings will bear thee bad +witness; but there is yet another bit of good counsel which I +will give thee, and that is, never to cheat thy master." + +Then Hrapp went on shore with his weapons, and he had a great axe +with an iron-bound haft in his hand. + +He fares on and on till he comes to Gudbrand of the Dale. He was +the greatest friend of Earl Hacon. They two had a shrine between +them, and it was never opened but when the earl came thither. +That was the second greatest shrine in Norway, but the other was +at Hlada. + +Thrand was the name of Gudbrand's son, but his daughter's name +was Gudruna. + +Hrapp went in before Gudbrand, and hailed him well. + +He asked whence he came and what was his name. Hrapp told him +about himself, and how he had sailed abroad from Iceland. + +After that he asks Gudbrand to take him into his household as a +guest. + +"It does not seem," said Gudbrand, "to look on thee, as thou wert +a man to bring good luck." + +"Methinks, then," says Hrapp, "that all I have heard about thee +has been great lies; for it is said that thou takest every one +into thy house that asks thee; and that no man is thy match for +goodness and kindness, far or near; but now I shall have to speak +against that saying, if thou dost not take me in." + +"Well, thou shalt stay here," said Gudbrand. + +"To what seat wilt thou shew me?" says Hrapp. + +"To one on the lower bench, over against my high seat." + +Then Hrapp went and took his seat. He was able to tell of many +things, and so it was at first that Gudbrand and many thought it +sport to listen to him; but still it came about that most men +thought him too much given to mocking, and the end of it was that +he took to talking alone with Gudruna, so that many said that he +meant to beguile her. + +But when Gudbrand was aware of that, he scolded her much for +daring to talk alone with him, and bade her beware of speaking +aught to him if the whole household did not hear it. She gave +her word to be good at first, but still it was soon the old story +over again as to their talk. Then Gudbrand got Asvard, his +overseer, to go about with her, out of doors and in, and to be +with her wherever she went. One day it happened that she begged +for leave to go into the nutwood for a pastime, and Asvard went +along with her. Hrapp goes to seek for them and found them, and +took her by the hand, and led her away alone. + +Then Asvard went to look for her, and found them both together +stretched on the grass in a thicket. + +He rushes at them, axe in air, and smote at Hrapp's leg, but +Hrapp gave himself a sudden turn, and he missed him. Hrapp +springs on his feet as quick as he can, and caught up his axe. +Then Asvard wished to turn and get away, but Hrapp hewed asunder +his back-bone. + +Then Gudruna said, "Now hast thou done that deed which will +hinder thy stay any longer with my father; but still there is +something behind which he will like still less, for I go with +child." + +"He shall not learn this from others," says Hrapp, "but I will go +home and tell him both these tidings." + +"Then," she says, "thou wilt not come away with thy life." + +"I will run the risk of that," he says. + +After that he sees her back to the other women, but he went home. +Gudbrand sat in his high seat, and there were few men in the +room. + +Hrapp went in before him, and bore his axe high. + +"Why is thine axe bloody?" asks Gudbrand. + +"I made it so by doing a piece of work on thy overseer Asvard's +back," says Hrapp. + +"That can be no good work," says Gudbrand; "thou must have slain +him." + +"So it is, be sure," says Hrapp. + +"What did ye fall out about?" asks Gudbrand. + +"Oh!" says Hrapp, "what you would think small cause enough. He +wanted to hew off my leg." + +"What hadst thou done first?" asked Gudbrand. + +"What he had no right to meddle with," says Hrapp. + +"Still thou wilt tell me what it was." + +"Well!" said Hrapp, "if thou must know, I lay by thy daughter's +side, and he thought that bad." + +"Up men!" cried Gudbrand, "and take him. He shall be slain out +of hand." + +"Very little good wilt thou let me reap of my son-in-lawship," +says Hrapp, "but thou hast not so many men at thy back as to do +that speedily." + +Up they rose, but he sprang out of doors. They run after him, +but he got away to the wood, and they could not lay hold of him. + +Then Gudbrand gathers people, and lets the wood be searched; but +they find him not, for the wood was great and thick. + +Hrapp fares through the wood till he came to a clearing; there he +found a house, and saw a man outside cleaving wood. + +He asked that man for his name, and he said his name was Tofi. + +Tofi asked him for his name in turn, and Hrapp told him his true +name. + +Hrapp asked why the householder had set up his abode so far from +other men? + +"For that here," he says, "I think I am less likely to have +brawls with other men." + +"It is strange how we beat about the bush in our talk," says +Hrapp, "but I will first tell thee who I am. I have been with +Gudbrand of the Dale, but I ran away thence because I slew his +overseer; but now I know that we are both of us bad men; for thou +wouldst not have come hither away from other men unless thou wert +some man's outlaw. And now I give thee two choices, either that +I will tell where thou art, or that we two have between us, share +and share alike, all that is here." + +"This is even as thou sayest," said the householder; "I seized +and carried off this woman who is here with me, and many men have +sought for me." + +Then he led Hrapp in with him; there was a small house there, but +well built. + +The master of the house told his mistress that he had taken Hrapp +into his company. + +"Most men will get ill luck from this man," she says; "but thou +wilt have thy way." + +So Hrapp was there after that. He was a great wanderer, and was +never at home. He still brings about meetings with Gudruna; her +father and brother, Thrand and Gudbrand, lay in wait for him, but +they could never get nigh him, and so all that year passed away. + +Gudbrand sent and told Earl Hacon what trouble he had had with +Hrapp, and the earl let him be made an outlaw, and laid a price +upon his head. He said, too, that he would go himself to look +after him; but that passed off, and the earl thought it easy +enough for them to catch him when he went about so unwarily. + + + +87. THRAIN TOOK TO HRAPP + +That same summer Njal's sons fared to Norway from the Orkneys, as +was before written, and they were there at the fair during the +summer. Then Thrain Sigfus' son busked his ship for Iceland, and +was all but "boun." At that time Earl Hacon went to a feast at +Gudbrand's house. That night Killing-Hrapp came to the shrine of +Earl Hacon and Gudbrand, and he went inside the house, and there +he saw Thorgerda Shrinebride sitting, and she was as tall as a +fullgrown man. She had a great gold ring on her arm, and a +wimple on her head; he strips her of her wimple, and takes the +gold ring from off her. Then he sees Thor's car, and takes from +him a second gold ring; a third he took from Irpa; and then +dragged them all out, and spoiled them of all their gear. + +After that he laid fire to the shrine, and burnt it down, and +then he goes away just as it began to dawn. He walks across a +ploughed field, and there six men sprang up with weapons, and +fall upon him at once; but he made a stout defence, and the end +of the business was that he slays three men, but wounds Thrand to +the death, and drives two to the woods, so that they could bear +no news to the earl. He then went up to Thrand and said, "It is +now in my power to slay thee if I will, but I will not do that; +and now I will set more store by the ties that are between us +than ye have shown to me." + +Now Hrapp means to turn back to the wood, but now he sees that +men have come between him and the wood, so he dares not venture +to turn thither, but lays him down in a thicket, and so lies +there a while. + +Earl Hacon and Gudbrand went that morning early to the shrine and +found it burnt down; but the three gods were outside, stripped of +all their bravery. + +Then Gudbrand began to speak, and said, "Much might is given to +our gods, when here they have walked of themselves out of the +fire!" + +"The gods can have naught to do with it," says the earl; "a man +must have burnt the shrine, and borne the gods out; but the gods +do not avenge everything on the spot. That man who has done this +will no doubt be driven away out of Valhalla, and never come in +thither." + +Just then up ran four of the earl's men, and told them ill +tidings for they said they had found three men slain in the +field, and Thrand wounded to the death. + +"Who can have done this?" says the earl. + +"Killing-Hrapp," they say. + +"Then he must have burnt down the shrine," says the earl. + +They said they thought he was like enough to have done it. + +"And where may he be now?" says the earl. + +They said that Thrand had told them that he had lain down in a +thicket. + +The earl goes thither to look for him, but Hrapp was off and +away. Then the earl set his men to search for him, but still +they could not find him. So the earl was in the hue and cry +himself, but first he bade them rest a while. + +Then the earl went aside by himself, away from other men, and +bade that no man should follow him, and so he stays a while. He +fell down on both his knees, and held his hands before his eyes; +after that he went back to them, and then he said to them, "Come +with me." + +So they went along with him. He turns short away from the path +on which they had walked before, and they came to a dell. There +up sprang Hrapp before them, and there it was that he had hidden +himself at first. + +The earl urges on his men to run after him, but Hrapp was so +swift-footed that they never came near him. Hrapp made for +Hlada. There both Thrain and Njal's sons lay "boun" for sea at +the same time. Hrapp runs to where Njal's sons are. + +"Help me, like good men and true," he said, "for the earl will +slay me." + +Helgi looked at him, and said, "Thou lookest like an unlucky man, +and the man who will not take thee in will have the best of it." + +"Would that the worst might befall you from me," says Hrapp. + +"I am the man," says Helgi, "to avenge me on thee for this as +time rolls on." + +Then Hrapp turned to Thrain Sigfus' son, and bade him shelter +him. + +"What hast thou on thy hand?" says Thrain. + +"I have burnt a shrine under the earl's eyes, and slain some men, +and now he will be here speedily, for he has joined in the hue +and cry himself." + +"It hardly beseems me to do this," says Thrain, "when the earl +has done me so much good." + +Then he shewed Thrain the precious things which he had borne out +of the shrine, and offered to give him the goods, but Thrain said +he could not take them unless he gave him other goods of the same +worth for them. + +"Then," said Hrapp, "here will I take my stand, and here shall +I be slain before thine eyes, and then thou wilt have to abide by +every man's blame." + +Then they see the earl and his band of men coming, and then +Thrain took Hrapp under his safeguard, and let them shove off the +boat, and put out to his ship. + +Then Thrain said, "Now this will be thy best hiding place, to +knock out the bottoms of two casks, and then thou shalt get into +them." + +So it was done, and he got into the casks, and then they were +lashed together, and lowered overboard. + +Then comes the earl with his band to Njal's sons, and asked if +Hrapp had come there. + +They said that he had come. + +The earl asked whither he had gone thence? + +They said they had not kept eyes on him, and could not say. + +"He," said the earl, "should have great honour from me who would +tell me where Hrapp was." + +Then Grim said softly to Helgi, "Why should we not say, What know +I whether Thrain will repay us with any good?" + +"We should not tell a whit more for that," says Helgi, "when his +life lies at stake." + +"May be," said Grim, "the earl will turn his vengeance on us, +for he is so wroth that some one will have to fall before him." + +"That must not move us," says Helgi, "but still we will pull our +ship out, and so away to sea as soon as ever we get a wind." + +So they rowed out under an isle that lay there, and wait there +for a fair breeze. + +The earl went about among the sailors, and tried them all, but +they, one and all, denied that they knew aught of Hrapp. + +Then the earl said, "Now we will go to Thrain, my brother in +arms, and he will give Hrapp up, if he knows anything of him." + +After that they took a long-ship and went off to the merchant +ship. + +Thrain sees the earl coming, and stands up and greets him kindly. +The earl took his greeting well and spoke thus, -- "We are +seeking for a man whose name is Hrapp, and he is an Icelander. +He has done us all kind of ill; and now we will ask you to be +good enough to give him up, or to tell us where he is." + +"Ye know, lord," said Thrain, "that I slew your outlaw, and +then put my life in peril, and for that I had of you great +honour." + +"More honour shalt thou now have," says the earl. + +Now Thrain thought within himself, and could not make up his mind +how the earl would take it, so he denies that Hrapp is here, and +bade the earl to look for him. He spent little time on that, and +went on land alone, away from other men, and was then very wroth, +so that no man dared to speak to him. + +"Shew me to Njal's sons," said the earl, "and I will force them +to tell me the truth." + +Then he was told that they had put out of the harbour. + +"Then there is no help for it," says the earl, "but still there +were two water-casks alongside of Thrain's ship, and in them a +man may well have been hid, and if Thrain has hidden him, there +he must be; and now we will go a second time to see Thrain." + +Thrain sees that the earl means to put off again and said, +"However wroth the earl was last time, now he will be half as +wroth again, and now the life of every man on board the ship lies +at stake." + +They all gave their words to hide the matter, for they were all +sore afraid. Then they took some sacks out of the lading, and +put Hrapp down into the hold in their stead, and other sacks that +were light were laid over him. + +Now comes the earl, just as they were done stowing Hrapp away. +Thrain greeted the earl well. The earl was rather slow to return +it, and they saw that the earl was very wroth. + +Then said the earl to Thrain, "Give thou up Hrapp, for I am quite +sure that thou hast hidden him." + +"Where shall I have hidden him, Lord?" says Thrain. + +"That thou knowest best," says the earl; "but if I must guess, +then I think that thou hiddest him in the water-casks a while +ago." + +"Well!" says Thrain, "I would rather not be taken for a liar, far +sooner would I that ye should search the ship." + +Then the earl went on board the ship and hunted and hunted, but +found him not. + +"Dost thou speak me free now?" says Thrain. + +"Far from it," says the earl, "and yet I cannot tell why we +cannot find him, but methinks I see through it all when I come on +shore, but when I come here, I can see nothing." + +With that he made them row him ashore. He was so wroth that +there was no speaking to him. His son Sweyn was there with him, +and he said, "A strange turn of mind this to let guiltless men +smart for one's wrath!" + +Then the earl went away alone aside from other men, and after +that he went back to them at once, and said, "Let us row out to +them again," and they did so. + +"Where can he have been hidden?" says Sweyn. + +"There's not much good in knowing that," says the earl, "for now +he will be away thence; two sacks lay there by the rest of the +lading, and Hrapp must have come into the lading in their place." + +Then Thrain began to speak, and said, "They are running off the +ship again, and they must mean to pay us another visit. Now we +will take him out of the lading, and stow other things in his +stead, but let the sacks still lie loose." They did so, and then +Thrain spoke: "Now let us fold Hrapp in the sail." + +It was then brailed up to the yard, and they did so. + +Then the earl comes to Thrain and his men, and he was very wroth, +and said, "Wilt thou now give up the man, Thrain?" and he is +worse now than before. + +"I would have given him up long ago," answers Thrain, "if he had +been in my keeping, or where can he have been?" + +"In the lading," says the earl. + +"Then why did ye not seek him there?" says Thrain. + +"That never came into our mind," says the earl. + +After that they sought him over all the ship, and found him not. + +"Will you now hold me free?" says Thrain. + +"Surely not," says the earl, "for I know that thou hast hidden +away the man, though I find him not; but I would rather that thou +shouldst be a dastard to me than I to thee," says the earl, and +then they went on shore. + +"Now," says the earl, "I seem to see that Thrain has hidden away +Hrapp in the sail." + +Just then, up sprung a fair breeze, and Thrain and his men sailed +out to sea. He then spoke these words which have long been held +in mind since -- + + "Let us make the Vulture fly, + Nothing now gars Thrain flinch." + +But when the earl heard of Thrain's words, then he said, "'Tis +not my want of foresight which caused this, but rather their +ill-fellowship, which will drag them both to death." + +Thrain was a short time out on the sea, and so came to Iceland, +and fared home to his house. Hrapp went along with Thrain, and +was with him that year; but the spring after, Thrain got him a +homestead at Hrappstede, and he dwelt there; but yet he spent +most of his time at Gritwater. He was thought to spoil +everything there, and some men even said that he was too good +friends with Hallgerda, and that he led her astray, but some +spoke against that. + +Thrain gave the Vulture to his kinsman, Mord the Reckless; that +Mord slew Oddi Haldor's son, east in Gautawick by Berufirth. + +All Thrain's kinsmen looked on him as a chief. + + + +88. EARL HACON FIGHTS WITH NJAL'S SONS. + +Now we must take up the story, and say how, when Earl Hacon +missed Thrain, he spoke to Sweyn his son, and said, "Let us take +four long-ships, and let us fare against Njal's sons and slay +them, for they must have known all about it with Thrain." + +"'Tis not good counsel," says Sweyn, "to throw the blame on +guiltless men, but to let him escape who is guilty." + +"I shall have my way in this," says the earl. + +Now they hold on after Njal's sons, and seek for them, and find +them under an island. + +Grim first saw the earl's ships and said to Helgi, "Here are war +ships sailing up, and I see that here is the earl, and he can +mean to offer us no peace." + +"It is said," said Helgi, "that he is the boldest man who holds +his own against all comers, and so we will defend ourselves." + +They all bade him take the course he thought best, and then they +took to their arms. + +Now the earl comes up and called out to them, and bade them give +themselves up. + +Helgi said that they would defend themselves so long as they +could. + +Then the earl offered peace and quarter to all who would neither +defend themselves nor Helgi; but Helgi was so much beloved that +all said they would rather die with him. + +Then the earl and his men fall on them, but they defended +themselves well, and Njal's sons were ever where there was most +need. The earl often offered peace, but they all made the same +answer, and said they would never yield. + +Then Aslak of Longisle pressed them hard and came on board their +ship thrice. Then Grim said, "Thou pressest on hard, and 'twere +well that thou gettest what thou seekest;" and with that he +snatched up a spear and hurled it at him, and hit him under the +chin, and Aslak got his death wound there and then. + +A little after, Helgi slew Egil the earl's banner-bearer. + +Then Sweyn, Earl Hacon's son, fell on them, and made men hem them +in and bear them down with shields, and so they were taken +captive. + +The earl was for letting them all be slain at once, but Sweyn +said that should not be, and said too that it was night. + +Then the earl said, "Well, then, slay them to-morrow, but bind +them fast to-night." + +"So, I ween, it must be," says Sweyn; "but never yet have I met +brisker men than these, and I call it the greatest manscathe to +take their lives." + +"They have slain two of our briskest men," said the earl, "and +for that they shall be slain." + +"Because they were brisker men themselves," says Sweyn; "but +still in this it must be done as thou willest." + +So they were bound and fettered. + +After that the earl fell asleep; but when all men slept, Grim +spoke to Helgi, and said, "Away would I get if I could." + +"Let us try some trick then," says Helgi. + +Grim sees that there lies an axe edge up, so Grim crawled +thither, and gets the bowstring which bound him cut asunder +against the axe, but still he got great wounds on his arms. + +Then he set Helgi loose, and after that they crawled over the +ship's side, and got on shore, so that neither Hacon nor his men +were ware of them. Then they broke off their fetters, and walked +away to the other side of the island. By that time it began to +dawn. There they found a ship, and knew that there was come Kari +Solmund's son. They went at once to meet him, and told him of +their wrongs and hardships, and showed him their wounds, and said +the earl would be then asleep. + +"Ill is it," said Kari, "that ye should suffer such wrongs for +wicked men; but what now would be most to your minds?" + +"To fall on the earl," they say, "and slay him." + +"This will not be fated," says Kari; "but still ye do not lack +heart, but we will first know whether he is there now." + +After that they fared thither, and then the earl was up and away. + +Then Kari sailed in to Hlada to meet the earl, and brought him +the Orkney scatts, so the earl said, "Hast thou taken Njal's sons +into thy keeping?" + +"So it is, sure enough," says Kari. + +"Wilt thou hand Njal's sons over to me?" asks the earl. + +"No, I will not," said Kari. + +"Wilt thou swear this," says the earl, "that thou wilt not fall +on me with Njal's sons?" + +Then Eric, the earl's son, spoke and said, "Such things ought +not to be asked. Kari has always been our friend, and things +should not have gone as they have, had I been by. Njal's sons +should have been set free from all blame, but they should have +had chastisement who had wrought for it. Methinks now it would +be more seemly to give Njal's sons good gifts for the hardships +and wrongs which have been put upon them, and the wounds they +have got." + +"So it ought to be, sure enough," says the earl, "but I know not +whether they will take an atonement." + +Then the earl said that Kari should try the feeling of Njal's +sons as to an atonement. + +After that Kari spoke to Helgi, and asked whether he would take +any amends from the earl or not. + +"I will take them," said Helgi, "from his son Eric, but I will +have nothing to do with the earl." + +Then Kari told Eric their answer. + +"So it shall be." says Eric. "He shall take the amends from me +if he thinks it better; and tell them this too, that I bid them +to my house, and my father shall do them no harm." + +This bidding they took, and went to Eric's house, and were with +him till Kari was ready to sail west across the sea to meet Earl +Sigurd. + +Then Eric made a feast for Kari, and gave him gifts, and Njal's +sons gifts too. After that Kari fared west across the sea, and +met Earl Sigurd, and he greeted them very well, and they were +with the earl that winter. + +But when the spring came, Kari asked Njal's sons to go on warfare +with him, but Grim said they would only do so if he would fare +with them afterwards out to Iceland. Kari gave his word to do +that, and then they fared with him a-searoving. They harried +south about Anglesea and all the Southern isles. Thence they +held on to Cantyre, and landed there, and fought with the +landsmen, and got thence much goods, and so fared to their ships. +Thence they fared south to Wales, and harried there. Then +they held on for Alan, and there they met Godred, and fought with +him, and got the victory, and slew Dungal the king's son. There +they took great spoil. Thence they held on north to Coll, and +found Earl Gilli there, and he greeted them well and there they +stayed with him a while. The earl fared with them to the Orkneys +to meet Earl Sigurd, but next spring Earl Sigurd gave away his +sister Nereida to Earl Gilli, and then he fared back to the +Southern isles. + + + +89. NJAL'S SONS AND KARI COME OUT TO ICELAND + +That summer Kari and Njal's sons busked them for Iceland, and +when they were "all-boun" they went to see the earl. The earl +gave them good gifts, and they parted with great friendship. + +Now they put to sea and have a short passage, and they got a fine +fair breeze, and made the land at Eyrar. Then they got them +horses and ride from the ship to Bergthorsknoll, but when they +came home all men were glad to see them. They flitted home their +goods and laid up the ship, and Kari was there that winter with +Njal. + +But the spring after, Kari asked for Njal's daughter, Helga, to +wife, and Helgi and Grim backed his suit; and so the end of it +was that she was betrothed to Kari and the day for the wedding- +feast was fixed, and the feast was held half a month before +mid-summer, and they were that winter with Njal. + +Then Kari bought him land at Dyrholms, east away by Mydale, and +set up a farm there; they put in there a grieve and housekeeper +to see after the farm, but they themselves were ever with Njal. + + + +90. THE QUARREL OF NJAL'S SONS WITH THRAIN SIGFUS' SON + +Hrapp owned a farm at Hrappstede, but for all that he was always +at Gritwater, and he was thought to spoil everything there. +Thrain was good to him. + +Once on a time it happened that Kettle of the Mark was at +Bergthorsknoll; then Njal's sons told him of their wrongs and +hardships, and said they had much to lay at Thrain Sigfus son's +door, whenever they chose to speak about it. + +Njal said it would be best that Kettle should talk with his +brother Thrain about it, and he gave his word to do so. + +So they gave Kettle breathing-time to talk to Thrain. + +A little after they spoke of the matter again to Kettle, but he +said that he would repeat few of the words that had passed +between them, "For it was pretty plain that Thrain thought I set +too great store on being your brother-in-law." + +Then they dropped talking about it, and thought they saw that +things looked ugly, and so they asked their father for his +counsel as to what was to be done, but they told him they would +not let things rest as they then stood. + +"Such things," said Njal, "are not so strange. It will be +thought that they are slain without a cause, if they are slain +now, and my counsel is, that as many men as may be should be +brought to talk with them about these things, and thus as many as +we can find may be ear-witnesses if they answer ill as to these +things. Then Kari shall talk about them too, for he is just the +man with the right turn of mind for this; then the dislike +between you will grow and grow, for they will heap bad words on +bad words when men bring the matter forward, for they are foolish +men. It may also well be that it may be said that my sons are +slow to take up a quarrel, but ye shall bear that for the sake of +gaining time, for there are two sides to everything that is done, +and ye can always pick a quarrel; but still ye shall let so much +of your purpose out, as to say that if any wrong be put upon you +that ye do mean something. But if ye had taken counsel from me +at first, then these things should never have been spoken about +at all, and then ye would have gotten no disgrace from them; but +now ye have the greatest risk of it, and so it will go on ever +growing and growing with your disgrace, that ye will never get +rid of it until ye bring yourselves into a strait, and have to +fight your way out with weapons; but in that there is a long and +weary night in which ye will have to grope your way." + +After that they ceased speaking about it; but the matter became +the daily talk of many men. + +One day it happened that those brothers spoke to Kari and bade +him go to Gritwater. Kari said he thought he might go +elsewhither on a better journey, but still he would go if that +were Njal's counsel. So after that Kari fares to meet Thrain, +and then they talk over the matter, and they did not each look at +it in the same way. + +Kari comes home, and Njal's sons ask how things had gone between +Thrain and him. Kari said he would rather not repeat the words +that had passed, "But," he went on, "it is to be looked for that +the like words will be spoken when ye yourselves can hear them." + +Thrain had fifteen house-carles trained to arms in his house, and +eight of them rode with him whithersoever he went. Thrain was +very fond of show and dress, and always rode in a blue cloak, and +had on a gilded helm, and the spear -- the earl's gift -- in his +hand, and a fair shield, and a sword at his belt. Along with him +always went Gunnar Lambi's son, and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Grani +Gunnar of Lithend's son. But nearest of all to him went Killing- +Hrapp. Lodinn was the name of his serving-man, he too went with +Thrain when he journeyed; Tjorvi was the name of Lodinn's +brother, and he too was one of Thrain's band. The worst of all, +in their words against Njal's sons, were Hrapp and Grani; and it +was mostly their doing that no atonement was offered to them. + +Njal's sons often spoke to Kari that he should ride with them; +and it came to that at last, for he said it would be well that +they heard Thrain's answer. + +Then they busked them, four of Njal's sons, and Kari the fifth, +and so they fare to Gritwater. + +There was a wide porch in the homestead there, so that many men +might stand in it side by side. There was a woman out of doors, +and she saw their coming, and told Thrain of it; he bade them to +go out into the porch, and take their arms, and they did so. + +Thrain stood in mid-door, but Killing-Hrapp and Grani Gunnar's +son stood on either hand of him; then next stood Gunnar Lambi's +son, then Lodinn and Tjorvi, then Lambi Sigurd's son; then each +of the others took his place right and left; for the house-carles +were all at home. + +Skarphedinn and his men walk up from below, and he went first, +then Kari, then Hauskuld, then Grim, then Helgi. But when they +had come up to the door, then not a word of welcome passed the +lips of those who stood before them. + +"May we all be welcome here?" said Skarphedinn. + +Hallgerda stood in the porch, and had been talking low to Hrapp, +then she spoke out loud: "None of those who are here will say +that ye are welcome." + +Then Skarphedinn sang a song: + + "Prop of sea-waves' fire (1), thy fretting + Cannot cast a weight on us, + Warriors wight; yes, wolf and eagle + Willingly I feed to-day; + Carline thrust into the ingle, + Or a tramping whore, art thou; + Lord of skates that skim the sea-belt (2), + Odin's mocking cup (3) I mix" + +"Thy words," said Skarphedinn, "will not be worth much, for thou +art either a hag, only fit to sit in the ingle, or a harlot." + +"These words of thine thou shalt pay for," she says, "ere thou +farest home." + +"Thee am I come to see, Thrain," said Helgi, "and to know if thou +wilt make me any amends for those wrongs and hardships which +befell me for thy sake in Norway." + +"I never knew," said Thrain, "that ye two brothers were wont to +measure your manhood by money; or, how long shall such a claim +for amends stand over?" + +"Many will say," says Helgi, "that thou oughtest to offer us +atonement, since thy life was at stake." + +Then Hrapp said, "'Twas just luck that swayed the balance, when +he got stripes who ought to bear them; and she dragged you under +disgrace and hardships, but us away from them." + +"Little good luck was there in that," says Helgi, "to break faith +with the earl, and to take to thee instead." + +"Thinkest thou not that thou hast some amends to seek from me," +says Hrapp. "I will atone thee in a way that, methinks, were +fitting." + +"The only dealings we shall have," says Helgi, "will be those +which will not stand thee in good stead." + +"Don't bandy words with Hrapp," said Skarphedinn, "but give him a +red skin for a grey." (4) + +"Hold thy tongue, Skarphedinn," said Hrapp, "or I will not spare +to bring my axe on thy head." + +"'Twill be proved soon enough, I dare say," says Skarphedinn, +"which of us is to scatter gravel over the other's head." + +"Away with you home, ye `Dungbeardlings!'" says Hallgerda, "and +so we will call you always from this day forth; but your father +we will call `the Beardless Carle.'" + +They did not fare home before all who were there had made +themselves guilty of uttering those words, save Thrain; he +forbade men to utter them. + +Then Njal's sons went away, and fared till they came home, then +they told their father. + +"Did ye call any men to witness of those words?" says Njal. + +"We called none," says Skarphedinn; "we do not mean to follow +that suit up except on the battle-field." + +"No one will now think," says Bergthora, "that ye have the heart +to lift your weapons." + +"Spare thy tongue, mistress!" says Kari, "in egging on thy sons, +for they will be quite eager enough." + +After that they all talk long in secret, Njal and his sons, and +Kari Solmund's son, their brother-in-law. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Prop of sea-waves' fire," a periphrasis for woman that + bears gold on her arm. +(2) "Skates that skim." etc.. a periphrasis for ships. +(3) "Odin's mocking cup," mocking songs. +(4) An allusion to the Beast Epic, where the cunning fox laughs + at the flayed condition of his stupid foes, the wolf and + bear. We should say, "Don't stop to speak with him, but + rather beat him black and blue." + + + +91. THRAIN SIGFUS' SON'S SLAYING + +Now there was great talk about this quarrel of theirs, and all +seemed to know that it would not settle down peacefully. + +Runolf, the son of Wolf Aurpriest, east in the Dale, was a great +friend of Thrain's, and had asked Thrain to come and see him, and +it was settled that he should come east when about three weeks or +a month were wanting to winter. + +Thrain bade Hrapp, and Grani, and Gunnar Lambi's son, and Lambi +Sigurd's son, and Lodinn, and Tjorvi, eight of them in all, to go +on this journey with him. Hallgerda and Thorgerda were to go +too. At the same time Thrain gave it out that he meant to stay +in the Mark with his brother Kettle, and said how many nights he +meant to be away from home. + +They all of them had full arms. So they rode east across +Markfleet, and found there some gangrel women, and they begged +them to put them across the Fleet west on their horses, and they +did so. + +Then they rode into the Dale, and had a hearty welcome; there +Kettle of the Mark met them, and there they sate two nights. + +Both Runolf and Kettle besought Thrain that he would make up his +quarrel with Njal's sons; but he said he would never pay any +money, and answered crossly, for he said he thought himself quite +a match for Njal's sons wherever they met. + +"So it may be," says Runolf; "but so far as I can see, no man has +been their match since Gunnar of Lithend died and it is likelier +that ye will both drag one another down to death." + +Thrain said that was not to be dreaded. + +Then Thrain fared up into the Mark, and was there two nights +more; after that he rode down into the Dale, and was sent away +from both houses with fitting gifts. + +Now the Markfleet was then flowing between sheets of ice on both +sides, and there were tongues of ice bridging it across every +here and there. + +Thrain said that he meant to ride home that evening, but Runolf +said that he ought not to ride home; he said, too, that it would +be more wary not to fare back as he had said he would before he +left home. + +"That is fear, and I will none of it," answers Thrain. + +Now those gangrel women whom they had put across the Fleet came +to Bergthorsknoll, and Bergthora asked whence they came, but they +answered, "Away east under Eyjafell." + +"Then, who put you across Markfleet?" said Bergthora. + +"Those," said they, "who were the most boastful and bravest clad +of men." + +"Who?" asked Bergthora. + +"Thrain Sigfus' son," said they, "and his company, but we thought +it best to tell thee that they were so full-tongued towards this +house, against thy husband and his sons." + +"Listeners do not often hear good of themselves," says Bergthora. +After that they went their way, and Bergthora gave them gifts on +their going, and asked them when Thrain might be coming home. + +They said that he would be from home four or five nights. + +After that Bergthora told her sons and her son-in-law Kari, and +they talked long and low about the matter. + +But that same morning when Thrain and his men rode from the east, +Njal woke up early and heard how Skarphedinn's axe came against +the panel. + +Then Njal rises up, and goes out, and sees that his sons are all +there with their weapons, and Kari, his son-in-law too. +Skarphedinn was foremost. He was in a blue cape, and had a +targe, and his axe aloft on his shoulder. Next to him went +Helgi; he was in a red kirtle, had a helm on his head, and a red +shield, on which a hart was marked. Next to him went Kari; he +had on a silken jerkin, a gilded helm and shield, and on it was +drawn a lion. They were all in bright holiday clothes. + +Njal called out to Skarphedinn, "Whither art thou going, +kinsman?" + +"On a sheep hunt," he said. + +"So it was once before," said Njal, "but then ye hunted men." + +Skarphedinn laughed at that, and said, "Hear ye what the old man +says? He is not without his doubts." + +"When was it that thou spokest thus before," asks Kari. + +"When I slew Sigmund the White," says Skarphedinn, "Gunnar of +Lithend's kinsman." + +"For what?" asks Kari. + +"He had slain Thord Freedmanson, my foster-father." + +Njal went home, but they fared up into the Redslips, and bided +there; thence they could see the others as soon as ever they rode +from the east out of the Dale. + +There was sunshine that day and bright weather. + +Now Thrain and his men ride down out of the Dale along the river +bank. + +Lambi Sigurd's son said, "Shields gleam away yonder in the +Redslips when the sun shines on them, and there must be some men +lying in wait there." + +"Then," says Thrain, "we will turn our way lower down the Fleet, +and then they will come to meet us if they have any business with +us." + +So they turn down the Fleet. "Now they have caught sight of us," +said Skarphedinn, "for lo! they turn their path elsewhither, and +now we have no other choice than to run down and meet them." + +"Many men," said Kari, "would rather not lie in wait if the +balance of force were not more on their side than it is on ours; +they are eight, but we are five." + +Now they turn down along the Fleet, and see a tongue of ice +bridging the stream lower down and mean to cross there. + +Thrain and his men take their stand upon the ice away from the +tongue, and Thrain said, "What can these men want? They are +five, and we are eight." + +"I guess," said Lambi Sigurd's son, "that they would still run +the risk though more men stood against them." + +Thrain throws off his cloak, and takes off his helm. + +Now it happened to Skarphedinn, as they ran down along the Fleet, +that his shoe-string snapped asunder, and he stayed behind. + +"Why so slow, Skarphedinn?" quoth Grim. + +"I am tying my shoe," he says. + +"Let us get on ahead," says Kari; "methinks he will not be slower +than we." + +So they turn off to the tongue, and run as fast as they can. +Skarphedinn sprang up as soon as he was ready, and had lifted his +axe, "the ogress of war," aloft, and runs right down to the +Fleet. But the Fleet was so deep that there was no fording it +for a long way up or down. + +A great sheet of ice had been thrown up by the flood on the other +side of the Fleet as smooth and slippery as glass, and there +Thrain and his men stood in the midst of the sheet. + +Skarphedinn takes a spring into the air, and leaps over the +stream between the icebanks, and does not check his course, but +rushes still onwards with a slide. The sheet of ice was very +slippery, and so he went as fast as a bird flies. Thrain was +just about to put his helm on his head; and now Skarphedinn bore +down on them, and hews at Thrain with his axe, "the ogress of +war," and smote him on the head, and clove him down to the teeth, +so that his jaw-teeth fell out on the ice. This feat was done +with such a quick sleight that no one could get a blow at him; he +glided away from them at once at full speed. Tjorvi, indeed, +threw his shield before him on the ice, but he leapt over it, and +still kept his feet, and slid quite to the end of the sheet of +ice. + +There Kari and his brothers came to meet him. + +"This was done like a man," says Kari. + +"Your share is still left," says Skarphedinn, and sang a song: + + "To the strife of swords not slower, + After all, I came than you, + For with ready stroke the sturdy + Squanderer of wealth I felled; + But since Grim's and Helgi's sea-stag (1) + Norway's Earl erst took and stripped, + Now 'tis time for sea-fire bearers (2) + Such dishonour to avenge." + +And this other song he sang: + + "Swiftly down I dashed my weapon, + Gashing giant, byrnie-breacher (3), + She, the noisy ogre's namesake (4), + Soon with flesh the ravens glutted; + Now your words to Hrapp remember, + On broad ice now rouse the storm, + With dull crash war's eager ogress + Battle's earliest note hath sung." + +"That befits us well, and we will do it well," says Helgi. + +Then they turn up towards them. Both Grim and Helgi see where +Hrapp is, and they turned on him at once. Hrapp hews at Grim +there and then with his axe; Helgi sees this and cuts at Hrapp's +arm, and cut it off, and down fell the axe. + +"In this," says Hrapp, "thou hast done a most needful work, for +this hand hath wrought harm and death to many a man." + +"And so here an end shall be put to it," says Grim; and with +that he ran him through with a spear, and then Hrapp fell down +dead. + +Tjorvi turns against Kari and hurls a spear at him. Kari leapt +up in the air, and the spear flew below his feet. Then Kari +rushes at him, and hews at him on the breast with his sword, and +the blow passed at once into his chest, and he got his death +there and then. + +Then Skarphedinn seizes both Gunnar Lambi's son, and Grani +Gunnar's son, and said, "Here have I caught two whelps! but what +shall we do with them? + +"It is in thy power," says Helgi, "to slay both or either of +them, if you wish them dead." + +"I cannot find it in my heart to do both -- help Hogni and slay +his brother," says Skarphedinn. + +"Then the day will once come," says Helgi, "when thou wilt wish +that thou hadst slain him, for never will he be true to thee, nor +will any one of the others who are now here." + +"I shall not fear them," answers Skarphedinn. + +After that they gave peace to Grani Gunnar's son, and Gunnar +Lambi's son, and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Lodinn. + +After that they went down to the Fleet where Skarphedinn had +leapt over it, and Kari and the others measured the length of the +leap with their spear-shafts, and it was twelve ells (5). + +Then they turned homewards, and Njal asked what tidings. They +told him all just as it had happened, and Njal said, "These are +great tidings, and it is more likely that hence will come the +death of one of my sons, if not more evil." + +Gunnar Lambi's son bore the body of Thrain with him to Gritwater, +and he was laid in a cairn there. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Sea-stag," periphrasis for ship. +(2) "Sea-fire bearers," the bearers of gold, men, that is, Helgi + and Grim. +(3) "Byrnie-breacher," piercer of coats of mail. +(4) "Noisy ogre's namesake," an allusion to the name of Skarp + hedinn's axe, "the ogress of war." +(5) Twelve ells, about twenty-four feet (the Norse ell being + something more than two feet), a good jump, but not beyond + the power of man. Comp. "Orkn. Saga", ch. 113, new ed., + vol. i., 457, where Earl Harold leaps nine ells over a dike. + + + +92. KETTLE TAKES HAUSKULD AS HIS FOSTER-SON + +Kettle of the Mark had to wife Thorgerda Njal's daughter, but he +was Thrain's brother, and he thought he was come into a strait, +so he rode to Njal's house, and asked whether he were willing to +atone in any way for Thrain's slaying? + +"I will atone for it handsomely," answered Njal; "and my wish is +that thou shouldst look after the matter with thy brothers who +have to take the price of the atonement, that they may be ready +to join in it." + +Kettle said he would do so with all his heart, and Kettle rode +home first; a little after, he summoned all his brothers to +Lithend, and then he had a talk with them; and Hogni was on his +side all through the talk; and so it came about that men were +chosen to utter the award; and a meeting was agreed on, and the +fair price of a man was awarded for Thrain's slaying, and they +all had a share in the blood-money who had a lawful right to it. +After that pledges of peace and good faith were agreed to, and +they were settled in the most sure and binding way. + +Njal paid down all the money out of hand well and bravely; and so +things were quiet for a while. + +One day Njal rode up into the Mark, and he and Kettle talked +together the whole day; Njal rode home at even, and no man knew +of what they had taken counsel. + +A little after Kettle fares to Gritwater, and he said to +Thorgerda, "Long have I loved my brother Thrain much, and now I +will shew it, for I will ask Hauskuld Thrain's son to be my +foster-child." + +"Thou shalt have thy choice of this," she says; "and thou shalt +give this lad all the help in thy power when he is grown up, and +avenge him if he is slain with weapons, and bestow money on him +for his wife's dower; and besides, thou shalt swear to do all +this." + +Now Hauskuld fares home with Kettle, and is with him some time. + + + +93. NJAL TAKES HAUSKULD TO FOSTER + +Once on a time Njal rides up into the Mark, and he had a hearty +welcome. He was there that night, and in the evening Njal called +out to the lad Hauskuld, and he went up to him at once. + +Njal had a ring of gold on his hand, and showed it to the lad. +He took hold of the gold, and looked at it, and put it on his +finger. + +"Wilt thou take the gold as a gift?" said Njal. + +"That I will," said the lad. + +"Knowest thou," says Njal, "what brought thy father to his +death?" + +"I know," answers the lad, "that Skarphedinn slew him; but we +need not keep that in mind, when an atonement has been made for +it, and a full price paid for him." + +"Better answered than asked," said Njal; "and thou wilt live to +be a good man and true," he adds. + +"Methinks thy forecasting," says Hauskuld, "is worth having, for +I know that thou art foresighted and unlying." + +"Now will I offer to foster thee," said Njal, "if thou wilt take +the offer." + +He said he would be willing to take both that honour and any +other good offer which he might make. So the end of the matter +was, that Hauskuld fared home with Njal as his foster-son. + +He suffered no harm to come nigh the lad, and loved him much. +Njal's sons took him about with them, and did him honour in every +way. And so things go on till Hauskuld is full grown. He was +both tall and strong; the fairest of men to look on, and well +haired; blithe of speech, bountiful, well behaved; as well +trained to arms as the best; fairspoken to all men, and much +beloved. + +Njal's sons and Hauskuld were never apart, either in word or +deed. + + + +94. OF FLOSI THORD'S SON + +There was a man named Flosi, he was the son of Thord Freyspriest +(1). Flosi had to wife Steinvora, daughter of Hall of the Side. +She was base born, and her mother's name was Solvora, daughter of +Herjolf the White. Flosi dwelt at Swinefell, and was a mighty +chief. He was tall of stature, and strong, withal, the most +forward and boldest of men. His brother's name was Starkad (2); +he was not by the same mother as Flosi. + +The other brothers of Flosi were Thorgeir and Stein, Kolbein and +Egil. Hildigunna was the name of the daughter of Starkad Flosi's +brother. She was a proud, high-spirited maiden, and one of the +fairest of women. She was so skilful with her hands, that few +women were equally skilful. She was the grimmest and hardest- +hearted of all women; but still a woman of open hand and heart +when any fitting call was made upon her. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Thord was the son of Auzur, the son of Asbjorn Eyjangr the + son of Bjorn, the son of Helgi, the son of Bjorn the + Roughfooted, the son of Grim, the Lord of Sogn. The mother + of Flosi was Ingunna, daughter of Thorir of Espihole, the + son of Hamond Hellskin, the son of Hjor, the son of Half, + who ruled over the men of Half, the son of Hjorfeif, the + lover of women. The mother of Thorir was Ingunna, daughter + of Helgi the Lean, who took the land round Eyjafirth, as the + first settler. +(2) The mother of Starkad was Thraslauga, daughter of Thorstein + titling the son of Gerleif; but the mother of Thraslauga was + Aud; she was a daughter of Eyvind Karf, one of the first + settlers, and sister of Modolf the Wise. + + + +95. OF HALL OF THE SIDE + +Hall was the name of a man who was called Hall of the Side. He +was the son of Thorstein Baudvar's son (1). Hall had to wife +Joreida, daughter of Thidrandi (2) the Wise. Thorstein was the +name of Hall's brother, and he was nick-named Broad-paunch. His +son was Kol, whom Kari slays in Wales. The sons of Hall of the +Side were Thorstein and Egil, Thorwald and Ljot, and Thidrandi, +whom, it is said, the goddesses slew. + +There was a man named Thorir, whose surname was Holt-Thorir; his +sons were these: -- Thorgeir Craggeir, and Thorleif Crow, from +whom the Wood-dwellers are come, and Thorgrim the Big. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Hall's mother's name was Thordisa, and she was a daughter of + Auzur, the son of Hrodlaug, the son of Earl Rognvald of + Maeren, the son of Eystein the Noisy. +(2) Thidrandi was the son of Kettle Rumble, the son of Thorir, + the son of Thidrandi of Verudale. The brothers of Thidrandi + were Kettle Rumble, in Njordwick, and Thorwald, the father + of Helgi Droplaug's son. Hallkatla was the sister of + Joreida. She was the mother of Thorkel Geiti's son, and + Thidrandi. + + + +96. OF THE CHANGE OF FAITH + +There had been a change of rulers in Norway, Earl Hacon was dead +and gone, but in his stead was come Olaf Tryggvi's son. That was +the end of Earl Hacon, that Kark the thrall cut his throat at +Rimul in Gaulardale. + +Along with that was heard that there had been a change of faith +in Norway; they had cast off the old faith, but King Olaf had +christened the western lands, Shetland, and the Orkneys, and the +Faroe Isles. + +Then many men spoke so that Njal heard it, that it was a strange +and wicked thing to throw off the old faith. + +Then Njal spoke and said, "It seems to me as though this new +faith must be much better, and he will be happy who follows this +rather than the other; and if those men come out hither who +preach this faith, then I will back them well." + +He went often alone away from other men and muttered to himself. + +That same harvest a ship came out into the firths east to +Berufirth, at a spot called Gautawick. The captain's name was +Thangbrand. He was a son of Willibald, a count of Saxony. +Thangbrand was sent out hither by King Olaf Tryggvi's son, to +preach the faith. Along with him came that man of Iceland whose +name was Gudleif (1). Gudleif was a great man-slayer, and one of +the strongest of men, and hardy and forward in everything. + +Two brothers dwelt at Beruness; the name of the one was Thorleif, +but the other was Kettle. They were sons of Holmstein, the son +of Auzur of Broaddale. These brothers held a meeting and forbade +men to have any dealings with them. This Hall of the Side heard. +He dwelt at Thvattwater in Alftafirth; he rode to the ship with +twenty-nine men, and he fares at once to find Thangbrand, and +spoke to him and asked him, "Trade is rather dull, is it not?" + +He answered that so it was. + +"Now will I say my errand," says Hall; "it is, that I wish to ask +you all to my house, and run the risk of my being able to get rid +of your wares for you." + +Thangbrand thanked him, and fared to Thvattwater that harvest. + +It so happened one morning that Thangbrand was out early and made +them pitch a tent on land, and sang mass in it, and took much +pains with it, for it was a great high day. + +Hall spoke to Thangbrand and asked, "In memory of whom keepest +thou this day?" + +"In memory of Michael the archangel," says Thangbrand. + +"What follows that angel?" asks Hall. + +"Much good," says Thangbrand. "He will weigh all the good that +thou doest, and he is so merciful, that whenever any one pleases +him, he makes his good deeds weigh more." + +"I would like to have him for my friend," says Hall. + +"That thou mayest well have," says Thangbrand, "only give thyself +over to him by God's help this very day." + +"I only make this condition," says Hall, "that thou givest thy +word for him that he will then become my guardian angel." + +"That I will promise," says Thangbrand. + +Then Hall was baptized, and all his household. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) He was the son of Ari, the son of Mar, the son of Atli, the + son of Wolf Squinteye, the son of Hogni the White, the son + of Otryg, the son of Oblaud, the son of Hjorleif the lover + of women, King of Hordaland. + + + +97. OF THANGBRAND'S JOURNEYS + +The spring after Thangbrand set out to preach Christianity, and +Hall went with him. But when they came west across Lonsheath to +Staffell, there they found a man dwelling named Thorkell. He +spoke most against the faith, and challenged Thangbrand to single +combat. Then Thangbrand bore a rood-cross (1) before his shield, +and the end of their combat was that Thangbrand won the day and +slew Thorkell. + +Thence they fared to Hornfirth and turned in as guests at +Borgarhaven, west of Heinabergs sand. There Hilldir the Old +dwelt (2), and then Hilldir and all his household took upon them +the new faith. + +Thence they fared to Fellcombe, and went in as guests to +Calffell. There dwelt Kol Thorstein's son, Hall's kinsman, and +he took upon him the faith and all his house. + +Thence they fared to Swinefell, and Flosi only took the sign of +the cross, but gave his word to back them at the Thing. + +Thence they fared west to Woodcombe, and went in as guests at +Kirkby. There dwelt Surt Asbjorn's son, the son of Thorstein, +the son of Kettle the Foolish. These had all of them been +Christians from father to son. + +After that they fared out of Woodcombe on to Headbrink. By that +time the story of their journey was spread far and wide. There +was a man named Sorcerer-Hedinn who dwelt in Carlinedale. There +heathen men made a bargain with him that he should put Thangbrand +to death with all his company. He fared upon Arnstacksheath, and +there made a great sacrifice when Thangbrand was riding from the +east. Then the earth burst asunder under his horse, but he +sprang off his horse and saved himself on the brink of the gulf, +but the earth swallowed up the horse and all his harness, and +they never saw him more. + +Then Thangbrand praised God. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Rood-cross, a crucifix. +(2) His son was Glum who fared to the burning with Flosi. + + + +98. OF THANGBRAND AND GUDLEIF + +Gudleif now searches for Sorcerer-Hedinn and finds him on the +heath, and chases him down into Carlinedale, and got within +spearshot of him, and shoots a spear at him and through him. + +Thence they fared to Dyrholms and held a meeting there, and +preached the faith there, and there Ingialld, the son of +Thorsteinn Highbankawk, became a Christian. + +Thence they fared to the Fleetlithe and preached the faith there. +There Weatherlid the Skald, and Ari his son, spoke most against +the faith, and for that they slew Weatherlid, and then this song +was sung about it -- + + "He who proved his blade on bucklers, + South went through the land to whet + Brand that oft hath felled his foeman, + 'Gainst the forge which foams with song (1); + Mighty wielder of war's sickle + Made his sword's avenging edge + Hard on hero's helm-prop rattle (2), + Skull of Weatherlid the Skald." + +Thence Thangbrand fared to Bergthorsknoll, and Njal took the +faith and all his house, but Mord and Valgard went much against +it, and thence they fared out across the rivers; so they went on +into Hawkdale and there they baptized Hall (3), and he was then +three winters old. + +Thence Thangbrand fared to Grimsness, there Thorwald the Scurvy +gathered a band against him, and sent word to Wolf Uggi's son +that he must fare against Thangbrand and slay him, and made this +song on him -- + + "To the wolf in Woden's harness, + Uggi's worthy warlike son, + I, steel's swinger dearly loving, + This my dimple bidding send; + That the wolf of Gods (4) he chaseth -- + Man who snaps at chink of gold -- + Wolf who base our Gods blasphemeth, + I the other wolf (5) will crush." + +Wolf sang another song in return: + + "Swarthy skarf from mouth that skimmeth + Of the man who speaks in song + Never will I catch, though surely + Wealthy warrior it hath sent; + Tender of the sea-horse snorting, + E'en though ill deeds are on foot, + Still to risk mine eyes are open; + Harmful 'tis to snap at flies (6)." + +"And," says he, "I don't mean to be made a catspaw by him, but +let him take heed lest his tongue twists a noose for his own +neck." + +And after that the messenger fared back to Thorwald the Scurvy +and told him Wolf's words. Thorwald had many men about him, and +gave it out that he would lie in wait for them on Bluewood-heath. + +Now those two, Thangbrand and Gudleif, ride out of Hawkdale, and +there they came upon a man who rode to meet them. That man asked +for Gudleif, and when he found him he said, "Thou shalt gain by +being the brother of Thorgil of Reykiahole, for I will let thee +know that they have set many ambushes, and this too, that +Thorwald the Scurvy is now with his band at Hestbeck on +Grimsness." + +"We shall not the less for all that ride to meet him," says +Gudleif, and then they turned down to Hestbeck. Thorwald was +then come across the brook, and Gudleif said to Thangbrand, "Here +is now Thorwald; let us rush on him now." + +Thangbrand shot a spear through Thorwald, but Gudleif smote him +on the shoulder and hewed his arm off, and that was his death. + +After that they ride up to the Thing, and it was a near thing +that the kinsmen of Thorwald had fallen on Thangbrand, but Njal +and the eastfirthers stood by Thangbrand. + +Then Hjallti Skeggi's son sang this rhyme at the Hill of Laws: + + "Ever will I Gods blaspheme + Freyja methinks a dog does seem, + Freyja a dog? Aye! let them be + Both dogs together Odin and she (7)." + +Hjallti fared abroad that summer and Gizur the White with him, +but Thangbrand's ship was wrecked away east at Bulandsness, and +the ship's name was Bison. + +Thangbrand and his messmate fared right through the west country, +and Steinvora, the mother of Ref the Skald, came against him; she +preached the heathen faith to Thangbrand and made him a long +speech. Thangbrand held his peace while she spoke, but made a +long speech after her, and turned all that she had said the wrong +way against her. + +"Hast thou heard," she said, "how Thor challenged Christ to +single combat, and how he did not dare to fight with Thor?" + +"I have heard tell," says Thangbrand, "that Thor was naught but +dust and ashes, if God had not willed that he should live." + +"Knowest thou," she says, "who it was that shattered thy ship?" + +"What hast thou to say about that?" he asks. + +"That I will tell thee," she says: + + "He that giant's offspring (8) slayeth + Broke the mew-field's bison stout (9), + Thus the Gods, bell's warder (10) grieving, + Crushed the falcon of the strand (11); + To the courser of the causeway (12) + Little good was Christ I ween, + When Thor shattered ships to pieces + Gylfi's hart (13) no God could help." + +And again she sung another song: + + "Thangbrand's vessel from her moorings, + Sea-king's steed, Thor wrathful tore, + Shook and shattered all her timbers, + Hurled her broadside on the beach; + Ne'er again shall Viking's snow-shoe (14), + On the briny billows glide, + For a storm by Thor awakened, + Dashed the bark to splinters small." + +After that Thangbrand and Steinvora parted, and they fared west +to Bardastrand. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Forge which foams with song," the poet's head, in which + songs are forged, and gush forth like foaming mead. +(2) "Hero's helm-prop," the hero's, man's, head which supports + his helm. +(3) It is needless to say that this Hall was not Hall of the + Side. +(4) "Wolf of Gods," the "caput lupinum," the outlaw of heaven, + the outcast from Valhalla, Thangbrand. +(5) "The other wolf," Gudleif. +(6) "Swarthy skarf," the skarf, or "pelecanus carbo", the + cormorant. He compares the message of Thorwald to the + cormorant skimming over the waves, and says he will never + take it. "Snap at flies," a very common Icelandic metaphor + from fish rising to a fly. +(7) Maurer thinks the allusion is here to some mythological + legend on Odin's adventures which has not come down to us. +(8) "He that giant's," etc., Thor. +(9) "Mew-field's bison," the sea-going ship, which sails over + the plain of the sea-mew. +(10) "Bell's warder," the Christian priest whose bell-ringing + formed part of the rites of the new faith. +(11) "Falcon of the strand," ship. +(12) "Courser of the causeway," ship. +(13) "Gylfi's hart," ship. +(14) "Viking's snow-shoe," sea-king's ship. + + + +99. OF GEST ODDLEIF'S SON + +Gest Oddleif's son dwelt at Hagi on Bardastrand. He was one of +the wisest of men, so that he foresaw the fates and fortunes of +men. He made a feast for Thangbrand and his men. They fared to +Hagi with sixty men. Then it was said that there were two +hundred heathen men to meet them, and that a Baresark was looked +for to come thither, whose name was Otrygg, and all were afraid +of him. Of him such great things as these were said, that he +feared neither fire nor sword, and the heathen men were sore +afraid at his coming. Then Thangbrand asked if men were willing +to take the faith, but all the heathen men spoke against it. + +"Well," says Thangbrand, "I will give you the means whereby ye +shall prove whether my faith is better. We will hallow two +fires. The heathen men shall hallow one and I the other, but a +third shall be unhallowed; and if the Baresark is afraid of the +one that I hallow, but treads both the others, then ye shall take +the faith." + +"That is well spoken," says Gest, "and I will agree to this for +myself and my household." + +And when Gest had so spoken, then many more agreed to it. + +Then it was said that the Baresark was coming up to the +homestead, and then the fires were made and burnt strong. Then +men took their arms and sprang up on the benches, and so +waited. + +The Baresark rushed in with his weapons. He comes into the room, +and treads at once the fire which the heathen men had hallowed, +and so comes to the fire that Thangbrand had hallowed, and dares +not to tread it, but said that he was on fire all over. He hews +with his sword at the bench, but strikes a crossbeam as he +brandished the weapon aloft. Thangbrand smote the arm of the +Baresark with his crucifix, and so mighty a token followed that +the sword fell from the Baresark's hand. + +Then Thangbrand thrusts a sword into his breast, and Gudleif +smote him on the arm and hewed it off. Then many went up and +slew the Baresark. + +After that Thangbrand asked if they would take the faith now? + +Gest said he had only spoken what he meant to keep to. + +Then Thangbrand baptized Gest and all his house and many others. +Then Thangbrand took counsel with Gest whether he should go any +further west among the firths, but Gest set his face against +that, and said they were a hard race of men there, and ill to +deal with, "but if it be foredoomed that this faith shall make +its way, then it will be taken as law at the Althing, and then +all the chiefs out of the districts will be there." + +"I did all that I could at the Thing," says Thangbrand, "and it +was very uphill work." + +"Still thou hast done most of the work," says Gest, "though it +may be fated that others shall make Christianity law; but it is +here as the saying runs, `No tree falls at the first stroke.'" + +After that Gest gave Thangbrand good gifts, and he fared back +south. Thangbrand fared to the Southlander's Quarter, and so to +the Eastfirths. He turned in as a guest at Bergthorsknoll, and +Njal gave him good gifts. Thence he rode east to Alftafirth to +meet Hall of the Side. He caused his ship to be mended, and +heathen men called it "Iron-basket." On board that ship +Thangbrand fared abroad, and Gudleif with him. + + + +100. OF GIZUR THE WHITE AND HJALLTI + +That same summer Hjallti Skeggi's son was outlawed at the Thing +for blasphemy against the Gods. + +Thangbrand told King Olaf of all the mischief that the Icelanders +had done to him, and said that they were such sorcerers there +that the earth burst asunder under his horse and swallowed up the +horse. + +Then King Olaf was so wroth that he made them seize all the men +from Iceland and set them in dungeons, and meant to slay them. + +Then they, Gizur the White and Hjallti, came up and offered to +lay themselves in pledge for those men, and fare out to Iceland +and preach the faith. The king took this well, and they got them +all set free again. + +Then Gizur and Hjallti busked their ship for Iceland, and were +soon "boun." They made the land at Eyrar when ten weeks of +summer had passed; they got them horses at once, but left other +men to strip their ship. Then they ride with thirty men to the +Thing, and sent word to the Christian men that they must be ready +to stand by them. + +Hjallti stayed behind at Reydarmull, for he had heard that he had +been made an outlaw for blasphemy, but when they came to the +"Boiling Kettle" (1) down below the brink of the Rift (2), there +came Hjallti after them, and said he would not let the heathen +men see that he was afraid of them. + +Then many Christian men rode to meet them, and they ride in +battle array to the Thing. The heathen men had drawn up their +men in array to meet them, and it was a near thing that the whole +body of the Thing had come to blows, but still it did not go so +far. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Boiling kettle." This was a hyer, or hot spring. +(2) This was the "Raven's Rift," opposite to the "Great Rift" on + the other side of Thingfield. + + + +101. OF THORGEIR OF LIGHTWATER + +There was a man named Thorgeir who dwelt at Lightwater; he was +the son of Tjorfi, the son of Thorkel the Long, the son of Kettle +Longneck. His mother's name was Thoruna, and she was the +daughter of Thorstein, the son of Sigmund, the son of Bard of the +Nip. Gudrida was the name of his wife; she was a daughter of +Thorkel the Black of Hleidrargarth. His brother was Worm Wallet- +back, the father of Hlenni the Old of Saurby (1). + +The Christian men set up their booths, and Gizur the White and +Hjallti were in the booths of the men from Mossfell. The day +after both sides went to the Hill of Laws, and each, the +Christian men as well as the heathen, took witness, and declared +themselves out of the other's laws, and then there was such an +uproar on the Hill of Laws that no man could hear the other's +voice. + +After that men went away, and all thought things looked like the +greatest entanglement. The Christian men chose as their Speaker +Hall of the Side, but Hall went to Thorgeir, the priest of +Lightwater, who was the old Speaker of the law, and gave him +three marks of silver (2) to utter what the law should be, but +still that was most hazardous counsel, since he was an heathen. + +Thorgeir lay all that day on the ground, and spread a cloak over +his head, so that no man spoke with him; but the day after men +went to the Hill of Laws, and then Thorgeir bade them be silent +and listen, and spoke thus: "It seems to me as though our matters +were come to a dead lock, if we are not all to have one and the +same law; for if there be a sundering of the laws, then there +will be a sundering of the peace, and we shall never be able to +live in the land. Now, I will ask both Christian men and heathen +whether they will hold to those laws which I utter?" + +They all said they would. + +He said he wished to take an oath of them, and pledges that they +would hold to them, and they all said "yea" to that, and so he +took pledges from them. + +"This is the beginning of our laws," he said, "that all men shall +be Christian here in the land, and believe in one God, the +Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, but leave off all idol- +worship, not expose children to perish, and not eat horseflesh. +It shall be outlawry if such things are proved openly against any +man; but if these things are done by stealth, then it shall be +blameless." + +But all this heathendom was all done away with within a few +years' space, so that those things were not allowed to be done +either by stealth or openly. + +Thorgeir then uttered the law as to keeping the Lord's day and +fast days, Yuletide and Easter, and all the greatest highdays and +holidays. + +The heathen men thought they had been greatly cheated; but still +the true faith was brought into the law, and so all men became +Christian here in the land. + +After that men fare home from the Thing. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Kettle and Thorkel were both sons of Thorir Tag, the son of + Kettle the Seal, the son of Ornolf, the son of Bjornolf, the + son of Grim Hairycheek, the son of Kettle Haeing, the son of + Hallbjorn Halftroll of Ravensfood. +(2) This was no bribe, but his lawful fee. + + + +102. THE WEDDING OF HAUSKULD, THE PRIEST OF WHITENESS + +Now we must take up the story, and say that Njal spoke thus to +Hauskuld, his foster-son, and said, "I would seek thee a match." + +Hauskuld bade him settle the matter as he pleased, and asked +whether he was most likely to turn his eyes. + +"There is a woman called Hildigunna," answers Njal, "and she is +the daughter of Starkad, the son of Thord Freyspriest. She is +the best match I know of." + +"See thou to it, foster-father," said Hauskuld; "that shall be my +choice which thou choosest." + +"Then we will look thitherward," says Njal. + +A little while after, Njal called on men to go along with him. +Then the sons of Sigfus, and Njal's sons, and Kari Solmund's son, +all of them fared with him and they rode east to Swinefell. + +There they got a hearty welcome. + +The day after, Njal and Flosi went to talk alone, and the speech +of Njal ended thus, that he said, "This is my errand here, that +we have set out on a wooing-journey, to ask for thy kinswoman +Hildigunna." + +"At whose hand?" says Flosi. + +"At the hand of Hauskuld, my foster-son," says Njal. + +"Such things are well meant," says Flosi, "but still ye run each +of you great risk, the one from the other; but what hast thou to +say of Hauskuld?" + +"Good I am able to say of him," says Njal; "and besides, I will +lay down as much money as will seem fitting to thy niece and +thyself, if thou wilt think of making this match." + +"We will call her hither," says Flosi, "and know how she looks on +the man." + +Then Hildigunna was called, and she came thither. + +Flosi told her of the wooing, but she said she was a proudhearted +woman. + +"And I know not how things will turn out between me and men of +like spirit; but this, too, is not the least of my dislike, that +this man has no priesthood or leadership over men, but thou hast +always said that thou wouldest not wed me to a man who had not +the priesthood." + +"This is quite enough," says Flosi, "if thou wilt not be wedded +to Hauskuld, to make me take no more pains about the match." + +"Nay!" she says, "I do not say that I will not be wedded to +Hauskuld if they can get him a priesthood or a leadership over +men; but otherwise I will have nothing to say to the match." + +"Then," said Njal, "I will beg thee to let this match stand over +for three winters, that I may see what I can do." + +Flosi said that so it should be. + +"I will only bargain for this one thing," says Hildigunna, "if +this match comes to pass, that we shall stay here away east." + +Njal said he would rather leave that to Hauskuld, but Hauskuld +said that he put faith in many men, but in none so much as his +foster-father. + +Now they ride from the east. + +Njal sought to get a priesthood and leadership for Hauskuld, but +no one was willing to sell his priesthood, and now the summer +passes away till the Althing. + +There were great quarrels at the Thing that summer, and many a +man then did as was their wont, in faring to see Njal; but he +gave such counsel in men's lawsuits as was not thought at all +likely, so that both the pleadings and the defence came to +naught, and out of that great strife arose, when the lawsuits +could not be brought to an end, and men rode home from the Thing +unatoned. + +Now things go on till another Thing comes. Njal rode to the +Thing, and at first all is quiet until Njal says that it is high +time for men to give notice of their suits. + +Then many said that they thought that came to little, when no man +could get his suit settled, even though the witnesses were +summoned to the Althing, "and so," say they, "we would rather +seek our rights with point and edge." + +"So it must not be," says Njal, "for it will never do to have no +law in the land. But yet ye have much to say on your side in +this matter, and it behoves us who know the law, and who are +bound to guide the law, to set men at one again, and to ensue +peace. 'Twere good counsel, then, methinks, that we call +together all the chiefs and talk the matter over." + +Then they go to the Court of Laws, and Njal spoke and said, +"Thee, Skapti Thorod's son and you other chiefs, I call on, and +say, that methinks our lawsuits have come into a dead lock, if we +have to follow up our suits in the Quarter Courts, and they get +so entangled that they can neither be pleaded nor ended. +Methinks, it were wiser if we had a Fifth Court, and there +pleaded those suits which cannot be brought to an end in the +Quarter Courts." + +"How," said Skapti, "wilt thou name a Fifth Court, when the +Quarter Court is named for the old priesthoods, three twelves in +each quarter?" + +"I can see help for that," says Njal, "by setting up new +priesthoods, and filling them with the men who are best fitted in +each Quarter, and then let those men who are willing to agree to +it, declare themselves ready to join the new priest's Thing." + +"Well," says Skapti, "we will take this choice; but what weighty +suits shall come before the court?" + +"These matters shall come before it," says Njal, -- "all matters +of contempt of the Thing, such as if men bear false witness, or +utter a false finding; hither, too, shall come all those suits in +which the judges are divided in opinion in the Quarter Court; +then they shall be summoned to the Fifth Court; so, too, if men +offer bribes, or take them, for their help in suits. In this +court all the oaths shall be of the strongest kind, and two men +shall follow every oath, who shall support on their words of +honour what the others swear. So it shall be also, if the +pleadings on one side are right in form, and the other wrong, +that the judgment shall be given for those that are right in +form. Every suit in this court shall be pleaded just as is now +done in the Quarter Court, save and except that when four twelves +are named in the Fifth Court, then the plaintiff shall name and +set aside six men out of the court, and the defendant other six; +but if he will not set them aside, then the plaintiff shall name +them and set them aside as he has done with his own six; but if +the plaintiff does not set them aside, then the suit comes to +naught, for three twelves shall utter judgment on all suits. We +shall also have this arrangement in the Court of Laws, that those +only shall have the right to make or change laws who sit on the +middle bench, and to this bench those only shall be chosen who +are wisest and best. There, too, shall the Fifth Court sit; but +if those who sit in the Court of Laws are not agreed as to what +they shall allow or bring in as law, then they shall clear the +court for a division, and the majority shall bind the rest; but +if any man who has a seat in the Court be outside the Court of +Laws and cannot get inside it, or thinks himself overborne in the +suit, then he shall forbid them by a protest, so that they can +hear it in the Court, and then he has made all their grants and +all their decisions void and of none effect, and stopped them by +his protest." + +After that, Skapti Thorod's son brought the Fifth Court into the +law, and all that was spoken of before. Then men went to the +Hill of Laws, and men set up new priesthoods: In the +Northlanders' Quarter were these new priesthoods. The priesthood +of the Melmen in Midfirth, and the Laufesingers' priesthood in +the Eyjafirth. + +Then Njal begged for a hearing, and spoke thus: "It is known to +many men what passed between my sons and the men of Gritwater +when they slew Thrain Sigfus' son. But for all that we settled +the matter; and now I have taken Hauskuld into my house, and +planned a marriage for him if he can get a priesthood anywhere; +but no man will sell his priesthood, and so I will beg you to +give me leave to set up a new priesthood at Whiteness for +Hauskuld." + +He got this leave from all, and after that he set up the new +priesthood for Hauskuld; and he was afterwards called Hauskuld, +the Priest of Whiteness. + +After that, men ride home from the Thing, and Njal stayed but a +short time at home ere he rides east to Swinefell, and his sons +with him, and again stirs in the matter of the marriage with +Flosi; but Flosi said he was ready to keep faith with them in +everything. + +Then Hildigunna was betrothed to Hauskuld, and the day for the +wedding feast was fixed, and so the matter ended. They then ride +home, but they rode again shortly to the bridal, and Flosi paid +down all her goods and money after the wedding, and all went off +well. + +They fared home to Bergthorsknoll, and were there the next year, +and all went well between Hildigunna and Bergthora. But the next +spring Njal bought land in Ossaby, and hands it over to Hauskuld, +and thither he fares to his own abode. Njal got him all his +household, and there was such love between them all, that none of +them thought anything that he said or did any worth unless the +others had a share in it. + +Hauskuld dwelt long at Ossaby, and each backed the other's +honour, and Njal's sons were always in Hauskuld's company. Their +friendship was so warm, that each house bade the other to a feast +every harvest, and gave each other great gifts; and so it goes on +for a long while. + + + +103. THE SLAYING OF HAUSKULD NJAL'S SON + +There was a man named Lyting; he dwelt at Samstede, and he had to +wife a woman named Steinvora; she was a daughter of Sigfus, and +Thrain's sister. Lyting was tall of growth and a strong man, +wealthy in goods and ill to deal with. + +It happened once that Lyting had a feast in his house at +Samstede, and he had bidden thither Hauskuld and the sons of +Sigfus, and they all came. There, too, was Grani Gunnar's son, +and Gunnar Lambi's son, and Lambi Sigurd's son. + +Hauskuld Njal's son and his mother had a farm at Holt, and he was +always riding to his farm from Bergthorsknoll, and his path lay +by the homestead at Samstede. Hauskuld had a son called Amund; +he had been born blind, but for all that he was tall and strong. +Lyting had two brothers -- the one's name was Hallstein, and the +other's Hallgrim. They were the most unruly of men, and they +were ever with their brother, for other men could not bear their +temper. + +Lyting was out of doors most of that day, but every now and then +he went inside his house. At last he had gone to his seat, when +in came a woman who had been out of doors, and she said, "You +were too far off to see outside how that proud fellow rode by the +farm-yard!" + +"What proud fellow was that," says Lyting "of whom thou +speakest?" + +"Hauskuld Njal's son rode here by the yard," she says. + +"He rides often here by the farm-yard," said Lyting, "and I can't +say that it does not try my temper; and now I will make thee an +offer, Hauskuld, to go along with thee if thou wilt avenge thy +father and slay Hauskuld Njal's son." + +"That I will not do," says Hauskuld, "for then I should repay +Njal, my foster-father, evil for good, and mayst thou and thy +feasts never thrive henceforth." + +With that he sprang up away from the board, and made them catch +his horses, and rode home. + +Then Lyting said to Grani Gunnar's son, "Thou wert by when Thrain +was slain, and that will still be in thy mind; and thou, too, +Gunnar Lambi's son, and thou, Lambi Sigurd's son. Now, my will +is that we ride to meet him this evening, and slay him." + +"No," says Grani, "I will not fall on Njal's son, and so break +the atonement which good men and true have made." + +With like words spoke each man of them, and so, too, spoke all +the sons of Sigfus; and they took that counsel to ride away. + +Then Lyting said, when they had gone away, "All men know that I +have taken no atonement for my brother-in-law Thrain, and I shall +never be content that no vengeance -- man for man -- shall be +taken for him." + +After that he called on his two brothers to go with him, and +three house-carles as well. They went on the way to meet +Hauskuld as he came back, and lay in wait for him north of the +farm-yard in a pit; and there they bided till it was about +mideven (1). Then Hauskuld rode up to them. They jump up all of +them with their arms, and fall on him. Hauskuld guarded himself +well, so that for a long while they could not get the better of +him; but the end of it was at last that he wounded Lyting on the +arm, and slew two of his serving-men, and then fell himself. +They gave Hauskuld sixteen wounds, but they hewed not off the +head from his body. They fared away into the wood east of +Rangriver, and hid themselves there. + +That same evening, Rodny's shepherd found Hauskuld dead, and went +home and told Rodny of her son's slaying. + +"Was he surely dead?" she asks; "was his head off?" + +"It was not," he says. + +"I shall know if I see," she says; "so take thou my horse and +driving gear." + +He did so, and got all things ready, and then they went thither +where Hauskuld lay. + +She looked at the wounds, and said, "'Tis even as I thought, that +he could not be quite dead, and Njal no doubt can cure greater +wounds." + +After that they took the body and laid it on the sledge and drove +to Bergthorsknoll, and drew it into the sheepcote, and made him +sit upright against the wall. + +Then they went both of them and knocked at the door, and a house- +carle went to the door. She steals in by him at once, and goes +till she comes to Njal's bed. + +She asked whether Njal were awake? He said he had slept up to +that time, but was then awake. + +"But why art thou come hither so early?" + +"Rise thou up," said Rodny, "from thy bed by my rival's side, and +come out, and she too, and thy sons, to see thy son Hauskuld." + +They rose and went out. + +"Let us take our weapons," said Skarphedinn, "and have them +with us." + +Njal said naught at that, and they ran in and came out again +armed. + +She goes first till they come to the sheepcote; she goes in and +bade them follow her. Then she lit a torch, and held it up and +said, "Here, Njal, is thy son Hauskuld, and he hath gotten many +wounds upon him, and now he will need leechcraft." + +"I see death marks on him," said Njal, "but no signs of life; but +why hast thou not closed his eyes and nostrils? see, his +nostrils are still open!" + +"That duty I meant for Skarphedinn," she says. + +Then Skarphedinn went to close his eyes and nostrils, and said to +his father, "Who, sayest thou, hath slain him?" + +"Lyting of Samstede and his brothers must have slain him," says +Njal. + +Then Rodny said, "Into thy hands, Skarphedinn, I leave it to take +vengeance for thy brother, and I ween that thou wilt take it +well, though he be not lawfully begotten, and that thou wilt not +be slow to take it." + +"Wonderfully do ye men behave," said Bergthora, "when ye slay men +for small cause, but talk and tarry over such as this until no +vengeance at all is taken; and now of this will soon come to +Hauskuld, the Priest of Whiteness, and he will be offering you +atonement, and you will grant him that, but now is the time to +set about it, if ye seek for vengeance." + +"Our mother eggs us on now with a just goading," said +Skarphedinn, and sang a song. + + "Well we know the warrior's temper (2), + One and all, well, father thine, + But atonement to the mother, + Snake-land's stem (3) and thee were base; + He that hoardeth ocean's fire (4) + Hearing this will leave his home; + Wound of weapon us hath smitten, + Worse the lot of those that wait!" + +After that they all ran out of the sheepcote, but Rodny went +indoors with Njal, and was there the rest of the night. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Mideven, six o'clock p.m. +(2) "Warrior's temper," the temper of Hauskuld of Whiteness. +(3) "Snake-land's stem," a periphrasis for woman, Rodny. +(4) "He that hoardeth ocean's fire," a periphrasis for man, + Hauskuld of Whiteness. + + + +104. THE SLAYING OF LYTING'S BROTHERS + +Now we must speak of Skarphedinn and his brothers, how they bend +their course up to Rangriver. Then Skarphedinn said, "Stand we +here and listen, and let us go stilly, for I hear the voices of +men up along the river's bank. But will ye, Helgi and Grim, deal +with Lyting single-handed, or with both his brothers?" + +They said they would sooner deal with Lyting alone. + +"Still," says Skarphedinn, "there is more game in him, and +methinks it were ill if he gets away, but I trust myself best for +not letting him escape." + +"We will take such steps," says Helgi, "if we get a chance at +him, that he shall not slip through our fingers." + +Then they went thitherward, where they heard the voices of men, +and see where Lyting and his brothers are by a stream. + +Skarphedinn leaps over the stream at once, and alights on the +sandy brink on the other side. There upon it stands Hallgrim and +his brother. Skarphedinn smites at Hallgrim's thigh, so that he +cut the leg clean off, but he grasps Hallstein with his left +hand. Lyting thrust at Skarphedinn, but Helgi came up then and +threw his shield before the spear, and caught the blow on it. +Lyting took up a stone and hurled it at Skarphedinn, and he lost +his hold on Hallstein. Hallstein sprang up the sandy bank, but +could get up it in no other way than by crawling on his hands and +knees. Skarphedinn made a side blow at him with his axe, "the +ogress of war," and hews asunder his backbone. Now Lyting turns +and flies, but Helgi and Grim both went after him, and each gave +him a wound, but still Lyting got across the river away from +them, and so to the horses, and gallops till he comes to Ossaby. + +Hauskuld was at home, and meets him at once. Lyting told him of +these deeds. + +"Such things were to be looked for by thee," says Hauskuld. +"Thou hast behaved like a madman, and here the truth of the old +saw will be proved; `but a short while is hand fain of blow.' +Methinks what thou hast got to look to now is whether thou wilt +be able to save thy life or not." + +"Sure enough," says Lyting, "I had hard work to get away, but +still I wish now that thou wouldest get me atoned with Njal and +his sons, so that I might keep my farm." + +"So it shall be," says Hauskuld. + +After that Hauskuld made them saddle his horse, and rode to +Bergthorsknoll with five men. Njal's sons were then come home +and had laid them down to sleep. + +Hauskuld went at once to see Njal, and they began to talk. + +"Hither am I come," said Hauskuld to Njal, "to beg a boon on +behalf of Lyting, my uncle. He has done great wickedness against +you and yours, broken his atonement and slain thy son." + +"Lyting will perhaps think," said Njal, "that he has already paid +a heavy fine in the loss of his brothers, but if I grant him any +terms, I shall let him reap the good of my love for thee, and I +will tell thee before I utter the award of atonement, that +Lyting's brothers shall fall as outlaws. Nor shall Lyting have +any atonement for his wounds, but on the other hand, he shall pay +the full blood-fine for Hauskuld." + +"My wish," said Hauskuld, "is, that thou shouldest make thine own +terms." + +"Well," says Njal, "then I will utter the award at once if thou +wilt." + +"Wilt thou," says Hauskuld, "that thy sons should be by?" + +"Then we should be no nearer an atonement than we were before," +says Njal, "but they will keep to the atonement which I utter." + +Then Hauskuld said, "Let us close the matter then, and handsel +him peace on behalf of thy sons." + +"So it shall be," says Njal. "My will then is, that he pays two +hundred in silver for the slaying of Hauskuld, but he may still +dwell at Samstede; and yet I think it were wiser if he sold his +land and changed his abode; but not for this quarrel; neither I +nor my sons will break our pledges of peace to him; but methinks +it may be that some one may rise up in this country against whom +he may have to be on his guard. Yet, lest it should seem that I +make a man an outcast from his native place, I allow him to be +here in this neighbourhood, but in that case he alone is +answerable for what may happen." + +After that Hauskuld fared home, and Njal's sons woke up as he +went and asked their father who had come, but he told them that +his foster-son Hauskuld had been there. + +"He must have come to ask a boon for Lyting then," said +Skarphedinn. + +"So it was," says Njal. + +"Ill was it then," says Grim. + +"Hauskuld could not have thrown his shield before him," says +Njal, "if thou hadst slain him, as it was meant thou shouldst." + +"Let us throw no blame on our father," says Skarphedinn. + +Now it is to be said that this atonement was kept between them +afterwards. + + + +105. OF AMUND THE BLIND + +That event happened three winters after at the Thingskala-Thing +that Amund the Blind was at the Thing; he was the son of Hauskuld +Njal's son. He made men lead him about among the booths, and so +he came to the booth inside which was Lyting of Samstede. He +made them lead him into the booth till he came before Lyting. + +"Is Lyting of Samstede here?" he asked. + +"What dost thou want?" says Lyting. + +"I want to know," says Amund, "what atonement thou wilt pay me +for my father. I am base-born, and I have touched no fine." + +"I have atoned for the slaying of thy father," says Lyting, "with +a full price, and thy father's father and thy father's brothers +took the money; but my brothers fell without a price as outlaws; +and so it was that I had both done an ill deed, and paid dear for +it." + +"I ask not," says Amund, "as to thy having paid an atonement to +them. I know that ye two are now friends, but I ask this, what +atonement thou wilt pay to me?" + +"None at all," says Lyting. + +"I cannot see," says Amund, "how thou canst have right before +God, when thou hast stricken me so near the heart; but all I can +say is, that if I were blessed with the sight of both my eyes, I +would have either a money fine for my father, or revenge man for +man, and so may God judge between us." + +After that he went out; but when he came to the door of the +booth, he turned short round towards the inside. Then his eyes +were opened, and he said, "Praised be the Lord! Now I see what +his will is." + +With that he ran straight into the booth until he comes before +Lyting, and smites him with an axe on the head, so that it sunk +in up to the hammer, and gives the axe a pull towards him. + +Lyting fell forwards and was dead at once. + +Amund goes out to the door of the booth, and when he got to the +very same spot on which he had stood when his eyes were opened, +lo! they were shut again, and he was blind all his life after. + +Then he made them lead him to Njal and his sons, and he told them +of Lyting's slaying. + +"Thou mayest not be blamed for this," says Njal, "for such things +are settled by a higher power; but it is worth while to take +warning from such events, lest we cut any short who have such +near claims as Amund had." + +After that Njal offered an atonement to Lyting's kinsmen. +Hauskuld the Priest of Whiteness had a share in bringing Lyting's +kinsmen to take the fine, and then the matter was put to an +award, and half the fines fell away for the sake of the claim +which he seemed to have on Lyting. + +After that men came forward with pledges of peace and good faith, +and Lyting's kinsmen granted pledges to Amund. Men rode home +from the Thing; and now all is quiet for a long while. + + + +106. OF VALGARD THE GUILEFUL + +Valgard the Guileful came back to Iceland that summer; he was +then still heathen. He fared to Hof to his son Mord's house, and +was there the winter over. He said to Mord, "Here I have ridden +far and wide all over the neighbourhood, and methinks I do not +know it for the same. I came to Whiteness, and there I saw many +tofts of booths and much ground levelled for building. I came to +Thingskala-Thing, and there I saw all our booths broken down. +What is the meaning of such strange things?" + +"New priesthoods," answers Mord, "have been set up here, and a +law for a Fifth Court, and men have declared themselves out of my +Thing, and have gone over to Hauskuld's Thing." + +"Ill hast thou repaid me," said Valgard, "for giving up to thee +my priesthood, when thou hast handled it so little like a man, +and now my wish is that thou shouldst pay them off by something +that will drag them all down to death; and this thou canst do by +setting them by the ears by talebearing, so that Njal's sons may +slay Hauskuld; but there are many who will have the blood-feud +after him, and so Njal's sons will be slain in that quarrel." + +"I shall never be able to get that done," says Mord. + +"I will give thee a plan," says Valgard; "thou shalt ask Njal's +sons to thy house, and send them away with gifts, but thou shalt +keep thy tale-bearing in the background until great friendship +has sprung up between you, and they trust thee no worse than +their own selves. So wilt thou be able to avenge thyself on +Skarphedinn for that he took thy money from thee after Gunnar's +death; and in this wise, further on, thou wilt be able to seize +the leadership when they are all dead and gone." + +This plan they settled between them should be brought to pass; +and Mord said, "I would, father, that thou wouldst take on thee +the new faith. Thou art an old man." + +"I will not do that," says Valgard. "I would rather that thou +shouldst cast off the faith, and see what follows then." + +Mord said he would not do that. Valgard broke crosses before +Mord's face, and all holy tokens. A little after Valgard took a +sickness and breathed his last, and he was laid in a cairn by +Hof. + + + +107. OF MORD AND NJAL'S SONS + +Some while after Mord rode to Bergthorsknoll and saw Skarphedinn +there; he fell into very fair words with them, and so he talked +the whole day, and said he wished to be good friends with them, +and to see much of them. + +Skarphedinn took it all well, but said he had never sought for +anything of the kind before. So it came about that he got +himself into such great friendship with them, that neither side +thought they had taken any good counsel unless the other had a +share in it. + +Njal always disliked his coming thither, and it often happened +that he was angry with him. + +It happened one day that Mord came to Bergthorsknoll, and Mord +said to Njal's sons, "I have made up my mind to give a feast +yonder, and I mean to drink in my heirship after my father, but +to that feast I wish to bid you, Njal's sons, and Kari; and at +the same time I give you my word that ye shall not fare away +giftless." + +They promised to go, and now he fares home and makes ready the +feast. He bade to it many householders, and that feast was very +crowded. + +Thither came Njal's sons and Kari. Mord gave Skarphedinn a +brooch of gold, and a silver belt to Kari, and good gifts to Grim +and Helgi. + +They come home and boast of these gifts, and show them to Njal. +He said they would be bought full dear, "and take heed that ye do +not repay the giver in the coin which he no doubt wishes to get." + + + +108. OF THE SLANDER OF MORD VALGARD'S SON. + +A little after Njal's sons and Hauskuld were to have their yearly +feasts, and they were the first to bid Hauskuld to come to them. + +Skarphedinn had a brown horse four winters old, both tall and +sightly. He was a stallion, and had never yet been matched in +fight. That horse Skarphedinn gave to Hauskuld, and along with +him two mares. They all gave Hauskuld gifts, and assured him of +their friendship. + +After that Hauskuld bade them to his house at Ossaby, and had +many guests to meet them, and a great crowd. + +It happened that he had just then taken down his hall, but he had +built three outhouses, and there the beds were made. + +So all that were bidden came, and the feast went off very well. +But when men were to go home Hauskuld picked out good gifts for +them, and went a part of the way with Njal's sons. + +The sons of Sigfus followed him and all the crowd, and both sides +said that nothing should ever come between them to spoil their +friendship. + +A little while after Mord came to Ossaby and called Hauskuld out +to talk with him, and they went aside and spoke. + +"What a difference in manliness there is," said Mord, "between +thee and Njal's sons! Thou gavest them good gifts, but they gave +thee gifts with great mockery." + +"How makest thou that out?" says Hauskuld. + +"They gave thee a horse which they called a `dark horse,' and +that they did out of mockery to thee, because they thought thee +too untried. I can tell thee also that they envy thee the +priesthood. Skarphedinn took it up as his own at the Thing when +thou camest not to the Thing at the summoning of the Fifth Court, +and Skarphedinn never means to let it go." + +"That is not true," says Hauskuld, "for I got it back at the +Folkmote last harvest." + +"Then that was Njal's doing," says Mord. "They broke, too, the +atonement about Lyting." + +"I do not mean to lay that at their door," says Hauskuld. + +"Well," says Mord, "thou canst not deny that when ye two, +Skarphedinn and thou, were going east towards Markfleet, an axe +fell out from under his belt, and he meant to have slain thee +then and there." + +"It was his woodman's axe," says Hauskuld, "and I saw how he put +it under his belt; and now, Mord, I will just tell thee this +right out, that thou canst never say so much ill of Njal's sons +as to make me believe it; but though there were aught in it, and +it were true as thou sayest, that either I must slay them or they +me, then would I far rather suffer death at their hands than work +them any harm. But as for thee, thou art all the worse a man for +having spoken this." + +After that Mord fares home. A little after Mord goes to see +Njal's sons, and he talks much with those brothers and Kari. + +"I have been told," says Mord, "that Hauskuld has said that thou, +Skarphedinn, hast broken the atonement made with Lyting; but I +was made aware also that he thought that thou hadst meant some +treachery against him when ye two fared to Markfleet. But still, +methinks that was no less treachery when he bade you to a feast +at his house, and stowed you away in an outhouse that was +farthest from the house, and wood was then heaped round the +outhouse all night, and he meant to burn you all inside; but it +so happened that Hogni Gunnar's son came that night, and naught +came of their onslaught, for they were afraid of him. After that +he followed you on your way and great band of men with him, then +he meant to make another onslaught on you, and set Grani Gunnar's +son, and Gunnar Lambi's son to kill thee; but their hearts failed +them, and they dared not to fall on thee." + +But when he had spoken thus, first of all they spoke against it, +but the end of it was that they believed him, and from that day +forth a coldness sprung up on their part towards Hauskuld, and +they scarcely ever spoke to him when they met; but Hauskuld +showed them little deference, and so things went on for a while. + +Next harvest Hauskuld fared east to Swinefell to a feast, and +Flosi gave him a hearty welcome. Hildigunna was there too. Then +Flosi spoke to Hauskuld and said, "Hildigunna tells me that there +is great coldness with you and Njal's sons, and methinks that is +ill, and I will beg thee not to ride west, but I will get thee a +homestead in Skaptarfell, and I will send my brother, Thorgeir, +to dwell at Ossaby." + +"Then some will say," says Hauskuld, "that I am flying thence for +fear's sake, and that I will not have said." + +"Then it is more likely that great trouble will arise," says +Flosi. + +"Ill is that then," says Hauskuld, "for I would rather fall +unatoned, than that many should reap ill for my sake." + +Hauskuld busked him to ride home a few nights after, but Flosi +gave him a scarlet cloak, and it was embroidered with needlework +down to the waist. + +Hauskuld rode home to Ossaby, and now all is quiet for a while. + +Hauskuld was so much beloved that few men were his foes, but the +same ill-will went on between him and Njal's sons the whole +winter through. + +Njal had taken as his foster-child, Thord, the son of Kari. He +had also fostered Thorhall, the son of Asgrim Ellidagrim's son. +Thorhall was a strong man, and hardy both in body and mind, he +had learnt so much law that he was the third greatest lawyer in +Iceland. + +Next spring was an early spring, and men are busy sowing their +corn. + + + +109. OF MORD AND NJAL'S SONS + +It happened one day that Mord came to Bergthorsknoll. He and +Kari and Njal's sons fell a-talking at once, and Mord slanders +Hauskuld after his wont, and has now many new tales to tell, and +does naught but egg Skarphedinn and them on to slay Hauskuld, and +said he would be beforehand with them if they did not fall on him +at once. + +"I will let thee have thy way in this," says Skarphedinn, "if +thou wilt fare with us, and have some hand in it." + +"That I am ready to do," says Mord, and so they bound that fast +with promises, and he was to come there that evening. + +Bergthora asked Njal, "What are they talking about out of doors?" + +"I am not in their counsels," says Njal, "but I was seldom left +out of them when their plans were good." + +Skarphedinn did not lie down to rest that evening, nor his +brothers, nor Kari. + +That same night, when it was well-nigh spent, came Mord Valgard's +son, and Njal's sons and Kari took their weapons and rode away. +They fared till they came to Ossaby, and bided there by a fence. +The weather was good, and the sun just risen. + + + +110. THE SLAYING OF HAUSKULD, THE PRIEST OF WHITENESS + +About that time Hauskuld, the Priest of Whiteness, awoke; he put +on his clothes, and threw over him his cloak, Flosi's gift. He +took his corn-sieve, and had his sword in his other hand, and +walks towards the fence, and sows the corn as he goes. + +Skarphedinn and his band had agreed that they would all give +him a wound. Skarphedinn sprang up from behind the fence, but +when Hauskuld saw him he wanted to turn away, then Skarphedinn +ran up to him and said, "Don't try to turn on thy heel, Whiteness +priest," and hews at him, and the blow came on his head, and he +fell on his knees. Hauskuld said these words when he fell, "God +help me, and forgive you!" + +Then they all ran up to him and gave him wounds. + +After that Mord said, "A plan comes into my mind." + +"What is that?" says Skarphedinn. + +"That I shall fare home as soon as I can, but after that I will +fare up to Gritwater, and tell them the tidings, and say 'tis an +ill deed; but I know surely that Thorgerda will ask me to give +notice of the slaying, and I will do that, for that will be the +surest way to spoil their suit. I will also send a man to Ossaby +and know how soon they take any counsel in the matter, and that +man will learn all these tidings thence, and I will make believe +that I have heard them from him." + +"Do so by all means," says Skarphedinn. + +Those brothers fared home, and Kari with them, and when they came +home they told Njal the tidings. + +"Sorrowful tidings are these," says Njal, "and such are ill to +hear, for sooth to say this grief touches me so nearly, that +methinks it were better to have lost two of my sons and that +Hauskuld lived." + +"It is some excuse for thee," says Skarphedinn, "that thou art +an old man, and it is to be looked for that this touches thee +nearly." + +"But this," says Njal, "no less than old age, is why I grieve, +that I know better than thou what will come after." + +"What will come after?" says Skarphedinn. + +"My death," says Njal, "and the death of my wife and of all my +sons." + +"What dost thou foretell for me?" says Kari. + +"They will have hard work to go against thy good fortune, for +thou wilt be more than a match for all of them." + +This one thing touched Njal so nearly that he could never speak +of it without shedding tears. + + + +111. OF HILDIGUNNA AND MORD VALGARD'S SON + +Hildigunna woke up and found that Hauskuld was away out of his +bed. + +"Hard have been my dreams," she said, "and not good; but go and +search for him, Hauskuld." + +So they searched for him about the homestead and found him not. + +By that time she had dressed herself; then she goes and two men +with her, to the fence, and there they find Hauskuld slain. + +Just then, too, came up Mord Valgard's son's shepherd, and told +her that Njal's sons had gone down thence, "and," he said, +"Skarphedinn called out to me and gave notice of the slaying as +done by him." + +"It were a manly deed," she says, "if one man had been at it." + +She took the cloak and wiped off all the blood with it, and +wrapped the gouts of gore up in it, and so folded it together and +laid it up in her chest. + +Now she sent a man up to Gritwater to tell the tidings thither, +but Mord was there before him, and had already told the tidings. +There, too, was come Kettle of the Mark. + +Thorgerda said to Kettle, "Now is Hauskuld dead as we know, and +now bear in mind what thou promisedst to do when thou tookest him +for thy fosterchild." + +"It may well be," says Kettle, "that I promised very many things +then, for I thought not that these days would ever befall us that +have now come to pass; but yet I am come into a strait, for `nose +is next of kin to eyes,' since I have Njal's daughter to wife." + +"Art thou willing, then," says Thorgerda, "that Mord should give +notice of the suit for the slaying?" + +"I know not that," says Kettle, "for me ill comes from him more +often than good." + +But as soon as ever Mord began to speak to Kettle he fared the +same as others, in that he thought as though Mord would be true +to him, and so the end of their counsel was that Mord should give +notice of the slaying, and get ready the suit in every way before +the Thing. + +Then Mord fared down to Ossaby, and thither came nine neighbours +who dwelt nearest the spot. + +Mord had ten men with him. He shows the neighbours Hauskuld's +wounds, and takes witness to the hurts, and names a man as the +dealer of every wound save one; that he made as though he knew +not who had dealt it, but that wound he had dealt himself. But +the slaying he gave notice of at Skarphedinn's hand, and the +wounds at his brothers' and Kari's. + +After that he called on nine neighbours who dwelt nearest the +spot to ride away from home to the Althing on the inquest. + +After that he rode home. He scarce ever met Njal's sons, and +when he did meet them, he was cross, and that was part of their +plan. + +The slaying of Hauskuld was heard over all the land, and was +ill-spoken of. Njal's sons went to see Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, +and asked him for aid. + +"Ye very well know that ye may look that I shall help you in all +great suits, but still my heart is heavy about this suit, for +there are many who have the blood feud, and this slaying is ill- +spoken of over all the land." + +Now Njal's sons fare home. + + + +112. THE PEDIGREE OF GUDMUND THE POWERFUL + +There was a man named Gudmund the Powerful, who dwelt at +Modruvale in Eyjafirth. He was the son of Eyjolf the son of +Einar (1). Gudmund was a mighty chief, wealthy in goods; he had +in his house a hundred hired servants. He overbore in rank and +weight all the chiefs in the north country, so that some left +their homesteads, but some he put to death, and some gave up +their priesthoods for his sake, and from him are come the +greatest part of all the picked and famous families in the land, +such as "the Pointdwellers" and the "Sturlungs" and the +"Hvamdwellers," and the "Fleetmen," and Kettle the Bishop, and +many of the greatest men. + +Gudmund was a friend of Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and so he hoped +to get his help. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Einar was the son of Audun the Bald, the son of Thorolf + Butter, the son of Thorstein the Unstable, the son of Grim + with the Tuft. The mother of Gudmund was Hallberg, the + daughter of Thorodd Helm, but the mother of Hallbera was + Reginleifa, daughter of Saemund the South-islander; after + him is named Saemundslithe in Skagafirth. The mother of + Eyjolf, Gudmund's father, was Valgerda Runolf's daughter; + the mother of Valgerda was Valbjorg, her mother was Joruna + the Disowned, a daughter of King Oswald the Saint. The + mother of Einar, the father of Eyjolf, was Helga, a daughter + of Helgi the Lean, who took Eyjafirth as the first settler. + Helgi was the son of Eyvind the Easterling. The mother of + Helgi was Raforta, the daughter of Kjarval, the Erse King. + The mother of Helga Helgi's daughter, was Thoruna the + Horned, daughter of Kettle Flatnose, the son of Bjorn the + Rough-footed, the son of Grim, Lord of Sogn. The mother of + Grim was Hervora, but the mother of Hervora was Thorgerda, + daughter of King Haleyg of Helgeland. Thorlauga was the + name of Gudmund the Powerful's wife, she was a daughter of + Atli the Strong, the son of Eilif the Eagle, the son of + Bard, the son of Jalkettle, the son of Ref, the son of Skidi + the Old. Herdisa was the name of Thorlauga's mother, a + daughter of Thord of the Head, the son of Bjorn Butter- + carrier, the son of Hroald the son of Hrodlaug the Sad, the + son of Bjorn Ironside, the son of Ragnar Hairybreeks, the + son of Sigurd Ring, the son of Randver, the son of Radbard. + The mother of Herdisa Thord's daughter was Thorgerda Skidi's + daughter, her mother was Fridgerda, a daughter of Kjarval, + the Erse King. + + + +113. OF SNORRI THE PRIEST, AND HIS STOCK + +There was a man named Snorri, who was surnamed the Priest. He +dwelt at Helgafell before Gudruna Oswif's daughter bought the +land of him, and dwelt there till she died of old age; but Snorri +then went and dwelt at Hvamsfirth on Saelingdale's tongue. +Thorgrim was the name of Snorri's father, and he was a son of +Thorstein codcatcher (1). Snorri was a great friend of Asgrim +Ellidagrim's son, and he looked for help there also. Snorri was +the wisest and shrewdest of all these men in Iceland who had not +the gift of foresight. He was good to his friends, but grim to +his foes. + +At that time there was a great riding to the Thing out of all the +Quarters, and men had many suits set on foot. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Thorstein Codcatcher was the son of Thorolf Mostrarskegg, + the son of Ornolf Fish-driver, but Ari the Wise says he was + the son of Thorgil Reydarside. Thorolf Mostrarskegg had to + wife Oska, the daughter of Thorstein the Red. The mother of + Thorgrim was named Thora, a daughter of Oleif the Shy, the + son of Thorstein the Red, the son of Oleif the White, the + son of Ingialld, the son of Helgi; but the mother of + Ingialld was Thora, a daughter of Sigurd Snake-eye, son of + Ragnar Hairybreeks; but the mother of Snorri the Priest was + Thordisa, the daughter of Sur, and the sister of Gisli. + + + +114. OF FLOSI THORD'S SON + +Flosi hears of Hauskuld's slaying, and that brings him much grief +and wrath, but still he kept his feelings well in hand. He was +told how the suit had been set on foot, as has been said, for +Hauskuld's slaying, and he said little about it. He sent word to +Hall of the Side, his father-in-law, and to Ljot his son, that +they must gather in a great company at the Thing. Ljot was +thought the most hopeful man for a chief away there east. It had +been foretold that if he could ride three summers running to the +Thing, and come safe and sound home, that then he would be the +greatest chief in all his family, and the oldest man. He had +then ridden one summer to the Thing, and now he meant to ride the +second time. + +Flosi sent word to Kol Thorstein's son, and Glum the son of +Hilldir the Old, the son of Gerleif, the son of Aunund Wallet- +back, and to Modolf Kettle's son, and they all rode to meet +Flosi. + +Hall gave his word, too, to gather a great company, and Flosi +rode till he came to Kirkby, to Surt Asbjorn's son. Then Flosi +sent after Kolbein Egil's son, his brother's son, and he came to +him there. Thence he rode to Headbrink. There dwelt Thorgrim +the Showy, the son of Thorkel the Fair. Flosi begged him to ride +to the Althing with him, and he said yea to the journey, and +spoke thus to Flosi, "Often hast thou been more glad, master, +than thou art now, but thou hast some right to be so." + +"Of a truth," said Flosi, "that hath now come on my hands, which +I would give all my goods that it had never happened. Ill seed +has been sown, and so an ill crop will spring from it." + +Thence he rode over Amstacksheath, and so to Solheim that +evening. There dwelt Lodmund Wolf's son, but he was a great +friend of Flosi, and there he stayed that night, and next morning +Lodmund rode with him into the Dale. + +There dwelt Runolf, the son of Wolf Aurpriest. + +Flosi said to Runolf, "Here we shall have true stories as to the +slaying of Hauskuld, the Priest of Whiteness. Thou art a +truthful man, and hast got at the truth by asking, and I will +trust to all that thou tellest me as to what was the cause of +quarrel between them." + +"There is no good in mincing the matter," said Runolf, "but we +must say outright that he has been slain for less than no cause; +and his death is a great grief to all men. No one thinks it so +much a loss as Njal, his foster-father." + +"Then they will be ill off for help from men," says Flosi; "and +they will find no one to speak up for them." + +"So it will be," says Runolf, "unless it be otherwise +foredoomed." + +"What has been done in the suit?" says Flosi. + +"Now the neighbours have been summoned on the inquest," says +Runolf, "and due notice given of the suit for manslaughter." + +"Who took that step?" asks Flosi. + +"Mord Valgard's son," says Runolf. + +"How far is that to be trusted?" says Flosi. + +"He is of my kin," says Runolf; "but still if I tell the truth of +him, I must say that more men reap ill than good from him. But +this one thing I will ask of thee, Flosi, that thou givest rest +to thy wrath, and takest the matter up in such a way as may lead +to the least trouble. For Njal will make a good offer, and so +will others of the best men." + +"Ride thou then to the Thing, Runolf," said Flosi, "and thy words +shall have much weight with me, unless things turn out worse than +they should." + +After that they cease speaking about it, and Runolf promised to +go to the Thing. + +Runolf sent word to Hafr the Wise, his kinsman, and he rode +thither at once. + +Thence Flosi rode to Ossaby. + + + +115. OF FLOSI AND HILDIGUNNA + +Hildigunna was out of doors, and said, "Now shall all the men of +my household be out of doors when Flosi rides into the yard; but +the women shall sweep the house and deck it with hangings, and +make ready the high seat for Flosi." + +Then Flosi rode into the town, and Hildigunna turned to him and +said, "Come in safe and sound and happy kinsman, and my heart is +fain at thy coming hither." + +"Here," says Flosi, "we will break our fast, and then we will +ride on." + +Then their horses were tethered, and Flosi went into the sitting- +room and sat him down, and spurned the high seat away from him on +the dais, and said, "I am neither king nor earl, and there is no +need to make a high seat for me to sit on, nor is there any need +to make a mock of me." + +Hildigunna was standing close by, and said, "It is ill if it +mislikes thee, for this we did with a whole heart." + +"If thy heart is whole towards me, then what I do will praise +itself if it be well done, but it will blame itself if it be ill +done." + +Hildigunna laughed a cold laugh, and said, "There is nothing new +in that, we will go nearer yet ere we have done." + +She sat her down by Flosi, and they talked long and low. + +After that the board was laid, and Flosi and his band washed +their hands. Flosi looked hard at the towel and saw that it was +all in rags, and had one end torn off. He threw it down on the +bench and would not wipe himself with it, but tore off a piece of +the tablecloth, and wiped himself with that, and then threw it to +his men. + +After that Flosi sat down to the board and bade men eat. + +Then Hildigunna came into the room and went before Flosi, and +threw her hair off her eyes and wept. + +"Heavy-hearted art thou now, kinswoman," said Flosi, "when thou +weepest, but still it is well that thou shouldst weep for a good +husband." + +"What vengeance or help shall I have of thee?" she says. + +"I will follow up thy suit," said Flosi, "to the utmost limit of +the law, or strive for that atonement which good men and true +shall say that we ought to have as full amends." + +"Hauskuld would avenge thee," she said, "if he had the blood-feud +after thee." + +"Thou lackest not grimness," answered Flosi, "and what thou +wantest is plain." + +"Arnor Ornolf's son, of Forswaterwood," said Hildigunna, "had +done less wrong towards Thord Frey's priest thy father; and yet +thy brothers Kolbein and Egil slew him at Skaptarfells-Thing." + +Then Hildigunna went back into the hall and unlocked her chest, +and then she took out the cloak, Flosi's gift, and in it Hauskuld +had been slain, and there she had kept it, blood and all. Then +she went back into the sitting-room with the cloak; she went up +silently to Flosi. Flosi had just then eaten his full, and the +board was cleared. Hildigunna threw the cloak over Flosi, and +the gore rattled down all over him. + +Then she spoke and said, "This cloak, Flosi, thou gavest to +Hauskuld, and now I will give it back to thee; he was slain in +it, and I call God and all good men to witness, that I abjure +thee, by all the might of thy Christ, and by thy manhood and +bravery, to take vengeance for all those wounds which he had on +his dead body, or else to be called every man's dastard." + +Flosi threw the cloak off him and hurled it into her lap, and +said, "Thou art the greatest hell-hag, and thou wishest that we +should take that course which will be the worst for all of us. +But `women's counsel is ever cruel.'" + +Flosi was so stirred at this, that sometimes he was bloodred in +the face, and sometimes ashy pale as withered grass, and +sometimes blue as death. + +Flosi and his men rode away; he rode to Holtford, and there waits +for the sons of Sigfus and other of his men. + +Ingialld dwelt at the Springs; he was the brother of Rodny, +Hauskuld Njal's son's mother (1). Ingialld had to wife +Thraslauga, the daughter of Egil, the son of Thord Frey's priest +(2). Flosi sent word to Ingialld to come to him, and Ingialld +went at once, with fourteen men. They were all of his household. +Ingialld was a tall man and a strong, and slow to meddle with +other men's business, one of the bravest of men, and very +bountiful to his friends. + +Flosi greeted him well, and said to him, "Great trouble hath now +come on me and my brothers-in-law, and it is hard to see our way +out of it; I beseech thee not to part from my suit until this +trouble is past and gone." + +"I am come into a strait myself," said Ingialld, "for the sake of +the ties that there are between me and Njal and his sons, and +other great matters which stand in the way." + +"I thought," said Flosi, "when I gave away my brother's daughter +to thee, that thou gavest me thy word to stand by me in every +suit." + +"It is most likely," says Ingialld, "that I shall do so, but +still I will now, first of all, ride home, and thence to the +Thing." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) They were children of Hauskuld the White, the son of + Ingialld the Strong, the son of Gerfinn the Red, the son of + Solvi, the son of Thorstein Baresarks-bane. +(2) The mother of Egil was Thraslauga, the daughter of Thorstein + Titling; the mother of Thraslauga was Unna, the daughter of + Eyvind Karf. + + + +116. OF FLOSI AND MORD AND THE SONS OF SIGFUS + +The sons of Sigfus heard how Flosi was at Holtford, and they rode +thither to meet him, and there were Kettle of the Mark, and Lambi +his brother, Thorkell and Mord, the sons of Sigfus, Sigmund their +brother, and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Gunnar Lambi's son, and +Grani Gunnar's son, and Vebrand Hamond's son. + +Flosi stood up to meet them, and greeted them gladly. So they +went down the river. Flosi had the whole story from them about +the slaying, and there was no difference between them and Kettle +of the Mark's story. + +Flosi spoke to Kettle of the Mark, and said, "This now I ask of +thee; how tightly are your hearts knit as to this suit, thou and +the other sons of Sigfus?" + +"My wish is," said Kettle, "that there should be peace between +us, but yet I have sworn an oath not to part from this suit till +it has been brought somehow to an end; and to lay my life on it." + +"Thou art a good man and true," said Flosi, "and it is well to +have such men with one." + +Then Grani Gunnar's son and Lambi Sigurd's son both spoke +together, and said, "We wish for outlawry and death." + +"It is not given us," said Flosi, "both to share and choose, we +must take what we can get." + +"I have had it in my heart," says Grani, "ever since they slew +Thrain by Markfleet, and after that his son Hauskuld, never to be +atoned with them by a lasting peace, for I would willingly stand +by when they were all slain, every man of them." + +"Thou hast stood so near to them," said Flosi, "that thou +mightest have avenged these things hadst thou had the heart and +manhood. Methinks thou and many others now ask for what ye would +give much money hereafter never to have had a share in. I see +this clearly, that though we slay Njal or his sons, still they +are men of so great worth, and of such good family, that there +will be such a blood feud and hue and cry after them, that we +shall have to fall on our knees before many a man, and beg for +help, ere we get an atonement and find our way out of this +strait. Ye may make up your minds, then, that many will become +poor who before had great goods, but some of you will lose both +goods and life." + +Mord Valgard's son rode to meet Flosi, and said he would ride to +the Thing with him with all his men. Flosi took that well, and +raised a matter of a wedding with him, that he should give away +Rannveiga his daughter to Starkad Flosi's brother's son, who +dwelt at Staffell. Flosi did this because he thought he would so +make sure both of his faithfulness and force. + +Mord took the wedding kindly, but handed the matter over to Gizur +the White, and bade him talk about it at the Thing. + +Mord had to wife Thorkatla, Gizur the White's daughter. + +They two, Mord and Flosi, rode both together to the Thing, and +talked the whole day, and no man knew aught of their counsel. + + + +117. NJAL AND SKARPHEDINN TALK TOGETHER + +Now, we must say how Njal said to Skarphedinn. + +"What plan have ye laid down for yourselves, thou and thy +brothers and Kari?" + +"Little reck we of dreams in most matters," said Skarphedinn; +"but if thou must know, we shall ride to Tongue to Asgrim +Ellidagrim's son, and thence to the Thing; but, what meanest thou +to do about thine own journey, father?" + +"I shall ride to the Thing," says Njal, "for it belongs to my +honour not to be severed from your suit so long as I live. I +ween that many men will have good words to say of me, and so I +shall stand you in good stead, and do you no harm." + +There, too, was Thorhall Asgrim's son, and Njal's fosterson. The +sons of Njal laughed at him because he was clad in a coat of +russet, and asked how long he meant to wear that? + +"I shall have thrown it off," he said, "when I have to follow up +the blood-feud for my foster-father." + +"There will ever be most good in thee," said Njal, "when there +is most need of it." + +So they all busked them to ride away from home, and were nigh +thirty men in all, and rode till they came to Thursowater. Then +came after them Njal's kinsmen, Thorleif Crow, and Thorgrim the +Big; they were Holt-Thorir's sons, and offered their help and +following to Njal's sons, and they took that gladly. + +So they rode altogether across Thursowater, until they came on +Laxwater bank, and took a rest and baited their horses there, and +there Hjallti Skeggi's son came to meet them, and Njal's sons +fell to talking with him, and they talked long and low. + +"Now, I will show," said Hjallti, "that I am not blackhearted; +Njal has asked me for help, and I have agreed to it, and given my +word to aid him; he has often given me and many others the worth +of it in cunning counsel." + +Hjallti tells Njal all about Flosi's doings. They sent Thorhall +on to Tongue to tell Asgrim that they would be there that +evening; and Asgrim made ready at once, and was out of doors to +meet them when Njal rode into the "town." + +Njal was clad in a blue cape, and had a felt hat on his head, and +a small axe in his hand. Asgrim helped Njal off his horse, and +led him and sate him down in his own seat. After that they all +went in, Njal's sons and Kari. Then Asgrim went out. + +Hjallti wished to turn away, and thought there were too many +there; but Asgrim caught hold of his reins, and said he should +never have his way in riding off, and made men unsaddle their +horses, and led Hjallti in and sate him down by Njal's side; but +Thorleif and his brother sat on the other bench and their men +with them. + +Asgrim sate him down on a stool before Njal, and asked, "What +says thy heart about our matter?" + +"It speaks rather heavily," says Njal, "for I am afraid that we +shall have no lucky men with us in the suit; but I would, friend, +that thou shouldest send after all the men who belong to thy +Thing, and ride to the Althing with me." + +"I have always meant to do that," says Asgrim; "and this I will +promise thee at the same time, that I will never leave thy cause +while I can get any men to follow me." + +But all those who were in the house thanked him, and said that +was bravely spoken. They were there that night, but the day +after all Asgrim's band came thither. + +And after that they all rode together till they come up on the +Thing-field, and fit up their booths. + + + +118. ASGRIM AND NJAL'S SONS PRAY MEN FOR HELP + +By that time Flosi had come to the Thing, and filled all his +booths. Runolf filled the Dale-dwellers' booths, and Mord the +booths of the men from Rangriver. Hall of the Side had long +since come from the east, but scarce any of the other men; but +still Hall of the Side had come with a great band, and joined +this at once to Flosi's company, and begged him to take an +atonement and to make peace. + +Hall was a wise man and good-hearted. Flosi answered him well in +everything, but gave way in nothing. + +Hall asked what men had promised him help? Flosi named Mord +Valgard's son, and said he had asked for his daughter at the hand +of his kinsman Starkad. + +Hall said she was a good match, but it was ill dealing with Mord, +"And that thou wilt put to the proof ere this Thing be over." + +After that they ceased talking. + +One day Njal and Asgrim had a long talk in secret. + +Then all at once Asgrim sprang up and said to Njal's sons, "We +must set about seeking friends, that we may not be overborne by +force; for this suit will be followed up boldly." + +Then Asgrim went out, and Helgi Njal's son next; then Kari +Solmund's son; then Grim Njal's son; then Skarphedinn; then +Thorhall; then Thorgrim the Big; then Thorleif Crow. + +They went to the booth of Gizur the White and inside it. Gizur +stood up to meet them, and bade them sit down and drink. + +"Not thitherward," says Asgrim, "tends our way, and we will speak +our errand out loud, and not mutter and mouth about it. What +help shall I have from thee, as thou art my kinsman?" + +"Jorunn, my sister," said Gizur, "would wish that I should not +shrink from standing by thee; and so it shall be now and +hereafter, that we will both of us have the same fate." + +Asgrim thanked him, and went away afterwards. + +Then Skarphedinn asked, "Whither shall we go now?" + +"To the booths of the men of Olfus," says Asgrim. + +So they went thither, and Asgrim asked whether Skapti Thorod's +son were in the booth? He was told that he was. Then they went +inside the booth. + +Skapti sate on the cross-bench, and greeted Asgrim, and he took +the greeting well. + +Skapti offered Asgrim a seat by his side, but Asgrim said he +should only stay there a little while, "But still we have an +errand to thee." + +"Let me hear it?" says Skapti. + +"I wish to beg thee for thy help, that thou wilt stand by us in +our suit." + +"One thing I had hoped," says Skapti, "and that is, that neither +you nor your troubles would ever come into my dwelling." + +"Such things are ill-spoken," says Asgrim, "when a man is the +last to help others, when most lies on his aid." + +"Who is yon man," says Skapti, "before whom four men walk, a big +burly man, and pale-faced, unlucky-looking, well-knit, and +troll-like?" + +"My name is Skarphedinn," he answers, "and thou hast often seen +me at the Thing; but in this I am wiser than you, that I have no +need to ask what thy name is. Thy name is Skapti Thorod's son, +but before thou calledst thyself `Bristlepoll,' after thou hadst +slain Kettle of Elda; then thou shavedst thy poll, and puttedst +pitch on thy head, and then thou hiredst thralls to cut up a sod +of turf, and thou creptest underneath it to spend the night. +After that thou wentest to Thorolf Lopt's son of Eyrar, and he +took thee on board, and bore thee out here in his meal sacks." + +After that Asgrim and his band went out, and Skarphedinn asked, +"Whither shall we go now?" + +"To Snorri the Priest's booth," says Asgrim. + +Then they went to Snorri's booth. There was a man outside before +the booth, and Asgrim asked whether Snorri were in the booth. + +The man said he was. + +Asgrim went into the booth, and all the others. Snorri was +sitting on the cross-bench, and Asgrim went and stood before him, +and hailed him well. + +Snorri took his greeting blithely, and bade him sit down. + +Asgrim said he should be only a short time there, "But we have +an errand with thee." + +Snorri bade him tell it. + +"I would," said Asgrim, "that thou wouldst come with me to the +court, and stand by me with thy help, for thou art a wise man, +and a great man of business." + +"Suits fall heavy on us now," says Snorri the Priest, "and now +many men push forward against us, and so we are slow to take up +the troublesome suits of other men from other quarters." + +"Thou mayest stand excused," says Asgrim "for thou art not in our +debt for any service." + +"I know," says Snorri, "that thou art a good man and true, and +I will promise thee this, that I will not be against thee, and +not yield help to thy foes." + +Asgrim thanked him, and Snorri the Priest asked, "Who is that man +before whom four go, pale-faced, and sharp-featured, and who +shows his front teeth, and has his axe aloft on his shoulder." + +"My name is Hedinn," he says, "but some men call me Skarphedinn +by my full name; but what more hast thou to say to me." + +"This," said Snorri the Priest, "that methinks thou art a well- +knit, ready-handed man, but yet I guess that the best part of thy +good fortune is past, and I ween thou hast now not long to live." + +"That is well," says Skarphedinn, "for that is a debt we all have +to pay, but still it were more needful to avenge thy father than +to foretell my fate in this way." + +"Many have said that before," says Snorri, "and I will not be +angry at such words." + +After that they went out, and got no help there. Then they fared +to the booths of the men of Skagafirth. There Hafr (1) the +Wealthy had his booth. The mother of Hafr was named Thoruna, she +was a daughter of Asbjorn Baldpate of Myrka, the son of +Hrosbjorn. + +Asgrim and his band went into the booth, and Hafr sate in the +midst of it, and was talking to a man. + +Asgrim went up to him, and bailed him well; he took it kindly, +and bade him sit down. + +"This I would ask of thee," said Asgrim, "that thou wouldst +grant me and my sons-in-law help." + +Hafr answered sharp and quick, and said he would have nothing to +do with their troubles. + +"But still I must ask who that pale-faced man is before whom +four men go, so ill-looking, as though he had come out of the +sea-crags." + +"Never mind, milksop that thou art!" said Skarphedinn, "who I +am, for I will dare to go forward wherever thou standest before +me, and little would I fear though such striplings were in my +path. 'Twere rather thy duty, too, to get back thy sister +Swanlauga, whom Eydis Ironsword and his messmate Stediakoll took +away out of thy house, but thou didst not dare to do aught +against them." + +"Let us go out," said Asgrim, "there is no hope of help here." + +Then they went out to the booths of men of Modruvale, and asked +whether Gudmund the Powerful were in the booth, but they were +told he was. + +Then they went into the booth. There was a high seat in the +midst of it, and there sate Gudmund the Powerful. + +Asgrim went and stood before him, and hailed him. + +Gudmund took his greeting well, and asked him to sit down. + +"I will not sit," said Asgrim, "but I wish to pray thee for help, +for thou art a bold man and a mighty chief." + +"I will not be against thee," said Gudmund, "but if I see fit to +yield thee help, we may well talk of that afterwards," and so he +treated them well and kindly in every way. + +Asgrim thanked him for his words, and Gudmund said, "There is one +man in your band at whom I have gazed for a while, and he seems +to me more terrible than most men that I have seen." + +"Which is he?" says Asgrim. + +"Four go before him," says Gudmund; "dark brown is his hair, and +pale is his face; tall of growth and sturdy. So quick and shifty +in his manliness that I would rather have his following than that +of ten other men; but yet the man is unlucky-looking." + +"I know," said Skarphedinn, "that thou speakest at me, but it +does not go in the same way as to luck with me and thee. I have +blame, indeed, from the slaying of Hauskuld, the Whiteness +Priest, as is fair and right; but both Thorkel Foulmouth and +Thorir Helgi's son spread abroad bad stories about thee, and that +has tried thy temper very much." + +Then they went out, and Skarphedinn said, "Whither shall we go +now?" + +"To the booths of the men of Lightwater," said Asgrim. + +There Thorkel Foulmouth (2) had set up his booth. + +Thorkel Foulmouth had been abroad and worked his way to fame in +other lands. He had slain a robber east in Jemtland's wood, and +then he fared on east into Sweden, and was a messmate of Saurkvir +the Churl, and they harried eastward ho; but to the east of +Baltic side (3) Thorkel had to fetch water for them one evening; +then he met a wild man of the woods (4), and struggled against +him long; but the end of it was that he slew the wild man. +Thence he fared east into Adalsyssla, and there he slew a flying +fire-drake. After that he fared back to Sweden, and thence to +Norway, and so out to Iceland, and let these deeds of derring do +be carved over his shut bed, and on the stool before his high +seat. He fought, too, on Lightwater way with his brothers +against Gudmund the Powerful, and the men of Lightwater won the +day. He and Thorir Helgi's son spread abroad bad stories about +Gudmund. Thorkel said there was no man in Iceland with whom he +would not fight in single combat, or yield an inch to, if need +were. He was called Thorkel Foulmouth, because he spared no one +with whom he had to do either in word or deed. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Hafr was the son of Thorkel, the son of Eric of Gooddale, + the son of Geirmund, the son of Hroald, the son of Eric + Frizzlebeard who felled Gritgarth in Soknardale in Norway. +(2) Thorkel was the son of Thorgeir the Priest, the son of + Tjorfi, the son of Thorkel the Long; but the mother of + Thorgeir was Thoruna, the daughter of Thorstein, the son of + Sigmund, son of Bard of the Nip. The mother of Thorkel + Foulmouth was named Gudrida; she was a daughter of Thorkel + the Black of Hleidrargarth, the son of Thorir Tag, the son + of Kettle the Seal, the son of Ornolf, the son of Bjornolf, + the son of Grim Hairy-cheek, the son of Kettle Haeing, the + son of Hallbjorn Halftroll. +(3) "Baltic side." This probably means a part of the Finnish + coast in the Gulf of Bothnia. See "Fornm. Sogur", xii. + 264-5. +(4) "Wild man of the woods." In the original Finngalkn, a + fabulous monster, half man and half beast. + + + +119. OF SKARPHEDINN AND THORKEL FOULMOUTH + +Asgrim and his fellows went to Thorkel Foulmouth's booth, and +Asgrim said then to his companions, "This booth Thorkel Foulmouth +owns, a great champion, and it were worth much to us to get +his help. We must here take heed in everything, for he is self- +willed and bad tempered; and now I will beg thee, Skarphedinn, +not to let thyself be led into our talk." + +Skarphedinn smiled at that. He was so clad, he had on a blue +kirtle and grey breeks, and black shoes on his feet, coming high +up his leg; he had a silver belt about him, and that same axe in +his hand with which he slew Thrain, and which he called the +"ogress of war," a round buckler, and a silken band round his +brow, and his hair brushed back behind his ears. He was the most +soldier-like of men, and by that all men knew him. He went in +his appointed place, and neither before nor behind. + +Now they went into the booth and into its inner chamber. Thorkel +sate in the middle of the cross-bench, and his men away from him +on all sides. Asgrim hailed him, and Thorkel took the greeting +well, and Asgrim said to him, "For this have we come hither, to +ask help of thee, and that thou wouldst come to the Court with +us." + +"What need can ye have of my help," said Thorkel, "when ye have +already gone to Gudmund; he must surely have promised thee his +help?" + +"We could not get his help," says Asgrim. + +"Then Gudmund thought the suit likely to make him foes," said +Thorkel; "and so no doubt it will be, for such deeds are the +worst that have ever been done; nor do I know what can have +driven you to come hither to me, and to think that I should be +easier to undertake your suit than Gudmund, or that I would back +a wrongful quarrel." + +Then Asgrim held his peace, and thought it would be hard work to +win him over. + +Then Thorkel went on and said, "Who is that big and ugly fellow, +before whom four men go, pale-faced and sharp featured, and +unlucky-looking, and cross-grained?" + +"My name is Skarphedinn," said Skarphedinn, "and thou hast no +right to pick me out, a guiltless man, for thy railing. It never +has befallen me to make my father bow down before me, or to have +fought against him, as thou didst with thy father. Thou hast +ridden little to the Althing, or toiled in quarrels at it, and no +doubt it is handier for thee to mind thy milking pails at home +than to be here at Axewater in idleness. But stay, it were as +well if thou pickedst out from thy teeth that steak of mare's +rump which thou atest ere thou rodest to the Thing while thy +shepherd looked on all the while, and wondered that thou couldst +work such filthiness!" + +Then Thorkel sprang up in mickle wrath, and clutched his short +sword and said, "This sword I got in Sweden when I slew the +greatest champion, but since then I have slain many a man with +it, and as soon as ever I reach thee I will drive it through +thee, and thou shalt take that for thy bitter words." + +Skarphedinn stood with his axe aloft, and smiled scornfully and +said, "This axe I had in my hand when I leapt twelve ells across +Markfleet and slew Thrain Sigfus' son, and eight of them stood +before me, and none of them could touch me. Never have I aimed +weapon at man that I have not smitten him." + +And with that he tore himself from his brothers, and Kari his +brother-in-law, and strode forward to Thorkel. + +Then Skarphedinn said, "Now, Thorkel Foulmouth, do one of these +two things: sheathe thy sword and sit thee down, or I drive the +axe into thy head and cleave thee down to the chine." + +Then Thorkel sate him down and sheathed the sword, and such a +thing never happened to him either before or since. + +Then Asgrim and his band go out, and Skarphedinn said, "Whither +shall we now go?" + +"Home to our booths," answered Asgrim. + +"Then we fare back to our booths wearied of begging," says +Skarphedinn. + +"In many places," said Asgrim, "hast thou been rather sharp- +tongued, but here now, in what Thorkel had a share methinks thou +hast only treated him as is fitting," + +Then they went home to their booths, and told Njal, word for +word, all that had been done. + +"Things," he said, "draw on to what must be." + +Now Gudmund the Powerful heard what has passed between Thorkel +and Skarphedinn, and said, "Ye all know how things fared between +us and the men of Lightwater, but I have never suffered such +scorn and mocking at their hands as has befallen Thorkel from +Skarphedinn, and this is just as it should be." + +Then he said to Einar of Thvera, his brother, "Thou shalt go with +all my band, and stand by Njal's sons when the courts go out to +try suits; but if they need help next summer, then I myself will +yield them help." + +Einar agreed to that, and sent and told Asgrim, and Asgrim said, +"There is no man like Gudmund for nobleness of mind," and then +he told it to Njal. + + + +120. OF THE PLEADING OF THE SUIT + +The next day Asgrim, and Gizur the White, and Hjallti Skeggi's +son, and Einar of Thvera, met together. There, too, was Mord +Valgard's son; he had then let the suit fall from his hand, and +given it over to the sons of Sigfus. + +Then Asgrim spoke. + +"Thee first I speak to about this matter, Gizur the White and +thee Hjallti, and thee Einar, that I may tell you how the suit +stands. It will be known to all of you that Mord took up the +suit, but the truth of the matter is, that Mord was at Hauskuld's +slaying, and wounded him with that wound, for giving which no man +was named. It seems to me, then, that this suit must come to +naught by reason of a lawful flaw." + +"Then we will plead it at once," says Hjallti. + +"It is not good counsel," said Thorhall Asgrim's son, "that this +should not be hidden until the courts are set." + +"How so?" asks Hjallti. + +"If," said Thorhall, "they knew now at once that the suit has +been wrongly set on foot, then they may still save the suit by +sending a man home from the Thing, and summoning the neighbours +from home over again, and calling on them to ride to the Thing, +and then the suit will be lawfully set on foot." + +"Thou art a wise man, Thorhall," say they, "and we will take +thy counsel." + +After that each man went to his booth. + +The sons of Sigfus gave notice of their suits at the Hill of +Laws, and asked in what Quarter Courts they lay, and in what +house in the district the defendants dwelt. But on the Friday +night the courts were to go out to try suits, and so the Thing +was quiet up to that day. + +Many sought to bring about an atonement between them, but Flosi +was steadfast; but others were still more wordy, and things +looked ill. + +Now the time comes when the courts were to go out, on the Friday +evening. Then the whole body of men at the Thing went to the +courts. Flosi stood south at the court of the men of Rangriver, +and his band with him. There with him was Hall of the Side, and +Runolf of the Dale, Wolf Aurpriest's son, and those other men who +had promised Flosi help. + +But north of the court of the men of Rangriver stood Asgrim +Ellidagrim's son, and Gizur the White, Hjallti Skeggi's son, and +Einar of Thvera. But Njal's sons were at home at their booth, +and Kari and Thorleif Crow, and Thorgeir Craggeir, and Thorgrim +the Big. They sate all with their weapons, and their band looked +safe from onslaught. + +Njal had already prayed the judges to go into the court, and now +the sons of Sigfus plead their suit. They took witness and bade +Njal's sons to listen to their oath; after that they took their +oath, and then they declared their suit; then they brought +forward witness of the notice, then they bade the neighbours on +the inquest to take their seats, then they called on Njal's sons +to challenge the inquest. + +Then up stood Thorhall Asgrim's son, and took witness, and +forbade the inquest by a protest to utter their finding; and his +ground was, that he who had given notice of the suit was truly +under the ban of the law, and was himself an outlaw. + +"Of whom speakest thou this?" says Flosi. + +"Mord Valgard's son," said Thorhall, "fared to Hauskuld's slaying +with Njal's sons, and wounded him with that wound for which no +man was named when witness was taken to the death-wounds; and ye +can say nothing against this, and so the suit comes to naught." + + + +121. OF THE AWARD OF ATONEMENT BETWEEN FLOSI AND NJAL + +Then Njal stood up and said, "This I pray, Hall of the Side, and +Flosi, and all the sons of Sigfus, and all our men, too, that ye +will not go away but listen to my words." + +They did so, and then he spoke thus: "It seems to me as though +this suit were come to naught, and it is likely it should, for it +hath sprung from an ill root. I will let you all know that I +loved Hauskuld more than my own sons, and when I heard that he +was slain, methought the sweetest light of my eyes was quenched, +and I would rather have lost all my sons, and that he were alive. +Now I ask thee, Hall of the Side, and thee Runolf of the Dale, +and thee Hjallti Skeggi's son, and thee Einar of Thvera, and thee +Hafr the Wise, that I may be allowed to make an atonement for the +slaying of Hauskuld on my son's behalf; and I wish that those men +who are best fitted to do so shall utter the award." + +Gizur, and Hafr, and Einar, spoke each on their own part, and +prayed Flosi to take an atonement, and promised him their +friendship in return. + +Flosi answered them well in all things, but still did not give +his word. + +Then Hall of the Side said to Flosi, "Wilt thou now keep thy +word, and grant me my boon which thou hast already promised me, +when I put beyond sea Thorgrim, the son of Kettle the Fat, thy +kinsman, when he had slain Halli the Red." + +"I will grant it thee, father-in-law," said Flosi, "for that +alone wilt thou ask which will make my honour greater than it +erewhile was." + +"Then," said Hall, "my wish is that thou shouldst be quickly +atoned, and lettest good men and true make an award, and so buy +the friendship of good and worthy men." + +"I will let you all know," said Flosi, "that I will do according +to the word of Hall, my father-in-law, and other of the worthiest +men, that he and others of the best men on each side, lawfully +named, shall make this award. Methinks Njal is worthy that I +should grant him this." + +Njal thanked him and all of them, and others who were by thanked +them too, and said that Flosi had behaved well. + +Then Flosi said, "Now will I name my daysmen (1): First, I name +Hall, my father-in-law; Auzur from Broadwater; Surt Asbjorn's son +of Kirkby; Modolf Kettle's son," -- he dwelt then at Asar -- +"Hafr the Wise; and Runolf of the Dale; and it is scarce worth +while to say that these are the fittest men out of all my +company." + +Now he bade Njal to name his daysmen, and then Njal stood up, and +said, "First of these I name, Asgrim Ellidagrim's son; and +Hjallti Skeggi's son; Gizur the White; Einar of Thvera; Snorri +the Priest; and Gudmund the Powerful." + +After that Njal and Flosi, and the sons of Sigfus shook hands, +and Njal pledged his hand on behalf of all his sons, and of Kari, +his son-in-law, that they would hold to what those twelve men +doomed; and one might say that the whole body of men at the Thing +was glad at that. + +Then men were sent after Snorri and Gudmund, for they were in +their booths. + +Then it was given out that the judges in this award would sit in +the Court of Laws, but all the others were to go away. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) The true English word for "arbitrator," or "umpire." See + "Job" ix. 33 -- "Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, + that might lay his hand upon us both." See also Holland's + "Translations of Livy", Page 137 -- "A more shameful + precedent for the time to come: namely, that umpires and + dates-men should convert the thing in suit unto their own + and proper vantage." + + + +122. OF THE JUDGES + +Then Snorri the Priest spoke thus, "Now are we here twelve +judges to whom these suits are handed over, now I will beg you +all that we may have no stumbling blocks in these suits, so that +they may not be atoned." + +"Will ye," said Gudmund, "award either the lesser or the greater +outlawry? Shall they be banished from the district, or from the +whole land?" + +"Neither of them," says Snorri, "for those banishments are often +ill fulfilled, and men have been slain for that sake, and +atonements broken, but I will award so great a money fine that no +man shall have had a higher price here in the land than +Hauskuld." + +They all spoke well of his words. + +Then they talked over the matter, and could not agree which +should first utter how great he thought the fine ought to be, and +so the end of it was that they cast lots, and the lot fell on +Snorri to utter it. + +Then Snorri said, "I will not sit long over this, I will now tell +you what my utterance is, I will let Hauskuld be atoned for with +triple manfines, but that is six hundred in silver. Now ye shall +change it, if ye think it too much or too little." + +They said that they would change it in nothing. + +"This too shall be added," he said, "that all the money shall be +paid down here at the Thing." + +Then Gizur the White spoke and said, "Methinks that can hardly +be, for they will not have enough money to pay their fines." + +"I know what Snorri wishes," said Gudmund the Powerful, "he wants +that all we daysmen should give such a sum as our bounty will +bestow, and then many will do as we do." + +Hall of the Side thanked him, and said he would willingly give as +much as any one else gave, and then all the other daysmen agreed +to that. + +After that they went away, and settled between them that Hall +should utter the award at the Hill of Laws. + +So the bell was rung, and all men went to the Hill of Laws, and +Hall of the Side stood up and spoke, "In this suit, in which we +have come to an award, we have been all well agreed, and we have +awarded six hundred in silver, and half this sum we the daysmen +will pay, but it must all be paid up here at the Thing. But it +is my prayer to all the people that each man will give something +for God's sake." + +All answered well to that, and then Hall took witness to the +award, that no one should be able to break it. + +Njal thanked them for their award, but Skarphedinn stood by, and +held his peace, and smiled scornfully. + +Then men went from the Hill of Laws and to their booths, but the +daysmen gathered together in the freemen's churchyard the money +which they had promised to give. + +Njal's sons handed over that money which they had by them, and +Kari did the same, and that came to a hundred in silver. + +Njal took out that money which he had with him, and that was +another hundred in silver. + +So this money was all brought before the Hill of Laws, and then +men gave so much, that not a penny was wanting. + +Then Njal took a silken scarf and a pair of boots and laid them +on the top of the heap. + +After that, Hall said to Njal, that he should go to fetch his +sons, "But I will go for Flosi, and now each must give the other +pledges of peace." + +Then Njal went home to his booth, and spoke to his sons and said, +"Now are our suits come into a fair way of settlement, now are +we men atoned, for all the money has been brought together in one +place; and now either side is to go and grant the other peace and +pledges of good faith. I will therefore ask you this, my sons, +not to spoil these things in any way." + +Skarphedinn stroked his brow, and smiled scornfully. So they all +go to the Court of Laws. + +Hall went to meet Flosi and said, "Go thou now to the Court of +Laws, for now all the money has been bravely paid down, and it +has been brought together in one place." + +Then Flosi bade the sons of Sigfus to go up with him, and they +all went out of their booths. They came from the east, but Njal +went from the west to the Court of Laws, and his sons with him. + +Skarphedinn went to the middle bench and stood there. + +Flosi went into the Court of Laws to look closely at the money, +and said, "This money is both great and good, and well paid +down, as was to be looked for." + +After that he took up the scarf, and waved it, and asked, "Who +may have given this?" + +But no man answered him. + +A second time he waved the scarf, and asked, "Who may have given +this?" and laughed, but no man answered him. + +Then Flosi said, "How is it that none of you knows who has owned +this gear, or is it that none dares to tell me?" + +"Who?" said Skarphedinn, "dost thou think, has given it?" + +"If thou must know," said Flosi, "then I will tell thee; I think +that thy father the `Beardless Carle' must have given it, for +many know not who look at him whether he is more a man than a +woman." + +"Such words are ill-spoken," said Skarphedinn, "to make game of +him, an old man, and no man of any worth has ever done so before. +Ye may know, too, that he is a man, for he has had sons by his +wife, and few of our kinsfolk have fallen unatoned by our house, +so that we have not had vengeance for them." + +Then Skarphedinn took to himself the silken scarf, but threw a +pair of blue breeks to Flosi, and said he would need them more. + +"Why," said Flosi, "should I need these more?" + +"Because," said Skarphedinn, "thou art the sweetheart of the +Swinefell's goblin, if, as men say, he does indeed turn thee into +a woman every ninth night." + +Then Flosi spurned the money, and said he would not touch a penny +of it, and then he said he would only have one of two things: +either that Hauskuld should fall unatoned, or they would have +vengeance for him. + +Then Flosi would neither give nor take peace, and he said to the +sons of Sigfus, "Go we now home; one fate shall befall us all." + +Then they went home to their booth, and Hall said, "Here most +unlucky men have a share in this suit." + +Njal and his sons went home to their booth, and Njal said, "Now +comes to pass what my heart told me long ago, that this suit +would fall heavy on us." + +"Not so," says Skarphedinn; "they can never pursue us by the laws +of the land." + +"Then that will happen," says Njal, "which will be worse for all +of us." + +Those men who had given the money spoke about it, and said that +they should take it back; but Gudmund the Powerful said, "That +shame I will never choose for myself, to take back what I have +given away, either here or elsewhere." + +"That is well spoken," they said; and then no one would take it +back. + +Then Snorri the Priest said, "My counsel is, that Gizur the White +and Hjallti Skeggi's son keep the money till the next Althing; my +heart tells me that no long time will pass ere there may be need +to touch this money." + +Hjallti took half the money and kept it safe, but Gizur took the +rest. + +Then men went home to their booths. + + + +123. AN ATTACK PLANNED ON NJAL AND HIS SONS + +Flosi summoned all his men up to the "Great Rift," and went +thither himself. + +So when all his men were come, there were one hundred and twenty +of them. + +Then Flosi spake thus to the sons of Sigfus, "In what way shall +I stand by you in this quarrel, which will be most to your +minds?" + +"Nothing will please us," said Gunnar Lambi's son, "until those +brothers, Njal's sons, are all slain." + +"This," said Flosi, "will I promise to you, ye sons of Sigfus, +not to part from this quarrel before one of us bites the dust +before the other. I will also know whether there be any man here +who will not stand by us in this quarrel." + +But they all said they would stand by him. + +Then Flosi said, "Come now all to me, and swear an oath that no +man will shrink from this quarrel." + +Then all went up to Flosi and swore oaths to him; and then Flosi +said, "We will all of us shake hands on this, that he shall have +forfeited life and land who quits this quarrel ere it be over." + +These were the chiefs who were with Flosi: -- Kol the son of +Thorstein Broadpaunch, the brother's son of Hall of the Side, +Hroald Auzur's son from Broadwater, Auzur son of Aunund Wallet- +back, Thorstein the Fair, the son of Gerleif, Glum Hildir's son, +Modolf Kettle's son, Thorir the son of Thord Illugi's son of +Mauratongue, Kolbein and Egil Flosi's kinsmen, Kettle Sigfus' +son, and Mord his brother, Ingialld of the Springs, Thorkel and +Lambi, Grani Gunnar's son, Gunnar Lambi's son, and Sigmund +Sigfus' son, and Hroar from Hromundstede. + +Then Flosi said to the sons of Sigfus, "Choose ye now a leader, +whomsoever ye think best fitted; for some one man must needs be +chief over the quarrel." + +Then Kettle of the Mark answered, "If the choice is to be left +with us brothers, then we will soon choose that this duty should +fall on thee; there are many things which lead to this. Thou art +a man of great birth, and a mighty chief, stout of heart, and +strong of body, and wise withal, and so we think it best that +thou shouldst see to all that is needful in the quarrel." + +"It is most fitting," said Flosi, "that I should agree to +undertake this as your prayer asks; and now I will lay down the +course which we shall follow, and my counsel is, that each man +ride home from the Thing, and look after his household during the +summer, so long as men's haymaking lasts. I, too, will ride +home, and be at home this summer; but when that Lord's day comes +on which winter is eight weeks off, then I will let them sing me +a mass at home, and afterwards ride west across Loomnips Sand; +each of our men shall have two horses. I will not swell our +company beyond those which have now taken the oath, for we have +enough and to spare if all keep true tryst. I will ride all the +Lord's day and the night as well, but at even on the second day +of the week, I shall ride up to Threecorner ridge about mid-even. +There shall ye then be all come who have sworn an oath in this +matter. But if there be any one who has not come, and who has +joined us in this quarrel, then that man shall lose nothing save +his life, if we may have our way." + +"How does that hang together," said Kettle, "that thou canst ride +from home on the Lord's day, and come the second day of the week +to Threecorner ridge?" + +"I will ride," said Flosi "up from Skaptartongue, and north of +the Eyjafell Jokul, and so down into Godaland, and it may be done +if I ride fast. And now I will tell you my whole purpose, that +when we meet there all together, we shall ride to Bergthorsknoll +with all our band, and fall on Njal's sons with fire and sword, +and not turn away before they are all dead. Ye shall hide this +plan, for our lives lie on it. And now we will take to our +horses and ride home." + +Then they all went to their booths. + +After that Flosi made them saddle his horses, and they waited for +no man, and rode home. + +Flosi would not stay to meet Hall his father-in-law, for he knew +of a surety that Hall would set his face against all strong +deeds. + +Njal rode home from the Thing and his sons. They were at home +that summer. Njal asked Kari his son-in-law whether he thought +at all of riding east to Dyrholms to his own house. + +"I will not ride east," answered Kari, "for one fate shall befall +me and thy sons." + +Njal thanked him, and said that was only what was likely from +him. There were nearly thirty fighting men in Njal's house, +reckoning the house-carles. + +One day it happened that Rodny Hauskuld's daughter, the mother of +Hauskuld Njal's son, came to the Springs. Her brother Ingialld +greeted her well, but she would not take his greeting, but yet +bade him go out with her. Ingialld did so, and went out with +her; and so they walked away from the farm-yard both together. +Then she clutched hold of him and they both sat down, and Rodny +said, "Is it true that thou hast sworn an oath to fall on Njal, +and slay him and his sons?" + +"True it is," said he. + +"A very great dastard art thou," she says, "thou, whom Njal hath +thrice saved from outlawry." + +"Still it hath come to this," says Ingialld, "that my life lies +on it if I do not this?" + +"Not so," says she, "thou shalt live all the same, and be called +a better man, if thou betrayest not him to whom thou oughtest to +behave best." + +Then she took a linen hood out of her bag, it was clotted with +blood all over, and torn and tattered, and said, "This hood, +Hauskuld Njal's son, and thy sister's son, had on his head when +they slew him; methinks, then, it is ill doing to stand by those +from whom this mischief sprang." + +"Well!" answers Ingialld, "so it shall be that I will not be +against Njal whatever follows after, but still I know that they +will turn and throw trouble on me." + +"Now mightest thou," said Rodny, "yield Njal and his sons great +help, if thou tellest him all these plans." + +"That I will not do," says Ingialld, "for then I am every man's +dastard if I tell what was trusted to me in good faith; but it is +a manly deed to sunder myself from this quarrel when I know that +there is a sure looking for of vengeance but tell Njal and his +sons to be ware of themselves all this summer, for that will be +good counsel, and to keep many men about them." + +Then she fared to Bergthorsknoll, and told Njal all this talk; and +Njal thanked her, and said she had done well, "For there would be +more wickedness in his falling on me than of all men else." + +She fared home, but he told this to his sons. + +There was a carline at Bergthorsknoll, whose name was Saevuna. +She was wise in many things, and foresighted; but she was then +very old, and Njal's sons called her an old dotard, when she +talked so much, but still some things which she said came to +pass. It fell one day that she took a cudgel in her hand, and +went up above the house to a stack of vetches. She beat the +stack of vetches with her cudgel, and wished it might never +thrive, "Wretch that it was!" + +Skarphedinn laughed at her, and asked why she was so angry with +the vetch stack. + +"This stack of vetches," said the carline, "will be taken and +lighted with fire when Njal my master is burnt, house and all, +and Bergthora my foster-child. Take it away to the water, or +burn it up as quick as you can." + +"We will not do that," says Skarphedinn, "for something else will +be got to light a fire with, if that were foredoomed, though this +stack were not here." + +The carline babbled the whole summer about the vetchstack that it +should be got indoors, but something always hindered it. + + + +124. OF PORTENTS + +At Reykium on Skeid dwelt one Runolf Thorstein's son. His son's +name was Hildiglum. He went out on the night of the Lord's day, +when nine weeks were still to winter; he heard a great crash, so +that he thought both heaven and earth shook. Then he looked into +the west "airt," and he thought he saw thereabouts a ring of +fiery hue, and within the ring a man on a grey horse. He passed +quickly by him, and rode hard. He had a flaming firebrand in his +hand, and he rode so close to him that he could see him plainly. +He was as black as pitch, and he sung this song with a mighty +voice: + + "Here I ride swift steed, + His Bank flecked with rime, + Rain from his mane drips, + Horse mighty for harm; + Flames flare at each end, + Gall glows in the midst, + So fares it with Flosi's redes + As this flaming brand flies; + And so fares it with Flosi's redes + As this flaming brand flies." + +Then he thought he hurled the firebrand east towards the fells +before him, and such a blaze of fire leapt up to meet it that he +could not see the fells for the blaze. It seemed as though that +man rode east among the flames and vanished there. + +After that he went to his bed, and was senseless a long time, +but at last he came to himself. He bore in mind all that had +happened, and told his father, but he bade him tell it to Hjallti +Skeggi's son. So he went and told Hjallti, but he said he had +seen "`the Wolf's ride,' and that comes ever before great +tidings." + + + +125. FLOSI'S JOURNEY FROM HOME + +Flosi busked him from the east when two months were still to +winter, and summoned to him all his men who had promised him help +and company. Each of them had two horses and good weapons, and +they all came to Swinefell, and were there that night. + +Flosi made them say prayers betimes on the Lord's day, and +afterwards they sate down to meat. He spoke to his household, +and told them what work each was to do while he was away. After +that he went to his horses. + +Flosi and his men rode first west on the Sand (1). Flosi bade +them not to ride too hard at first; but said they would do well +enough at that pace, and he bade all to wait for the others if +any of them had need to stop. They rode west to Woodcombe, and +came to Kirkby. Flosi there bade all men to come into the +church, and pray to God, and men did so. + +After that they mounted their horses, and rode on the fell, and +so to Fishwaters, and rode a little to the west of the lakes, and +so struck down west on to the Sand (2). Then they left Eyjafell +Jokul on their left hand, and so came down into Godaland, and so +on to Markfleet, and came about nones (3) on the second day of +the week to Threecorner ridge, and waited till mid-even. Then +all had came thither save Ingialld of the Springs. + +The sons of Sigfus spoke much ill of him, but Flosi bade them not +blame Ingialld when he was not by, "But we will pay him for this +hereafter." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Sand," Skeidara sand. +(2) "Sand," Maelifell's sand. +(3) "Nones," the well-known canonical hour of the day, the ninth + hour from six a.m., that is, about three o'clock when one of + the church services took place. + + + +126. OF PORTENTS AT BERGTHORSKNOLL + +Now we must take up the story, and turn to Bergthorsknoll, and +say that Grim and Helgi go to Holar. They had children out at +foster there, and they told their mother that they should not +come home that evening. They were in Holar all the day, and +there came some poor women and said they had come from far. +Those brothers asked them for tidings, and they said they had no +tidings to tell, "But still we might tell you one bit of news." + +They asked what that might be, and bade them not hide it. They +said so it should be. + +"We came down out of Fleetlithe, and we saw all the sons of +Sigfus riding fully armed -- they made for Threecorner ridge, and +were fifteen in company. We saw too Grani Gunnar's son and +Gunnar Lambi's son, and they were five in all. They took the +same road, and one may say now that the whole country-side is +faring and flitting about." + +"Then," said Helgi Njal's son, "Flosi must have come from the +east, and they must have all gone to meet him, and we two, Grim, +should be where Skarphedinn is." + +Grim said so it ought to be, and they fared home. + +That same evening Bergthora spoke to her household, and said, +"Now shall ye choose your meat to-night, so that each may have +what he likes best; for this evening is the last that I shall set +meat before my household." + +"That shall not be," they said. + +"It will be though," she says, "and I could tell you much more +if I would, but this shall be a token, that Grim and Helgi will +be home ere men have eaten their full to-night; and if this turns +out so, then the rest that I say will happen too." + +After that she set meat on the board, and Njal said "Wondrously +now it seems to me. Methinks I see all round the room, and it +seems as though the gable wall were thrown down, but the whole +board and the meat on it is one gore of blood." + +All thought this strange but Skarphedinn, he bade men not be +downcast, nor to utter other unseemly sounds, so that men might +make a story out of them. + +"For it befits us surely more than other men to bear us well, and +it is only what is looked for from us." + +Grim and Helgi came home ere the board was cleared, and men were +much struck at that. Njal asked why they had returned so quickly +but they told what they had heard. + +Njal bade no man go to sleep, but to be ware of themselves. + + + +127. THE ONSLAUGHT (1) ON BERGTHORSKNOLL + +Now Flosi speaks to his men, "Now we will ride to Bergthorsknoll, +and come thither before supper-time." + +They do so. There was a dell in the knoll, and they rode +thither, and tethered their horses there, and stayed there till +the evening was far spent. + +Then Flosi said, "Now we will go straight up to the house, and +keep close, and walk slow, and see what counsel they will take." + +Njal stood out of doors, and his sons, and Kari and all the +serving-men, and they stood in array to meet them in the yard, +and they were near thirty of them. + +Flosi halted and said, "Now we shall see what counsel they take, +for it seems to me, if they stand out of doors to meet us, as +though we should never get the mastery over them." + +"Then is our journey bad," says Grani Gunnar's son, "if we are +not to dare to fall on them." + +"Nor shall that be," says Flosi; "for we will fall on them though +they stand out of doors; but we shall pay that penalty, that many +will not go away to tell which side won the day." + +Njal said to his men, "See ye now what a great band of men they +have." + +"They have both a great and well-knit band," says Skarphedinn; +"but this is why they make a halt now, because they think it will +be a hard struggle to master us." + +"That cannot be why they halt," says Njal; "and my will is that +our men go indoors, for they had hard work to master Gunnar of +Lithend, though he was alone to meet them; but here is a strong +house as there was there, and they will be slow to come to close +quarters." + +"This is not to be settled in that wise," says Skarphedinn, "for +those chiefs fell on Gunnar's house, who were so nobleminded, +that they would rather turn back than burn him, house and all; +but these will fall on us at once with fire, if they cannot get +at us in any other way, for they will leave no stone unturned to +get the better of us; and no doubt they think, as is not +unlikely, that it will be their deaths if we escape out of their +hands. Besides, I am unwilling to let myself be stifled indoors +like a fox in his earth." + +"Now," said Njal, "as often it happens, my sons, ye set my +counsel at naught, and show me no honour, but when ye were +younger ye did not so, and then your plans were better +furthered." + +"Let us do," said Helgi, "as our father wills; that will be best +for us." + +"I am not so sure of that," says Skarphedinn, "for now he is +`fey'; but still I may well humour my father in this, by being +burnt indoors along with him, for I am not afraid of my death." + +Then he said to Kari, "Let us stand by one another well, brother- +in-law, so that neither parts from the other." + +"That I have made up my mind to do," says Kari; "but if it should +be otherwise doomed, -- well! then it must be as it must be, and +I shall not be able to fight against it." + +"Avenge us, and we will avenge thee," says Skarphedinn, "if we +live after thee." + +Kari said so it should be. + +Then they all went in, and stood in array at the door. + +"Now are they all `fey,'" said Flosi, "since they have gone +indoors, and we will go right up to them as quickly as we can, +and throng as close as we can before the door, and give heed that +none of them, neither Kari nor Njal's sons, get away; for that +were our bane." + +So Flosi and his men came up to the house, and set men +to watch round the house, if there were any secret doors in it. +But Flosi went up to the front of the house with his men. + +Then Hroald Auzur's son ran up to where Skarphedinn stood, and +thrust at him. Skarphedinn hewed the spearhead off the shaft as +he held it, and made another stroke at him, and the axe fell on +the top of the shield, and dashed back the whole shield on +Hroald's body, but the upper horn of the axe caught him on the +brow, and he fell at full length on his back, and was dead at +once. + +"Little chance had that one with thee, Skarphedinn," said Kari, +"and thou art our boldest." + +"I'm not so sure of that," says Skarphedinn, and he drew up his +lips and smiled. + +Kari, and Grim, and Helgi, threw out many spears, and wounded +many men; but Flosi and his men could do nothing. + +At last Flosi said, "We have already gotten great manscathe in +our men; many are wounded, and he slain whom we would choose last +of all. It is now clear that we shall never master them with +weapons; many now there be who are not so forward in fight as +they boasted, and yet they were those who goaded us on most. I +say this most to Grani Gunnar's son, and Gunnar Lambi's son, who +were the least willing to spare their foes. But still we shall +have to take to some other plan for ourselves, and now there are +but two choices left, and neither of them good. One is to turn +away, and that is our death; the other, to set fire to the house, +and burn them inside it; and that is a deed which we shall have +to answer for heavily before God, since we are Christian men +ourselves; but still we must take to that counsel." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) The Icelandic word is "heimsokn," a term which still lingers + in the grave offence known in Scottish law as "hamesucken." + + + +128. NJAL'S BURNING + +Now they took fire, and made a great pile before the doors. Then +Skarphedinn said, "What, lads! are ye lighting a fire, or are ye +taking to cooking?" + +"So it shall be," answered Grani Gunnar's son; "and thou shalt +not need to be better done." + +"Thou repayest me," said Skarphedinn, "as one may look for from +the man that thou art. I avenged thy father, and thou settest +most store by that duty which is farthest from thee." + +Then the women threw whey on the fire, and quenched it as fast as +they lit it. Some, too, brought water, or slops. + +Then Kol Thorstein's son said to Flosi, "A plan comes into my +mind; I have seen a loft over the hall among the crosstrees, and +we will put the fire in there, and light it with the vetch-stack +that stands just above the house." + +Then they took the vetch-stack and set fire to it, and they who +were inside were not aware of it till the whole hall was a-blaze +over their heads. + +Then Flosi and his men made a great pile before each of the +doors, and then the women folk who were inside began to weep and +to wail. + +Njal spoke to them and said, "Keep up your hearts, nor utter +shrieks, for this is but a passing storm, and it will be long +before ye have another such; and put your faith in God, and +believe that he is so merciful that he will not let us burn both +in this world and the next." + +Such words of comfort had he for them all, and others still more +strong. + +Now the whole house began to blaze. Then Njal went to the door +and said, "Is Flosi so near that he can hear my voice." + +Flosi said that he could hear it. + +"Wilt thou," said Njal, "take an atonement from my sons, or allow +any men to go out." + +"I will not," answers Flosi, "take any atonement from thy sons, +and now our dealings shall come to an end once for all, and I +will not stir from this spot till they are all dead; but I will +allow the women and children and house-carles to go out." + +Then Njal went into the house, and said to the fold, "Now all +those must go out to whom leave is given, and so go thou out +Thorhalla Asgrim's daughter, and all the people also with thee +who may." + +Then Thorhalla said, "This is another parting between me and +Helgi than I thought of a while ago; but still I will egg on my +father and brothers to avenge this manscathe which is wrought +here." + +"Go, and good go with thee," said Njal, "for thou art a brave +woman." + +After that she went out and much folk with her. + +Then Astrid of Deepback said to Helgi Njal's son, "Come thou out +with me, and I will throw a woman's cloak over thee, and tie thy +head with a kerchief." + +He spoke against it at first, but at last he did so at the prayer +of others. + +So Astrid wrapped the kerchief round Helgi's head, but Thorhilda, +Skarphedinn's wife, threw the cloak over him, and he went out +between them, and then Thorgerda Njal's daughter, and Helga her +sister, and many other folk went out too. + +But when Helgi came out Flosi said, "That is a tall woman and +broad across the shoulders that went yonder, take her and hold +her." + +But when Helgi heard that, he cast away the cloak. He had got +his sword under his arm, and hewed at a man, and the blow fell on +his shield and cut off the point of it, and the man's leg as +well. Then Flosi came up and hewed at Helgi's neck, and took off +his head at a stroke. + +Then Flosi went to the door and called out to Njal, and said he +would speak with him and Bergthora. + +Now Njal does so, and Flosi said, "I will offer thee, master +Njal, leave to go out, for it is unworthy that thou shouldst burn +indoors." + +"I will not go out," said Njal, "for I am an old man, and little +fitted to avenge my sons, but I will not live in shame." + +Then Flosi said to Bergthora, "Come thou out, housewife, for I +will for no sake burn thee indoors." + +"I was given away to Njal young," said Bergthora, "and I have +promised him this, that we would both share the same fate." + +After that they both went back into the house. + +"What counsel shall we now take," said Bergthora. + +"We will go to our bed," says Njal, "and lay us down; I have long +been eager for rest." + +Then she said to the boy Thord, Kari's son, "Thee will I take +out, and thou shalt not burn in here." + +"Thou hast promised me this, grandmother," says the boy, "that we +should never part so long as I wished to be with thee; but +methinks it is much better to die with thee and Njal than to live +after you." + +Then she bore the boy to her bed, and Njal spoke to his steward +and said, "Now thou shalt see where we lay us down, and how I +lay us out, for I mean not to stir an inch hence, whether reek or +burning smart me, and so thou wilt be able to guess where to look +for our bones," + +He said he would do so. + +There had been an ox slaughtered and the hide lay there. Njal +told the steward to spread the hide over them, and he did so. + +So there they lay down both of them in their bed, and put the boy +between them. Then they signed themselves and the boy with the +cross, and gave over their souls into God's hand, and that was +the last word that men heard them utter. + +Then the steward took the hide and spread it over them, and went +out afterwards. Kettle of the Mark caught hold of him, and +dragged him out, he asked carefully after his father-in-law Njal, +but the steward told him the whole truth. Then Kettle said, +"Great grief hath been sent on us, when we have had to share such +ill-luck together." + +Skarphedinn saw how his father laid him down, and how he laid +himself out, and then he said, "Our father goes early to bed, and +that is what was to be looked for, for he is an old man." + +Then Skarphedinn, and Kari, and Grim, caught the brands as fast +as they dropped down, and hurled them out at them, and so it went +on awhile. Then they hurled spears in at them, but they caught +them all as they flew, and sent them back again. + +Then Flosi bade them cease shooting, "for all feats of arms will +go hard with us when we deal with them; ye may well wait till the +fire overcomes them." + +So they do that, and shoot no more. + +Then the great beams out of the roof began to fall, and +Skarphedinn said, "Now must my father be dead, and I have neither +heard groan nor cough from him." + +Then they went to the end of the hall, and there had fallen down +a cross-beam inside which was much burnt in the middle. + +Kari spoke to Skarphedinn, and said, "Leap thou out here, and I +will help thee to do so, and I will leap out after thee, and then +we shall both get away if we set about it so, for hitherward +blows all the smoke." + +"Thou shalt leap first," said Skarphedinn; "but I will leap +straightway on thy heels." + +"That is not wise," says Kari, "for I can get out well enough +elsewhere, though it does not come about here." + +"I will not do that," says Skarphedinn; "leap thou out first, but +I will leap after thee at once." + +"It is bidden to every man," says Kari, "to seek to save his life +while he has a choice, and I will do so now; but still this +parting of ours will be in such wise that we shall never see one +another more; for if I leap out of the fire, I shall have no mind +to leap back into the fire to thee, and then each of us will have +to fare his own way." + +"It joys me, brother-in-law," says Skarphedinn, "to think that if +thou gettest away thou wilt avenge me." + +Then Kari took up a blazing bench in his hand, and runs up along +the cross-beam, then he hurls the bench out at the roof, and it +fell among those who were outside. + +Then they ran away, and by that time all Kari's upper clothing +and his hair were a-blaze, then he threw himself down from the +roof, and so crept along with the smoke. + +Then one man said who was nearest, "Was that a man that leapt out +at the roof?" + +"Far from it," says another; "more likely it was Skarphedinn who +hurled a firebrand at us." + +After that they had no more mistrust. + +Kari ran till he came to a stream, and then he threw himself down +into it, and so quenched the fire on him. + +After that he ran along under shelter of the smoke into a hollow, +and rested him there, and that has since been called Kari's +Hollow. + + + +129. SKARPHEDINN'S DEATH + +Now it is to be told of Skarphedinn that he runs out on the +cross-beam straight after Kari, but when he came to where the +beam was most burnt, then it broke down under him. Skarphedinn +came down on his feet, and tried again the second time, and +climbs up the wall with a run, then down on him came the wall- +plate, and he toppled down again inside. + +Then Skarphedinn said, "Now one can see what will come;" and then +he went along the side wall. Gunnar Lambi's son leapt up on the +wall and sees Skarphedinn, he spoke thus, "Weepest thou now, +Skarphedinn?" + +"Not so," says Skarphedinn; "but true it is that the smoke makes +one's eyes smart, but is it as it seems to me, dost thou laugh?" + +"So it is surely," says Gunnar, "and I have never laughed since +thou slewest Thrain on Markfleet." + +Then Skarphedinn said, "Here now is a keepsake for thee;" and +with that he took out of his purse the jaw-tooth which he had +hewn out of Thrain, and threw it at Gunnar, and struck him in the +eye, so that it started out and lay on his cheek. + +Then Gunnar fell down from the roof. + +Skarphedinn then went to his brother Grim, and they held one +another by the hand and trode the fire; but when they came to the +middle of the hall Grim fell down dead. + +Then Skarphedinn went to the end of the house, and then there was +a great crash, and down fell the roof. Skarphedinn was then shut +in between it and the gable, and so he could not stir a step +thence. + +Flosi and his band stayed by the fire until it was broad +daylight; then came a man riding up to them. Flosi asked him for +his name, but he said his name was Geirmund, and that he was a +kinsman of the sons of Sigfus. + +"Ye have done a mighty deed," he says. + +"Men," said Flosi, "will call it both a mighty deed and an ill +deed, but that can't be helped now." + +"How many men have lost their lives here?" asks Geirmund. + +"Here have died," says Flosi, "Njal and Bergthora and all their +sons, Thord Kari's son, Kari Solmund's son, but besides these we +cannot say for a surety, because we know not their names." + +"Thou tellest him now dead," said Geirmund, "with whom we have +gossiped this morning." + +"Who is that?" says Flosi. + +"We two," says Geirmund, "I and my neighbour Bard, met Kari +Solmund's son, and Bard gave him his horse, and his hair and his +upper clothes were burned off him!" + +"Had he any weapons?" asks Flosi. + +"He had the sword `Life-luller,'" says Geirmund, "and one edge of +it was blue with fire, and Bard and I said that it must have +become soft, but he answered thus, that he would harden it in the +blood of the sons of Sigfus or the other Burners." + +"What said he of Skarphedinn?" said Flosi. + +"He said both he and Grim were alive," answers Geirmund, "when +they parted; but he said that now they must be dead." + +"Thou hast told us a tale," said Flosi, "which bodes us no idle +peace, for that man hath now got away who comes next to Gunnar of +Lithend in all things; and now, ye sons of Sigfus, and ye other +burners, know this, that such a great blood feud, and hue and cry +will be made about this burning, that it will make many a man +headless, but some will lose all their goods. Now I doubt much +whether any man of you, ye sons of Sigfus, will dare to stay in +his house; and that is not to be wondered at; and so I will bid +you all to come and stay with me in the east, and let us all +share one fate." + +They thanked him for his offer, and said they would be glad to +take it. + +Then Modolf Kettle's son, sang a song: + + "But one prop of Njal's house liveth, + All the rest inside are burnt, + All but one -- those bounteous spenders, + Sigfus' stalwart sons wrought this; + Son of Gollnir (1) now is glutted + Vengeance for brave Hauskuld's death, + Brisk flew fire through thy dwelling, + Bright flames blazed above thy roof." + +"We shall have to boast of something else than that Njal has been +burnt in his house," says Flosi, "for there is no glory in that." + +Then he went up on the gable, and Glum Hilldir's son, and some +other men. Then Glum said, "Is Skarphedinn dead, indeed?" But +the others said he must have been dead long ago. + +The fire sometimes blazed up fitfully and sometimes burned low, +and then they heard down in the fire beneath them that this song +was sung: + + "Deep, I ween, ye Ogre offspring + Devilish brood of giant birth, + Would ye groan with gloomy visage + Had the fight gone to my mind; + But my very soul it gladdens + That my friends (2) who now boast high, + Wrought not this foul deed, their glory, + Save with footsteps filled with gore." + +"Can Skarphedinn, think ye, have sung this song dead or alive?" +said Grani Gunnar's son. + +"I will go into no guesses about that," says Flosi. + +"We will look for Skarphedinn," says Grani, "and the other men +who have been here burnt inside the house." + +"That shall not be," says Flosi, "it is just like such foolish +men as thou art, now that men will be gathering force all over +the country; and when they do come, I trow the very same man who +now lingers will be so scared that he will not know which way to +run; and now my counsel is that we all ride away as quickly as +ever we can." + +Then Flosi went hastily to his horse and all his men. + +Then Flosi said to Geirmund, "Is Ingialld, thinkest thou, at home +at the Springs?" + +Geirmund said he thought he must be at home. + +"There now is a man," says Flosi, "who has broken his oath with +us and all good faith." + +Then Flosi said to the sons of Sigfus, "What course will ye now +take with Ingialld; will ye forgive him, or shall we now fall on +him and slay him?" + +They all answered that they would rather fall on him and slay +him. + +Then Flosi jumped on his horse, and all the others, and they rode +away. Flosi rode first, and shaped his course for Rangriver, and +up along the river bank. + +Then he saw a man riding down on the other bank of the river and +he knew that there was Ingialld of the Springs. Flosi calls out +to him. Ingialld halted and turned down to the river bank; and +Flosi said to him, "Thou hast broken faith with us, and hast +forfeited life and goods. Here now are the sons of Sigfus, who +are eager to slay thee; but methinks thou hast fallen into a +strait, and I will give thee thy life if thou will hand over to +me the right to make my own award." + +"I will sooner ride to meet Kari," said Ingialld, "than grant +thee the right to utter thine own award, and my answer to the +sons of Sigfus is this, that I shall be no whit more afraid of +them than they are of me." + +"Bide thou there," says Flosi, "if thou art not a coward, for I +will send thee a gift." + +"I will bide of a surety," says Ingialld. + +Thorstein Kolbein's son, Flosi's brother's son, rode up by his +side and had a spear in his hand, he was one of the bravest of +men, and the most worthy of those who were with Flosi. + +Flosi snatched the spear from him, and launched it at Ingialld, +and it fell on his left side, and passed through the shield just +below the handle, and clove it all asunder, but the spear passed +on into his thigh just above the knee-pan, and so on into the +saddle-tree, and there stood fast. + +Then Flosi said to Ingialld, "Did it touch thee? + +"It touched me sure enough," says Ingialld, "but I call this a +scratch and not a wound." + +Then Ingialld plucked the spear out of the wound, and said to +Flosi, "Now bide thou, if thou art not a milksop." + +Then he launched the spear back over the river. Flosi sees that +the spear is coming straight for his middle, and then he backs +his horse out of the way, but the spear flew in front of Flosi's +horse, and missed him, but it struck Thorstein's middle, and down +he fell at once dead off his horse. + +Now Ingialld runs for the wood, and they could not get at him. + +Then Flosi said to his men, "Now have we gotten manscathe, and +now we may know, when such things befall us, into what a luckless +state we have got. Now it is my counsel that we ride up to +Threecorner Ridge; thence we shall be able to see where men ride +all over the country, for by this time they will have gathered +together a great band, and they will think that we have ridden +east to Fleetlithe from Threecorner Ridge; and thence they will +think that we are riding north up on the fell, and so east to our +own country, and thither the greater part of the folk will ride +after us; but some will ride the coast road east to +Selialandsmull, and yet they will think there is less hope of +finding us thitherward, but I will now take counsel for all of +us, and my plan is to ride up into Threecorner-fell, and bide +there till three suns have risen and set in heaven." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Son of Gollnir," Njal, who was the son of Thorgeir Gelling + or Gollnir. +(2) "My friends," ironically of course. + + + +130. OF KARI SOLMUND'S SON + +Now it is to be told of Kari Solmund's son that he fared away +from that hollow in which he had rested himself until he met +Bard, and those words passed between them which Geirmund had +told. + +Thence Kari rode to Mord, and told him the tidings, and he was +greatly grieved. + +Kari said there were other things more befitting a man than to +weep for them dead, and bade him rather gather folk and come to +Holtford. + +After that he rode into Thurso-dale to Hjallti Skeggi's son, and +as he went along Thurso water, he sees a man riding fast behind +him. Kari waited for the man, and knows that he was Ingialld of +the Springs. He sees that he is very bloody about the thigh; and +Kari asked Ingialld who had wounded him, and he told him. + +"Where met ye two?" says Kari. + +"By Rangwater side," says Ingialld, "and he threw a spear over +at me." + +"Didst thou aught for it?" asks Kari. + +"I threw the spear back," says Ingialld, "and they said that it +met a man, and he was dead at once." + +"Knowest thou not," said Kari, "who the man was?" + +"Methought he was like Thorstein Flosi's brother's son," says +Ingialld. + +"Good luck go with thy hand," says Kari. + +After that they rode both together to see Hjallti Skeggi's son, +and told him the tidings. He took these deeds ill, and said +there was the greatest need to ride after them and slay them all. + +After that he gathered men and roused the whole country; now he +and Kari and Ingialld ride with this band to meet Mord Valgard's +son, and they found him at Holtford, and Mord was there waiting +for them with a very great company. Then they parted the hue and +cry; some fared the straight road by the east coast to +Selialandsmull, but some went up to Fleetlithe, and other-some +the higher road thence to Threecorner Ridge, and so down into +Godaland. Thence they rode north to Sand. Some too rode as far +as Fishwaters, and there turned back. Some the coast rode east +to Holt, and told Thorgeir the tidings, and asked whether they +had not ridden by there. + +"This is how it is," said Thorgeir, "though I am not a mighty +chief, yet Flosi would take other counsel than to ride under my +eyes, when he has slain Njal, my father's brother, and my +cousins; and there is nothing left for any of you but e'en to +turn back again, for ye should have hunted longer nearer home; +but tell this to Kari, that he must ride hither to me and be here +with me if he will; but though he will not come hither east, +still I will look after his farm at Dyrholms if he will, but tell +him too that I will stand by him and ride with him to the +Althing. And he shall also know this, that we brothers are the +next of kin to follow up the feud, and we mean so to take up the +suit, that outlawry shall follow and after that revenge, man for +man, if we can bring it about; but I do not go with you now, +because I know naught will come of it, and they will now be as +wary as they can of themselves." + +Now they ride back, and all met at Hof and talked there among +themselves, and said that they had gotten disgrace since they had +not found them. Alord said that was not so. Then many men were +eager that they should fare to Fleetlithe, and pull down the +homesteads of all those who had been at those deeds, but still +they listened for Mord's utterance. + +"That," he said, "would be the greatest folly." They asked why +he said that. + +"Because," he said, "if their houses stand, they will be sure to +visit them to see their wives; and then, as time rolls on, we may +hunt them down there; and now ye shall none of you doubt that I +will be true to thee Kari, and to all of you, and in all counsel, +for I have to answer for myself." + +Hjallti bade him do as he said. Then Hjallti bade Kari to come +and stay with him, he said he would ride thither first. They +told him what Thorgeir had offered him, and he said he would make +use of that offer afterwards, but said his heart told him it +would be well if there were many such. + +After that the whole band broke up. + +Flosi and his men saw all these tidings from where they were on +the fell; and Flosi said, "Now we will take our horses and ride +away, for now it will be some good." + +The sons of Sigfus asked whether it would be worth while to get +to their homes and tell the news. + +"It must be Mord's meaning," says Flosi, "that ye will visit your +wives; and my guess is, that his plan is to let your houses stand +unsacked; but my plan is that not a man shall part from the +other, but all ride east with me." + +So every man took that counsel, and then they all rode east and +north of the Jokul, and so on till they came to Swinefell. + +Flosi sent at once men out to get in stores, so that nothing +might fall short. + +Folsi never spoke about the deed, but no fear was found in him, +and he was at home the whole winter till Yule was over. + + + +131. NJAL'S AND BERGTHORA'S BONES FOUND + +Kari bade Hjallti to go and search for Njal's bones, "For all +will believe in what thou sayest and thinkest about them." + +Hjallti said he would be most willing to bear Njal's bones to +church; so they rode thence fifteen men. They rode east over +Thurso-water, and called on men there to come with them till they +had one hundred men, reckoning Njal's neighbours. + +They came to Bergthorsknoll at mid-day. + +Hjallti asked Kari under what part of the house Njal might be +lying, but Kari showed them to the spot, and there was a great +heap of ashes to dig away. There they found the hide underneath, +and it was as though it were shrivelled with the fire. They +raised up the hide, and lo! they were unburnt under it. All +praised God for that, and thought it was a great token. + +Then the boy was taken up who had lain between them, and of him a +finger was burnt off which he had stretched out from under the +hide. + +Njal was borne out, and so was Bergthora, and then all men went to +see their bodies. + +Then Hjallti said, "What like look to you these bodies?" + +They answered, "We will wait for thy utterance." + +Then Hjallti said, "I shall speak what I say with all freedom of +speech. The body of Bergthora looks as it was likely she would +look, and still fair; but Njal's body and visage seem to me so +bright that I have never seen any dead man's body so bright as +this." + +They all said they thought so too. + +Then they sought for Skarphedinn, and the men of the household +showed them to the spot where Flosi and his men heard the song +sung, and there the roof had fallen down by the gable, and there +Hjallti said that they should look. Then they did so, and found +Skarphedinn's body there, and he had stood up hard by the gable- +wall, and his legs were burnt off him right up to the knees, but +all the rest of him was unburnt. He had bitten through his under +lip, his eyes were wide open and not swollen nor starting out of +his head; he had driven his axe into the gable-wall so hard that +it had gone in up to the middle of the blade, and that was why it +was not softened. + +After that the axe was broken out of the wall, and Hjallti took +up the axe, and said, "This is a rare weapon, and few would be +able to wield it." + +"I see a man," said Kari, "who shall bear the axe." + +"Who is that?" says Hjallti. + +"Thorgeir Craggeir," says Kari, "he whom I now think to be the +greatest man in all their family." + +Then Skarphedinn was stripped of his clothes, for they were +unburnt, he had laid his hands in a cross, and the right hand +uppermost. They found marks on him; one between his shoulders +and the other on his chest, and both were branded in the shape of +a cross, and men thought that he must have burnt them in himself. + +All men said that they thought that it was better to be near +Skarphedinn dead than they weened, for no man was afraid of him. + +They sought for the bones of Grim, and found them in the midst +of the hall. They found, too, there, right over against him +under the side wall, Thord Freedmanson; but in the weaving-room +they found Saevuna the carline, and three men more. In all they +found there the bones of nine souls. Now they carried the bodies +to the church, and then Hjallti rode home and Kari with him. A +swelling came on Ingialld's leg, and then he fared to Hjallti, +and was healed there, but still he limped ever afterwards. + +Kari rode to Tongue to Asgrim Ellidagrim's son. By that time +Thorhalla was come home, and she had already told the tidings. +Asgrim took Kari by both hands, and bade him be there all that +year. Kari said so it should be. + +Asgrim asked besides all the folk who had been in the house at +Bergthorsknoll to stay with him. Kari said that was well +offered, and said he would take it on their behalf. + +Then all the folk were flitted thither. + +Thorhall Asgrim's son was so startled when he was told that his +foster-father Njal was dead, and that he had been burnt in his +house, that he swelled all over, and a stream of blood burst out +of both his ears, and could not be staunched, and he fell into a +swoon, and then it was staunched. + +After that he stood up, and said he had behaved like a coward, +"But I would that I might be able to avenge this which has +befallen me on some of those who burnt him." + +But when others said that no one would think this a shame to him, +he said he could not stop the mouths of the people from talking +about it. + +Asgrim asked Kari what trust and help he thought he might look +for from those east of the rivers. Kari said that Mord Valgard's +son, and Hjallti Skeggi's son, would yield him all the help they +could, and so, too, would Thorgeir Craggeir and all those +brothers. + +Asgrim said that was great strength. + +"What strength shall we have from thee?" says Kari. + +"All that I can give," says Asgrim, "and I will lay down my life +on it." + +"So do," says Kari. + +"I have also," says Asgrim, "brought Gizur the White into the +suit, and have asked his advice how we shall set about it." + +"What advice did he give?" asks Kari. + +"He counselled," answers Asgrim, "`that we should hold us quite +still till spring, but then ride east and set the suit on foot +against Flosi for the manslaughter of Helgi, and summon the +neighbours from their homes, and give due notice at the Thing of +the suits for the burning, and summon the same neighbours there +too on the inquest before the court. I asked Gizur who should +plead the suit for manslaughter, but he said that Mord should +plead it whether he liked it or not, 'and now,' he went on, `it +shall fall most heavily on him that up to this time all the suits +he has undertaken have had the worst ending. Kari shall also be +wroth whenever he meets Mord, and so, if he be made to fear on +one side, and has to look to me on the other, then he will +undertake the duty.'" + +Then Kari said, "We will follow thy counsel as long as we can, +and thou shalt lead us." + +It is to be told of Kari that he could not sleep of nights. +Asgrim woke up one night and heard that Kari was awake, and +Asgrim said, "Is it that thou canst not sleep at night?" + +Then Kari sang this song: + + "Bender of the bow of battle, + Sleep will not my eyelids seal, + Still my murdered messmates' bidding + Haunts my mind the livelong night; + Since the men their brands abusing + Burned last autumn guileless Njal, + Burned him house and home together, + Mindful am I of my hurt." + +Kari spoke of no men so often as of Njal and Skarphedinn, and +Bergthora and Helgi. He never abused his foes, and never +threatened them. + + + +132. FLOSI'S DREAM + +One night it so happened that Flosi struggled much in his sleep. +Glum Hildir's son woke him up, and then Flosi said, "Call me +Kettle of the Mark." + +Kettle came thither, and Flosi said, "I will tell thee my dream." + +"I am ready to hear it," says Kettle. + +"I dreamt," says Flosi, "that methought I stood below Loom-nip, +and went out and looked up to the Nip, and all at once it opened, +and a man came out of the Nip, and he was clad in goatskins, and +had an iron staff in his hand. He called, as he walked, on many +of my men, some sooner and some later, and named them by name. +First he called Grim the Red my kinsman, and Arni Kol's son. Then +methought something strange followed, methought he called Eyjolf +Bolverk's son, and Ljot son of Hall of the Side, and some six men +more. Then he held his peace awhile. After that he called five +men of our band, and among them were the sons of Sigfus, thy +brothers; then he called other six men, and among them were +Lambi, and Modolf, and Glum. Then he called three men. Last of +all he called Gunnar Lambi's son, and Kol Thorstein's son. After +that he came up to me; I asked him `What news?' He said he had +tidings enough to tell. Then I asked him for his name, but he +called himself Irongrim. I asked him whither he was going; he +said he had to fare to the Althing. `What shalt thou do there?' +I said. `First I shall challenge the inquest,' he answers, `and +then the courts, then clear the field for fighters.' After that +he sang this song: + + "'Soon a man death's snake-strokes dealing + High shall lift his head on earth, + Here amid the dust low rolling + Battered brainpans men shall see; + Now upon the hills in hurly + Buds the blue steel's harvest bright; + Soon the bloody dew of battle + Thigh-deep through the ranks shall rise.' + +"Then he shouted with such a mighty shout that methought +everything near shook, and dashed down his staff, and there was a +mighty crash. Then he went back into the fell, but fear clung to +me; and now I wish thee to tell me what thou thinkest this dream +is." + +"It is my foreboding," says Kettle, "that all those who were +called must be `fey.' It seems to me good counsel that we tell +this dream to no man just now." + +Flosi said so it should be. Now the winter passes away till Yule +was over. Then Flosi said to his men, "Now I mean that we should +fare from home, for methinks we shall not be able to have an idle +peace. Now we shall fare to pray for help, and now that will +come true which I told you, that we should have to bow the knee +to many ere this quarrel were ended." + + + +133. OF FLOSI'S JOURNEY AND HIS ASKING FOR HELP + +After that they busked them from home all together. Flosi was in +long-hose because he meant to go on foot, and then he knew that +it would seem less hard to the others to walk. + +Then they fared from home to Knappvale, but the evening after to +Broadwater, and then to Calffell, thence by Bjornness to +Hornfirth, thence to Staffell in Lon, and then to Thvattwater to +Hall of the Side. + +Flosi had to wife Steinvora, his daughter. + +Hall gave them a very hearty welcome, and Flosi said to Hall, "I +will ask thee, father-in-law, that thou wouldst ride to the Thing +with me with all thy Thingmen." + +"Now," answered Hall, "it has turned out as the saw says, `but a +short while is hand fain of blow'; and yet it is one and the same +man in thy band who now hangs his head, and who then goaded thee +on to the worst of deeds when it was still undone. But my help I +am bound to lend thee in all such places as I may." + +"What counsel dost thou give me," said Flosi, "in the strait in +which I now am." + +"Thou shalt fare," said Hall, "north, right up to Weaponfirth, +and ask all the chiefs for aid, and thou wilt yet need it all +before the Thing is over." + +Flosi stayed there three nights, and rested him, and fared thence +east to Geitahellna, and so to Berufirth; there they were the +night. Thence they fared east to Broaddale in Haydale. There +Hallbjorn the Strong dwelt. He had to wife Oddny the sister of +Saurli Broddhelgi's son, and Flosi had a hearty welcome there. + +Hallbjorn asked how far north among the firths Flosi meant to go. +He said he meant to go as far as Weaponfirth. Then Flosi took a +purse of money from his belt, and said he would give it to +Hallbjorn. He took the money, but yet said he had no claim on +Flosi for gifts, "But still I would be glad to know in what thou +wilt that I repay thee." + +"I have no need of money," says Flosi, "but I wish thou wouldst +ride to the Thing with me, and stand by me in my quarrel, but +still I have no ties or kinship to tell towards thee." + +"I will grant thee that," said Hallbjorn, "to ride to the Thing +with thee, and to stand by thee in thy quarrel as I would by my +brother." + +Flosi thanked him, and Hallbjorn asked much about the burning, +but they told him all about it at length. + +Thence Flosi fared to Broaddale's heath, and so to Hrafnkelstede, +there dwelt Hrafnkell, the son of Thorir, the son of Hrafnkell +Raum. Flosi had a hearty welcome there, and sought for help and +a promise to ride to the Thing from Hrafnkell, but he stood out a +long while, though the end of it was that he gave his word that +his son Thorir should ride with all their Thingmen, and yield him +such help as the other priests of the same district. + +Flosi thanked him and fared away to Bersastede. There Holmstein +son of Bersi the Wise dwelt, and he gave Flosi a very hearty +welcome. Flosi begged him for help. Holmstein said he had been +long in his debt for help. + +Thence they fared to Waltheofstede -- there Saurli Broddhelgi's +son, Bjarni's brother, dwelt. He had to wife Thordisa, a +daughter of Gudmund the Powerful, of Modruvale. They had a +hearty welcome there. But next morning Flosi raised the question +with Saurli that he should ride to the Althing with him, and bid +him money for it. + +"I cannot tell about that," says Saurli, "so long as I do not +know on which side my father-in-law Gudmund the Powerful stands, +for I mean to stand by him on whichever side he stands." + +"Oh!" said Flosi, "I see by thy answer that a woman rules in this +house." + +Then Flosi stood up and bade his men take their upper clothing +and weapons, and then they fared away, and got no help there. So +they fared below Lagarfleet and over the heath to Njardwick; +there two brothers dwelt, Thorkel the Allwise, and Thorwalld his +brother; they were sons of Kettle, the son of Thidrandi the Wise, +the son of Kettle Rumble, son of Thorir Thidrandi. The mother of +Thorkel the Allwise and Thorwalld was Yngvillda, daughter of +Thorkel the Wise. Flosi got a hearty welcome there, he told +those brothers plainly of his errand, and asked for their help; +but they put him off until he gave three marks of silver to each +of them for their aid; then they agreed to stand by Flosi. + +Their mother Yngvillda was by when they gave their words to ride +to the Althing, and wept. Thorkel asked why she wept; and she +answered, "I dreamt that thy brother Thorwalld was clad in a red +kirtle, and methought it was so tight as though it were sewn on +him; methought too that he wore red hose on his legs and feet, +and bad shoethongs were twisted round them; methought it ill to +see when I knew he was so uncomfortable, but I could do naught +for him." + +They laughed and told her she had lost her wits, and said her +babble should not stand in the way of their ride to the Thing. + +Flosi thanked them kindly, and fared thence to Weaponfirth and +came to Hof. There dwelt Bjarni Broddhelgi's son (1). Bjarni +took Flosi by both hands, and Flosi bade Bjarni money for his +help. + +"Never," said Bjarni, "have I sold my manhood or help for bribes, +but now that thou art in need of help, I will do thee a good turn +for friendship's sake, and ride to the Thing with thee, and stand +by thee as I would by my brother." + +"Then thou hast thrown a great load of debt on my hands," said +Flosi, "but still I looked for as much from thee." + +Thence Flosi and his men fared to Crosswick. Thorkell Geitis' +son was a great friend of his. Flosi told him his errand, and +Thorkel said it was but his duty to stand by him in every way in +his power, and not to part from his quarrel. Thorkel gave Flosi +good gifts at parting. + +Thence they fared north to Weaponfirth and up into the Fleetdale +country, and turned in as guests at Holmstein's, the son of Bersi +the Wise. Flosi told him that all had backed him in his need and +business well, save Saurli Broddhelgi's son. Holmstein said the +reason of that was that he was not a man of strife. Holmstein +gave Flosi good gifts. + +Flosi fared up Fleetdale, and thence south on the fell across +Oxenlaya and down Swinehorndale, and so out by Alftafirth to the +west, and did not stop till he came to Thvattwater to his father- +in-law Hall's house. There he stayed half a month, and his men +with him and rested him. + +Flosi asked Hall what counsel he would now give him, and what he +should do next, and whether he should change his plans. + +"My counsel," said Hall, "is this, that thou goest home to thy +house, and the sons of Sigfus with thee, but that they send men +to set their homesteads in order. But first of all fare home, +and when ye ride to the Thing, ride all together, and do not +scatter your band. Then let the sons of Sigfus go to see their +wives on the way. I too will ride to the Thing, and Ljot my son +with all our Thing-men, and stand by thee with such force as I +can gather to me." + +Flosi thanked him, and Hall gave him good gifts at parting. + +Then Flosi went away from Thvattwater, and nothing is to be told +of his journey till he comes home to Swinefell. There he stayed +at home the rest of the winter, and all the summer right up to +the Thing. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Broddhelgi was the son of Thorgil, the son of Thorstein the + White, the son of Oliver, the son of Eyvalld, the son of + Oxen-Thorir. The mother of Bjarni was Halla, the daughter + of Lyting. The mother of Broddhelgi was Asvora, the + daughter of Thorir, the son of Porridge-Atli, the son of + Thorir Thidrandi. Bjarni Broddhelgi's son had to wife + Rannveiga the daughter of Thorgeir, the son of Eric of + Gooddale, the son of Geirmund, the son of Hroald, the son of + Eric Frizzelbeard. + + + +134. OF THORHALL AND KARI + +Thorhall Asgrim's son, and Kari Solmund's son, rode one day to +Mossfell to see Gizur the White; he took them with both hands, +and there they were at his house a very long while. Once it +happened as they and Gizur talked of Njal's burning, that Gizur +said it was very great luck that Kari had got away. Then a song +came into Kari's mouth. + + "I who whetted helmet-hewer (1), + I who oft have burnished brand, + From the fray went all unwilling + When Njal's rooftree crackling roared; + Out I leapt when bands of spearmen + Lighted there a blaze of flame! + Listen men unto my moaning, + Mark the telling of my grief." + +Then Gizur said, "It must be forgiven thee that thou art mindful, +and so we will talk no more about it just now." + +Kari says that he will ride home; and Gizur said, "I will now +make a clean breast of my counsel to thee. Thou shalt not ride +home, but still thou shalt ride away, and east under Eyjafell, to +see Thorgeir Craggeir, and Thorleif Crow. They shall ride from +the east with thee. They are the next of kin in the suit, and +with them shall ride Thorgrim the Big, their brother. Ye shall +ride to Mord Valgard's son's house, and tell him this message +from me, that he shall take up the suit for manslaughter for +Helgi Njal's son against Flosi. But if he utters any words +against this, then shalt thou make thy self most wrathful, and +make believe as though thou wouldst let thy axe fall on his head; +and in the second place, thou shalt assure him of my wrath if he +shows any ill will. Along with that shalt thou say, that I will +send and fetch away my daughter Thorkatla, and make her come home +to me; but that he will not abide, for he loves her as the very +eyes in his head." + +Kari thanked him for his counsel. Kari spoke nothing of help to +him, for he thought he would show himself his good friend in this +as in other things. + +Thence Kari rode east over the rivers, and so to Fleetlithe, and +east across Markfleet, and so on to Selialandsmull. So they ride +east to Holt. + +Thorgeir welcomed them with the greatest kindliness. He told +them of Flosi's journey, and how great help he had got in the +east firths. + +Kari said it was no wonder that he, who had to answer for so +much, should ask for help for himself. + +Then Thorgeir said, "The better things go for them, the worse it +shall be for them; we will only follow them up so much the +harder." + +Kari told Thorgeir of Gizur's advice. After that they ride from +the east to Rangrivervale to Mord Valgard's son's house. He gave +them a hearty welcome. Kari told him the message of Gizur his +father-in-law. He was slow to take the duty on him, and said it +was harder to go to law with Flosi than with any other ten men. + +"Thou behavest now as he (2) thought," said Kari; "for thou art a +bad bargain in every way; thou art both a coward and heartless, +but the end of this shall be as is fitting, that Thorkatla shall +fare home to her father." + +She busked her at once, and said she had long been "boun" to part +from Mord. Then he changed his mood and his words quickly, and +begged off their wrath, and took the suit upon him at once. + +"Now," said Kari, "thou has taken the suit upon thee, see that +thou pleadest it without fear, for thy life lies on it." + +Mord said he would lay his whole heart on it to do this well and +manfully. + +After that Mord summoned to him nine neighbours, they were all +near neighbours to the spot where the deed was done. Then Mord +took Thorgeir by the hand and named two witnesses to bear +witness, "That Thorgeir Thorir's son hands me over a suit for +manslaughter against Flosi Thord's son, to plead it for the +slaying of Helgi Njal's son, with all those proofs which have to +follow the suit. Thou handest over to me this suit to plead and +to settle, and to enjoy all rights in it, as though I were the +rightful next of kin. Thou handest it over to me by law, and I +take it from thee by law." + +A second time Mord named his witnesses, "To bear witness," said +he, "that I give notice of an assault laid down by law against +Flosi Thord's son, for that he dealt Helgi Njal's son a brain, or +a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death wound; and from +which Helgi got his death. I give notice of this before five +witnesses" -- here he named them all by name -- "I give this +lawful notice. I give notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir's +son has handed over to me." + +Again he named witnesses "To bear witness that I give notice of a +brain, or a body, or a marrow wound against Flosi Thord's son, +for that wound which proved a death wound, but Helgi got his +death therefrom on such and such a spot, when Flosi Thord's son +first rushed on Helgi Njal's son with an assault laid down by +law. I give notice of this before five neighbours" -- then he +named them all by name -- "I give this lawful notice. I give +notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son has handed over to +me." + +Then Mord named his witnesses again "To bear witness," said he, +"that I summon these nine neighbours who dwell nearest the spot" +-- here he named them all by name -- "to ride to the Althing, and +to sit on the inquest to find whether Flosi Thord's son rushed +with an assault laid down by law on Helgi Njal's son, on that +spot where Flosi Thord's son dealt Helgi Njal's son a brain, or a +body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death wound, and from +which Helgi got his death. I call on you to utter all those +words which ye are bound to find by law, and which I shall call +on you to utter before the court, and which belong to this suit; +I call upon you by a lawful summons -- I call on you so that ye +may yourselves hear -- I call on you in the suit which Thorgeir +Thorir's son has handed over to me." + +Again Mord named his witnesses "To bear witness, that I summon +these nine neighbours who dwell nearest to the spot to ride to +the Althing, and to sit on an inquest to find whether Flosi +Thord's son wounded Helgi Njal's son with a brain, or body, or +marrow wound, which proved a death wound, and from which Helgi +got his death, on that spot where Flosi Thord's son first rushed +on Helgi Njal's son with an assault laid down by law. I call on +you to utter all those words which ye are bound to find by law, +and which I shall call on you to utter before the court, and +which belong to this suit. I call upon you by a lawful summons +-- I call on you so that ye may yourselves hear -- I call on you +in the suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son has handed over to me." + +Then Mord said, "Now is the suit set on foot as ye asked, and +now I will pray thee, Thorgeir Craggeir, to come to me when thou +ridest to the Thing, and then let us both ride together, each +with our band, and keep as close as we can together, for my band +shall be ready by the very beginning of the Thing, and I will be +true to you in all things." + +They showed themselves well pleased at that, and this was fast +bound by oaths, that no man should sunder himself from another +till Kari willed it, and that each of them should lay down his +life for the other's life. Now they parted with friendship, and +settled to meet again at the Thing. + +Now Thorgeir rides back east, but Kari rides west over the rivers +till he came to Tongue, to Asgrim's house. He welcomed them +wonderfully well, and Kari told Asgrim all Gizur the White's +plan, and of the setting on foot of the suit. + +"I looked for as much from him," says Asgrim, "that he would +behave well, and now he has shown it." + +Then Asgrim went on, "What heardest thou from the east of Flosi?" + +"He went east all the way to Weaponfirth," answers Kari, "and +nearly all the chiefs have promised to ride with him to the +Althing, and to help him. They look, too, for help from the +Reykdalesmen, and the men of Lightwater, and the Axefirthers." + +Then they talked much about it, and so the time passes away up to +the Althing. + +Thorhall Asgrim's son took such a hurt in his leg that the foot +above the ankle was as big and swollen as a woman's thigh, and he +could not walk save with a staff. He was a man tall in growth, +and strong and powerful, dark of hue in hair and skin, measured +and guarded in his speech, and yet hot and hasty tempered. He +was the third greatest lawyer in all Iceland. + +Now the time comes that men should ride from home to the Thing, +Asgrim said to Kari, "Thou shalt ride at the very beginning of +the Thing, and fit up our booths, and my son Thorhall with thee. +Thou wilt treat him best and kindest, as he is footlame, but we +shall stand in the greatest need of him at this Thing. With you +two, twenty men more shall ride." + +After that they made ready for their journey, and then they rode +to the Thing, and set up their booths, and fitted them out well. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Helmet-hewer," sword. +(2) Gizur. + + + +135. OF FLOSI AND THE BURNERS + +Flosi rode from the east and those hundred and twenty men who had +been at the burning with him. They rode till they came to +Fleetlithe. Then the sons of Sigfus looked after their +homesteads and tarried there that day, but at even they rode west +over Thurso-water, and slept there that night. But next morning +early they saddled their horses and rode off on their way. + +Then Flosi said to his men, "Now will we ride to Tongue to Asgrim +to breakfast, and trample down his pride a little." + +They said that were well done. They rode till they had a short +way to Tongue. Asgrim stood out of doors, and some men with him. +They see the band as soon as ever they could do so from the +house. Then Asgrim's men said, "There must be Thorgeir +Craggeir." + +"Not he," said Asgrim. "I think so all the more because these +men fare with laughter and wantonness; but such kinsmen of Njal +as Thorgeir is would not smile before some vengeance is taken for +the burning, and I will make another guess, and maybe ye will +think that unlikely. My meaning is that it must be Flosi and the +burners with him, and they must mean to humble us with insults, +and we will now go indoors all of us." + +Now they do so, and Asgrim made them sweep the house and put up +the hangings, and set the boards and put meat on them. He made +them place stools along each bench, all down the room. + +Flosi rode into the "town," and bade men alight from their horses +and go in. They did so, and Flosi and his men went into the +hall. Asgrim sate on the cross-bench on the dais. Flosi looked +at the benches and saw that all was made ready that men needed to +have. Asgrim gave them no greeting, but said to Flosi, "The +boards are set, so that meat may be free to those that need it." + +Flosi sat down to the board, and all his men; but they laid their +arms up against the wainscot. They sat on the stools who found +no room on the benches; but four men stood with weapons just +before where Flosi sat while they ate. + +Asgrim kept his peace during the meat, but was as red to look on +as blood. + +But when they were full, some women cleared away the boards, +while others brought in water to wash their hands. Flosi was in +no greater hurry than if he had been at home. There lay a +pole-axe in the corner of the dais. Asgrim caught it up with +both hands, and ran up to the rail at the edge of the dais, and +made a blow at Flosi's head. Glum Hilldir's son happened to see +what he was about to do, and sprang up at once, and got hold of +the axe above Asgrim's hands, and turned the edge at once on +Asgrim; for Glum was very strong. Then many more men ran up and +seized Asgrim, but Flosi said that no man was to do Asgrim any +harm, "For we put him to too hard a trial, and he only did what +he ought, and showed in that that he had a big heart." + +Then Flosi said to Asgrim, "Here, now, we shall part safe and +sound, and meet at the Thing, and there begin our quarrel over +again." + +"So it will be," says Asgrim; "and I would wish that, ere this +Thing be over, ye should have to take in some of your sails." + +Flosi answered him never a word, and then they went out, and +mounted their horses, and rode away. They rode till they came to +Laugarwater, and were there that night; but next morning they +rode on to Baitvale, and baited their horses there, and there +many bands rode to meet them. There was Hall of the Side, and +all the Eastfirthers. Flosi greeted them well, and told them of +his journeys and dealings with Asgrim. Many praised him for +that, and said such things were bravely done. + +Then Hall said, "I look on this in another way than ye do, for +methinks it was a foolish prank -- they were sure to bear in mind +their griefs, even though they were not reminded of them anew; +but those men who try others so heavily must look for all evil." + +It was seen from Hall's way that he thought this deed far too +strong. They rode thence all together, till they came to the +Upper Field, and there they set their men in array, and rode down +on the Thing. + +Flosi had made them fit out Byrgir's booth ere be rode to the +Thing; but the Eastfirthers rode to their own booths. + + + +136. OF THORGEIR CRAGGEIR + +Thorgeir Craggeir rode from the east with much people. His +brothers were with him, Thorleif Crow and Thorgrim the Big. They +came to Hof, to Mord Valgard's son's house, and bided there till +he was ready. Mord had gathered every man who could bear arms, +and they could see nothing about him but that he was most +steadfast in everything, and now they rode until they came west +across the rivers. Then they waited for Hjallti Skeggi's son. +He came after they had waited a short while, and they greeted him +well, and rode afterwards all together till they came to Reykia +in Bishop's tongue, and bided there for Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, +and he came to meet them there. Then they rode west across +Bridgewater. Then Asgrim told them all that had passed between +him and Flosi; and Thorgeir said, "I would that we might try +their bravery ere the Thing closes." + +They rode until they came to Baitvale. There Gizur the White +came to meet them with a very great company, and they fell to +talking together. Then they rode to the Upper Field, and drew up +all their men in array there, and so rode to the Thing. + +Flosi and his men all took to their arms, and it was within an +ace that they would fall to blows. But Asgrim and his friends +and their followers would have no hand in it, and rode to their +booths; and now all was quiet that day, so that they had naught +to do with one another. Thither were come chiefs from all the +Quarters of the land; there had never been such a crowded Thing +before, that men could call to mind. + + + +137. OF EYJOLF BOLVERK'S SON + +There was a man named Eyjolf. He was the son of Bolverk, the son +of Eyjolf the Guileful, of Otterdale (1). Eyjolf was a man of +great rank, and best skilled in law of all men, so that some said +he was the third best lawyer in Iceland. He was the fairest in +face of all men, tall and strong, and there was the making of a +great chief in him. He was greedy of money, like the rest of his +kinsfolk. + +One day Flosi went to the booth of Bjarni Broddhelgi's son. +Bjarni took him by both hands, and sat Flosi down by his side. +They talked about many things, and at last Flosi said to Bjarni, +"What counsel shall we now take?" + +"I think," answered Bjarni, "that it is now hard to say what to +do, but the wisest thing seems to me to go round and ask for +help, since they are drawing strength together against you. I +will also ask thee, Flosi, whether there be any very good lawyer +in your band; for now there are but two courses left; one to ask +if they will take an atonement, and that is not a bad choice, but +the other is to defend the suit at law, if there be any defence +to it, though that will seem to be a bold course; and this is why +I think this last ought to be chosen, because ye have hitherto +fared high and mightily, and it is unseemly now to take a lower +course." + +"As to thy asking about lawyers," said Flosi, "I will answer thee +at once that there is no such man in our band; nor do I know +where to look for one except it be Thorkel Geitir's son, thy +kinsman." + +"We must not reckon on him," said Bjarni, "for though he knows +something of law, he is far too wary, and no man need hope to +have him as his shield; but he will back thee as well as any man +who backs thee best, for he has a stout heart; besides, I must +tell thee that it will be that man's bane who undertakes the +defence in this suit for the burning, but I have no mind that +this should befall my kinsmen Thorkel, so ye must turn your eyes +elsewhither." + +Flosi said he knew nothing about who were the best lawyers. + +"There is a man named Eyjolf," said Bjarni; "he is Bolverk's son, +and he is the best lawyer in the Westfirther's Quarter; but you +will need to give him much money if you are to bring him into the +suit, but still we must not stop at that. We must also go with +our arms to all law business, and be most wary of ourselves, but +not meddle with them before we are forced to fight for our lives. +And now I will go with thee, and set out at once on our begging +for help, for now methinks the peace will be kept but a little +while longer." + +After that they go out of the booth, and to the booths of the +Axefirthers. Then Bjarni talks with Lyting and Bleing, and Hroi +Arnstein's son, and he got speedily whatever he asked of them. +Then they fared to see Kol, the son of Killing-Skuti, and Eyvind +Thorkel's son, the son of Askel the Priest, and asked them for +their help; but they stood out a long while, but the end of it +was that they took three marks of silver for it, and so went into +the suit with them. + +Then they went to the booths of the men of Lightwater, and stayed +there some time. Flosi begged the men of Lightwater for help, +but they were stubborn and hard to win over, and then Flosi said, +with much wrath, "Ye are ill-behaved! Ye are grasping and +wrongful at home in your own country, and ye will not help men at +the Thing, though they need it. No doubt you will be held up to +reproach at the Thing, and very great blame will be laid on you +if ye bear not in mind that scorn and those biting words which +Skarphedinn hurled at you men of Lightwater." + +But on the other hand, Flosi dealt secretly with them, and bade +them money for their help, and so coaxed them over with fair +words, until it came about that they promised him their aid, and +then became so steadfast that they said they would fight for +Flosi, if need were. + +Then Bjarni said to Flosi, "Well done! Well done! Thou art a +mighty chief, and a bold outspoken man, and reckest little what +thou sayest to men." + +After that they fared away west across the river, and so to the +Hladbooth. They saw many men outside before the booth. There +was one man who had a scarlet cloak over his shoulders, and a +gold band round his head, and an axe studded with silver in his +hand. + +"This is just right," said Bjarni, "here now is the man I spoke +of, Eyjolf Bolverk's son, if thou wilt see him, Flosi." + +Then they went to meet Eyjolf, and hailed him. Eyjolf knew +Bjarni at once, and greeted him well. Bjarni took Eyjolf by the +hand, and led him up into the "Great Rift." Flosi's and Bjarni's +men followed after, and Eyjolf's men went also with him. They +bade them stay upon the lower brink of the Rift, and look about +them, but Flosi, and Bjarni, and Eyjolf went on till they came to +where the path leads down from the upper brink of the Rift. + +Flosi said it was a good spot to sit down there, for they could +see around them far and wide. Then they sat them down there. +They were four of them together, and no more. + +Then Bjarni spoke to Eyjolf, and said "Thee, friend, have we come +to see, for we much need thy help in every way." + +"Now," said Eyjolf, "there is good choice of men here at the +Thing, and ye will not find it hard to fall on those who will be +a much greater strength to you than I can be." + +"Not so," said Bjarni, "thou hast many things which show that +there is no greater man than thou at the Thing; first of all, +that thou art so well-born, as all those men are who are sprung +from Ragnar Hairybreeks; thy forefathers, too, have always stood +first in great suits, both here at the Thing and at home in their +own country, and they have always had the best of it; we think, +therefore, it is likely that thou wilt be lucky in winning suits, +like thy kinsfolk." + +"Thou speakest well, Bjarni," said Eyjolf; "but I think that I +have small share in all this that thou sayest." + +Then Flosi said, "There is no need beating about the bush as to +what we have in mind. We wish to ask for thy help, Eyjolf, and +that thou wilt stand by us in our suits, and go to the court with +us, and undertake the defence, if there be any, and plead it for +us, and stand by us in all things that may happen at this Thing." + +Eyjolf jumped up in wrath, and said that no man had any right to +think that he could make a catspaw of him, or drag him on if he +had no mind to go himself. + +"I see, too, now," he says, "what has led you to utter all those +fair words with which ye began to speak to me." + +Then Hallbjorn the Strong caught hold of him and sate him down by +his side, between him and Bjarni, and said, "No tree falls at the +first stroke, friend, but sit here awhile by us." Then Flosi +drew a gold ring off his arm. + +"This ring will I give thee, Eyjolf, for thy help and friendship, +and so show thee that I will not befool thee. It will be best +for thee to take the ring, for there is no man here at the Thing +to whom I have ever given such a gift." + +The ring was such a good one, and so well made, that it was worth +twelve hundred yards of russet stuff. + +Hallbjorn drew the ring on Eyjolf's arm; and Eyjolf said, "It is +now most fitting that I should take the ring, since thou behavest +so handsomely; and now thou mayest make up thy mind that I will +undertake the defence, and do all things needful." + +"Now," said Bjarni, "ye behave handsomely on both sides, and here +are men well fitted to be witnesses, since I and Hallbjorn are +here, that thou hast undertaken the suit." + +Then Eyjolf arose, and Flosi too, and they took one another by +the hand; and so Eyjolf undertook the whole defence of the suit +off Flosi's hands, and so, too, if any suit arose out of the +defence, for it often happens that what is a defence in one suit, +is a plaintiff's plea in another. So he took upon him all the +proofs and proceedings which belonged to those suits, whether +they were to be pleaded before the Quarter Court or the Fifth +Court. Flosi handed them over in lawful form, and Eyjolf took +them in lawful form, and then he said to Flosi and Bjarni, "Now I +have undertaken this defence just as ye asked, but my wish it is +that ye should still keep it secret at first; but if the matter +comes into the Fifth Court, then be most careful not to say that +ye have given goods for my help." + +Then Flosi went home to his booth, and Bjarni with him, but +Eyjolf went to the booth of Snorri the Priest, and sate down by +him, and they talked much together. + +Snorri the Priest caught hold of Eyjolf's arm, and turned up the +sleeve, and sees that he had a great ring of gold on his arm. +Then Snorri the Priest said, "Pray, was this ring bought or +given?" + +Eyjolf was put out about it, and had never a word to say. Then +Snorri said, "I see plainly that thou must have taken it as a +gift, and may this ring not be thy death!" + +Eyjolf jumped up and went away, and would not speak about it; and +Snorri said, as Eyjolf arose, "It is very likely that thou wilt +know what kind of gift thou hast taken by the time this Thing is +ended." + +Then Eyjolf went to his booth. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Eyjolf the Guileful was the son of Thord Gellir, the son of + Oleif Feilan. The mother of Eyjolf the Guileful was Rodny, + the daughter of Skeggi of Midfirth. + + + +138. OF ASGRIM, AND GIZUR, AND KARI + +Now Asgrim Ellidagrim's son talks to Gizur the White, and Kari +Solmund's son, and to Hjallti Skeggi's son, Mord Valgard's son, +and Thorgeir Craggeir, and says, "There is no need to have any +secrets here, for only those men are by who know all our counsel. +Now I will ask you if ye know anything of their plans, for if you +do, it seems to me that we must take fresh counsel about our own +plans." + +"Snorri the Priest," answers Gizur the White, "sent a man to me, +and bade him tell me that Flosi had gotten great help from the +Northlanders; but that Eyjolf Bolverk's son, his kinsman, had had +a gold ring given him by some one, and made a secret of it, and +Snorri said it was his meaning that Eyjolf Bolverk's son must be +meant to defend the suit at law, and that the ring must have been +given him for that." + +They were all agreed that it must be so. Then Gizur spoke to +them, "Now has Mord Valgard's son, my son-in-law, undertaken a +suit, which all must think most hard, to prosecute Flosi; and now +my wish is that ye share the other suits amongst you, for now it +will soon be time to give notice of the suits at the Hill of +Laws. We shall need also to ask for more help." + +Asgrim said so it should be, "but we will beg thee to go round +with us when we ask for help." Gizur said he would be ready to +do that. + +After that Gizur picked out all the wisest men of their company +to go with him as his backers. There was Hjallti Skeggi's son, +and Asgrim, and Kari, and Thorgeir Craggeir. + +Then Gizur the White said, "Now will we first go to the booth of +Skapti Thorod's son," and they do so. Gizur the White went +first, then Hjallti, then Kari, then Asgrim, then Thorgeir +Craggeir, and then his brothers. + +They went into the booth. Skapti sat on the cross bench on the +dais, and when he saw Gizur the White he rose up to meet him, and +greeted him and all of them well, and bade Gizur to sit down by +him, and he does so. Then Gizur said to Asgrim, "Now shalt thou +first raise the question of help with Skapti, but I will throw in +what I think good." + +"We are come hither," said Asgrim, "for this sake, Skapti, to +seek help and aid at thy hand." + +"I was thought to be hard to win the last time," said Skapti, +"when I would not take the burden of your trouble on me." + +"It is quite another matter now," said Gizur. "Now the feud is +for master Njal and mistress Bergthora, who were burnt in their +own house without a cause, and for Njal's three sons, and many +other worthy men, and thou wilt surely never be willing to yield +no help to men, or to stand by thy kinsmen and connections." + +"It was in my mind," answers Skapti, "when Skarphedinn told me +that I had myself borne tar on my own head, and cut up a sod of +turf and crept under it, and when he said that I had been so +afraid that Thorolf Lopt's son of Eyrar bore me abroad in his +ship among his meal-sacks, and so carried me to Iceland, that I +would never share in the blood feud for his death." + +"Now there is no need to bear such things in mind," said Gizur +the White, "for he is dead who said that, and thou wilt surely +grant me this, though thou wouldst not do it for other men's +sake." + +"This quarrel," says Skapti, "is no business of thine, except +thou choosest to be entangled in it along with them." + +Then Gizur was very wrath, and said, "Thou art unlike thy father, +though he was thought not to be quite cleanhanded; yet was he +ever helpful to men when they needed him most." + +"We are unlike in temper," said Skapti. "Ye two, Asgrim and +thou, think that ye have had the lead in mighty deeds; thou, +Gizur the White, because thou overcamest Gunnar of Lithend; but +Asgrim, for that he slew Gauk, his foster-brother." + +"Few," said Asgrim, "bring forward the better if they know the +worse, but many would say that I slew not Gauk ere I was driven +to it. There is some excuse for thee for not helping us, but +none for heaping reproaches on us; and I only wish before this +Thing is out that thou mayest get from this suit the greatest +disgrace, and that there may be none to make thy shame good." + +Then Gizur and his men stood up all of them, and went out, and so +on to the booth of Snorri the Priest. + +Snorri sat on the cross-bench in his booth; they went into the +booth, and he knew the men at once, and stood up to meet them, +and bade them all welcome, and made room for them to sit by him. + +After that, they asked one another the news of the day. + +Then Asgrim spoke to Snorri, and said, "For that am I and my +kinsman Gizur come hither, to ask thee for thy help." + +"Thou speakest of what thou mayest always be forgiven for asking, +for help in the blood-feud after such connections as thou hadst. +We, too, got many wholesome counsels from Njal, though few now +bear that in mind; but as yet I know not of what ye think ye +stand most in need." + +"We stand most in need," answers Asgrim, "of brisk lads and good +weapons, if we fight them here at the Thing." + +"True it is," said Snorri, "that much lies on that, and it is +likeliest that ye will press them home with daring, and that they +will defend themselves so in like wise, and neither of you will +allow the others' right. Then ye will not bear with them and +fall on them, and that will be the only way left; for then they +will seek to pay you off with shame for manscathe, and with +dishonour for loss of kin." + +It was easy to see that he goaded them on in everything. + +Then Gizur the White said "Thou speakest well, Snorri, and thou +behavest ever most like a chief when most lies at stake." + +"I wish to know," said Asgrim, "in what way thou wilt stand by +us if things turn out as thou sayest." + +"I will show thee those marks of friendship," said Snorri, "on +which all your honour will hang, but I will not go with you to +the court. But if ye fight here on the Thing, do not fall on +them at all unless ye are all most steadfast and dauntless, for +you have great champions against you. But if ye are overmatched, +ye must let yourselves be driven hither towards us, for I shall +then have drawn up my men in array hereabouts, and shall be ready +to stand by you. But if it falls out otherwise, and they give +way before you, my meaning is that they will try to run for a +stronghold in the 'Great Rift.' But if they come thither, then +ye will never get the better of them. Now I will take that on my +hands, to draw up my men there, and guard the pass to the +stronghold, but we will not follow them whether they turn north +or south along the river. And when you have slain out of their +band about as many as I think ye will be able to pay blood-fines +for, and yet keep your priesthoods and abodes, then I will run up +with all my men and part you. Then ye shall promise to do as I +bid you, and stop the battle, if I on my part do what I have now +promised." + +Gizur thanked him kindly, and said that what he had said was just +what they all needed, and then they all went out. + +"Whither shall we go now?" said Gizur. + +"To the Northlanders' booth," said Asgrim. + +Then they fared thither. + + + +139. OF ASGRIM AND GUDMUND + +And when they came into the booth then they saw where Gudmund the +Powerful sate and talked with Einar Conal's son, his foster- +child; he was a wise man. + +Then they come before him, and Gudmund welcomed them very +heartily, and made them clear the booth for them, that they might +all be able to sit down. + +Then they asked what tidings, and Asgrim said, "There is no need +to mutter what I have to say. We wish, Gudmund, to ask for thy +steadfast help." + +"Have ye seen any other chiefs before?" said Gudmund. + +They said they had been to see Skapti Thorod's son and Snorri the +Priest, and told him quietly how they had fared with each of +them. + +Then Gudmund said, "Last time I behaved badly and meanly to you. +Then I was stubborn, but now ye shall drive your bargain with me +all the more quickly because I was more stubborn then, and now I +will go myself with you to the court with all my Thing-men, and +stand by you in all such things as I can, and fight for you +though this be needed, and lay down my life for your lives. I +will also pay Skapti out in this way, that Thorstein Gape-mouth +his son shall be in the battle on our side, for he will not dare +to do aught else than I will, since he has Jodisa my daughter to +wife, and then Skapti will try to part us." + +They thanked him, and talked with him long and low afterwards, so +that no other men could hear. + +Then Gudmund bade them not to go before the knees of any other +chiefs, for he said that would be little-hearted. + +"We will now run the risk with the force that we have. Ye must +go with your weapons to all law-business, but not fight as things +stand." + +Then they went all of them home to their booths, and all this was +at first with few men's knowledge. + +So now the Thing goes on. + + + +140. OF THE DECLARATIONS OF THE SUITS + +It was one day that men went to the Hill of Laws, and the chiefs +were so placed that Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and Gizur the White, +and Gudmund the Powerful, and Snorri the Priest, were on the +upper hand by the Hill of Laws; but the Eastfirthers stood down +below. + +Mord Valgard's son stood next to Gizur his father-in-law, he was +of all men the readiest-tongued. + +Gizur told him that he ought to give notice of the suit for +manslaughter, and bade him speak up, so that all might hear him +well. + +Then Mord took witness and said, "I take witness to this that I +give notice of an assault laid down by law against Flosi Thord's +son, for that he rushed at Helgi Njal's son and dealt him a +brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death-wound, +and from which Helgi got his death. I say that in this suit he +ought to be made a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to +be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need. I say +that all his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the men +of the Quarter, who have a right by law to take his forfeited +goods. I give notice of this suit for manslaughter in the +Quarter Court into which this suit ought by law to come. I give +notice of this lawful notice; I give notice in the hearing of all +men on the Hill of Laws; I give notice of this suit to be pleaded +this summer, and of full outlawry against Flosi Thord's son; I +give notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son has handed over +to me." + +Then a great shout was uttered at the Hill of Laws, that Mord +spoke well and boldly. + +Then Mord began to speak a second time. + +"I take you to witness to this," says he, "that I give notice +of a suit against Flosi Thord's son. I give notice for that he +wounded Helgi Njal's son with a brain, or a body, or a marrow +wound, which proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his +death on that spot where Flosi Thord's son had first rushed on +Helgi Njal's son with an assault laid down by law. I say that +thou, Flosi, ought to be made in this suit a guilty man, an +outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or +harboured in any need. I say that all thy goods are forfeited, +half to me and half to the men of the Quarter, who have a right +by law to take the goods which have been forfeited by thee. I +give notice of this suit in the Quarter Court into which it ought +by law to come; I give notice of this lawful notice; I give +notice of it in the hearing of all men on the Hill of Laws; I +give notice of this suit to be pleaded this summer, and of full +outlawry against Flosi Thord's son. I give notice of the suit +which Thorgeir Thorir's son hath handed over to me." + +After that Mord sat him down. + +Flosi listened carefully, but said never a word the while. + +Then Thorgeir Craggeir stood up and took witness, and said, "I +take witness to this, that I give notice of a suit against Glum +Hilldir's son, in that he took firing and lit it, and bore it to +the house at Bergthorsknoll, when they were burned inside it, to +wit, Njal Thorgeir's son, and Bergthora Skarphedinn's daughter, +and all those other men who were burned inside it there and then. +I say that in this suit he ought to be made a guilty man, an +outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or +harboured in any need. I say that all his goods are forfeited. +half to me, and half to the men of the Quarter, who have a right +by law to take his forfeited goods; I give notice of this suit in +the Quarter Court, into which it ought by law to come. I give +notice in the hearing of all men on the Hill of Laws. I give +notice of this suit to be pleaded this summer, and of full +outlawry against Glum Hilldir's son." + +Kari Solmund's son declared his suits against Kol Thorstein's +son, and Gunnar Lambi's son, and Grani Gunnar's son, and it was +the common talk of men that he spoke wondrous well. + +Thorleif Crow declared his suit against all the sons of Sigfus, +but Thorgrim the Big, his brother, against Modolf Kettle's son, +and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Hroar Hamond's son, brother of +Leidolf the Strong. + +Asgrim Ellidagrim's son declared his suit against Leidolf and +Thorstein Geirleif's son, Arni Kol's son, and Grim the Red. + +And they all spoke well. + +After that other men gave notice of their suits, and it was far +on in the day that it went on so. + +Then men fared home to their booths. + +Eyjolf Bolverk's son went to his booth with Flosi, they passed +east around the booth and Flosi said to Eyjolf. + +"See'st thou any defence in these suits." + +"None," says Eyjolf. + +"What counsel is now to be taken?" says Flosi. + +"I will give thee a piece of advice," said Eyjolf. "Now thou +shalt hand over thy priesthood to thy brother Thorgeir, but +declare that thou hast joined the Thing of Askel the Priest the +son of Thorkettle, north away in Reykiardale; but if they do not +know this, then may be that this will harm them, for they will be +sure to plead their suit in the Eastfirthers' court, but they +ought to plead it in the Northlanders' court, and they will +overlook that, and it is a Fifth Court matter against them if +they plead their suit in another court than that in which they +ought, and then we will take that suit up, but not until we have +no other choice left." + +"May be," said Flosi, "that we shall get the worth of the ring." + +"I don't know that," says Eyjolf; "but I will stand by thee at +law, so that men shall say that there never was a better defence. +Now, we must send for Askel, but Thorgeir shall come to thee at +once, and a man with him." + +A little while after Thorgeir came, and then he took on him +Flosi's leadership and priesthood. + +By that time Askel was come thither too, and then Flosi declared +that he had joined his Thing, and this was with no man's +knowledge save theirs. + +Now all is quiet till the day when the courts were to go out to +try suits. + + + +141. NOW MEN GO TO THE COURTS + +Now the time passes away till the courts were to go out to try +suits. Both sides then made them ready to go thither, and armed +them. Each side put war-tokens on their helmets. + +Then Thorhall Asgrim's son said, "Walk hastily in nothing father +mine, and do everything as lawfully and rightly as ye can, but if +ye fall into any strait let me know as quickly as ye can, and +then I will give you counsel." + +Asgrim and the others looked at him, and his face was as though +it were all blood, but great teardrops gushed out of his eyes. +He bade them bring him his spear, that had been a gift to him +from Skarphedinn, and it was the greatest treasure. + +Asgrim said as they went away, "Our kinsman Thorhall was not easy +in his mind as we left him behind in the booth, and I know not +what he will be at." + +Then Asgrim said again, "Now we will go to Mord Valgard's son, +and think of nought else but the suit, for there is more sport in +Flosi than in very many other men." + +Then Asgrim sent a man to Gizur the White, and Hjallti Skeggi's +son, and Gudmund the Powerful. Now they all came together, and +went straight to the court of Eastfirthers. They went to the +court from the south, but Flosi and all the Eastfirthers with him +went to it from the north. There were also the men of Reykdale +and the Axefirthers with Flosi. There, too, was Eyjolf Bolverk's +son. Flosi looked at Eyjolf, and said, "All now goes fairly, and +may be that it will not be far off from thy guess." + +"Keep thy peace about it," says Eyjolf, "and then we shall be +sure to gain our point." + +Now Mord took witness, and bade all those men who had suits of +outlawry before the court to cast lots who should first plead or +declare his suit, and who next, and who last; he bade them by a +lawful bidding before the court, so that the judges heard it. +Then lots were cast as to the declarations, and he, Mord, drew +the lot to declare his suit first. + +Now Mord Valgard's son took witness the second time, and said, "I +take witness to this, that I except all mistakes in words in my +pleading, whether they be too many or wrongly spoken, and I claim +the right to amend all my words until I have put them into proper +lawful shape. I take witness to myself of this." + +Again Mord said, "I take witness to this, that I bid Flosi +Thord's son, or any other man who has undertaken the defence made +over to him by Flosi, to listen for him to my oath, and to my +declaration of my suit, and to all the proofs and proceedings +which I am about to bring forward against him; I bid him by a +lawful bidding before the court, so that the judges may hear it +across the court." + +Again Mord Valgard's son said, "I take witness to this, that I +take an oath on the book, a lawful oath, and I say it before God, +that I will so plead this suit in the most truthful, and most +just and most lawful way, so far as I know; and that I will bring +forward all my proofs in due form, and utter them faithfully so +long as I am in this suit." + +After that he spoke in these words, "I have called Thorodd as my +first witness, and Thorbjorn as my second; I have called them to +bear witness that I gave notice of an assault laid down by law +against Flosi Thord's son, on that spot where he, Flosi Thord's +son, rushed with an assault laid down by law on Helgi Njal's son, +when Flosi Thord's son wounded Helgi Njal's son with a brain, or +a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death-wound, and from +which Helgi got his death. I said that he ought to be made in +this suit a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to be +forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need; I said that +all his goods were forfeited half to me and half to the men of +the Quarter who have the right by law to take the goods which he +has forfeited; I gave notice of the suit in the quarter Court +into which the suit ought by law to come; I gave notice of that +lawful notice; I gave notice in the hearing of all men at the +Hill of Laws; I gave notice of this suit to be pleaded now this +summer, and of full outlawry against Flosi Thord's son. I gave +notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son had handed over to +me; and I had all these words in my notice which I have now used +in this declaration of my suit. I now declare this suit of +outlawry in this shape before the court of the Eastfirthers over +the head of John, as I uttered it when I gave notice of it." + +Then Mord spoke again, "I have called Thorodd as my first +witness, and Thorbjorn as my second. I have called them to bear +witness that I gave notice of a suit against Flosi Thord's son +for that he wounded Helgi Njal's son with a brain or a body, or a +marrow wound, which proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi +got his death. I said that he ought to be made in this suit a +guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to +be helped or harboured in any need; I said that all his goods +were forfeited, half to me and half to the men of the Quarter who +have the right by law to take the goods which he has forfeited; I +gave notice of the suit in the Quarter Court into which the suit +ought by law to come; I gave notice of that lawful notice; I gave +notice in the hearing of all men at the Hill of Laws; I gave +notice of this suit to be pleaded now this summer, and of full +outlawry against Flosi Thord's son. I gave notice of a suit +which Thorgeir Thorir's son had handed over to me; and I had all +these words in my notice which I have now used in this +declaration of my suit. I now declare this suit of outlawry in +this shape before the court of the Eastfirthers over the head of +John, as I uttered it when I gave notice of it." + +Then Mord's witnesses to the notice came before the court, and +spake so that one uttered their witness, but both confirmed it by +their common consent in this form, "I bear witness that Mord +called Thorodd as his first witness, and me as his second, and my +name is Thorbjorn" -- then he named his father's name -- "Mord +called us two as his witnesses that he gave notice of an assault +laid down by law against Flosi Thord's son when he rushed on +Helgi Njal's son, in that spot where Flosi Thord's son dealt +Helgi Njal's son a brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, that +proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his death. He +said that Flosi ought to be made in this suit a guilty man, an +outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or +harboured by any man; he said that all his goods were forfeited, +half to himself and half to the men of the Quarter who have the +right by law to take the goods which he had forfeited; he gave +notice of the suit in the Quarter Court into which the suit ought +by law to come; he gave notice of that lawful notice; he gave +notice in the hearing of all men at the Hill of Laws; he gave +notice of this suit to be pleaded now this summer, and of full +outlawry against Flosi Thord's son. He gave notice of a suit +which Thorgeir Thorir's son had handed over to him. He used all +those words in his notice which he used in the declaration of his +suit, and which we have used in bearing witness; we have now +borne our witness rightly and lawfully, and we are agreed in +bearing it; we bear this witness in this shape before the +Eastfirthers' Court over the head of John, as Mord uttered it +when he gave his notice." + +A second time they bore their witness of the notice before the +court, and put the wounds first and the assault last, and used +all the same words as before, and bore their witness in this +shape before the Eastfirthers' Court just as Mord uttered them +when he gave his notice. + +Then Mord's witnesses to the handing over of the suit went before +the court, and one uttered their witness, and both confirmed it +by common consent, and spoke in these words, "That those two, +Mord Valgard's son and Thorgeir Thorir's son, took them to +witness that Thorgeir Thorir's son handed over a suit for +manslaughter to Mord Valgard's son against Flosi Thord's son for +the slaying of Helgi Njal's son; he handed over to him then this +suit, with all the proofs and proceedings which belonged to the +suit, he handed it over to him to plead and to settle, and to +make use of all rights as though he were the rightful next of +kin: Thorgeir handed it over lawfully, and Mord took it lawfully." + +They bore witness of the handing over of the suit in this shape +before the Eastfirther's Court over the head of John, just as +Mord or Thorgeir had called them as witnesses to prove. + +They made all these witnesses swear on oath ere they bore +witness, and the judges too. + +Again Mord Valgard's son took witness. "I take witness to this," +said he, "that I bid those nine neighbours whom I summoned when I +laid this suit against Flosi Thord's son, to take their seats +west on the river-bank, and I call on the defendant to challenge +this request, I call on him by a lawful bidding before the court +so that the judges may hear." + +Again Mord took witness. "I take witness to this, that I bid +Flosi Thord's son, or that other man who has the defence handed +over to him, to challenge the inquest which I have caused, to +take their seats west on the river-bank. I bid thee by a lawful +bidding before the court so that the judges may hear." + +Again Mord took witness. "I take witness to this, that now are +all the first steps and proofs brought forward which belong to +the suit. Summons to bear my oath, oath taken, suit declared, +witness borne to the notice, witness borne to the handing over of +the suit, the neighbours on the inquest bidden to take their +seats, and the defendant bidden to challenge the inquest. I take +this witness to these steps and proofs which are now brought +forward, and also to this that I shall not be thought to have +left the suit though I go away from the court to look up proofs, +or on other business." + +Now Flosi and his men went thither where the neighbours on the +inquest sate. + +Then Flosi said to his men, "The sons of Sigfus must know best +whether these are the rightful neighbours to the spot who are +here summoned." + +Kettle of the Mark answered, "Here is that neighbour who held +Mord at the font when he was baptized, but another is his second +cousin by kinship." + +Then they reckoned up his kinship, and proved it with an oath. + +Then Eyjolf took witness that the inquest should do nothing till +it was challenged. + +A second time Eyjolf took witness, "I take witness to this," said +he, "that I challenge both these men out of the inquest, and set +them aside" -- here he named them by name, and their fathers as +well -- "for this sake, that one of them is Mord's second cousin +by kinship, but the other for gossipry (2), for which sake it is +lawful to challenge a neighbour on the inquest; ye two are for a +lawful reason incapable of uttering a finding, for now a lawful +challenge has overtaken you, therefore I challenge and set you +aside by the rightful custom of pleading at the Althing, and by +the law of the land; I challenge you in the cause which Flosi +Thord's son has handed over to me." + +Now all the people spoke out, and said that Mord's suit had come +to naught, and all were agreed in this that the defence was +better than the prosecution. + +Then Asgrim said to Mord, "The day is not yet their own, though +they think now that they have gained a great step; but now some +one shall go to see Thorhall my son, and know what advice he +gives us." + +Then a trusty messenger was sent to Thorhall, and told him as +plainly as he could how far the suit had gone, and how Flosi and +his men thought they had brought the finding of the inquest to a +dead lock. + +"I will so make it out," says Thorhall, "that this shall not +cause you to lose the suit; and tell them not to believe it, +though quirks and quibbles be brought against them, for that +wiseacre Eyjolf has now overlooked something. But now thou shalt +go back as quickly as thou canst, and say that Mord Valgard's son +must go before the court, and take witness that their challenge +has come to naught," and then he told him step by step how they +must proceed. + +The messenger came and told them Thorhall's advice. + +Then Mord Valgard's son went to the court and took witness. "I +take witness to this," said he, "that I make Eyjolf's challenge +void and of none effect; and my ground is, that he challenged +them not for their kinship to the true plaintiff, the next of +kin, but for their kinship to him who pleaded the suit; I take +this witness to myself, and to all those to whom this witness +will be of use." + +After that he brought that witness before the court. + +Now he went whither the neighbours sate on the inquest, and bade +those to sit down again who had risen up, and said they were +rightly called on to share in the finding of the inquest. + +Then all said that Thorhall had done great things, and all +thought the prosecution better than the defence. + +Then Flosi said to Eyjolf, "Thinkest thou that this is good law?" + +"I think so, surely," he says, "and beyond a doubt we overlooked +this; but still we will have another trial of strength with +them." + +Then Eyjolf took witness. "I take witness to this," said he, +"that I challenge these two men out of the inquest" -- here he +named them both -- "for that sake that they are lodgers, but not +householders; I do not allow you two to sit on the inquest, for +now a lawful challenge has overtaken you; I challenge you both +and set you aside out of the inquest, by the rightful custom of +the Althing and by the law of the land." + +Now Eyjolf said he was much mistaken if that could be shaken; and +then all said that the defence was better than the prosecution. + +Now all men praised Eyjolf, and said there was never a man who +could cope with him in lawcraft. + +Mord Valgard's son and Asgrim Ellidagrim's son now sent a man to +Thorhall to tell him how things stood; but when Thorhall heard +that, he asked what goods they owned, or if they were paupers? + +The messenger said that one gained his livelihood by keeping +milch-kine, and "he has both cows and ewes at his abode; but the +other has a third of the land which he and the freeholder farm, +and finds his own food: and they have one hearth between them, he +and the man who lets the land, and one shepherd." + +Then Thorhall said, "They will fare now as before, for they must +have made a mistake, and I will soon upset their challenge and +this though Eyjolf had used such big words that it was law." + +Now Thorhall told the messenger plainly, step by step, how they +must proceed; and the messenger came back and told Mord and +Asgrim all the counsel that Thorhall had given. + +Then Mord went to the court and took witness. "I take witness to +this, that I bring to naught Eyjolf Bolverk's son's challenges +for that he has challenged those men out of the inquest who have +a lawful right to be there; every man has a right to sit on an +inquest of neighbours, who owns three hundreds in land or more, +though he may have no dairystock; and he too has the same right +who lives by dairystock worth the same sum, though he leases no +land." + +Then he brought this witness before the court, and then he went +whither the neighbours on the inquest were, and bade them sit +down, and said they were rightfully among the inquest. + +Then there was a great shout and cry and then all men said that +Flosi's and Eyjolf's cause was much shaken, and now men were of +one mind as to this, that the prosecution was better than the +defence. + +Then Flosi said to Eyjolf, "Can this be law?" + +Eyjolf said he had not wisdom enough to know that for a surety, +and then they sent a man to Skapti, the Speaker of the Law, to +ask whether it were good law, and he sent them back word that it +was surely good law, though few knew it. + +Then this was told to Flosi, and Eyjolf Bolverk's son asked the +sons of Sigfus as to the other neighbours who were summoned +thither. + +They said there were four of them who were wrongly summoned; "for +those sit now at home who were nearer neighbours to the spot." + +Then Eyjolf took witness that he challenged all those four men +out of the inquest, and that he did it with lawful form of +challenge. After that he said to the neighbours, "Ye are bound +to render lawful justice to both sides, and now ye shall go +before the court when ye are called, and take witness that ye +find that bar to uttering your finding; that ye are but five +summoned to utter your finding, but that ye ought to be nine; +and now Thorhall may prove and carry his point in every suit, if +he can cure this flaw in this suit." + +And now it was plain in everything that Flosi and Eyjolf were +very boastful; and there was a great cry that now the suit for +the burning was quashed, and that again the defence was better +than the prosecution. + +Then Asgrim spoke to Mord, "They know not yet of what to boast +ere we have seen my son Thorhall. Njal told me that he had so +taught Thorhall law, that he would turn out the best lawyer in +Iceland whenever it were put to the proof." + +Then a man was sent to Thorhall to tell him how things stood, and +of Flosi's and Eyjolf's boasting, and the cry of the people that +the suit for the burning was quashed in Mord's hands. + +"It will be well for them," says Thorhall, "if they get not +disgrace from this. Thou shalt go and tell Mord to take witness +and swear an oath, that the greater part of the inquest is +rightly summoned, and then he shall bring that witness before the +court, and then he may set the prosecution on its feet again; but +he will have to pay a fine of three marks for every man that he +has wrongly summoned; but he may not be prosecuted for that at +this Thing; and now thou shalt go back." + +He does so, and told Mord and Asgrim all, word for word, that +Thorhall had said. + +Then Mord went to the court, and took witness, and swore an oath +that the greater part of the inquest was rightly summoned, and +said then that he had set the prosecution on its feet again, and +then he went on, "And so our foes shall have honour from +something else than from this, that we have here taken a great +false step." + +Then there was a great roar that Mord handled the suit well; but +it was said that Flosi and his men betook them only to quibbling +and wrong. + +Flosi asked Eyjolf if this could be good law, but he said he +could not surely tell, but said the Lawman must settle this +knotty point. + +Then Thorkel Geiti's son went on their behalf to tell the Lawman +how things stood, and asked whether this were good law that Mord +had said. + +"More men are great lawyers now," says Skapti, "than I thought. +I must tell thee, then, that this is such good law in all points, +that there is not a word to say against it; but still I thought +that I alone would know this, now that Njal was dead, for he was +the only man I ever knew who knew it." + +Then Thorkell went back to Flosi and Eyjolf, and said that this +was good law. + +Then Mord Valgard's son went to the court and took witness. "I +take witness to this," he said, "that I bid those neighbours on +the inquest in the suit which I set on foot against Flosi Thord's +son now to utter their finding, and to find it either against him +or for him; I bid them by a lawful bidding before the court, so +that the judges may hear it across the court." + +Then the neighbours on Mord's inquest went to the court, and one +uttered their finding, but all confirmed it by their consent; and +they spoke thus, word for word, "Mord Valgard's son summoned nine +of us thanes on this inquest, but here we stand five of us, but +four have been challenged and set aside, and now witness has been +borne as to the absence of the four who ought to have uttered this +finding along with us, and now we are bound by law to utter our +finding. We were summoned to bear this witness, whether Flosi +Thord's son rushed with an assault laid down by law on Helgi +Njal's son, on that spot where Flosi Thord's son wounded Helgi +Njal's son with a brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, which +proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his death. He +summoned us to utter all those words which it was lawful for us +to utter, and which he should call on us to answer before the +court, and which belong to this suit; he summoned us, so that we +heard what he said; he summoned us in a suit which Thorgeir +Thorir's son had handed over to him, and now we have all sworn an +oath, and found our lawful finding, and are all agreed, and we +utter our finding against Flosi, and we say that he is truly +guilty in this suit. We nine men on this inquest of neighbours +so shapen, utter this our finding before the Eastfirthers' Court +over the head of John, as Mord summoned us to do; but this is the +finding of all of us." + +Again a second time they uttered their finding against Flosi, and +uttered it first about the wounds, and last about the assault, +but all their other words they uttered just as they had before +uttered their finding against Flosi, and brought him in truly +guilty in the suit. + +Then Mord Valgard's son went before the court, and took witness +that those neighbours whom he had summoned in the suit which he +had set on foot against Flosi Thord's son had now uttered their +finding, and brought him in truly guilty in the suit; he took +witness to this for his own part, or for those who might wish to +make use of this witness. + +Again a second time Mord took witness and said, "I take witness +to this that I call on Flosi, or that man who has to undertake +the lawful defence which he has handed over to him, to begin his +defence to this suit which I have set on foot against him, for +now all the steps and proofs have been brought forward which +belong by law to this suit; all witness borne, the finding of the +inquest uttered and brought in, witness taken to the finding, and +to all the steps which have gone before; but if any such thing +arises in their lawful defence which I need to turn into a suit +against them, then I claim the right to set that suit on foot +against them. I bid this my lawful bidding before the court, so +that the judges may hear." + +"It gladdens me now, Eyjolf," said Flosi, "in my heart to think +what a wry face they will make, and how their pates will tingle +when thou bringest forward our defence." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) John for a man, and Gudruna for a woman, were standing names + in the Formularies of the Icelandic code, answering to the + "M or N" in our Liturgy, or to those famous fictions of + English law, "John Doe and Richard Roe." +(2) "Gossipry," that is, because they were gossips, "God's sib", + relations by baptism. + + + +142. OF EYJOLF BOLVERK'S SON + +Then Eyjolf Bolverk's son went before the court, and took witness +to this, "I take witness that this is a lawful defence in this +cause, that ye have pleaded the suit in the Eastfirthers' Court, +when ye ought to have pleaded it in the Northlanders' Court; for +Flosi has declared himself one of the Thingmen of Askel the +Priest and here now are those two witnesses who were by, and who +will bear witness that Flosi handed over his priesthood to his +brother Thorgeir, but afterwards declared himself one of Askel +the Priest's Thingmen. I take witness to this for my own part, +and for those who may need to make use of it." + +Again Eyjolf took witness, "I take witness," he said, "to this, +that I bid Mord who pleads this suit, or the next of kin, to +listen to my oath, and to my declaration of the defence which I +am about to bring forward; I bid him by a lawful bidding before +the court, so that the judges may hear me." + +Again Eyjolf took witness, "I take witness to this, that I swear +an oath on the book, a lawful oath, and say it before God, that I +will so defend this cause, in the most truthful, and most just, +and most lawful way, so far as I know, and so fulfil all lawful +duties which belong to me at this Thing." + +Then Eyjolf said, "These two men I take to witness that I bring +forward this lawful defence that this suit was pleaded in another +Quarter Court, than that in which it ought to have been pleaded; +and I say that for this sake their suit has come to naught; I +utter this defence in this shape before the Eastfirthers' Court." + +After that he let all the witness be brought forward which +belonged to the defence, and then he took witness to all the +steps in the defence to prove that they had all been duly taken. + +After that Eyjolf again took witness and said, "I take witness to +this, that I forbid the judges, by a lawful protest before the +priest, to utter judgment in the suit of Mord and his friends, +for now a lawful defence has been brought before the court. I +forbid you by a protest made before a priest; by a full, fair, +and binding protest; as I have a right to forbid you by the +common custom of the Althing, and by the law of the land." + +After that be called on the judges to pronounce for the defence. + +Then Asgrim and his friends brought on the other suits for the +burning, and those suits took their course. + + + +143. THE COUNSEL OF THORHALL ASGRIM'S SON + +Now Asgrim and his friends sent a man to Thorhall, and let him be +told in what a strait they had come. + +"Too far off was I now," answers Thorhall, "for this cause might +still not have taken this turn if I had been by. I now see their +course that they must mean to summon you to the Fifth Court for +contempt of the Thing. They must also mean to divide the +Eastfirthers Court in the suit for the burning, so that no +judgment may be given, for now they behave so as to show that +they will stay at no ill. Now shalt thou go back to them as +quickly as thou canst, and say that Mord must summon them both, +both Flosi and Eyjolf, for having brought money into the Fifth +Court, and make it a case of lesser outlawry. Then he shall +summon them with a second summons for that they have brought +forward that witness which had nothing to do with their cause, +and so were guilty of contempt of the Thing; and tell them that I +say this, that if two suits for lesser outlawry hang over one and +the same man, that he shall be adjudged a thorough outlaw at +once. And for this ye must set your suits on foot first, that +then ye will first go to trial and judgment." + +Now the messenger went his way back and told Mord and Asgrim. + +After that they went to the Hill of Laws, and Mord Valgard's son +took witness. "I take witness to this that I summon Flosi +Thord's son, for that he gave money for his help here at the +Thing to Eyjolf Bolverk's son. I say that he ought on this +charge to be made a guilty outlaw, for this sake alone to be +forwarded or to be allowed the right of frithstow (1), if his +fine and bail are brought forward at the execution levied on his +house and goods, but else to become a thorough outlaw. I say all +his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the men of the +Quarter who have the right by law to take his goods after he has +been outlawed. I summon this cause before the Fifth Court, +whither the cause ought to come by law; I summon it to be pleaded +now and to full outlawry. I summon with a lawful summons. I +summon in the hearing of all men at the Hill of Laws." + +With a like summons he summoned Eyjolf Bolverk's son, for that he +had taken and received the money, and he summoned him for that +sake to the Fifth Court. + +Again a second time he summoned Flosi and Eyjolf, for that sake +that they had brought forward that witness at the Thing which had +nothing lawfully to do with the cause of the parties, and had so +been guilty of contempt of the Thing; and he laid the penalty for +that at lesser outlawry. + +Then they went away to the Court of Laws, there the Fifth Court +was then set. + +Now when Mord and Asgrim had gone away, then the judges in the +Eastfirthers' Court could not agree how they should give +judgment, for some of them wished to give judgment for Flosi, but +some for Mord and Asgrim. Then Flosi and Eyjolf tried to divide +the court, and there they stayed, and lost time over that while +the summoning at the Hill of Laws going on. A little while after +Flosi and Eyjolf were told that they had been summoned at the +Hill of Laws into the Fifth Court, each of them with two summons. +Then Eyjolf said, "In an evil hour have we loitered here while +they have been before us in quickness of summoning. Now hath +come out Thorhall's cunning, and no man is his match in wit. Now +they have the first right to plead their cause before the court, +and that was everything for them; but still we will go to the +Hill of Laws, and set our suit on foot against them, though that +will now stand us in little stead." + +Then they fared to the Hill of Laws, and Eyjolf summoned them for +contempt of the Thing. + +After that they went to the Fifth Court. + +Now we must say that when Mord and Asgrim came to the Fifth +Court, Mord took witness and bade them listen to his oath and the +declaration of his suit, and to all those proofs and steps which +he meant to bring forward against Flosi and Eyjolf. He bade them +by a lawful bidding before the court, so that the judges could +hear him across the court. + +In the Fifth Court vouchers had to follow the oaths of the +parties, and they had to take an oath after them. + +Mord took witness. "I take witness," he said, "to this, that I +take a Fifth Court oath. I pray God so to help me in this light +and in the next, as I shall plead this suit as I know to be most +truthful, and just, and lawful. I believe with all my heart that +Flosi is truly guilty in this suit, if I may bring forward my +proofs; and I have not brought money into this court in this +suit, and I will not bring it. I have not taken money, and I +will not take it, neither for a lawful nor for an unlawful end." + +The men who were Mord's vouchers then went two of them before the +court, and took witness to this -- "We take witness that we take +an oath on the book, a lawful oath; we pray God so to help us two +in this light and in the next, as we lay it on our honour that we +believe with all our hearts that Mord will so plead this suit as +he knows to be most truthful, and most just, and most lawful, and +that he hath not brought money into this court in this suit to +help himself, and that he will not offer it, and that he hath not +taken money, nor will he take it, either for a lawful or unlawful +end." + +Mord had summoned nine neighbours who lived next to the +Thingfield on the inquest in the suit, and then Mord took +witness, and declared those four suits which he had set on foot +against Flosi and Eyjolf; and Mord used all those words in his +declaration that he had used in his summons. He declared his +suits for outlawry in the same shape before the Fifth Court as he +had uttered them when he summoned the defendants. + +Mord took witness, and bade those nine neighbours on the inquest +to take their seats west on the river bank. + +Mord took witness again, and bade Flosi and Eyjolf to challenge +the inquest. + +They went up to challenge the inquest, and looked narrowly at +them, but could get none of them set aside; then they went away +as things stood, and were very ill pleased with their case. + +Then Mord took witness, and bade those nine neighbours whom he +had before called on the inquest, to utter their finding, and to +bring it in either for or against Flosi. + +Then the neighbours on Mord's inquest came before the court, and +one uttered the finding, but all the rest confirmed it by their +consent. They had all taken the Fifth Court oath, and they +brought in Flosi as truly guilty in the suit, and brought in +their finding against him. They brought it in such a shape +before the Fifth Court over the head of the same man over whose +head Mord had already declared his suit. After that they brought +in all those findings which they were bound to bring in all the +other suits, and all was done in lawful form. + +Eyjolf Bolverk's son and Flosi watched to find a flaw in the +proceedings, but could get nothing done. + +Then Mord Valgard's son took witness. "I take witness," said he, +"to this, that these nine neighbours whom I called on these suits +which I have had hanging over the heads of Flosi Thord's son, and +Eyjolf Bolverk's son, have now uttered their finding, and have +brought them in truly guilty in these suits." + +He took this witness for his own part. + +Again Mord took witness. "I take witness," he said, "to this, +that I bid Flosi Thord's son, or that other man who has taken his +lawful defence in hand, now to begin their defence; for now all +the steps and proofs have been brought forward in the suit, +summons to listen to oaths, oaths taken, suit declared, witness +taken to the summons, neighbours called on to take their seats on +the inquest, defendant called on to challenge the inquest, +finding uttered, witness taken to the finding." + +He took this witness to all the steps that had been taken in the +suit. + +Then that man stood up over whose head the suit had been declared +and pleaded, and summed up the case. He summed up first how Mord +had bade them listen to his oath, and to his declaration of the +suit, and to all the steps and proofs in it; then he summed up +next how Mord took his oath and his vouchers theirs; then he +summed up how Mord pleaded his suit, and used the very words in +his summing up that Mord had before used in declaring and +pleading his suit, and which he had used in his summons, and he +said that the suit came before the Fifth Court in the same shape +as it was when he uttered it at the summoning. Then he summed up +that men had borne witness to the summoning, and repeated all +those words that Mord had used in his summons, and which they had +used in bearing their witness, "and which I now," he said, "have +used in my summing up, and they bore their witness in the same +shape before the Fifth Court as he uttered them at the +summoning." After that he summed up that Mord bade the +neighbours on the inquest to take their seats, then he told next +of all how he bade Flosi to challenge the inquest, or that man +who had undertaken this lawful defence for him; then he told how +the neighbours went to the court, and uttered their finding, and +brought in Flosi truly guilty in the suit, and how they brought +in the finding of an inquest of nine men in that shape before the +Fifth Court. Then he summed up how Mord took witness to all the +steps in the suit, and how he had bidden the defendant to begin +his defence. + +After that Mord Valgard's son took witness. "I take witness," he +said, "to this, that I forbid Flosi Thord's son, or that other +man who has undertaken the lawful defence for him, to set up his +defence; for now are all the steps taken which belong to the +suit, when the case has been summed up and the proofs repeated." + +After that the foreman added these words of Mord to his summing +up. + +Then Mord took witness, and prayed the judges to give judgment in +this suit. + +Then Gizur the White said, "Thou wilt have to do more yet, Mord, +for four twelves can have no right to pass judgment." + +Now Flosi said to Eyjolf, "What counsel is to be taken now?" + +Then Eyjolf said, "Now we must make the best of a bad business; +but still we will bide our time, for now I guess that they will +make a false step in their suit, for Mord prayed for judgment at +once in the suit, but they ought to call and set aside six men +out of the court, and after that they ought to offer us to call +and set aside six other men, but we will not do that, for then +they ought to call and set aside those six men, and they will +perhaps overlook that; then all their case has come to naught if +they do not do that, for three twelves have to judge in every +cause." + +"Thou art a wise man, Eyjolf," said Flosi, "so that few can come +nigh thee." + +Mord Valgard's son took witness. "I take witness," he said "to +this, that I call and set aside these six men out of the court" +-- and named them all by name -- "I do not allow you to sit in +the court; I call you out and set you aside by the rightful +custom of the Althing, and the law of the land." + +After that he offered Eyjolf and Flosi, before witnesses, to call +out by name and set aside other six men, but Flosi and Eyjolf +would not call them out. + +Then Mord made them pass judgment in the cause; but when the +judgment was given, Eyjolf took witness, and said that all their +judgment had come to naught, and also everything else that had +been done, and his ground was that three twelves and one half had +judged, when three only ought to have given judgment. + +"And now we will follow up our suits before the Fifth Court," +said Eyjolf, "and make them outlaws." + +Then Gizur the White said to Mord Valgard's son, "Thou hast made +a very great mistake in taking such a false step, and this is +great ill-luck; but what counsel shall we now take, kinsman +Asgrim?" says Gizur. + +Then Asgrim said, "Now we will send a man to my son Thorhall, +and know what counsel he will give us." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) An old English law term for asylum or sanctuary. + + + +144. BATTLE AT THE ALTHING + +Now Snorri the Priest hears how the causes stood, and then he +begins to draw up his men in arry below "the Great Rift," between +it and Hadbooth, and laid down beforehand to his men how they +were to behave. + +Now the messenger comes to Thorhall Asgrim's son, and tells him +how things stood, and how Mord Valgard's son and his friends +would all be made outlaws, and the suits for manslaughter be +brought to naught. + +But when he heard that, he was so shocked at it that he could not +utter a word. He jumped up then from his bed, and clutched with +both hands his spear, Skarphedinn's gift, and drove it through +his foot; then flesh clung to the spear, and the eye of the boil +too, for he had cut it clean out of the foot, but a torrent of +blood and matter poured out, so that it fell in a stream along +the floor. Now he went out of the booth unhalting, and walked so +hard that the messenger could not keep up with him, and so he +goes until he came to the Fifth Court. There he met Grim the +Red, Flosi's kinsman, and as soon as ever they met, Thorhall +thrust at him with the spear, and smote him on the shield and +clove it in twain, but the spear passed right through him, so +that the point came out between his shoulders. Thorhall cast him +off his spear. + +Then Kari Solmund's son caught sight of that, and said to Asgrim, +"Here, now, is come Thorhall thy son, and has straightway slain +a man, and this is a great shame, if he alone shall have the +heart to avenge the burning." + +"That shall not be," says Asgrim, "but let us turn on them now." + +Then there was a mighty cry all over the host, and then they +shouted their war-cries. + +Flosi and his friends then turned against their foes, and both +sides egged on their men fast. + +Kari Solmund's son turned now thither where Arni Kol's son and +Hallbjorn the Strong were in front, and as soon as ever Hallbjorn +saw Kari, he made a blow at him, and aimed at his leg, but Kari +leapt up into the air, and Hallbjorn missed him. Kari turned on +Arni Kol's son and cut at him, and smote him on the shoulder, and +cut asunder the shoulder blade and collar-bone, and the blow went +right down into his breast, and Arni fell down dead at once to +earth. + +After that he hewed at Hallbjorn and caught him on the shield, +and the blow passed through the shield, and so down and cut off +his great toe. Holmstein hurled a spear at Kari, but he caught +it in the air, and sent it back, and it was a man's death in +Flosi's band. + +Thorgeir Craggeir came up to where Hallbjorn the Strong was +in front, and Thorgeir made such a spear-thrust at him with his +left hand that Hallbjorn fell before it, and had hard work to get +on his feet again, and turned away from the fight there and then. +Then Thorgeir met Thorwalld Kettle Rumble's son, and hewed at him +at once with the axe, "the ogress of war," which Skarphedinn had +owned. Thorwalld threw his shield before him, and Thorgeir hewed +the shield and cleft it from top to bottom, but the upper horn of +the axe made its way into his breast, and passed into his trunk, +and Thorwalld fell and was dead at once. + +Now it must be told how Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and Thorhall his +son, Hjallti Skeggi's son, and Gizur the White, made an onslaught +where Flosi and the sons of Sigfus and the other burners were; -- +then there was a very hard fight, and the end of it was that they +pressed on so hard, that Flosi and his men gave way before them. +Gudmund the Powerful, and Mord Valgard's son, and Thorgeir +Craggeir, made their onslaught where the Axefirthers and +Eastfirthers, and the men of Reykdale stood, and there too there +was a very hard fight. + +Kari Solmund's son came up where Bjarni Broddhelgi's son had the +lead. Kari caught up a spear and thrust at him, and the blow +fell on his shield. Bjarni slipped the shield on one side of +him, else it had gone straight through him. Then he cut at Kari +and aimed at his leg, but Kari drew back his leg and turned short +round on his heel, and Bjarni missed him. Kari cut at once at +him, and then a man ran forward and threw his shield before +Bjarni. Kari cleft the shield in twain, and the point of the +sword caught his thigh, and ripped up the whole leg down to the +ankle. That man fell there and then, and was ever after a +cripple so long as he lived. + +Then Kari clutched his spear with both hands, and turned on +Bjarni and thrust at him; he saw he had no other chance but to +throw himself down sidelong away from the blow, but as soon as +ever Bjarni found his feet, away he fell back out of the fight. + +Thorgeir Craggeir and Gizur the White fell on there where +Holmstein the son of Bersi the Wise, and Thorkel Geiti's son were +leaders, and the end of the struggle was, that Holmstein and +Thorkel gave way, and then arose a mighty hooting after them from +the men of Gudmund the Powerful. + +Thorwalld Tjorfi's son of Lightwater got a great wound, he was +shot in the forearm, and men thought that Halldor Gudmund the +Powerful's son had hurled the spear, but he bore that wound about +with him all his life long, and got no atonement for it. + +Now there was a mighty throng. But though we hear tell of some +of the deeds that were done, still there are far many more of +which men have handed down no stories. + +Flosi had told them that they should make for the stronghold in +the Great Rift if they were worsted, "For there," said he, "they +will only be able to attack us on one side." But the band which +Hall of the Side and his son Ljot led, had fallen away out of the +fight before the onslaught of that father and son, Asgrim and +Thorhall. They turned down east of Axewater, and Hall said, +"This is a sad state of things when the whole host of men at the +Thing fight, and I would, kinsman Ljot, that we begged us help +even though that be brought against us by some men, and that we +part them. Thou shalt wait for me at the foot of the bridge, and +I will go to the booths and beg for help." + +"If I see," said Ljot, "that Flosi and his men need help from our +men, then I will at once run up and aid them." + +"Thou wilt do in that as thou pleasest," says Hall, "but I pray +thee to wait for me here." + +Now flight breaks out in Flosi's band, and they all fly west +across Axewater; but Asgrim and Gizur the White went after them +and all their host. Flosi and his men turned down between the +river and the Outwork booth. Snorri the Priest had drawn up his +men there in array, so thick that they could not pass that way, +and Snorri the Priest called out then to Flosi, "Why fare ye in +such haste, or who chase you?" + +"Thou askest not this," answered Flosi, "because thou dost not +know it already; but whose fault is it that we cannot get to the +stronghold in the Great Rift?" + +"It is not my fault," says Snorri, "but it is quite true that I +know whose fault it is, and I will tell thee if thou wilt; it is +the fault of Thorwalld Cropbeard and Kol." + +They were both then dead, but they had been the worst men in all +Flosi's band. + +Again Snorri said to his men, "Now do both, cut at them and +thrust at them, and drive them away hence, they will then hold +out but a short while here, if the others attack them from below; +but then ye shall not go after them, but let both sides shift for +themselves." + +The son of Skapti Thorod's son was Thorstein Gapemouth, as was +written before, he was in the battle with Gudmund the Powerful, +his father-in-law, and as soon as Skapti knew that, he went to +the booth of Snorri the Priest, and meant to beg for help to part +them; but just before he had got as far as the door of Snorri's +booth, there the battle was hottest of all. Asgrim and his +friends, and his men were just coming up thither, and then +Thorhall said to his father Asgrim, "See there now is Skapti +Thorod's son, father." + +"I see him kinsman," said Asgrim, and then he shot a spear at +Skapti, and struck him just below where the calf was fattest, and +so through both his legs. Skapti fell at the blow, and could not +get up again, and the only counsel they could take who were by, +was to drag Skapti flat on his face into the booth of a turf- +cutter. + +Then Asgrim and his men came up so fast that Flosi and his men +gave way before them south along the river to the booths of the +men of Modruvale. There there was a man outside one booth whose +name was Solvi; he was boiling broth in a great kettle, and had +just then taken the meat out, and the broth was boiling as hotly +as it could. + +Solvi cast his eyes on the Eastfirthers as they fled, and they +were then just over against him, and then he said, "Can all these +cowards who fly here be Eastfirthers, and yet Thorkel Geiti's +son, he ran by as fast as any one of them, and very great lies +have been told about him when men say that he is all heart, but +now no one ran faster than he." + +Hallbjorn the Strong was near by then, and said, "Thou shalt not +have it to say that we are all cowards." + +And with that he caught hold of him, and lifted him up aloft, and +thrust him head down into the broth-kettle. Solvi died at once; +but then a rush was made at Hallbjorn himself, and he had to turn +and fly. + +Flosi threw a spear at Bruni Haflidi's son, and caught him at the +waist, and that was his bane; he was one of Gudmund the +Powerful's band. + +Thorstein Hlenni's son took the spear out of the wound, and +hurled it back at Flosi, and hit him on the leg, and he got a +great wound and fell; he rose up again at once. + +Then they passed on to the Waterfirthers' booth, and then Hall +and Ljot came from the east across the river, with all their +band; but just when they came to the lava, a spear was hurled out +of the band of Gudmund the Powerful, and it struck Ljot in the +middle, and he fell down dead at once; and it was never known +surely who had done that manslaughter. + +Flosi and his men turned up round the Waterfirther's booth, and +then Thorgeir Craggeir said to Kari Solmund's son, "Look, yonder +now is Eyjolf Bolverk's son, if thou hast a mind to pay him off +for the ring." + +"That I ween is not far from my mind," says Kari, and snatched a +spear from a man, and hurled it at Eyjolf, and it struck him in +the waist, and went through him, and Eyjolf then fell dead to +earth. + +Then there was a little lull in the battle, and then Snorri the +Priest came up with his band, and Skapti was there in his +company, and they ran in between them, and so they could not get +at one another to fight. + +Then Hall threw in his people with theirs, and was for parting +them there and then, and so a truce was set, and was to be kept +throughout the Thing, and then the bodies were laid out and borne +to the church, and the wounds of those men were bound up who were +hurt. + +The day after men went to the Hill of Laws. Then Hall of the Side +stood up and asked for a hearing, and got it at once; and he +spoke thus, "Here there have been hard happenings in lawsuits +and loss of life at the Thing, and now I will show again that I +am little-hearted, for I will now ask Asgrim and the others who +take the lead in these suits, that they grant us an atonement on +even terms;" and so he goes on with many fair words. + +Kari Solmund's son said, "Though all others take an atonement in +their quarrels, yet will I take no atonement in my quarrel; for +ye will wish to weigh these manslayings against the burning, and +we cannot bear that." + +In the same way spoke Thorgeir Craggeir. + +Then Skapti Thorod's son stood up and said, "Better had it been +for thee, Kari, not to have run away from thy father-in-law and +thy brothers-in-law, than now to sneak out of this atonement." + +Then Kari sang these verses: + + "Warrior wight that weapon wieldest + Spare thy speering why we fled, + Oft for less falls hail of battle, + Forth we fled to wreak revenge; + Who was he, fainthearted foeman, + Who, when tongues of steel sung high, + Stole beneath the booth for shelter, + While his beard blushed red for shame? + + "Many fetters Skapti fettered + When the men, the Gods of fight, + From the fray fared all unwilling + Where the skald scarce held his shield; + Then the suttlers dragged the lawyer + Stout in scolding to their booth, + Laid him low amongst the riffraff, + How his heart then quaked for fear. + + "Men who skim the main on sea stag + Well in this ye showed your sense + Making game about the Burning, + Mocking Helgi, Grim, and Njal; + Now the moor round rocky Swinestye (1), + As men run and shake their shields, + With another grunt shall rattle + When this Thing is past and gone." + +Then there was great laughter. Snorri the Priest smiled and sang +this between his teeth, but so that many heard: + + "Skill hath Skapti us to tell + Whether Asgrim's shaft flew well; + Holmstein hurried swift to flight, + Thorstein turned him soon to fight." + +Now men burst out in great fits of laughter. + +Then Hall of the Side said, "All men know what a grief I have +suffered in the loss of my son Ljot; many will think that he +would be valued dearest of all those men who have fallen here; +but I will do this for the sake of an atonement -- I will put no +price on my son, and yet will come forward and grant both pledges +and peace to those who are my adversaries. I beg thee, Snorri +the Priest, and other of the best men, to bring this about, that +there may be an atonement between us." + +Now he sits him down, and a great hum in his favour followed, and +all praised his gentleness and goodwill. + +Then Snorri the Priest stood up and made a long and clever +speech, and begged Asgrim and the others who took the lead in the +quarrel to look towards an atonement. + +Then Asgrim said, "I made up my mind when Flosi made an inroad +on my house that I would never be atoned with him; but now Snorri +the Priest, I will take an atonement from him for thy word's sake +and other of our friends." + +In the same way spoke Thorleif Crow and Thorgrim the Big, that +they were willing to be atoned, and they urged in every way their +brother Thorgeir Craggeir to take an atonement also; but he hung +back, and says he would never part from Kari. + +Then Gizur the White said, "Now Flosi must see that he must make +his choice, whether he will be atoned on the understanding that +some will be out of the atonement." + +Flosi says he will take that atonement; "And methinks it is so +much the better," he says, "that I have fewer good men and true +against me." + +Then Gudmund the Powerful said, "I will offer to handsel peace +on my behalf for the slayings that have happened here at the +Thing, on the understanding that the suit for the burning is not +to fall to the ground." + +In the same way spoke Gizur the White and Hjallti Skeggi's son, +Asgrim Ellidagrim's son and Mord Valgard's son. + +In this way the atonement came about, and then hands were shaken +on it, and twelve men were to utter the award; and Snorri the +Priest was the chief man in the award, and others with him. Then +the manslaughters were set off the one against the other, and +those men who were over and above were paid for in fines. They +also made an award in the suit about the burning. + +Njal was to be atoned for with a triple fine, and Bergthora with +two. The slaying of Skarphedinn was to be set off against that +of Hauskuld the Whiteness Priest. Both Grim and Helgi were to be +paid for with double fines; and one full man-fine should be paid +for each of those who had been burnt in the house. + +No atonement was taken for the slaying of Thord Kari's son. + +It was also in the award that Flosi and all the burners should go +abroad into banishment, and none of them was to sail the same +summer unless he chose; but if he did not sail abroad by the time +that three winters were spent, then he and all the burners were +to become thorough outlaws. And it was also said that their +outlawry might be proclaimed either at the Harvest-Thing or +Spring-Thing, whichever men chose; and Flosi was to stay abroad +three winters. + +As for Gunnar Lambi's son, and Grani Gunnar's son, Glum Hilldir's +son, and Kol Thorstein's son, they were never to be allowed to +come back. + +Then Flosi was asked if he would wish to have a price put upon +his wound, but he said he would not take bribes for his hurt. + +Eyjolf Bolverk's son had no fine awarded for him, for his +unfairness and wrongfulness. + +And now this settlement and atonement was handselled and was well +kept afterwards. + +Asgrim and his friends gave Snorri the priest good gifts, and he +had great honour from these suits. + +Skapti got a fine for his hurt. + +Gizur the White, and Hjallti Skeggi's son, and Asgrim +Ellidagrim's son, asked Gudmund the Powerful to come and see them +at home. He accepted the bidding, and each of them gave him a +gold ring. + +Now Gudmund rides home north and had praise from every man for +the part he had taken in these quarrels. + +Thorgeir Craggeir asked Kari to go along with him, but yet first +of all they rode with Gudmund right up to the fells north. Kari +gave Gudmund a golden brooch, but Thorgeir gave him a silver +belt, and each was the greatest treasure. So they parted with +the utmost friendship, and Gudmund is out of this story. + +Kari and Thorgeir rode south from the fell, and down to the +Rapes (1), and so to Thurso-water. + +Flosi, and the burners along with him, rode east to Fleetlithe, +and he allowed the sons of Sigfus to settle their affairs at +home. Then Flosi heard that Thorgeir and Kari had ridden north +with Gudmund the Powerful, and so the burners thought that Kari +and his friend must mean to stay in the north country; and then +the sons of Sigfus asked leave to go east under Eyjafell to get +in their money, for they had money out on call at Headbrink. +Flosi gave them leave to do that, but still bade them be ware of +themselves, and be as short a time about it as they could. + +Then Flosi rode up by Godaland, and so north of Eyjafell Jokul, +and did not draw bridle before he came home east to Swinefell. + +Now it must be said that Hall of the Side had suffered his son to +fall without a fine, and did that for the sake of an atonement, +but then the whole host of men at the Thing agreed to pay a fine +for him, and the money so paid was not less than eight hundred in +silver, but that was four times the price of a man; but all the +others who had been with Flosi got no fines paid for their hurts, +and were very ill pleased at it. + +The sons of Sigfus stayed at home two nights, but the third day +they rode east to Raufarfell, and were there the night. They +were fifteen together, and had not the least fear for themselves. +They rode thence late, and meant to reach Headbrink about even. +They baited their horses in Carlinedale, and then a great slumber +came over them. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Swinestye," ironically for Swinefell, where Flosi lived. +(2) This is the English equivalent for the Icelandic Hrep, a + district. It still lingers in "the Rape of Bramber," and + other districts in Sussex and the southeast. + + + +145. OF KARI AND THORGEIR + +Those two, Kari Solmund's son and Thorgeir Craggeir, rode that +day east across Markfleet, and so on east to Selialandsmull. +They found there some women. The wives knew them, and said to +them, "Ye two are less wanton than the sons of Sigfus yonder, but +still ye fare unwarily." + +"Why do ye talk thus of the sons of Sigfus, or what do ye know +about them?" + +"They were last night," they said, "at Raufarfell, and meant to +get to Myrdale to-night, but still we thought they must have some +fear of you, for they asked when ye would be likely to come +home." + +Then Kari and Thorgeir went on their way and spurred their +horses. + +"What shall we lay down for ourselves to do now," said Thorgeir, +"or what is most to thy mind? Wilt thou that we ride on their +track?" + +"I will not hinder this," answers Kari, "nor will I say what +ought to be done, for it may often be that those live long who +are slain with words alone (1); but I well know what thou meanest +to take on thyself, thou must mean to take on thy hands eight +men, and after all that is less than it was when thou slewest +those seven in the sea-crags (2), and let thyself down by a rope +to get at them; but it is the way with all you kinsmen, that ye +always wish to be doing some famous feat, and now I can do no +less than stand by thee and have my share in the story. So now +we two alone will ride after them, for I see that thou hast so +made up thy mind." + +After that they rode east by the upper way, and did not pass by +Holt, for Thorgeir would not that any blame should be laid at his +brother's door for what might be done. + +Then they rode east to Myrdale, and there they met a man who had +turf-panniers on his horse. He began to speak thus, "Too few +men, messmate Thorgeir, hast thou now in thy company." + +"How is that?" says Thorgeir. + +"Why," said the other, "because the prey is now before thy hand. +The sons of Sigfus rode by a while ago, and mean to sleep the +whole day east in Carlinedale, for they mean to go no farther +to-night than to Headbrink." + +After that they rode on their way east on Arnstacks heath, and +there is nothing to be told of their journey before they came to +Carlinedale-water. + +The stream was high, and now they rode up along the river, for +they saw there horses with saddles. They rode now thitherward, +and saw that there were men asleep in a dell and their spears +were standing upright in the ground a little below them. They +took the spears from them, and threw them into the river. + +Then Thorgeir said, "Wilt thou that we wake them?" + +"Thou hast not asked this," answers Kari, "because thou hast not +already made up thy mind not to fall on sleeping men, and so to +slay a shameful manslaughter." + +After that they shouted to them, and then they all awoke and +grasped at their arms. + +They did not fall on them till they were armed. + +Thorgeir Craggeir runs thither where Thorkell Sigfus' son stood, +and just then a man ran behind his back, but before he could do +Thorgeir any hurt, Thorgeir lifted the axe, "the ogress of war," +with both hands, and dashed the hammer of the axe with a back- +blow into the head of him that stood behind him, so that his +skull was shattered to small bits. + +"Slain is this one," said Thorgeir; and down the man fell at +once, and was dead. + +But when he dashed the axe forward, he smote Thorkell on the +shoulder, and hewed it off, arm and all. + +Against Kari came Mord Sigfus' son, and Sigmund Sigfus' son, and +Lambi Sigurd's son; the last ran behind Kari's back, and thrust +at him with a spear; Kari caught sight of him, and leapt up as +the blow fell, and stretched his legs far apart, and so the blow +spent itself on the ground, but Kari jumped down on the spear- +shaft, and snapped it in sunder. He had a spear in one hand, and +a sword in the other, but no shield. He thrust with the right +hand at Sigmund Sigfus' son, and smote him on his breast, and the +spear came out between his shoulders, and down he fell and was +dead at once, With his left hand he made a cut at Mord, and smote +him on the hip, and cut it asunder, and his backbone too; he fell +flat on his face, and was dead at once. + +After that he turned sharp round on his heel like a whipping-top, +and made at Lambi Sigurd's son, but he took the only way to save +himself, and that was by running away as hard as he could. + +Now Thorgeir turns against Leidolf the Strong, and each hewed at +the other at the same moment, and Leidolf's blow was so great +that it shore off that part of the shield on which it fell. + +Thorgeir had hewn with "the ogress of war," holding it with both +hands, and the lower horn fell on the shield and clove it in +twain, but the upper caught the collarbone and cut it in two and +tore on down into the breast and trunk. Kari came up just then, +and cut off Leidolf's leg at mid-thigh, and then Leidolf fell and +died at once. + +Kettle of the Mark said, "We will now run for our horses, for we +cannot hold our own here, for the overbearing strength of these +men." + +Then they ran for their horses, and leapt on their backs; and +Thorgeir said, "Wilt thou that we chase them? If so, we shall +yet slay some of them." + +"He rides last," says Kari, "whom I would not wish to slay, and +that is Kettle of the Mark, for we have two sisters to wife; and +besides, he has behaved best of all of them as yet in our +quarrels." + +Then they got on their horses, and rode till they came home to +Holt. Then Thorgeir made his brothers fare away east to Skoga, +for they had another farm there, and because Thorgeir would not +that his brothers should be called truce-breakers. + +Then Thorgeir kept many men there about him, so that there were +never fewer than thirty fighting men there. + +Then there was great joy there, and men thought Thorgeir had +grown much greater, and pushed himself on; both he and Kari too. +Men long kept in mind this hunting of theirs, how they rode upon +fifteen men and slew those five, but put those ten to flight who +got away. + +Now it is to be told of Kettle, that they rode as they best might +till they came home to Swinefell, and told how bad their journey +had been. + +Flosi said it was only what was to be looked for; "And this is a +warning that ye should never do the like again." + +Flosi was the merriest of men, and the best of hosts, and it is +so said that he had most of the chieftain in him of all the men +of his time. + +He was at home that summer, and the winter too. + +But that winter, after Yule, Hall of the Side came from the east, +and Kol his son. Flosi was glad at his coming, and they often +talked about the matter of the burning. Flosi said they had +already paid a great fine, and Hall said it was pretty much what +he had guessed would come of Flosi's and his friends' quarrel. +Then he asked him what counsel he thought best to be taken, and +Hall answers, "The counsel is, that thou beest atoned with +Thorgeir if there be a choice, and yet he will be hard to bring +to take any atonement." + +"Thinkest thou that the manslaughters will then be brought to an +end?" asks Flosi. + +"I do not think so," says Hall; "but you will have to do with +fewer foes if Kari be left alone; but if thou art not atoned with +Thorgeir, then that will be thy bane." + +"What atonement shall we offer him?" asks Flosi. + +"You will all think that atonement hard," says Hall, "which he +will take, for he will not hear of an atonement unless he be not +called on to pay any fine for what he has just done, but he will +have fines for Njal and his sons, so far as his third share +goes." + +"That is a hard atonement," says Flosi. + +"For thee at least," says Hall, "that atonement is not hard, for +thou hast not the blood-feud after the sons of Sigfus; their +brothers have the blood-feud, and Hammond the Halt after his son; +but thou shalt now get an atonement from Thorgeir, for I will now +ride to his house with thee, and Thorgeir will in anywise receive +me well: but no man of those who are in this quarrel will dare to +sit in his house on Fleetlithe if they are out of the atonement, +for that will be their bane; and, indeed, with Thorgeir's turn of +mind, it is only what must be looked for." + +Now the sons of Sigfus were sent for, and they brought this +business before them; and the end of their speech was, on the +persuasion of Hall, that they all thought what he said right, and +were ready to be atoned. + +Grani Gunnar's son and Gunnar Lambi's son, said, "It will be in +our power, if Kari be left alone behind, to take care that he be +not less afraid of us than we of him." + +"Easier said than done," says Hall, "and ye will find it a dear +bargain to deal with him. Ye will have to pay a heavy fine +before you have done with him." + +After that they ceased speaking about it. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "With words alone." The English proverb, "Threatened men + live long." +(2) "Sea crags." Hence Thorgeir got his surname "Craggeir." + + + +146. THE AWARD OF ATONEMENT WITH THORGEIR CRAGGEIR + +Hall of the Side and his son Kol, seven of them in all, rode west +over Loomnip's Sand, and so west over Amstacksheath, and did not +draw bridle till they came into Myrdale. There they asked +whether Thorgeir would be at home at Holt, and they were told +that they would find him at home. + +The men asked whither Hall meant to go. + +"Thither to Holt," he said. + +They said they were sure he went on a good errand. + +He stayed there some while and baited their horses, and after +that they mounted their horses and rode to Solheim about even, +and they were there that night, but the day after they rode to +Holt. + +Thorgeir was out of doors, and Kari too, and their men, for they +had seen Hall's coming. He rode in a blue cape, and had a little +axe studded with silver in his hand; but when they came into the +"town," Thorgeir went to meet him, and helped him off his horse, +and both he and Kari kissed him and led him in between them into +the sittingroom, and sate him down in the high seat on the dais, +and they asked him tidings about many things. + +He was there that night. Next morning Hall raised the question +of the atonement with Thorgeir, and told him what terms they +offered him; and he spoke about them with many fair and kindly +words. + +"It may be well known to thee," answers Thorgeir, "that I said I +would take no atonement from the burners." + +"That was quite another matter then," says Hall; "ye were then +wroth with fight, and, besides, ye have done great deeds in the +way of manslaying since." + +"I daresay ye think so," says Thorgeir, "but what atonement do ye +offer to Kari?" + +"A fitting atonement shall be offered him," says Hall, "if he +will take it." + +Then Kari said, "I pray this of thee, Thorgeir, that thou wilt be +atoned, for thy lot cannot be better than good." + +"Methinks," says Thorgeir, "it is ill done to take in atonement, +and sunder myself from thee, unless thou takest the same +atonement as I." + +"I will not take any atonement," says Kari, "but yet I say that +we have avenged the burning; but my son, I say, is still +unavenged, and I mean to take that on myself alone, and see what +I can get done." + +But Thorgeir would take no atonement before Kari said that he +would take it ill if he were not atoned. Then Thorgeir +handselled a truce to Flosi and his men, as a step to a meeting +for atonement; but Hall did the same on behalf of Flosi and the +sons of Sigfus. + +But ere they parted, Thorgeir gave Hall a gold ring and a scarlet +cloak, but Kari gave him a silver brooch, and there were hung to +it four crosses of gold. Hall thanked them kindly for their +gifts, and rode away with the greatest honour. He did not draw +bridle till he came to Swinefell, and Flosi gave him a hearty +welcome. Hall told Flosi all about his errand and the talk he +had with Thorgeir, and also that Thorgeir would not take the +atonement till Kari told him he would quarrel with him if he did +not take it; but that Kari would take no atonement. + +"There are few men like Kari," said Flosi, "and I would that my +mind were shapen altogether like his." + +Hall and Kol stayed there some while, and afterwards they rode +west at the time agreed on to the meeting for atonement, and met +at Headbrink, as had been settled between them. + +Then Thorgeir came to meet them from the west, and then they +talked over their atonement, and all went off as Hall had said. + +Before the atonement, Thorgeir said that Kari should still have +the right to be at his house all the same if he chose. + +"And neither side shall do the others any harm at my house; and I +will not have the trouble of gathering in the fines from each of +the burners; but my will is that Flosi alone shall be answerable +for them to me, but he must get them in from his followers. My +will also is that all that award which was made at the Thing +about the burning shall be kept and held to; and my will also is, +Flosi, that thou payest me up my third share in unclipped coin." + +Flosi went quickly into all these terms. + +Thorgeir neither gave up the banishment nor the outlawry. + +Now Flosi and Hall rode home east, and then Hall said to Flosi, +"Keep this atonement well, son-in-law, both as to going abroad +and the pilgrimage to Rome (1), and the fines, and then thou wilt +be thought a brave man, though thou hast stumbled into this +misdeed, if thou fulfillest handsomely all that belongs to it." + +Flosi said it should be so. + +Now Hall rode home east, but Flosi rode home to Swinefell, and +was at home afterwards. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Pilgrimage to Rome." This condition had not been mentioned + before. + + + +147. KARI COMES TO BJORN'S HOUSE IN THE MARK + +Thorgeir Craggeir rode home from the peace meeting, and Kari +asked whether the atonement had come about. Thorgeir said that +they now fully atoned. + +Then Kari took his horse and was for riding away. + +"Thou hast no need to ride away," says Thorgeir, "for it was laid +down in our atonement that thou shouldst be here as before if +thou chosest." + +"It shall not be so, cousin, for as soon as ever I slay a man +they will be sure to say that thou wert in the plot with me, and +I will not have that! But I wish this, that thou wouldst let me +hand over in trust to thee my goods, and the estates of me and my +wife Helga Njal's daughter, and my three daughters, and then they +will not be seized by those adversaries of mine." + +Thorgeir agreed to what Kari wished to ask of him, and then +Thorgeir had Kari's goods handed over to him in trust. + +After that Kari rode away. He had two horses and his weapons and +outer clothing, and some ready money in gold and silver. + +Now Kari rode west by Selialandsmull and up along Markfleet, and +so on up into Thorsmark. There there are three farms all called +"Mark." At the midmost farm dwelt that man whose name was Bjorn, +and his surname was Bjorn the White; he was the son of Kadal, the +son of Bjalfi. Bjalfi had been the freedman of Asgerda, the +mother of Njal and Holt-Thorir; Bjorn had to wife Valgerda, she +was the daughter of Thorbrand, the son of Asbrand. Her mother's +name was Gudlauga, she was a sister of Hamond, the father of +Gunnar of Lithend; she was given away to Bjorn for his money's +sake, and she did not love him much, but yet they had children +together, and they had enough and to spare in the house. + +Bjorn was a man who was always boasting and praising himself, but +his housewife thought that bad. He was sharpsighted and swift of +foot. + +Thither Kari turned in as a guest, and they took him by both +hands, and he was there that night. But the next morning Kari +said to Bjorn, "I wish thou wouldst take me in, for I should think +myself well housed here with thee. I would too that thou +shouldst be with me in my journeyings, as thou art a +sharpsighted, swiftfooted man, and besides I think thou wouldst +be dauntless in an onslaught." + +"I can't blame myself," says Bjorn, "for wanting either sharp +sight, or dash, or any other bravery; but no doubt thou camest +hither because all thy other earths are stopped. Still at thy +prayer, Kari, I will not look on thee as an everyday man; I will +surely help thee in all that thou askest." + +"The trolls take thy boasting and bragging," said his housewife, +"and thou shouldst not utter such stuff and silliness to any one +than thyself. As for me, I will willingly give Kari meat and +other good things, which I know will be useful to him; but on +Bjorn's hardihood, Kari, thou shalt not trust, for I am afraid +that thou wilt find it quite otherwise than he says." + +"Often hast thou thrown blame upon me," said Bjorn, "but for all +that I put so much faith in myself that though I am put to the +trial I will never give way to any man; and the best proof of it +is this, that few try a tussle with me because none dare to do +so." + +Kari was there some while in hiding, and few men knew of it. + +Now men think that Kari must have ridden to the north country to +see Gudmund the Powerful, for Kari made Bjorn tell his neighbours +that he had met Kari on the beaten track, and that he rode thence +up into Godaland, and so north to Goose-sand, and then north to +Gudmund the Powerful at Modruvale. + +So that story was spread over all the country. + + + +148. OF FLOSI AND THE BURNERS + +Now Flosi spoke to the burners, his companions, "It will no +longer serve our turn to sit still, for now we shall have to +think of our going abroad and of our fines, and of fulfilling our +atonement as bravely as we can, and let us take a passage +wherever it seems most likely to get one." + +They bade him see to all that. Then Flosi said, "We will ride +east to Hornfirth; for there that ship is laid up, which is owned +by Eyjolf Nosy, a man from Drontheim, but he wants to take to him +a wife here, and he will not get the match made unless he settles +himself down here. We will buy the ship of him, for we shall +have many men and little freight. The ship is big and will take +us all." + +Then they ceased talking of it. + +But a little after they rode east, and did not stop before they +came east to Bjornness in Homfirth, and there they found Eyjolf, +for he had been there as a guest that winter. + +There Flosi and his men had a hearty welcome, and they were there +the night. Next morning Flosi dealt with the captain for the +ship, but he said he would not be hard to sell the ship if he +could get what he wanted for her. Flosi asked him in what coin +he wished to be paid for her; the Easterling says he wanted land +for her near where he then was. + +Then Eyjolf told Flosi all about his dealings with his host, and +Flosi says he will pull an oar with him, so that his marriage +bargain might be struck, and buy the ship of him afterwards. The +Easterling was glad at that. Flosi offered him land at +Borgarhaven, and now the Easterling holds on with his suit to his +host when Flosi was by, and Flosi threw in a helping word, so +that the bargain was brought about between them. + +Flosi made over the land at Borgarhaven to the Easterling, but +shook hands on the bargain for the ship. He got also from the +Easterling twenty hundreds in wares, and that was also in their +bargain for the land. + +Now Flosi rode back home. He was so beloved by his men that +their wares stood free to him to take either on loan or gift, +just as he chose. + +He rode home to Swinefell, and was at home a while. + +Then Flosi sent Kol Thorstein's son and Gunnar Lambi's son east +to Hornfirth. They were to be there by the ship, and to fit her +out, and set up booths, and sack the wares, and get all things +together that were needful. + +Now we must tell of the sons of Sigfus how they say to Flosi that +they will ride west to Fleetlithe to set their houses in order, +and get wares thence, and such other things as they needed. +"Kari is not there now to be guarded against," they say, "if he +is in the north country as is said." + +"I know not," answers Flosi, "as to such stories, whether there +be any truth in what is said of Kari's journeyings; methinks, we +have often been wrong in believing things which are nearer to +learn than this. My counsel is that ye go many of you together, +and part as little as ye can, and be as wary of yourselves as ye +may. Thou, too, Kettle of the Mark shalt bear in mind that dream +which I told thee, and which thou prayedst me to hide; for many +are those in thy company who were then called." + +"All must come to pass as to man's life," said Kettle, "as it is +foredoomed; but good go with thee for thy warning." + +Now they spoke no more about it. + +After that the sons of Sigfus busked them and those men with them +who were meant to go with them. They were eight in all, and then +they rode away, and ere they went they kissed Flosi, and he bade +them farewell, and said he and some of those who rode away would +not see each other more. But they would not let themselves be +hindered. They rode now on their way, and Flosi said that they +should take his wares in Middleland, and carry them east, and do +the same in Landsbreach and Woodcombe. + +After that they rode to Skaptartongue, and so on the fell, and +north of Eyjafell Jokul, and down into Godaland, and so down into +the woods in Thorsmark. + +Bjorn of the Mark caught sight of them coming, and went at once +to meet them. + +Then they greeted each other well, and the sons of Sigfus asked +after Kari Solmund's son. + +"I met Kari," said Bjorn, "and that is now very long since; he +rode hence north on Goose-sand, and meant to go to Gudmund the +Powerful, and methought if he were here now, he would stand in +awe of you, for he seemed to be left all alone." + +Grani Gunnar's son said, "He shall stand more in awe of us yet +before we have done with him, and he shall learn that as soon as +ever he comes within spearthrow of us; but as for us, we do not +fear him at all, now that he is all alone." + +Kettle of the Mark bade them be still, and bring out no big +words. + +Bjorn asked when they would be coming back. + +"We shall stay near a week in Fleetlithe," said they, and so they +told him when they should be riding back on the fell. + +With that they parted. + +Now the sons of Sigfus rode to their homes, and their households +were glad to see them. They were there near a week. + +Now Bjorn comes home and sees Kari, and told him all about the +doings of the sons of Sigfus, and their purpose. + +Kari said he had shown in this great faithfulness to him, and +Bjorn said, "I should have thought there was more risk of any +other man's failing in that than of me if I had pledged my help +or care to any one." + +"Ah," said his mistress, "but you may still be bad and yet not be +so bad as to be a traitor to thy master." + +Kari stayed there six nights after that. + + + +149. OF KARI AND BJORN + +Now Kari talks to Bjorn and says, "We shall ride east across the +fell and down into Skaptartongue, and fare stealthily over +Flosi's country, for I have it in my mind to get myself carried +abroad east in Alftafirth." + +"This is a very riskful journey," said Bjorn, "and few would have +the heart to take it save thou and I." + +"If thou backest Kari ill," said his housewife, "know this, that +thou shalt never come afterwards into my bed, and my kinsmen +shall share our goods between us." + +"It is likelier, mistress," said he, "that thou wilt have to look +out for something else than this if thou hast a mind to part from +me: for I will bear my own witness to myself what a champion and +daredevil I am when weapons clash." + +Now they rode that day east on the fell to the north of the +Jokul, but never on the highway, and so down into Skaptartongue, +and above all the homesteads to Skaptarwater, and led their +horses into a dell, but they themselves were on the look-out, and +had so placed themselves that they could not be seen. + +Then Kari said to Bjorn, "What shall we do now if they ride down +upon us here from the fell?" + +"Are there not but two things to be done," said Bjorn; "one to +ride away from them north under the crags, and so let them ride +by us, or to wait and see if any of them lag behind, and then to +fall on them." + +They talked much about this, and one while Bjorn was for flying +as fast as he could in every word he spoke, and at another for +staying and fighting it out with them, and Kari thought this the +greatest sport. + +The sons of Sigfus rode from their homes the same day that they +had named to Bjorn. They came to the Mark and knocked at the +door there, and wanted to see Bjorn; but his mistress went to the +door and greeted them. They asked at once for Bjorn, and she +said he had ridden away down under Eyjafell, and so east under +Selialandsmull, and on east to Holt, "for he has some money to +call in thereabouts," she said. + +They believed this, for they knew that Bjorn had money out at +call there. + +After that they rode east on the fell, and did not stop before +they came to Skaptartongue, and so rode down along Skaptarwater, +and baited their horses just where Kari had thought they would. +Then they split their band. Kettle of the Mark rode east into +Middleland, and eight men with him, but the others laid them down +to sleep, and were not ware of aught until Kari and Bjorn came up +to them. A little ness ran out there into the river; into it +Kari went and took his stand, and bade Bjorn stand back to back +with him, and not to put himself too forward, "but give me all +the help thou canst." + +"Well," says Bjorn, "I never had it in my head that any man +should stand before me as a shield, but still as things are thou +must have thy way; but for all that, with my gift of wit and my +swiftness I may be of some use to thee, and not harmless to our +foes." + +Now they all rose up and ran at them, and Modolf Kettle's son was +quickest of them, and thrust at Kari with his spear. Kari had +his shield before him, and the blow fell on it, and the spear +stuck fast in the shield. Then Kari twists the shield so +smartly, that the spear snapped short off, and then he drew his +sword and smote at Modolf; but Modolf made a cut at him too, and +Kari's sword fell on Modolf's hilt, and glanced off it on to +Modolf's wrist, and took the arm off, and down it fell, and the +sword too. Then Kari's sword passed on into Modolf's side, and +between his ribs, and so Modolf fell down and was dead on the +spot. + +Grani Gunnar's son snatched up a spear and hurled it at Kari, but +Kari thrust down his shield so hard that the point stood fast in +the ground, but with his left hand he caught the spear in the +air, and hurled it back at Grani, and caught up his shield again +at once with his left hand. Grani had his shield before him, and +the spear came on the shield and passed right through it, and +into Grani's thigh just below the small guts, and through the +limb, and so on, pinning him to the ground, and he could not get +rid of the spear before his fellows drew him off it, and carried +him away on their shields, and laid him down in a dell. + +There was a man who ran up to Kari's side, and meant to cut off +his leg, but Bjorn cut off that man's arm, and sprang back again +behind Kari, and they could not do him any hurt. Kari made a +sweep at that same man with his sword, and cut him asunder at the +waist. + +Then Lambi Sigfus' son rushed at Kari, and hewed at him with his +sword. Kari caught the blow sideways on his shield, and the +sword would not bite; then Kari thrust at Lambi with his sword +just below the breast, so that the point came out between his +shoulders, and that was his deathblow. + +Then Thorstein Geirleif's son rushed at Kari, and thought to take +him in flank, but Kari caught sight of him, and swept at him with +his sword across the shoulders, so that the man was cleft asunder +at the chine. + +A little while after he gave Gunnar of Skal, a good man and true, +his deathblow. As for Bjorn, he had wounded three men who had +tried to give Kari wounds, and yet he was never so far forward +that he was in the least danger, nor was he wounded, nor was +either of those companions hurt in that fight, but all those that +got away were wounded. + +Then they ran for their horses, and galloped them off across +Skaptarwater as hard as they could, and they were so scared that +they stopped at no house, nor did they dare to stay and tell the +tidings anywhere. + +Kari and Bjorn hooted and shouted after them as they galloped +off. So they rode east to Woodcombe, and did not draw bridle +till they came to Swinefell. + +Flosi was not at home when they came thither, and that was why no +hue and cry was made thence after Kari. + +This journey of theirs was thought most shameful by all men. + +Kari rode to Skal, and gave notice of these manslayings as done +by his hand; there, too, he told them of the death of their +master and five others, and of Grani's wound, and said it would +be better to bear him to the house if he were to live. + +Bjorn said he could not bear to slay him, though he said he was +worthy of death; but those who answered him said they were sure +few had bitten the dust before him. But Bjorn told them he had +it now in his power to make as many of the Sidemen as he chose +bite the dust; to which they said it was a bad look out. + +Then Kari and Bjorn ride away from the house. + + + +150. MORE OF KARI AND BJORN + +Then Kari asked Bjorn, "What counsel shall we take now? Now I +will try what thy wit is worth." + +"Dost thou think now," answered Bjorn, "that much lies on our +being as wise as ever we can?" + +"Ay," said Kari, "I think so surely." + +"Then our counsel is soon taken," says Bjorn. "We will cheat +them all as though they were giants; and now we will make as +though we were riding north on the fell, but as soon as ever we +are out of sight behind the brae, we will turn down along +Skaptarwater, and hide us there where we think handiest, so long +as the hue and cry is hottest, if they ride after us." + +"So will we do," said Kari; "and this I had meant to do all +along." + +"And so you may put it to the proof," said Bjorn, "that I am no +more of an every-day body in wit than I am in bravery." + +Now Kari and his companion rode as they had purposed down along +Skaptarwater, till they came where a branch of the stream ran +away to the south-east; then they turned down along the middle +branch, and did not draw bridle till they came into Middleland, +and on that moor which is called Kringlemire; it has a stream of +lava all around it. + +Then Kari said to Bjorn that he must watch their horses, and keep +a good look-out; "But as for me," he says, "I am heavy with +sleep." + +So Bjorn watched the horses, but Kari lay him down, and slept but +a very short while ere Bjorn waked him up again, and he had +already led their horses together, and they were by their side. +Then Bjorn said to Kari, "Thou standest in much need of me +though! A man might easily have run away from thee if he had not +been as brave-hearted as I am; for now thy foes are riding upon +thee, and so thou must up and be doing." + +Then Kari went away under a jutting crag, and Bjorn said, "Where +shall I stand now?" + +"Well!" answers Kari, "now there are two choices before thee; one +is, that thou standest at my back and have my shield to cover +thyself with, if it can be of any use to thee; and the other is, +to get on thy horse and ride away as fast as thou canst." + +"Nay," says Bjorn, "I will not do that, and there are many things +against it; first of all, may be, if I ride away, some spiteful +tongues might begin to say that I ran away from thee for faint- +heartedness; and another thing is, that I well know what game +they will think there is in me, and so they will ride after me, +two or three of them, and then I should be of no use or help to +thee after all. No! I will rather stand by thee and keep them +off so long as it is fated." + +Then they had not long to wait ere horses with packsaddles were +driven by them over the moor, and with them went three men. + +Then Kari said, "These men see us not." + +"Then let us suffer them to ride on," said Bjorn. + +So those three rode on past them; but the six others then came +riding right up to them, and they all leapt off their horses +straightway in a body, and turned on Kari and his companion. + +First, Glum Hildir's son rushed at them, and thrust at Kari with +a spear; Kari turned short round on his heel, and Glum missed +him, and the blow fell against the rock. Bjorn sees that and +hewed at once the head off Glum's spear. Kari leant on one side +and smote at Glum with his sword, and the blow fell on his thigh, +and took off the limb high up in the thigh, and Glum died at +once. + +Then Vebrand and Asbrand the sons of Thorbrand ran up to Kari, +but Kari flew at Vebrand and thrust his sword through him, but +afterwards he hewed off both of Asbrand's feet from under him. + +In this bout both Kari and Bjorn were wounded. + +Then Kettle of the Mark rushed at Kari, and thrust at him with +his spear. Kari threw up his leg, and the spear stuck in the +ground, and Kari leapt on the spear-shaft, and snapped it in +sunder. + +Then Kari grasped Kettle in his arms, and Bjorn ran up just then, +and wanted to slay him, but Kari said, "Be still now. I will +give Kettle peace; for though it may be that Kettle's life is in +my power, still I will never slay him." + +Kettle answers never a word, but rode away after his companions, +and told those the tidings who did not know them already. + +They told also these tidings to the men of the Hundred, and they +gathered together at once a great force of armed men, and went +straightway up all the water-courses, and so far up on the fell +that they were three days in the chase; but after that they +turned back to their own homes, but Kettle and his companions +rode east to Swinefell, and told the tidings there. + +Flosi was little stirred at what had befallen them, but said, "No +one could tell whether things would stop there, for there is no +man like Kari of all that are now left in Iceland." + + + +151. OF KARI AND BJORN AND THORGEIR + +Now we must tell of Bjorn and Kari that they ride down on the +Sand, and lead their horses under the banks where the wild oats +grew, and cut the oats for them, that they might not die of +hunger. Kari made such a near guess, that he rode away thence at +the very time that they gave over seeking for him. He rode by +night up through the Hundred, and after that he took to the fell; +and so on all the same way as they had followed when they rode +east, and did not stop till they came at Midmark. + +Then Bjorn said to Kari, "Now shalt thou be my great friend +before my mistress, for she will never believe one word of what I +say; but everything lies on what you do, so now repay me for the +good following which I have yielded to thee." + +"So it shall be; never fear," says Kari. + +After that they ride up to the homestead, and then the mistress +asked them what tidings, and greeted them well. + +"Our troubles have rather grown greater, old lass!" + +She answered little, and laughed; and then the mistress went on +to ask, "How did Bjorn behave to thee, Kari?" + +"Bare is back," he answers, "without brother behind it, and Bjorn +behaved well to me. He wounded three men, and, besides, he is +wounded himself, and he stuck as close to me as he could in +everything." + +They were three nights there, and after that they rode to Holt to +Thorgeir, and told him alone these tidings, for those tidings had +not yet been heard there. + +Thorgeir thanked him, and it was quite plain that he was glad at +what he heard. He asked Kari what now was undone which he meant +to do. + +"I mean," answers Kari, "to kill Gunnar Lambi's son and Kol +Thorstein's son, if I can get a chance. Then we have slain +fifteen men, reckoning those five whom we two slew together. But +one boon I will now ask of thee." + +Thorgeir said he would grant him whatever he asked. + +"I wish, then, that thou wilt take under thy safeguard this man +whose name is Bjorn, and who has been in these slayings with me, +and that thou wilt change farms with him, and give him a farm +ready stocked here close by thee, and so hold thy hand over him +that no-vengeance may befall him; but all this will be an easy +matter for thee who art such a chief." + +"So it shall be," says Thorgeir. + +Then he gave Bjorn a ready-stocked farm at Asolfskal, but he took +the farm in the Mark into his own hands. Thorgeir flitted all +Bjorn's household stuff and goods to Asolfskal, and all his live +stock; and Thorgeir settled all Bjorn's quarrels for him, and he +was reconciled to them with a full atonement. So Bjorn was +thought to be much more of a man than he had been before. + +Then Kari rode away, and did not draw rein till he came west to +Tongue to Asgrim Ellidagrim's son. He gave Kari a most hearty +welcome, and Kari told him of all the tidings that had happened +in these slayings. + +Asgrim was well pleased at them, and asked what Kari meant to do +next. + +"I mean," said Kari, "to fare abroad after them, and so dog their +footsteps and slay them, if I can get at them." + +Asgrim said there was no man like him for bravery and hardihood. + +He was there some nights, and after that he rode to Gizur the +White, and he took him by both hands. Kari stayed there some +while, and then he told Gizur that he wished to ride down to +Eyrar. + +Gizur gave Kari a good sword at parting. + +Now he rode down to Eyrar, and took him a passage with Kolbein +the Black; he was an Orkneyman and an old friend of Kari, and he +was the most forward and brisk of men. + +He took Kari by both hands, and said that one fate should befall +both of them. + + + +152. FLOSI GOES ABROAD + +Now Flosi rides east to Hornfirth, and most of the men in his +Thing followed him, and bore his wares east, as well as all his +stores and baggage which he had to take with him. + +After that they busked them for their voyage, and fitted out +their ship. + +Now Flosi stayed by the ship until they were "boun." But as soon +as ever they got a fair wind they put out to sea. They had it +long passage and hard weather. + +Then they quite lost their reckoning, and sailed on and on, and +all at once three great waves broke over their ship, one after +the other. Then Flosi said they must be near some land, and that +this was a ground-swell. A great mist was on them, but the wind +rose so that a great gale overtook them, and they scarce knew +where they were before they were dashed on shore at dead of +night, and the men were saved, but the ship was dashed all to +pieces, and they could not save their goods. + +Then they had to look for shelter and warmth for themselves, and +the day after they went up on a height. The weather was then +good. + +Flosi asked if any man knew this land, and there were two men of +their crew who had fared thither before, and said they were quite +sure they knew it, and, say they, "We are come to Hrossey in the +Orkneys." + +"Then we might have made a better landing," said Flosi, "for Grim +and Helgi, Njal's sons, whom I slew, were both of them of Earl +Sigurd Hlodver's son's bodyguard." + +Then they sought for a hiding-place and spread moss over +themselves, and so lay for a while, but not for long, ere Flosi +spoke and said, "We will not lie here any longer until the +landsmen are ware of us." + +Then they arose, and took counsel, and then Flosi said to his +men, "We will go all of us and give ourselves up to the earl; for +there is naught else to do, and the earl has our lives at his +pleasure if he chooses to seek for them." + +Then they all went away thence, and Flosi said that they must +tell no man any tidings of their voyage, or what manner of men +they were, before he told them to the earl. + +Then they walked on until they met men who showed them to the +town, and then they went in before the earl, and Flosi and all +the others hailed him. + +The earl asked what men they might be, and Flosi told his name, +and said out of what part of Iceland he was. + +The earl had already heard of the burning, and so he knew the men +at once, and then the earl asked Flosi, "What hast thou to tell +me about Helgi Njal's son, my henchman." + +"This," said Flosi, "that I hewed off his head." + +"Take them all," said the earl. + +Then that was done, and just then in came Thorstein, son of Hall +of the Side. Flosi had to wife Steinvora, Thorstein's sister. +Thorstein was one of Earl Sigurd's bodyguard, but when he saw +Flosi seized and held, he went in before the earl, and offered +for Flosi all the goods he had. + +The earl was very wroth a long time, but at last the end of it +was, by the prayer of good men and true, joined to those of +Thorstein, for he was well backed by friends, and many threw in +their word with his, that the earl took an atonement from them, +and gave Flosi and all the rest of them peace. The earl held to +that custom of mighty men that Flosi took that place in his +service which Helgi Njal's son had filled. + +So Flosi was made Earl Sigurd's henchman, and he soon won his way +to great love with the earl. + + + +153. KARI GOES ABROAD + +Those messmates Kari and Kolbein the Black put out to sea from +Eyrar half a month later than Flosi and his companions from +Hornfirth. + +They got a fine fair wind, and were but a short time out. The +first land they made was the Fair Isle, it lies between Shetland +and the Orkneys. There that man whose name was David the White +took Kari into his house, and he told him all that he had heard +for certain about the doings of the burners. He was one of +Kari's greatest friends, and Kari stayed with him for the winter. + +There they heard tidings from the west out of the Orkneys of all +that was done there. + +Earl Sigurd bade to his feast at Yule Earl Gilli, his brother- +in-law, out of the Southern isles; he had to wife Swanlauga, Earl +Sigurd's sister; and then, too, came to see Earl Sigurd that king +from Ireland whose name was Sigtrygg. He was a son of Olaf +Rattle, but his mother's name was Kormlada; she was the fairest +of all women, and best gifted in everything that was not in her +own power, but it was the talk of men that she did all things ill +over which she had any power. + +Brian was the name of the king who first had her to wife, but +they were then parted. He was the best-natured of all kings. He +had his seat in Connaught, in Ireland; his brother's name was +Wolf the Quarrelsome, the greatest champion and warrior; Brian's +foster-child's name was Kerthialfad. He was the son of King +Kylfi, who had many wars with King Brian, and fled away out of +the land before him, and became a hermit; but when King Brian +went south on a pilgrimage, then he met King Kylfi, and then they +were atoned, and King Brian took his son Kerthialfad to him, and +loved him more than his own sons. He was then full grown when +these things happened, and was the boldest of all men. + +Duncan was the name of the first of King Brian's sons; the second +was Margad; the third, Takt, whom we call Tann, he was the +youngest of them; but the elder sons of King Brian were full +grown, and the briskest of men. + +Kormlada was not the mother of King Brian's children, and so grim +was she against King Brian after their parting, that she would +gladly have him dead. + +King Brian thrice forgave all his outlaws the same fault, but if +they misbehaved themselves oftener, then he let them be judged by +the law; and from this one may mark what a king he must have +been. + +Kormlada egged on her son Sigtrygg very much to kill King Brian, +and she now sent him to Earl Sigurd to beg for help. + +King Sigtrygg came before Yule to the Orkneys, and there, too, +came Earl Gilli, as was written before. + +The men were so placed that King Sigtrygg sat in a high seat in +the middle, but on either side of the king sat one of the earls. +The men of King Sigtrygg and Earl Gilli sate on the inner side +away from him, but on the outer side away from Earl Sigurd, sate +Flosi and Thorstein, son of Hall of the Side, and the whole hall +was full. + +Now King Sigtrygg and Earl Gilli wished to hear of these tidings +which had happened at the burning, and so, also, what had +befallen since. + +Then Gunnar Lambi's son was got to tell the tale, and a stool was +set for him to sit upon. + + + +154. GUNNAR LAMBI'S SON'S SLAYING + +Just at that very time Kari and Kolbein and David the White came +to Hrossey unawares to all men. They went straightway up on +land, but a few men watched their ship. + +Kari and his fellows went straight to the earl's homestead, and +came to the hall about drinking time. + +It so happened that just then Gunnar was telling the story of the +burning, but they were listening to him meanwhile outside. This +was on Yule-day itself. + +Now King Sigtrygg asked, "How did Skarphedinn bear the burning?" + +"Well at first for a long time," said Gunnar, "but still the end +of it was that he wept." And so he went on giving an unfair +leaning in his story, but every now and then he laughed out loud. + +Kari could not stand this, and then he ran in with his sword +drawn, and sang this song: + + "Men of might, in battle eager, + Boast of burning Njal's abode, + Have the Princes heard how sturdy + Seahorse racers sought revenge? + Hath not since, on foemen holding + High the shield's broad orb aloft, + All that wrong been fully wroken? + Raw flesh ravens got to tear." + +So he ran in up the hall, and smote Gunnar Lambi's son on the +neck with such a sharp blow, that his head spun off on to the +board before the king and the earls, and the board was all one +gore of blood, and the earl's clothing too. + +Earl Sigurd knew the man that had done the deed, and called out, +"Seize Kari and kill him." + +Kari had been one of Earl Sigurd's bodyguard, and he was of all +men most beloved by his friends; and no man stood up a whit more +for the earl's speech. + +"Many would say, Lord," said Kari, "that I have done this deed on +your behalf, to avenge your henchman." + +Then Flosi said, "Kari hath not done this without a cause; he is +in no atonement with us, and he only did what he had a right to +do." + +So Kari walked away, and there was no hue and cry after him. +Kari fared to his ship, and his fellows with him. The weather +was then good, and they sailed off at once south to Caithness, +and went on shore at Thraswick to the house of a worthy man whose +name was Skeggi, and with him they stayed a very long while. + +Those behind in the Orkneys cleansed the board, and bore out the +dead man. + +The earl was told that they had set sail south for Scotland, and +King Sigtrygg said, "This was a mighty bold fellow, who dealt his +stroke so stoutly, and never thought twice about it!" + +Then Earl Sigurd answered, "There is no man like Kari for dash +and daring." + +Now Flosi undertook to tell the story of the burning, and he was +fair to all; and therefore what he said was believed. + +Then King Sigtrygg stirred in his business with Earl Sigurd, and +bade him go to the war with him against King Brian. + +The earl was long steadfast, but the end of it was that he let +the king have his way, but said he must have his mother's hand +for his help, and be king in Ireland, if they slew Brian. But +all his men besought Earl Sigurd not to go into the war, but it +was all no good. + +So they parted on the understanding that Earl Sigurd gave his +word to go; but King Sigtrygg promised him his mother and the +kingdom. + +It was so settled that Earl Sigurd was to come with all his host +to Dublin by Palm Sunday. + +Then King Sigtrygg fared south to Ireland, and told his mother +Kormlada that the earl had undertaken to come, and also what he +had pledged himself to grant him. + +She showed herself well pleased at that, but said they must +gather greater force still. + +Sigtrygg asked whence this was to be looked for? + +She said there were two vikings lying off the west of Man; and +that they had thirty ships, and, she went on, "They are men of +such hardihood that nothing can withstand them. The one's name +is Ospak, and the other's Brodir. Thou shalt fare to find them, +and spare nothing to get them into thy quarrel, whatever price +they ask." + +Now King Sigtrygg fares and seeks the vikings, and found them +lying outside off Man; King Sigtrygg brings forward his errand at +once, but Brodir shrank from helping him until he, King Sigtrygg, +promised him the kingdom and his mother, and they were to keep +this such a secret that Earl Sigurd should know nothing about it; +Brodir too was to come to Dublin on Palm Sunday. + +So King Sigtrygg fared home to his mother, and told her how +things stood. + +After that those brothers, Ospak and Brodir, talked together, and +then Brodir told Ospak all that he and Sigtrygg had spoken of, +and bade him fare to battle with him against King Brian, and said +he set much store on his going. + +But Ospak said he would not fight against so good a king. + +Then they were both wroth, and sundered their band at once. +Ospak had ten ships and Brodir twenty. + +Ospak was a heathen, and the wisest of all men. He laid his +ships inside in a sound, but Brodir lay outside him. + +Brodir had been a Christian man and a mass-deacon by +consecration, but he had thrown off his faith and become God's +dastard, and now worshipped heathen fiends, and he was of all men +most skilled in sorcery. He had that coat of mail on which no +steel would bite. He was both tall and strong, and had such long +locks that he tucked them under his belt. His hair was black. + + + +155. OF SIGNS AND WONDERS + +It so happened one night that a great din passed over Brodir and +his men, so that they all woke, and sprang up and put on their +clothes. + +Along with that came a shower of boiling blood. + +Then they covered themselves with their shields, but for all that +many were scalded. + +This wonder lasted all till day, and a man had died on board +every ship. + +Then they slept during the day, but the second night there was +again a din, and again they all sprang up. Then swords leapt out +of their sheaths, and axes and spears flew about in the air and +fought. + +The weapons pressed them so hard that they had to shield +themselves, but still many were wounded, and again a man died out +of every ship. + +This wonder lasted all till day. + +Then they slept again the day after. + +But the third night there was a din of the same kind, and then +ravens flew at them, and it seemed to them as though their beaks +and claws were of iron. + +The ravens pressed them so hard that they had to keep them off +with their swords, and covered themselves with their shields, and +so this went on again till day, and then another man had died in +every ship. + +Then they went to sleep first of all, but when Brodir woke up, he +drew his breath painfully, and bade them put off the boat. +"For," he said, "I will go to see Ospak." + +Then he got into the boat and some men with him, but when he +found Ospak he told him of the wonders which had befallen them, +and bade him say what he thought they boded. + +Ospak would not tell him before he pledged him peace, and Brodir +promised him peace, but Ospak still shrank from telling him till +night fell. + +Then Ospak spoke and said, "When blood rained on you, therefore +shall ye shed many men's blood, both of your own and others. But +when ye heard a great din, then ye must have been shown the crack +of doom, and ye shall all die speedily. But when weapons fought +against you, that must forebode a battle; but when ravens pressed +you, that marks the devils which ye put faith in, and who will +drag you all down to the pains of hell." + +Then Brodir was so wroth that he could answer never a word, but +he went at once to his men, and made them lay his ships in a line +across the sound, and moor them by bearing their cables on shore +at either end of the line, and meant to slay them all next +morning. + +Ospak saw all their plan, and then he vowed to take the true +faith, and to go to King Brian, and follow him till his death- +day. + +Then he took that counsel to lay his ships in a line, and punt +them along the shore with poles, and cut the cables of Brodir's +ships. Then the ships of Brodir's men began to fall aboard of +one another when they were all fast asleep; and so Ospak and his +men got out of the firth, and so west to Ireland, and came to +Connaught. + +Then Ospak told King Brian all that he had learnt, and took +baptism, and gave himself over into the king's hand. + +After that King Brian made them gather force over all his realm, +and the whole host was to come to Dublin in the week before Palm +Sunday. + + + +156. BRIAN'S BATTLE + +Earl Sigurd Hlodver's son busked him from the Orkneys, and Flosi +offered to go with him. + +The earl would not have that, since he had his pilgrimage to +fulfil. + +Flosi offered fifteen men of his band to go on the voyage, and +the earl accepted them, but Flosi fared with Earl Gilli to the +Southern isles. + +Thorstein, the son of Hall of the Side, went along with Earl +Sigurd, and Hrafn the Red, and Erling of Straumey. + +He would not that Hareck should go, but said he would be sure to +be the first to tell him the tidings of his voyage. + +The earl came with all his host on Palm Sunday to Dublin, and +there too was come Brodir with all his host. + +Brodir tried by sorcery how the fight would go, but the answer +ran thus, that if the fight were on Good-Friday King Brian would +fall but win the day; but if they fought before, they would all +fall who were against him. + +Then Brodir said that they must not fight before the Friday. + +On the fifth day of the week a man rode up to Kormlada and her +company on an apple-grey horse, and in his hand he held a +halberd; he talked long with them. + +King Brian came with all his host to the Burg, and on the Friday +the host fared out of the Burg, and both armies were drawn up in +array. + +Brodir was on one wing of the battle, but King Sigtrygg on the +other. + +Earl Sigurd was in the mid battle. + +Now it must be told of King Brian that he would not fight on the +fast-day, and so a shieldburg (1) was thrown round him, and his +host was drawn up in array in front of it. + +Wolf the Quarrelsome was on that wing of the battle against which +Brodir stood; but on the other wing, where Sigtrygg stood against +them, were Ospak and his sons. + +But in mid battle was Kerthialfad, and before him the banners +were home. + +Now the wings fall on one another, and there was a very hard +fight. Brodir went through the host of the foe, and felled all +the foremost that stood there, but no steel would bite on his +mail. + +Wolf the Quarrelsome turned then to meet him, and thrust at him +thrice so hard that Brodir fell before him at each thrust, and +was well-nigh not getting on his feet again; but as soon as ever +he found his feet, he fled away into the wood at once. + +Earl Sigurd had a hard battle against Kerthialfad, and +Kerthialfad came on so fast that he laid low all who were in the +front rank, and he broke the array of Earl Sigurd right up to his +banner, and slew the banner-bearer. + +Then he got another man to bear the banner, and there was again a +hard fight. + +Kerthialfad smote this man too his death blow at once, and so on +one after the other all who stood near him. + +Then Earl Sigurd called on Thorstein the son of Hall of the Side, +to bear the banner, and Thorstein was just about to lift the +banner, but then Asmund the White said, "Don't bear the banner! +For all they who bear it get their death." + +"Hrafn the Red!" called out Earl Sigurd, "bear thou the banner." + +"Bear thine own devil thyself," answered Hrafn. + +Then the earl said, "`Tis fittest that the beggar should bear the +bag;'" and with that he took the banner from the staff and put it +under his cloak. + +A little after Asmund the White was slain, and then the earl was +pierced through with a spear. + +Ospak had gone through all the battle on his wing, he had been +sore wounded, and lost both his sons ere King Sigtrygg fled +before him. + +Then flight broke out throughout all the host. + +Thorstein Hall of the Side's son stood still while all the others +fled, and tied his shoe-string. Then Kerthialfad asked why he +ran not as the others. + +"Because," said Thorstein, "I can't get home to-night, since I +am at home out in Iceland." + +Kerthialfad gave him peace. + +Hrafn the Red was chased out into a certain river; he thought he +saw there the pains of hell down below him, and he thought the +devils wanted to drag him to them. + +Then Hrafn said, "Thy dog (2), Apostle Peter! hath run twice to +Rome, and he would run the third time if thou gavest him leave." + +Then the devils let him loose, and Hrafn got across the river. + +Now Brodir saw that King Brian's men were chasing the fleers, and +that there were few men by the shieldburg. + +Then he rushed out of the wood, and broke through the shieldburg, +and hewed at the king. + +The lad Takt threw his arm in the way, and the stroke took it off +and the king's head too, but the king's blood came on the lad's +stump, and the stump was healed by it on the spot. + +Then Brodir called out with a loud voice, "Now let man tell man +that Brodir felled Brian." + +Then men ran after those who were chasing the fleers, and they +were told that King Brian had fallen, and then they turned back +straightway, both Wolf the Quarrelsome and Kerthialfad. + +Then they threw a ring round Brodir and his men, and threw +branches of trees upon them, and so Brodir was taken alive. + +Wolf the Quarrelsome cut open his belly, and led him round and +round the trunk of a tree, and so wound all his entrails out of +him, and he did not die before they were all drawn out of him. + +Brodir's men were slain to a man. + +After that they took King Brian's body and laid it out. The +king's head had grown fast to the trunk. + +Fifteen men of the burners fell in Brian's battle, and there, +too, fell Halldor the son of Gudmund the Powerful, and Erling +of Straumey. + +On Good-Friday that event happened in Caithness that a man whose +name was Daurrud went out. He saw folk riding twelve together to +a bower, and there they were all lost to his sight. He went to +that bower and looked in through a window slit that was in it, +and saw that there were women inside, and they had set up a loom. +Men's heads were the weights, but men's entrails were the warp +and weft, a sword was the shuttle, and the reels were arrows. + +They sang these songs, and he learnt them by heart: + +THE WOOF OF WAR. + + "See! warp is stretched + For warriors' fall, + Lo! weft in loom + 'Tis wet with blood; + Now fight foreboding, + 'Neath friends' swift fingers, + Our grey woof waxeth + With war's alarms, + Our warp bloodred, + Our weft corseblue. + + "This woof is y-woven + With entrails of men, + This warp is hardweighted + With heads of the slain, + Spears blood-besprinkled + For spindles we use, + Our loom ironbound, + And arrows our reels; + With swords for our shuttles + This war-woof we work; + So weave we, weird sisters, + Our warwinning woof. + + "Now Warwinner walketh + To weave in her turn, + Now Swordswinger steppeth, + Now Swiftstroke, now Storm; + When they speed the shuttle + How spearheads shall flash! + Shields crash, and helmgnawer (3) + On harness bite hard! + + "Wind we, wind swiftly + Our warwinning woof + Woof erst for king youthful + Foredoomed as his own, + Forth now we will ride, + Then through the ranks rushing + Be busy where friends + Blows blithe give and take. + + "Wind we, wind swiftly + Our warwinning woof, + After that let us steadfastly + Stand by the brave king; + Then men shall mark mournful + Their shields red with gore, + How Swordstroke and Spearthrust + Stood stout by the prince. + + "Wind we, wind swiftly + Our warwinning woof. + When sword-bearing rovers + To banners rush on, + Mind, maidens, we spare not + One life in the fray! + We corse-choosing sisters + Have charge of the slain. + + "Now new-coming nations + That island shall rule, + Who on outlying headlands + Abode ere the fight; + I say that King mighty + To death now is done, + Now low before spearpoint + That Earl bows his head. + + "Soon over all Ersemen + Sharp sorrow shall fall, + That woe to those warriors + Shall wane nevermore; + Our woof now is woven. + Now battlefield waste, + O'er land and o'er water + War tidings shall leap. + + "Now surely 'tis gruesome + To gaze all around. + When bloodred through heaven + Drives cloudrack o'er head; + Air soon shall be deep hued + With dying men's blood + When this our spaedom + Comes speedy to pass. + + "So cheerily chant we + Charms for the young king, + Come maidens lift loudly + His warwinning lay; + Let him who now listens + Learn well with his ears + And gladden brave swordsmen + With bursts of war's song. + + "Now mount we our horses, + Now bare we our brands, + Now haste we hard, maidens, + Hence far, far, away." + +Then they plucked down the Woof and tore it asunder, and each +kept what she had hold of. + +Now Daurrud goes away from the Slit, and home; but they got on +their steeds and rode six to the south, and the other six to the +north. + +A like event befell Brand Gneisti's son in the Faroe Isles. + +At Swinefell, in Iceland, blood came on the priest's stole on +Good-Friday, so that he had to put it off. + +At Thvattwater the priest thought he saw on Good-Friday a long +deep of the sea hard by the altar, and there he saw many awful +sights, and it was long ere he could sing the prayers. + +This event happened in the Orkneys, that Hareck thought he saw +Earl Sigurd, and some men with him. Then Hareck took his horse +and rode to meet the earl. Men saw that they met and rode under +a brae, but they were never seen again, and not a scrap was ever +found of Hareck. + +Earl Gilli in the Southern isles dreamed that a man came to him +and said his name was Hostfinn, and told him he was come from +Ireland. + +The earl thought he asked him for tidings thence, and then he +sang this song: + + "I have been where warriors wrestled, + High in Erin sang the sword, + Boss to boss met many bucklers, + Steel rung sharp on rattling helm; + I can tell of all their struggle; + Sigurd fell in flight of spears; + Brian fell, but kept his kingdom + Ere he lost one drop of blood." + +Those two, Flosi and the earl, talked much of this dream. A week +after, Hrafn the Red came thither, and told them all the tidings +of Brian's battle, the fall of the king, and of Earl Sigurd, and +Brodir, and all the Vikings. + +"What," said Flosi, "hast thou to tell me of my men? + +"They all fell there," says Hrafn, "but thy brother-in-law +Thorstein took peace from Kerthialfad, and is now with him." + +Flosi told the earl that he would now go away, "For we have our +pilgrimage south to fulfil." + +The earl bade him go as he wished, and gave him a ship and all +else that he needed, and much silver. + +Then they sailed to Wales, and stayed there a while. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Shieldburg," that is, a ring of men holding their shields + locked together. +(2) "Thy dog," etc. Meaning that he would go a third time on a + pilgrimage to Rome if St. Peter helped him out of this + strait. +(3) "Helmgnawer," the sword that bites helmets. + + + +157. THE SLAYING OF KOL THORSTEIN'S SON + +Kari Solmund's son told master Skeggi that he wished he would get +him a ship. So master Skeggi gave Kari a longship, fully trimmed +and manned, and on board it went Kari, and David the White, and +Kolbein the Black. + +Now Kari and his fellows sailed south through Scotland's firths, +and there they found men from the Southern isles. They told Kari +the tidings from Ireland, and also that Flosi was gone to Wales, +and his men with him. + +But when Kari heard that, he told his messmates that he would +hold on south to Wales, to fall in with Flosi and his band. So +he bade them then to part from his company, if they liked it +better, and said that he would not wish to beguile any man into +mischief, because he thought he had not yet had revenge enough on +Flosi and his band. + +All chose to go with him; and then he sails south to Wales, and +there they lay in hiding in a creek out of the way. + +That morning Kol Thorstein's son went into the town to buy +silver. He of all the burners had used the bitterest words. Kol +had talked much with a mighty dame, and he had so knocked the +nail on the head, that it was all but fixed that he was to have +her, and settle down there. + +That same morning Kari went also into the town. He came where +Kol was telling the silver. + +Kari knew him at once, and ran at him with his drawn sword and +smote him on the neck; but he still went on telling the silver, +and his head counted "ten" just as it spun off his body. + +Then Kari said, "Go and tell this to Flosi, that Kari Solmund's +son hath slain Kol Thorstein's son. I give notice of this +slaying as done by my hand." + +Then Kari went to his ship, and told his shipmates of the +manslaughter. + +Then they sailed north to Beruwick, and laid up their ship, and +fared up into Whitherne in Scotland, and were with Earl Malcolm +that year. + +But when Flosi heard of Kol's slaying, he laid out his body, and +bestowed much money on his burial. + +Flosi never uttered any wrathful words against Kari. + +Thence Flosi fared south across the sea and began his pilgrimage, +and went on south, and did not stop till he came to Rome. There +he got so great honour that he took absolution from the Pope +himself, and for that he gave a great sum of money. + +Then he fared back again by the east road, and stayed long in +towns, and went in before mighty men, and had from them great +honour. + +He was in Norway the winter after, and was with Earl Eric till he +was ready to sail, and the earl gave him much meal, and many +other men behaved handsomely to him. + +Now he sailed out to Iceland, and ran into Hornfirth, and thence +fared home to Swinefell. He had then fulfilled all the terms of +his atonement, both in fines and foreign travel. + + + +158. OF FLOSI AND KARI + +Now it is to be told of Kari that the summer after he went down +to his ship and sailed south across the sea, and began his +pilgrimage in Normandy, and so went south and got absolution and +fared back by the western way, and took his ship again in +Normandy, and sailed in her north across the sea to Dover in +England. + +Thence he sailed west, round Wales, and so north, through +Scotland's firths, and did not stay his course till he came to +Thraswick in Caithness, to master Skeggi's house. + +There he gave over the ship of burden to Kolbein and David, and +Kolbein sailed in that ship to Norway, but David stayed behind in +the Fair Isle. + +Kari was that winter in Caithness. In this winter his housewife +died out in Iceland. + +The next summer Kari busked him for Iceland. Skeggi gave him a +ship of burden, and there were eighteen of them on board her. + +They were rather late "boun," but still they put to sea, and had +a long passage, but at last they made Ingolf's Head. There their +ship was dashed all to pieces, but the men's lives were saved. +Then, too, a gale of wind came on them. + +Now they ask Kari what counsel was to be taken; but he said their +best plan was to go to Swinefell and put Flosi's manhood to the +proof. + +So they went right up to Swinefell in the storm. Flosi was in +the sitting-room. He knew Kari as soon as ever he came into the +room, and sprang up to meet him, and kissed him, and sate him +down in the high seat by his side. + +Flosi asked Kari to be there that winter, and Kari took his +offer. Then they were atoned with a full atonement. + +Then Flosi gave away his brother's daughter Hildigunna, whom +Hauskuld the priest of Whiteness had had to wife to Kari, and +they dwelt first of all at Broadwater. + +Men say that the end of Flosi's life was, that he fared abroad, +when he had grown old, to seek for timber to build him a hall; +and he was in Norway that winter, but the next summer he was late +"boun"; and men told him that his ship was not seaworthy. + +Flosi said she was quite good enough for an old and deathdoomed +man, and bore his goods on shipboard and put out to sea. But of +that ship no tidings were ever heard. + +These were the children of Kari Solmund's son and Helga Njal's +daughter -- Thorgerda and Ragneida, Valgerda, and Thord who was +burnt in Njal's house. But the children of Hildigunna and Kari, +were these, Starkad, and Thord, and Flosi. + +The son of Burning-Flosi was Kolbein, who has been the most +famous man of any of that stock. + +And here we end the STORY of BURNT NJAL. + + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NJAL'S SAGA*** + + +******* This file should be named 597.txt or 597.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/9/597 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association / Benedictine + University" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Benedictine University". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + + +The Story of Burnt Njal +<Njal's Saga> + + +Originally written in Icelandic, sometime in the 13th Century +A.D. Author unknown. + + +This electronic edition was produced, edited, and prepared by +Douglas B. Killings (DeTroyes@AOL.COM), July 1995. Document +scanning provided by David Reid and John Servilio. + + + + + +THE STORY OF BURNT NJAL + + +1. OF FIDDLE MORD + +There was a man named Mord whose surname was Fiddle; he was the +son of Sigvat the Red, and he dwelt at the "Vale" in the +Rangrivervales. He was a mighty chief, and a great taker up of +suits, and so great a lawyer that no judgments were thought +lawful unless he had a hand in them. He had an only daughter, +named Unna. She was a fair, courteous, and gifted woman, and +that was thought the best match in all the Rangrivervales. + +Now the story turns westward to the Broadfirth dales, where, at +Hauskuldstede, in Laxriverdale, dwelt a man named Hauskuld, who +was Dalakoll's son, and his mother's name was Thorgerda.(1) He +had a brother named Hrut, who dwelt at Hrutstede; he was of the +same mother as Hauskuld, but his father's name was Heriolf. Hrut +was handsome, tall and strong, well skilled in arms, and mild of +temper; he was one of the wisest of men -- stern towards his +foes, but a good counsellor on great matters. It happened once +that Hauskuld bade his friends to a feast, and his brother Hrut +was there, and sat next him. Hauskuld had a daughter named +Hallgerda, who was playing on the floor with some other girls. +She was fair of face and tall of growth, and her hair was as soft +as silk; it was so long, too, that it came down to her waist. +Hauskuld called out to her, "Come hither to me, daughter." So +she went up to him, and he took her by the chin, and kissed her; +and after that she went away. + +Then Hauskuld said to Hrut, "What dost thou think of this maiden? +Is she not fair?" Hrut held his peace. Hauskuld said the same +thing to him a second time, and then Hrut answered, "Fair enough +is this maid, and many will smart for it, but this I know not, +whence thief's eyes have come into our race." Then Hauskuld was +wroth, and for a time the brothers saw little of each other. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Thorgerda was daughter of Thorstein the Red who was Olaf the + White's son, Ingialld's son, Helgi's son. Ingialld's mother + was Thora, daughter of Sigurd Snake-i'-the-eye, who was + Ragnar Hairybreek's son. And the Deeply-wealthy was + Thorstein the Red's mother; she was daughter of Kettle + Flatnose, who was Bjorn Boun's son, Grim's son, Lord of Sogn + in Norway. + + + +2. HRUT WOOS UNNA + +It happened once that those brothers, Hauskuld and Hrut, rode to +the Althing, and there was much people at it. Then Hauskuld said +to Hrut, "One thing I wish, brother, and that is, that thou +wouldst better thy lot and woo thyself a wife." + +Hrut answered, "That has been long on my mind, though there +always seemed to be two sides to the matter; but now I will do as +thou wishest; whither shall we turn our eyes?" + +Hauskuld answered, "Here now are many chiefs at the Thing, and +there is plenty of choice, but I have already set my eyes on a +spot where a match lies made to thy hand. The woman's name is +Unna, and she is a daughter of Fiddle Mord, one of the wisest of +men. He is here at the Thing and his daughter too, and thou +mayest see her if it pleases thee." + +Now the next day, when men were going to the High Court, they saw +some well-dressed women standing outside the booths of the men +from the Rangrivervales. Then Hauskuld said to Hrut "Yonder now +is Unna, of whom I spoke; what thinkest thou of her?" + +"Well," answered Hrut; "but yet I do not know whether we should +get on well together." + +After that they went to the High Court, where Fiddle Mord was +laying down the law as was his wont, and after he had done he +went home to his booth. + +Then Hauskuld and Hrut rose, and went to Mord's booth. They went +in and found Mord sitting in the innermost part of the booth, and +they bade him "Good-day." He rose to meet them, and took +Hauskuld by the hand and made him sit down by his side, and Hrut +sat next to Hauskuld. So after they had talked much of this and +that, at last Hauskuld said, "I have a bargain to speak to thee +about; Hrut wishes to become thy son-in-law, and buy thy +daughter, and I, for my part, will not be sparing in the matter." + +Mord answered, "I know that thou art a great chief, but thy +brother is unknown to me." + +"He is a better man than I," answered Hauskuld. + +"Thou wilt need to lay down a large sum with him, for she is heir +to all I leave behind me," said Mord. + +"There is no need," said Hauskuld, "to wait long before thou +hearest what I give my word lie shall have. He shall have +Kamness and Hrutstede, up as far as Thrandargil, and a trading- +ship beside, now on her voyage." + +Then said Hrut to Mord, "Bear in mind, now, husband, that my +brother has praised me much more than I deserve for love's sake; +but if after what thou hast heard, thou wilt make the match, I am +willing to let thee lay down the terms thyself." + +Mord answered, "I have thought over the terms; she shall have +sixty hundreds down, and this sum shall be increased by a third +more in thine house, but if ye two have heirs, ye shall go halves +in the goods." + +Then said Hrut, "I agree to these terms, and now let us take +witness." After that they stood up and shook hands, and Mord +betrothed his daughter Unna to Hrut, and the bridal feast was to +be at Mord's house, half a month after Midsummer. + +Now both sides ride home from the Thing, and Hauskuld and Hrut +ride westward by Hallbjorn's beacon. Then Thiostolf, the son of +Bjorn Gullbera of Reykriverdale, rode to meet them, and told them +how a ship had come out from Norway to the White River, and how +aboard of her was Auzur Hrut's father's brother, and he wished +Hrut to come to him as soon as ever he could. When Hrut heard +this, he asked Hauskuld to go with him to the ship, so Hauskuld +went with his brother, and when they reached the ship, Hrut gave +his kinsman Auzur a kind and hearty welcome. Auzur asked them +into his booth to drink, so their horses were unsaddled, and they +went in and drank, and while they were drinking, Hrut said to +Auzur, "Now, kinsman, thou must ride west with me, and stay with +me this winter." + +"That cannot be, kinsman, for I have to tell thee the death of +thy brother Eyvind, and he has left thee his heir at the Gula +Thing, and now thy foes will seize thy heritage, unless thou +comest to claim it." + +"What's to be done now, brother?" said Hrut to Hauskuld, "for +this seems a hard matter, coming just as I have fixed my bridal +day." + +"Thou must ride south," said Hauskuld, "and see Mord, and ask him +to change the bargain which ye two have made, and to let his +daughter sit for thee three winters as thy betrothed, but I will +ride home and bring down thy wares to the ship." + +Then said Hrut, "My wish is that thou shouldest take meal and +timber, and whatever else thou needest out of the lading." So +Hrut had his horses brought out, and he rode south, while +Hauskuld rode home west. Hrut came east to the Rangrivervales to +Mord, and had a good welcome, and he told Mord all his business, +and asked his advice what he should do. + +"How much money is this heritage," asked Mord, and Hrut said it +would come to a hundred marks, if he got it all. + +"Well," said Mord, "that is much when set against what I shall +leave behind me, and thou shalt go for it, if thou wilt." + +After that they broke their bargain, and Unna was to sit waiting +for Hrut three years as his betrothed. Now Hrut rides back to +the ship, and stays by her during the summer, till she was ready +to sail, and Hauskuld brought down all Hrut's wares and money to +the ship, and Hrut placed all his other property in Hauskuld's +hands to keep for him while he was away. Then Hauskuld rode home +to his house, and a little while after they got a fair wind and +sail away to sea. They were out three weeks, and the first land +they made was Hern, near Bergen, and so sail eastward to the Bay. + + + +3. HRUT AND GUNNHILLDA, KING'S MOTHER + +At that time Harold Grayfell reigned in Norway; he was the son of +Eric Bloodaxe, who was the son of Harold Fair-hair; his mother's +name was Gunnhillda, a daughter of Auzur Toti, and they had their +abode east, at the King's Crag. Now the news was spread, how a +ship had come thither east into the Bay, and as soon as +Gunnhillda heard of it, she asked what men from Iceland were +abroad, and they told her Hrut was the man's name, Auzur's +brother's son. Then Gunnhillda said, "I see plainly that he +means to claim his heritage, but there is a man named Soti, who +has laid his hands on it." + +After that she called her waiting-man, whose name was Augmund, +and said, "I am going to send thee to the Bay to find out Auzur +and Hrut, and tell them that I ask them both to spend this winter +with me. Say, too, that I will be their friend, and if Hrut will +carry out my counsel, I will see after his suit, and anything +else he takes in hand, and I will speak a good word, too, for him +to the king." + +After that he set off and found them; and as soon as they knew +that he was Gunnhillda's servant, they gave him good welcome. He +took them aside and told them his errand, and after that they +talked over their plans by themselves. Then Auzur said to Hrut, +"Methinks, kinsman, here is little need for long talk, our plans +are ready made for us; for I know Gunnhillda's temper; as soon as +ever we say we will not go to her she will drive us out of the +land, and take all our goods by force; but if we go to her, then +she will do us such honour as she has promised." + +Augmund went home, and when he saw Gunnhillda, he told her how +his errand had ended, and that they would come, and Gunnhillda +said, "It is only what was to be looked for; for Hrut is said to +be a wise and well-bred man; and now do thou keep a sharp look +out, and tell me as soon as ever they come to the town." + +Hrut and Auzur went east to the King's Crag, and when they +reached the town, their kinsmen and friends went out to meet and +welcome them. They asked whether the king were in the town, and +they told them he was. After that they met Augmund, and he +brought them a greeting from Gunnhillda, saying, that she could +not ask them to her house before they had seen the king, lest men +should say, "I make too much of them." Still she would do all +she could for them, and she went on, "Tell Hrut to be out-spoken +before the king, and to ask to be made one of his body-guard;" +"and here," said Augmund, "is a dress of honour which she sends +to thee, Hrut, and in it thou must go in before the king." After +that he went away. + +The next day Hrut said, "Let us go before the king." + +"That may well be," answered Auzur. + +So they went, twelve of them together, and all of them friends or +kinsmen, and came into the hall where the king sat over his +drink. Hrut went first and bade the king "Good-day," and the +king, looking steadfastly at the man who was well-dressed, asked +him his name. So he told his name. + +"Art thou an Icelander?" said the king. + +He answered, "Yes." + +"What drove thee hither to seek us?" + +Then Hrut answered, "To see your state, lord; and, besides, +because I have a great matter of inheritance here in the land, +and I shall have need of your help if I am to get my rights." + +The king said, "I have given my word that every man shall have +lawful justice here in Norway; but hast thou any other errand in +seeking me?" + +"Lord!" said Hrut, "I wish you to let me live in your court, and +become one of your men." + +At this the king holds his peace, but Gunnhillda said, "It seems +to me as if this man offered you the greatest honour, for +methinks if there were many such men in the body-guard, it would +be well filled." + +"Is he a wise man?" asked the king. + +"He is both wise and willing," said she. + +"Well," said the king, "methinks my mother wishes that thou +shouldst have the rank for which thou askest, but for the sake of +our honour and the custom of the land, come to me in half a +month's time, and then thou shalt be made one of my body-guard. +Meantime, my mother will take care of thee, but then come to me." + +Then Gunnhillda said to Augmund, "Follow them to my house, and +treat them well." + +So Augmund went out, and they went with him, and he brought them +to a hall built of stone, which was hung with the most beautiful +tapestry, and there too was Gunnhillda's high seat. + +Then Augmund said to Hrut, "Now will be proved the truth of all +that I said to thee from Gunnhillda. Here is her high seat, and +in it thou shalt sit, and this seat thou shalt hold, though she +comes herself into the hall." + +After that he made them good cheer, and they had sat down but a +little while when Gunnhillda came in. Hrut wished to jump up and +greet her. + +"Keep thy seat!" she says, "and keep it too all the time thou art +my guest." + +Then she sat herself down by Hrut, and they fell to drink, and at +even she said, "Thou shalt be in the upper chamber with me +to-night, and we two together." + +"You shall have your way," he answers. + +After that they went to sleep, and she locked the door inside. +So they slept that night, and in the morning fell to drinking +again. Thus they spent their life all that halfmonth, and +Gunnhillda said to the men who were there, "Ye shall lose nothing +except your lives if you say to any one a word of how Hrut and I +are going on." + +When the half-month was over Hrut gave her a hundred ells of +household woollen and twelve rough cloaks, and Gunnhillda thanked +him for his gifts. Then Hrut thanked her and gave her a kiss and +went away. She bade him "farewell." And next day he went before +the king with thirty men after him and bade the king "Good-day." +The king said, "Now, Hrut, thou wilt wish me to carry out towards +thee what I promised." + +So Hrut was made one of the king's body-guard, and he asked, +"Where shall I sit?" + +"My mother shall settle that," said the king. + +Then she got him a seat in the highest room, and he spent the +winter with the king in much honour. + + + +4. OF HRUT'S CRUISE + +When the spring came he asked about Soti, and found out he had +gone south to Denmark with the inheritance. Then Hrut went to +Gunnhillda and tells her what Soti had been about. Gunnhillda +said, "I will give thee two long-ships, full manned, and along +with them the bravest man, Wolf the Unwashed, our overseer of +guests; but still go and see the king before thou settest off." + +Hrut did so; and when he came before the king, then he told the +king of Soti's doings, and how he had a mind to hold on after +him. + +The king said, "What strength has my mother handed over to thee?" + +"Two long-ships and Wolf the Unwashed to lead the men," says +Hrut. + +"Well given," says the king. " Now I will give thee other two +ships, and even then thou'lt need all the strength thou'st got." + +After that he went down with Hrut to the ship, and said, "fare +thee well." Then Hrut sailed away south with his crews. + + + +5. ATLI ARNVID SON'S SLAYING + +There was a man named Atli, son of Arnvid, Earl of East Gothland. +He had kept back the taxes from Hacon Athelstane's foster child, +and both father and son had fled away from Jemtland to Gothland. +After that, Atli held on with his followers out of the Maelar by +Stock Sound, and so on towards Denmark, and now he lies out in +Oresound.(1) He is an outlaw both of the Dane-King and of the +Swede-King. Hrut held on south to the Sound, and when he came +into it he saw a many ships in the Sound. Then Wolf said, +"What's best to be done now, Icelander?" + +"Hold on our course," said Hrut, "for `nothing venture, nothing +have.' My ship and Auzur's shall go first, but thou shalt lay +thy ship where thou likest." + +"Seldom have I had others as a shield before me," says Wolf, and +lays his galley side by side with Hrut's ship; and so they hold +on through the Sound. Now those who are in the Sound see that +ships are coming up to them, and they tell Atli. + +He answered, "Then may be there'll be gain to be got." + +After that men took their stand on board each ship; "but my +ship," says Atli, "shall be in the midst of the fleet." + +Meantime Hrut's ships ran on, and as soon as either side could +hear the other's hail, Atli stood up and said, "Ye fare unwarily. +Saw ye not that war-ships were in the Sound. But what's the name +of your chief?" + +Hrut tells his name. + +"Whose man art thou," says Atli. + +"One of king Harold Grayfell's body-guard." + +Atli said. "'Tis long since any love was lost between us, father +and son, and your Norway kings." + +"Worse luck for thee," says Hrut. + +"Well," says Atli, "the upshot of our meeting will be, that thou +shalt not be left alive to tell the tale;" and with that he +caught up a spear and hurled it at Hrut's ship, and the man who +stood before it got his death. After that the battle began, and +they were slow in boarding Hrut's ship. Wolf, he went well +forward, and with him it was now cut, now thrust. Atli's +bowman's name was Asolf; he sprung up on Hrut's ship, and was +four men's death before Hrut was aware of him; then he turned +against him, and when they met, Asolf thrust at and through +Hrut's shield, but Hrut cut once at Asolf, and that was his +death-blow. Wolf the Unwashed saw that stroke, and called out, +"Truth to say, Hrut, thou dealest big blows, but thou'st much to +thank Gunnhillda for." + +"Something tells me," says Hrut, "that thou speakest with a `fey' +mouth." + +Now Atli sees a bare place for a weapon on Wolf, and shot a spear +through him and now the battle grows hot: Atli leaps up on Hrut's +ship, and clears it fast round about, and now Auzur turns to meet +him, and thrust at him, but fell down full length on his back, +for another man thrust at him. Now Hrut turns to meet Atli: he +cut at once at Hrut's shield, and clove it all in two, from top +to point; just then Atli got a blow on his hand from a stone, and +down fell his sword. Hrut caught up the sword, and cut his foot +from under him. After that he dealt him his death-blow. There +they took much goods, and brought away with them two ships which +were best, and stayed there only a little while. But meantime +Soti and his crew had sailed past them, and he held on his course +back to Norway, and made the land at Limgard's side. There Soti +went on shore, and there he met Augmund, Gunnhillda's page; he +knew him at once, and asks, "How long meanest thou to be here?" + +"Three nights," says Soti. + +"Whither away, then?" says Augmund. + +"West, to England," says Soti, "and never to come back again to +Norway while Gunnhillda's rule is in Norway." + +Augmund went away, and goes and finds Gunnhillda, for she was a +little way off, at a feast, and Gudred, her son, with her. +Augmund told Gunnhillda what Soti meant to do, and she begged +Gudred to take his life. So Gudred set off at once, and came +unawares on Soti, and made them lead him up the country, and hang +him there. But the goods he took, and brought them to his +mother, and she got men to carry them all down to the King's +Crag, and after that she went thither herself. + +Hrut came back towards autumn, and had gotten great store of +goods. He went at once to the king, and had a hearty welcome. +He begged them to take whatever they pleased of his goods, and +the king took a third. Gunnhillda told Hrut how she had got hold +of the inheritance, and had Soti slain. He thanked her, and gave +her half of all he had. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Oresound, the gut between Denmark and Sweden, at the + entrance of the Baltic, commonly called in English, the + Sound. + + + +6. HRUT SAILS OUT TO ICELAND + +Hrut stayed with the king that winter in good cheer, but when +spring came he grew very silent. Gunnhillda finds that out, and +said to him when they two were alone together, "Art thou sick at +heart?" + +"So it is," said Hrut, "as the saying runs -- `Ill goes it with +those who are born on a barren land.'" + +"Wilt thou to Iceland?" she asks. + +"Yes," he answered. + +"Hast thou a wife out there?" she asked; and he answers, "No." + +"But I am sure that is true," she says; and so they ceased +talking about the matter. + +Shortly after Hrut went before the king and bade him Good-day; +and the king said, "What dost thou want now, Hrut?" + +"I am come to ask, lord, that you give me leave to go to +Iceland." + +"Will thine honour be greater there than here?" asks the king. + +"No, it will not," said Hrut; "but every one must win the work +that is set before him." + +"It is pulling a rope against a strong man," said Gunnhillda, "so +give him leave to go as best suits him." + +There was a bad harvest that year in the land, yet Gunnhillda +gave Hrut as much meal as he chose to have; and now he busks him +to sail out to Iceland, and Auzur with him; and when they were +"all-boun," Hrut went to find the king and Gunnhillda. She led +him aside to talk alone, and said to him, "Here is a gold ring +which I will give thee;" and with that she clasped it round his +wrist. + +"Many good gifts have I had from thee," said Hrut. + +Then she put her hands round his neck and kissed him, and said, +"If I have as much power over thee as I think, I lay this spell +on thee that thou mayst never have any pleasure in living with +that woman on whom thy heart is set in Iceland, but with other +women thou mayst get on well enough, and now it is like to go +well with neither of us; but thou hast not believed what I have +been saying." + +Hrut laughed when he heard that, and went away; after that he +came before the king and thanked him; and the king spoke kindly +to him, and bade him "farewell." Hrut went straight to his ship, +and they had a fair wind all the way until they ran into +Borgarfirth. + +As soon as the ship was made fast to the land, Hrut rode west +home, but Auzur stayed by the ship to unload her and lay her up. +Hrut rode straight to Hauskuldstede, and Hauskuld gave him a +hearty welcome, and Hrut told him all about his travels. After +that they send men east across the rivers to tell Fiddle Mord to +make ready for the bridal feast; but the two brothers rode to the +ship, and on the way Hauskuld told Hrut how his money-matters +stood, and his goods had gained much since he was away. Then +Hrut said, "The reward is less worth than it ought to be, but I +will give thee as much meal as thou needst for thy household next +winter." + +Then they drew the ship on land on rollers, and made her snug in +her shed, but all the wares on board her they carried away into +the Dales westward. Hrut stayed at home at Hrutstede till winter +was six weeks off, and then the brothers made ready and Auzur +with them, to ride to Hrut's wedding. Sixty men ride with them, +and they rode east till they came to Rangriver plains. There +they found a crowd of guests, and the men took their seats on +benches down the length of the hall, but the women were seated on +the cross-benches on the dais, and the bride was rather downcast. +So they drank out the feast and it went off well. Mord pays down +his daughter's portion, and she rides west with her husband and +his train. So they ride till they reach home. Hrut gave over +everything into her hands inside the house, and all were pleased +at that; but for all that she and Hrut did not pull well together +as man and wife, and so things went on till spring, and when +spring came Hrut had a journey to make to the Westfirths, to get +in the money for which he had sold his wares; but before he set +off his wife says to him, "Dost thou mean to be back before men +ride to the Thing?" + +"Why dost thou ask?" said Hrut. + +"I will ride to the Thing," she said, "to meet my father." + +"So it sball be," said he, "and I will ride to the Thing along +with thee." + +"Well and good," she says. + +After that Hrut rode from home west to the Firths, got in all his +money, and laid it out anew, and rode home again. When he came +home he busked him to ride to the Thing, and made all his +neighbours ride with him. His brother Hauskuld rode among the +rest. Then Hrut said to his wife, "If thou hast as much mind now +to go to the Thing as thou saidst a while ago, busk thyself and +ride along with me." + +She was not slow in getting herself ready, and then they all +rode to the Thing. Unna went to her father's booth, and he gave +her a hearty welcome, but she seemed somewhat heavy-hearted, and +when he saw that he said to her, "I have seen thee with a merrier +face. Hast thou anything on thy mind?" + +She began to weep, and answered nothing. Then he said to her +again. "Why didst thou ride to the Thing, if thou wilt not tell +me thy secret? Dost thou dislike living away there in the west?" + +Then she answered him, "I would give all I own in the world that +I had never gone thither." + +"Well!" said Mord, "I'll soon get to the bottom of this." Then +be sends men to fetch Hauskuld and Hrut, and they came +straightway; and when they came in to see Mord, he rose up to +meet them and gave them a hearty welcome, and asked them to sit +down. Then they talked a long time in a friendly way, and at +last Mord said to Hauskuld, "Why does my daughter think so ill of +life in the west yonder?" + +"Let her speak out," said Hrut, "if she has anything to lay to my +charge." + +But she brought no charge against him. Then Hrut made them ask +his neighbours and household how he treated her, and all bore him +good witness, saying that she did just as she pleased in the +house. + +Then Mord said, "Home thou shalt go, and be content with thy lot; +for all the witness goes better for him than for thee." + +After that Hrut rode home from the Thing, and his wife with him, +and all went smoothly between them that summer; but when spring +came it was the old story over again, and things grew worse and +worse as the spring went on. Hrut had again a journey to make +west to the Firths, and gave out that he would not ride to the +Althing, but Unna his wife said little about it. So Hrut went +away west to the Firths. + + + +7. UNNA SEPARATES FROM HRUT + +Now the time for the Thing was coming on. Unna spoke to Sigmund, +Auzur's son, and asked if he would ride to the Thing with her; he +said he could not ride if his kinsman Hrut set his face against +it. + +"Well!" says she, "I spoke to thee because I have better right to +ask this from thee than from any one else." + +He answered, "I will make a bargain with thee: thou must promise +to ride back west with me, and to have no underhand dealings +against Hrut or myself." + +So she promised that, and then they rode to the Thing. Her +father Mord was at the Thing, and was very glad to see her, and +asked her to stay in his booth while the Thing lasted, and she +did so. + +"Now," said Mord, "what hast thou to tell me of thy mate, Hrut?" + +Then she sung him a song, in which she praised Hrut's liberality, +but said he was not master of himself. She herself was ashamed +to speak out. + +Mord was silent a short time, and then said, "Thou hast now that +on thy mind I see, daughter, which thou dost not wish that any +one should know save myself, and thou wilt trust to me rather +than any one else to help thee out of thy trouble." + +Then they went aside to talk, to a place where none could +overhear what they said; and then Mord said to his daughter, +"Now, tell me all that is between you two, and don't make more of +the matter than it is worth." + +"So it shall be," she answered, and sang two songs, in which she +revealed the cause of their misunderstanding; and when Mord +pressed her to speak out, she told him how she and Hrut could not +live together, because he was spellbound, and that she wished to +leave him. + +"Thou didst right to tell me all this," said Mord., "and now I +will give thee a piece of advice, which will stand thee in good +stead, if thou canst carry it out to the letter. First of all, +thou must ride home from the Thing, and by that time thy husband +will have come back, and will be glad to see thee; thou must be +blithe and buxom to him, and he will think a good change has come +over thee, and thou must show no signs of coldness or ill-temper, +but when spring comes thou must sham sickness, and take to thy +bed. Hrut will not lose time in guessing what thy sickness can +be, nor will he scold thee at all, but he will rather beg every +one to take all the care they can of thee. After that he will +set off west to the Firths, and Sigmund with him, for he will +have to flit all his goods home from the Firths west, and he will +be away till the summer is far spent. But when men ride to the +Thing, and after all have ridden from the Dales that mean to ride +thither; then thou must rise from thy bed and summon men to go +along with thee to the Thing; and when thou art "all-boun," then +shalt thou go to thy bed, and the men with thee who are to bear +thee company, and thou shalt take witness before thy husband's +bed, and declare thyself separated from him by such a lawful +separation as may hold good according to the judgment of the +Great Thing, and the laws of the land; and at the man's door the +main door of the house, thou shalt take the same witness. After +that ride away, and ride over Laxriverdale Heath, and so on over +Holtbeacon Heath; for they will look for thee by way of +Hrutfirth. And so ride on till thou comest to me; then I will +see after the matter. But into his hands thou shalt never come +more." + +Now she rides home from the Thing, and Hrut had come back before +her, and made her hearty welcome. She answered him kindly, and +was blithe and forbearing towards him. So they lived happily +together that half-year; but when spring came she fell sick, and +kept her bed. Hrut set off west to the Firths, and bade them +tend her well before he went. Now, when the time for the Thing +comes, she busked herself to ride away, and did in every way as +had been laid down for her; and then she rides away to the Thing. +The country folk looked for her, but could not find her. Mord +made his daughter welcome, and asked her if she had followed his +advice; and she says, "I have not broken one tittle of it." + +Then she went to the Hill of Laws, and declared herself separated +from Hrut; and men thought this strange news. Unna went home +with her father, and never went west from that day forward. + + + +8. MORD CLAIMS HIS GOODS FROM HRUT + +Hrut came home, and knit his brows when he heard his wife was +gone, but yet kept his feelings well in hand, and stayed at home +all that half-year, and spoke to no one on the matter. Next +summer he rode to the Thing, with his brother Hauskuld, and they +had a great fellowing. But when he came to the Thing, he asked +whether Fiddle Mord were at the Thing, and they told him he was; +and all thought they would come to words at once about their +matter, but it was not so. At last, one day when the brothers +and others who were at the Thing went to the Hill of Laws, Mord +took witness and declared that he had a money-suit against Hrut +for his daughter's dower, and reckoned the amount at ninety +hundreds in goods, calling on Hrut at the same time to pay and +hand it over to him, and asking for a fine of three marks. He +laid the suit in the Quarter Court, into which it would come by +law, and gave lawful notice, so that all who stood on the Hill of +Laws might hear. + +But when he had thus spoken, Hrut said, "Thou hast undertaken +this suit, which belongs to thy daughter, rather for the greed of +gain and love of strife than in kindliness and manliness. But I +shall have something to say against it; for the goods which +belong to me are not yet in thy bands. Now, what I have to say +is this, and I say it out, so that all who hear me on this hill +may bear witness: I challenge thee to fight on the island; there +on one side shall be laid all thy daughter's dower, and on the +other I will lay down goods worth as much, and whoever wins the +day shall have both dower and goods; but if thou wilt not fight +with me, then thou shalt give up all claim to these goods." + +Then Mord held his peace, and took counsel with his friends about +going to fight on the island, and Jorund the priest gave him an +answer. + +"There is no need for thee to come to ask us for counsel in this +matter, for thou knowest if thou fightest with Hrut thou wilt +lose both life and goods. He has a good cause, and is besides +mighty in himself and one of the boldest of men." + +Then Mord spoke out, that he would not fight with Hrut, and there +arose a great shout and hooting on the hill, and Mord got the +greatest shame by his suit. + +After that men ride home from the Thing, and those brothers +Hauskuld and Hrut ride west to Reykriverdale, and turned in as +guests at Lund, where Thiostolf, Bjorn Gullbera's son, then +dwelt. There had been much rain that day, and men got wet, so +long-fires were made down the length of the hall. Thiostolf, the +master of the house, sat between Hauskuld and Hrut, and two boys, +of whom Thiostolf had the rearing, were playing on the floor, and +a girl was playing with them. They were great chatterboxes, for +they were too young to know better. So one of them said, "Now I +will be Mord, and summon thee to lose thy wife because thou hast +not been a good husband to her." + +Then the other answered, "I will be Hrut, and I call on thee to +give up all claim to thy goods, if thou darest not to fight with +me." + +This they said several times, and all the household burst out +laughing. Then Hauskuld got wroth, and struck the boy who called +himself Mord with a switch, and the blow fell on his face, and +grazed the skin. + +"Get out with thee," said Hauskuld to the boy, "and make no game +of us;" but Hrut said, "Come hitherto me," and the boy did so. +Then Hrut drew a ring from his finger and gave it to him, and +said, "Go away, and try no man's temper henceforth." + +Then the boy went away saying, "Thy manliness I will bear in mind +all my life." + +From this matter Hrut got great praise, and after that they went +home; and that was the end of Mord's and Hrut's quarrel, + + + +9. THORWALD GETS HALLGERDA TO WIFE + +Now, it must be told how Hallgerda, Hauskuld's daughter, grows +up, and is the fairest of women to look on; she was tall of +stature, too, and therefore she was called "Longcoat." She was +fair-haired, and had so much of it that she could hide herself in +it; but she was layish and hard-hearted. Her foster-father's +name was Thiostolf: he was a Southislander (1) by stock: he was a +strong man, well skilled in arms, and had slain many men, and +made no atonement in money for one of them. It was said, too, +that his rearing had not bettered Hallgerda's temper. + +There was a man named Thorwald; he was Oswif's son, and dwelt out +on Middlefells strand, under the Fell. He was rich and well to +do, and owned the islands called Bearisles, which lie out in +Broadfirth, whence he got meal and stock fish. This Thorwald was +a strong and courteous man, though somewhat hasty in temper. +Now, it fell out one day that Thorwald and his father were +talking together of Thorwald's marrying, and where he had best +look for a wife, and it soon came out that he thought there +wasn't a match fit for him far or near. + +"Well," said Oswif, "wilt thou ask for Hallgerda Longcoat, +Hauskuld's daughter." + +"Yes! I will ask for her," said Thorwald. + +"But that is not a match that will suit either of you," Oswif +went on to say, "for she has a will of her own, and thou art +stern-tempered and unyielding." + +"For all that I will try my luck there," said Thorwald, "so it's +no good trying to hinder me." + +"Ay!" said Oswif, "and the risk is all thine own." + +After that they set off on a wooing journey to Hauskuldstede, and +had a hearty welcome. They were not long in telling Hauskuld +their business, and began to woo; then Hauskuld answered, "As for +you, I know how you both stand in the world, but for my own part +I will use no guile towards you. My daughter has a hard temper, +but as to her looks and breeding you can both see for +yourselves." + +"Lay down the terms of the match," answered Thorwald, "for I will +not let her temper stand in the way of our bargain." + +Then they talked over the terms of the bargain, and Hauskuld +never asked his daughter what she thought of it, for his heart +was set on giving her away and so they came to an understanding +as to the terms of the match. After that Thorwald betrothed +himself to Hallgerda, and rode away home when the matter was +settled. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) That is, he came from what we call the Western Isles or + Hebrides. The old appellation still lingers in "Sodor (i.e. + the South Isles) and Man." + + + +10. HALLGERDA'S WEDDING + +Hauskuld told Hallgerda of the bargain he had made, and she said, +"Now that has been put to the proof which I have all along been +afraid of, that thou lovest me not so much as thou art always +saying, when thou hast not thought it worth while to tell me a +word of all this matter. Besides, I do not think this match so +good a one as thou hast always promised me." + +So she went on, and let them know in every way that she thought +she was thrown away. + +Then Hauskuld said, "I do not set so much store by thy pride as +to let it stand in the way of my bargains; and my will, not +thine, shall carry the day if we fall out on any point." + +"The pride of all you kinsfolk is great," she said, "and so it is +not wonderful if I have some of it." + +With that she went away, and found her foster-father Thiostolf, +and told him what was in store for her, and was very heavy- +hearted. Then Thiostolf said, "Be of good cheer, for thou wilt +be married a second time, and then they will ask thee what thou +thinkest of the match; for I will do in all things as thou +wishest, except in what touches thy father or Hrut." + +After that they spoke no more of the matter, and Hauskuld made +ready the bridal feast, and rode off to ask men to it. So he +came to Hrutstede and called Hrut out to speak with him. Hrut +went out, and they began to talk, and Hauskuld told him the whole +story of the bargain, and bade him to the feast, saying, "I +should be glad to know that thou dost not feel hurt though I did +not tell thee when the bargain was being made. + +"I should be better pleased," said Hrut "to have nothing at all +to do with it; for this match will bring luck neither to him nor +to her; but still I will come to the feast if thou thinkest it +will add any honour to thee." + +"Of course I think so," said Hauskuld, and rode off home. + +Oswif and Thorwald also asked men to come, so that no fewer than +one hundred guests were asked. + +There was a man named Swan, who dwelt in Bearfirth, which lies +north from Steingrimsfirth. This Swan was a great wizard, and he +was Hallgerda's mother's brother. He was quarrelsome, and hard +to deal with, but Hallgerda asked him to the feast, and sends +Thiostolf to him; so he went, and it soon got to friendship +between him and Swan. + +Now men come to the feast, and Hallgerda sat upon the cross- +bench, and she was a very merry bride. Thiostolf was always +talking to her, though he sometimes found time to speak to Swan, +and men thought their talking strange. The feast went off well, +and Hauskuld paid down Hallgerda's portion with the greatest +readiness. After he had done that, he said to Hrut, "Shall I +bring out any gifts beside?" + +"The day will come," answered Hrut, "when thou wilt have to waste +thy goods for Hallgerda's sake, so hold thy hand now." + + + +11. THORWALD'S SLAYING + +Throwald rode home from the bridal feast, and his wife with him, +and Thiostolf, who rode by her horse's side, and still talked to +her in a low voice. Oswif turned to his son and said, "Art thou +pleased with thy match? and how went it when ye talked +together." + +"Well," said he, "she showed all kindness to me. Thou mightst +see that by the way she laughs at every word I say." + +"I don't think her laughter so hearty as thou dost," answered +Oswif, "but this will be put to the proof by and by." + +So they ride on till they come home, and at night she took her +seat by her husband's side, and made room for Thiostolf next +herself on the inside. Thiostolf and Thorwald had little to do +with each other, and few words were thrown away between them that +winter, and so time went on. Hallgerda was prodigal and +grasping, and there was nothing that any of their neighbours had +that she must not have too, and all that she had, no matter +whether it were her own or belonged to others she wasted. But +when the spring came there was a scarcity in the house, both of +meal and stock fish, so Hallgerda went up to Thorwald and said, +"Thou must not be sitting in-doors any longer, for we want for +the house both meal and fish. + +"Well," said Thorwald, "I did not lay in less for the house this +year than I laid in before, and then it used to last till +summer." + +"What care I," said Hallgerda, "if thou and thy father have made +your money by starving yourselves." + +Then Thorwald got angry and gave her a blow on the face and drew +blood, and went away and called his men and ran the skiff down to +the shore. Then six of them jumped into her and rowed out to the +Bear-isles, and began to load her with meal and fish. + +Meantime it is said that Hallgerda sat out of doors heavy at +heart. Thiostolf went up to her and saw the wound on her face, +and said, "Who has been playing thee this sorry trick?" + +"My husband, Thorwald," she said, "and thou stoodst aloof, though +thou wouldst not if thou hadst cared at all for me." + +"Because I knew nothing about it," said Thiostolf, "but I will +avenge it." + +Then he went away down to the shore and ran out a six-oared boat, +and held in his hand a great axe that he had with a haft overlaid +with iron. He steps into the boat and rows out to the +Bear-isles, and when he got there all the men had rowed away but +Thorwald and his followers, and he stayed by the skiff to load +her, while they brought the goods down to him. So Thiostolf came +up just then and jumped into the skiff, and began to load with +him, and after a while he said, "Thou canst do but little at this +work, and that little thou dost badly." + +"Thinkst thou thou canst do it better," said Thorwald. + +"There's one thing to be done which I can do better than thou," +said Thiostolf, and then he went on, "The woman who is thy wife +has made a bad match, and you shall not live much longer +together." + +Then Thorwald snatched up a fishing-knife that lay by him, and +made a stab at Thiostolf; he had lifted his axe to his shoulder +and dashed it down. It came on Thorwald's arm and crushed the +wrist, but down fell the knife. Then Thiostolf lifted up his axe +a second time and gave Thorwald a blow on the head, and he fell +dead on the spot. + + + +12. THIOSTOLF'S FLIGHT + +While this was going on, Thorwald's men came down with their +load, but Thiostolf was not slow in his plans. He hewed with +both hands at the gunwale of the skiff and cut it down about two +planks; then he leapt into his boat, but the dark blue sea poured +into the skiff, and down she went with all her freight. Down too +sank Thorwald's body, so that his men could not see what had been +done to him, but they knew well enough that he was dead. +Thiostolf rowed away up the firth, but they shouted after him +wishing him ill luck. He made them no answer, but rowed on till +he got home, and ran the boat up on the beach, and went up to the +house with his axe, all bloody as it was, on his shoulder. +Hallgerda stood out of doors, and said, "Thine axe is bloody; +what hast thou done?" + +"I have done now what will cause thee to be wedded a second +time." + +"Thou tellest me then that Thorwald is dead," she said. + +"So it is," said he, "and now look out for my safety." + +"So I will," she said; "I will send thee north to Bearfirth, to +Swanshol, and Swan, my kinsman, will receive thee with open arms. +He is so mighty a man that no one will seek thee thither." + +So he saddled a horse that she had, and jumped on his back, and +rode off north to Bearfirth, to Swanshol, and Swan received him +with open arms, and said: "That's what I call a man who does not +stick at trifles! And now I promise thee if they seek thee here, +they shall get nothing but the greatest shame." + +Now, the story goes back to Hallgerda, and how she behaved. She +called on Liot the Black, her kinsman, to go with her, and bade +him saddle their horses, for she said, "I will ride home to my +father." + +While he made ready for their journey, she went to her chests and +unlocked them and called all the men of her house about her, and +gave each of them some gift; but they all grieved at her going. +Now she rides home to her father; and he received her well, for +as yet he had not heard the news. But Hrut said to Hallgerda, +"Why did not Thorwald come with thee?" and she answered, "He is +dead." + +Then said Hauskuld, "That was Thiostolf's doing." + +"It was," she said. + +"Ah!" said Hauskuld, "Hrut was not far wrong when he told me that +this bargain would draw mickle misfortune after it. But there's +no good in troubling one's self about a thing that's done and +gone." + +Now, the story must go back to Thorwald's mates, how there they +are, and how they begged the loan of a boat to get to the +mainland. So a boat was lent them at once, and they rowed up the +firth to Reykianess, and found Oswif, and told him these tidings. + +He said, "Ill luck is the end of ill redes, and now I see how it +has all gone. Hallgerda must have sent Thiostolf to Bearfirth, +but she herself must have ridden home to her father. Let us now +gather folk and follow him up thither north." So they did that, +and went about asking for help, and got together many men. And +then they all rode off to Steingrims river, and so on to +Liotriverdale and Selriverdale, till they came to Bearfirth. + +Now Swan began to speak, and gasped much. "Now Oswif's fetches +are seeking us out." Then up sprung Thiostolf, but Swan said, +"Go thou out with me, there won't be need of much." So they went +out both of them, and Swan took a goatskin and wrapped it about +his own head, and said, "Become mist and fog, become fright and +wonder mickle to all those who seek thee." + +Now, it must be told how Oswif, his friends, and his men are +riding along the ridge; then came a great mist against them, and +Oswif said, "This is Swan's doing; 'twere well if nothing worse +followed." A little after a mighty darkness came before their +eyes, so that they could see nothing, and then they fell off +their horses' backs, and lost their horses, and dropped their +weapons, and went over head and ears into bogs, and some went +astray into the wood, till they were on the brink of bodily harm. +Then Oswif said, "If I could only find my horse and weapons, then +I'd turn back;" and he hid scarce spoken these words than they +saw somewhat, and found their horses and weapons. Then many +still egged the others on to look after the chase once more; and +so they did, and at once the same wonders befell them, and so +they fared thrice. Then Oswif said, "Though the course be not +good, let us still turn back. Now, we will take counsel a second +time, and what now pleases my mind best, is to go and find +Hauskuld, and ask atonement for my son; for there's no hope of +honour where there's good store of it." + +So they rode thence to the Broadfirth dales, and there is nothing +to be told about them till they came to Hauskuldstede, and Hrut +was there before them. Oswif called out Hauskuld and Hrut, and +they both went out and bade him good day. After that they began +to talk. Hauskuld asked Oswif whence he came. He said he had +set out to search for Thiostolf, but couldn't find him. Hauskuld +said he must have gone north to Swanshol, "and thither it is not +every man's lot to go to find him." + +"Well," says Oswif, "I am come hither for this, to ask atonement +for my son from thee." + +Hauskuld answered, "I did not slay thy son, nor did I plot his +death; still it may be forgiven thee to look for atonement +somewhere." + +"Nose is next of kin, brother, to eyes," said Hrut, "and it is +needful to stop all evil tongues, and to make him atonement for +his son, and so mend thy daughter's state, for that will only be +the case when this suit is dropped, and the less that is said +about it the better it will be." + +Hauskuld said, "Wilt thou undertake the award?" + +"That I will," says Hrut, "nor will I shield thee at all in my +award; for if the truth must be told thy daughter planned his +death." + +Then Hrut held his peace some little while, and afterwards he +stood up, and said to Oswif, "Take now my hand in handsel as a +token that thou lettest the suit drop." + +So Oswif stood up and said, "This is not an atonement on equal +terms when thy brother utters the award, but still thou (speaking +to Hrut) hast behaved so well about it that I trust thee +thoroughly to make it." Then he stood up and took Hauskuld's +band, and came to an atonement in the matter, on the +understanding that Hrut was to make up his mind and utter the +award before Oswif went away. After that, Hrut made his award, +and said, "For the slaying of Thorwald I award two hundred in +silver" -- that was then thought a good price for a man -- "and +thou shalt pay it down at once, brother, and pay it too with an +open hand." + +Hauskuld did so, and then Hrut said to Oswif, "I will give thee a +good cloak which I brought with me from foreign lands." + +He thanked him for his gift, and went home well pleased at the +way in which things had gone. + +After that Hauskuld and Hrut came to Oswif to share the goods, +and they and Oswif came to a good agreement about that too, and +they went home with their share of the goods, and Oswif is now +out of our story. Hallgerda begged Hauskuld to let her come back +home to him, and he gave her leave, and for a long time there was +much talk about Thorwald's slaying. As for Hallgerda's goods +they went on growing till they were worth a great sum. + + + +13. GLUM'S WOOING + +Now three brothers are named in the story. One was called +Thorarin, the second Ragi, and the third Glum. They were the +sons of Olof the Halt, and were men of much worth and of great +wealth in goods. Thorarin's surname was Ragi's brother; he had +the Speakership of the Law after Rafn Heing's son. He was a very +wise man, and lived at Varmalek, and he and Glum kept house +together. Glum had been long abroad; he was a tall, strong, +handsome man. Ragi their brother was a great manslayer. Those +brothers owned in the south Engey and Laugarness. One day the +brothers Thorarin and Glum were talking together, and Thorarin +asked Glum whether he meant to go abroad, as was his wont? + +He answered, "I was rather thinking now of leaving off trading +voyages." + +"What hast thou then in thy mind? Wilt thou woo thee a wife?" + +"That I will," says he, "if I could only get myself well +matched." + +Then Thorarin told off all the women who were unwedded in +Borgarfirth, and asked him if he would have any of these, "Say +the word, and I will ride with thee!" + +But Glum answered, "I will have none of these." + +"Say then the name of her thou wishest to have," says Thorarin. + +Glum answered, "If thou must know, her name is Hallgerda, and she +is Hauskuld's daughter away west in the dales." + +"Well," says Thorarin, "'tis not with thee as the saw says, `be +warned by another's woe'; for she was wedded to a man, and she +plotted his death." + +Glum said, "Maybe such ill-luck will not befall her a second +time, and sure I am she will not plot my death. But now, if thou +wilt show me any honour, ride along with me to woo her." + +Thorarin said, "There's no good striving against it, for what +must be is sure to happen." Glum often talked the matter over +with Thorarin, but he put it off a long time. At last it came +about that they gathered men together and rode off ten in +company, west to the dales, and came to Hauskuldstede. Hauskuld +gave them a hearty welcome, and they stayed there that night. +But early next morning, Hauskuld sends for Hrut, and he came +thither at once: and Hauskuld was out of doors when he rode into +the "town". Then Hauskuld told Hrut what men had come thither. + +"What may it be they want?" asked Hrut. + +"As yet," says Hauskuld, "they have not let out to me that they +have any business." + +"Still," says Hrut, "their business must be with thee. They will +ask the hand of thy daughter, Hallgerda. If they do, what answer +wilt thou make?" + +"What dost thou advise me to say?" says Hauskuld. + +"Thou shalt answer well," says Hrut; "but still make a clean +breast of all the good and all the ill thou knowest of the +woman." + +But while the brothers were talking thus, out came the guests. +Hauskuld greeted them well, and Hrut bade both Thorarin and his +brothers good morning. After that they all began to talk, and +Thorarin said, "I am come hither, Hauskuld, with my brother Glum +on this errand, to ask for Hallgerda thy daughter, at the hand of +my brother Glum. Thou must know that he is a man of worth." + +"I know well," says Hauskuld, "that ye are both of you powerful +and worthy men; but I must tell you right out, that I chose a +husband for her before, and that turned out most unluckily for +us." + +Thorarin answered, "We will not let that stand in the way of the +bargain; for one oath shall not become all oaths, and this may +prove to be a good match, though that turned out ill; besides +Thiostolf had most hand in spoiling it." + +Then Hrut spoke: "Now I will give you a bit of advice -- this: if +ye will not let all this that has already happened to Hallgerda +stand in the way of the match, mind you do not let Thiostolf go +south with her if the match comes off, and that he is never there +longer than three nights at a time, unless Glum gives him leave, +but fall an outlaw by Glum's hand without atonement if he stay +there longer. Of course, it shall be in Glum's power to give him +leave; but he will not if he takes my advice. And now this match +shall not be fulfilled, as the other was, without Hallgerda's +knowledge. She shall now know the whole course of this bargain, +and see Glum, and herself settle whether she will have him or +not; and then she will not be able to lay the blame on others if +it does not turn out well. And all this shall be without craft +or guile." + +Then Thorarin said, "Now, as always, it will prove best if thy +advice be taken." + +Then they sent for Hallgerda, and she came thither, and two women +with her. She had on a cloak of rich blue woof, and under it a +scarlet kirtle, and a silver girdle round her waist, but her hair +came down on both sides of her bosom, and she had turned the +locks up under her girdle. She sat down between Hrut and her +father, and she greeted them all with kind words, and spoke well +and boldly, and asked what was the news. After that she ceased +speaking. + +Then Glum said, "There has been some talk between thy father and +my brother Thorarin and myself about a bargain. It was that I +might get thee, Hallgerda, if it be thy will, as it is theirs; +and now, if thou art a brave woman, thou wilt say right out +whether the match is at all to thy mind; but if thou hast +anything in thy heart against this bargain with us, then we will +not say anything more about it." + +Hallgerda said, "I know well that you are men of worth and might, +ye brothers. I know too that now I shall be much better wedded +than I was before; but what I want to know is, what you have said +already about the match, and how far you have given your words in +the matter. But so far as I now see of thee, I think I might +love thee well if we can but hit it off as to temper." + +So Glum himself told her all about the bargain, and left nothing +out, and then he asked Hauskuld and Hrut whether he had repeated +it right. Hauskuld said he had; and then Hallgerda said, "Ye +have dealt so well with me in this matter, my father and Hrut, +that I will do what ye advise, and this bargain shall be struck +as ye have settled it." + +Then Hrut said, "Methinks it were best that Hauskuld and I should +name witnesses, and that Hallgerda should betroth herself, if the +Lawman thinks that right and lawful. + +"Right and lawful it is," says Thorarin. + +After that Hallgerda's goods were valued, and Glum was to lay +down as much against them, and they were to go shares, half and +half, in the whole. Then Glum bound himself to Hallgerda as his +betrothed, and they rode away home south; but Hauskuld was to +keep the wedding-feast at his house. And now all is quiet till +men ride to the wedding. + + + +14. GLUM'S WEDDING + +Those brothers gathered together a great company, and they were +all picked men. They rode west to the dales and came to +Hauskuldstede, and there they found a great gathering to meet +them. Hauskuld and Hrut, and their friends, filled one bench, +and the bridegroom the other. Hallgerda sat upon the cross bench +on the dais, and behaved well. Thiostolf went about with his axe +raised in air, and no one seemed to know that he was there, and +so the wedding went off well. But when the feast was over, +Hallgerda went away south with Glum and his brothers. So when +they came south to Varmalek, Thorarin asked Hallgerda if she +would undertake the housekeeping. "No, I will not," she said. +Hallgerda kept her temper down that winter, and they liked her +well enough. But when the spring came, the brothers talked about +their property, and Thorarin said, "I will give up to you the +house at Varmalek, for that is readiest to your hand, and I will +go down south to Laugarness and live there, but Engey we will +have both of us in common." + +Glum was willing enough to do that. So Thorarin went down to the +south of that district, and Glum and his wife stayed behind +there, and lived in the house at Varmalek. + +Now Hallgerda got a household about her; she was prodigal in +giving, and grasping in getting. In the summer she gave birth to +a girl. Glum asked her what name it was to have? + +"She shall be called after my father's mother, and her name shall +be Thorgerda," for she came down from Sigurd Fafnir's-bane on the +father's side, according to the family pedigree. + +So the maiden was sprinkled with water, and had this name given +her, and there she grew up, and got like her mother in looks and +feature. Glum and Hallgerda agreed well together, and so it went +on for a while. About that time these tidings were heard from +the north and Bearfirth, how Swan had rowed out to fish in the +spring, and a great storm came down on him from the east, and how +he was driven ashore at Fishless, and he and his men were there +lost. But the fishermen who were at Kalback thought they saw +Swan go into the fell at Kalbackshorn, and that he was greeted +well; but some spoke against that story, and said there was +nothing in it. But this all knew that he was never seen again +either alive or dead. So when Hallgerda heard that, she thought +she had a great loss in her mother's brother. Glum begged +Thorarin to change lands with him, but he said he would not; +"but," said he, "if I outlive you, I mean to have Varmalek to +myself." When Glum told this to Hallgerda, she said, "Thorarin +has indeed a right to expect this from us." + + + +15. THIOSTOLF GOES TO GLUM'S HOUSE + +Thiostolf had beaten one of Hauskuld's house-carles, so he drove +him away. He took his horse and weapons, and said to Hauskuld, +"Now, I will go away and never come back." + +"All will be glad at that," says Hauskuld. + +Thiostolf rode till he came to Varmalek, and there he got a +hearty welcome from Hallgerda, and not a bad one from Glum. He +told Hallgerda how her father had driven him away, and begged her +to give him her help and countenance. She answered him by +telling him she could say nothing about his staying there before +she had seen Glum about it. + +"Does it go well between you?" he says. + +"Yes," she says, "our love runs smooth enough." + +After that she went to speak to Glum, and threw her arms round +his neck and said, "Wilt thou grant me a boon which I wish to ask +of thee?" + +"Grant it I will," he says, "if it be right and seemly; but what +is it thou wishest to ask?" + +"Well," she said, "Thiostolf has been driven away from the west, +and what I want thee to do is to let him stay here; but I will +not take it crossly if it is not to thy mind." + +Glum said, "Now that thou behavest so well, I will grant thee thy +boon; but I tell thee, if he takes to any ill he shall be sent +off at once." + +She goes then to Thiostolf and tells him, and he answered, "Now, +thou art still good, as I had hoped." + +After that he was there, and kept himself down a little while, +but then it was the old story, he seemed to spoil all the good he +found; for he gave way to no one save to Hallgerda alone, but she +never took his side in his brawls with others. Thorarin, Glum's +brother, blamed him for letting him be there, and said ill luck +would come of it, and all would happen as had happened before if +he were there. Glum answered him well and kindly, but still kept +on in his own way. + + + +16. GLUM'S SHEEP HUNT + +Now once on a time when autumn came, it happened that men had +hard work to get their flocks home, and many of Glum's wethers +were missing. Then Glum said to Thiostolf, "Go thou up on the +fell with my house-carles and see if ye cannot find out anything +about the sheep." + +"'Tis no business of mine," says Thiostolf, "to hunt up sheep, +and this one thing is quite enough to hinder it. I won't walk in +thy thralls' footsteps. But go thyself, and then I'll go with +thee." + +About this they had many words. The weather was good, and +Hallgerda was sitting out of doors. Glum went up to her and +said, "Now Thiostolf and I have had a quarrel, and we shall not +live much longer together." And so he told her all that they had +been talking about. + +Then Hallgerda spoke up for Thiostolf, and they had many words +about him. At last Glum gave her a blow with his hand, and said, +"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 +up at once, and put on his jerkin and pulled on his shoes. Then +he took up his sword, and wrapped a cloak about his left arm, up +as far as the elbow. Men woke up just as he went out; there he +saw a tall stout man at the back of the house, and knew it was +Thiostolf. Hrut asked him what news? + +"I tell thee Glum is slain." says Thiostolf. + +"Who did the deed?" says Hrut. + +"I slew him," says Thiostolf. + +"Why rodest thou hither?" says Hrut. + +"Hallgerda sent me to thee," says Thiostolf. + +"Then she has no hand in this deed," says Hrut, and drew his +sword. Thiostolf saw that, and would not be behind hand, so he +cuts at Hrut at once. Hrut got out of the way of the stroke by a +quick turn, and at the same time struck the back of the axe so +smartly with a side-long blow of his left hand, that it flew out +of Thiostolf's grasp. Then Hrut made a blow with his sword in +his right hand at Thiostolf's leg, just above the knee, and cut +it almost off so that it hung by a little piece, and sprang in +upon him at the same time, and thrust him hard back. After that +he smote him on the head, and dealt him his death-blow. +Thiostolf fell down on his back at full length, and then out came +Hrut's men, and saw the tokens of the deed. Hrut made them take +Thiostolf away, and throw stones over his body, and then he went +to find Hauskuld, and told him of Glum's slaying, and also of +Thiostolf's. He thought it harm that Glum was dead and gone, but +thanked him for killing Thiostolf. A little while after, +Thorarin Ragi's brother hears of his brother Glum's death, then +he rides with eleven men behind him west to Hauskuldstede, and +Hauskuld welcomed him with both hands, and he is there the night. +Hauskuld sent at once for Hrut to come to him, and he went at +once, and next day they spoke much of the slaying of Glum, and +Thorarin said "Wilt thou make me any atonement for my brother, +for I have had a great loss?" + +Hauskuld answered, "I did not slay thy brother, nor did my +daughter plot his death; but as soon as ever Hrut knew it he slew +Thiostolf." + +Then Thorarin held his peace, and thought the matter had taken a +bad turn. But Hrut said, "Let us make his journey good; he has +indeed had a heavy loss, and if we do that we shall be well +spoken of. So let us give him gifts, and then he will be our +friend ever afterwards." + +So the end of it was, that those brothers gave him gifts, and he +rode back south. He and Hallgerda changed homesteads in the +spring, and she went south to Laugarness and he to Varmalek. And +now Thorarin is out of the story. + + + +18. FIDDLE MORD'S DEATH + +Now it must be told how Fiddle Mord took a sickness and breathed +his last; and that was thought great scathe. His daughter Unna +took all the goods he left behind him. She was then still +unmarried the second time. She was very layish, and unthrifty of +her property; so that her goods and ready money wasted away, and +at last she had scarce anything left but land and stock. + + + +19. GUNNAR COMES INTO THE STORY + +There was a man whose name was Gunnar. He was one of Unna's +kinsmen, and his mother's name was Rannveig (1). Gunnar's father +was named Hamond (2). Gunnar Hamond's son dwelt at Lithend, in +the Fleetlithe. He was a tall man in growth, and a strong man -- +best skilled in arms of all men. He could cut or thrust or shoot +if he chose as well with his left as with his right hand, and he +smote so swiftly with his sword, that three seemed to flash +through the air at once. He was the best shot with the bow of +all men, and never missed his mark. He could leap more than his +own height, with all his war-gear, and as far backwards as +forwards. He could swim like a seal, and there was no game in +which it was any good for any one to strive with him; and so it +has been said that no man was his match. He was handsome of +feature, and fair skinned. His nose was straight, and a little +turned up at the end. He was blue-eyed and bright-eyed, and +ruddy-cheeked. His hair thick, and of good hue, and hanging down +in comely curls. The most courteous of men was he, of sturdy +frame and strong will, bountiful and gentle, a fast friend, but +hard to please when making them. He was wealthy in goods. His +brother's name was Kolskegg; he was a tall strong man, a noble +fellow, and undaunted in everything. Another brother's name was +Hjort; he was then in his childhood. Orm Skogarnef was a base- +born brother of Gunnar's; he does not come into this story. +Arnguda was the name of Gunnar's sister. Hroar, the priest at +Tongue, had her to wife (3). + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) She was the daughter of Sigfuss, the son of Sighvat the Red; + he was slain at Sandhol Ferry. +(2) He was the son of Gunnar Baugsson, after whom Gunnar's holt + is called. Hamond's mother's name was Hrafnhilda. She was + the daughter of Storolf Heing's son. Storolf was brother to + Hrafn the Speaker of the Law, the son of Storolf was Orin + the Strong. +(3) He was the son of Uni the Unborn, Gardar's son who found + Iceland. Arnguda's son was Hamond the Halt, who dwelt at + Hamondstede. + + + +20. OF NJAL AND HIS CHILDREN + +There was a man whose name was Njal. He was the son of Thorgeir +Gelling, the son of Thorolf. Njal's mother's name was Asgerda +(1). Njal dwelt at Bergthorsknoll in the land-isles; he had +another homestead on Thorolfsfell. Njal was wealthy in goods, +and handsome of face; no beard grew on his chin. He was so great +a lawyer, that his match was not to be found. Wise too he was, +and foreknowing and foresighted (2). Of good counsel, and ready +to give it, and all that he advised men was sure to be the best +for them to do. Gentle and generous, he unravelled every man's +knotty points who came to see him about them. Bergthora was his +wife's name; she was Skarphedinn's daughter, a very high- +spirited, brave-hearted woman, but somewhat hard-tempered. They +had six children, three daughters and three sons, and they all +come afterwards into this story. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) She was the daughter of Lord Ar the Silent. She had come + out hither to Iceland from Norway, and taken land to the + west of Markfleet, between Auldastone and Selialandsmull. + Her son was Holt-Thorir, the father of Thorleif Crow, from + whom the Wood-dwellers are sprung, and of Thorgrim the Tall, + and Skorargeir. +(2) This means that Njal was one of those gifted beings who, + according to the firm belief of that age, had a more than + human insight into things about to happen. It answers very + nearly to the Scottish "second sight." + + + +21. UNNA GOES TO SEE GUNNAR + +Now it must be told how Unna had lost all her ready money. She +made her way to Lithend, and Gunnar greeted his kinswoman well. +She stayed there that night, and the next morning they sat out of +doors and talked. The end of their talk was, that she told him +how heavily she was pressed for money. + +"This is a bad business," he said. + +"What help wilt thou give me out of my distress?" she asked. + +He answered, "Take as much money as thou needest from what I have +out at interest." + +"Nay," she said, "I will not waste thy goods." + +"What then dost thou wish?" + +"I wish thee to get back my goods out of Hrut's hands," she +answered. + +"That, methinks, is not likely," said he, "when thy father could +not get them back, and yet he was a great lawyer, but I know +little about law." + +She answered, "Hrut pushed that matter through rather by boldness +than by law; besides, my father was old, and that was why men +thought it better not to drive things to the uttermost. And now +there is none of my kinsmen to take this suit up if thou hast not +daring enough. + +"I have courage enough," he replied, "to get these goods back; +but I do not know how to take the suit up." + +"Well!" she answered, "go and see Njal of Bergthorsknoll, he will +know how to give thee advice. Besides, he is a great friend of +thine." + +"'Tis like enough he will give me good advice, as he gives it to +every one else," says Gunnar. + +So the end of their talk was, that Gunnar undertook her cause, +and gave her the money she needed for her housekeeping, and after +that she went home. + +Now Gunnar rides to see Njal, and he made him welcome, and they +began to talk at once. + +Then Gunnar said, "I am come to seek a bit of good advice from +thee." + +Njal replied, "Many of my friends are worthy of this, but still I +think I would take more pains for none than for thee." + +Gunnar said, "I wish to let thee know that I have undertaken to +get Unna's goods back from Hrut." + +"A very hard suit to undertake," said Njal, "and one very +hazardous how it will go; but still I will get it up for thee in +the way I think likeliest to succeed, and the end will be good if +thou breakest none of the rules I lay down; if thou dost, thy +life is in danger." + +"Never fear; I will break none of them," said Gunnar. + +Then Njal held his peace for a little while, and after that he +spoke as follows: -- + + + +22. NJAL'S ADVICE + +I have thought over the suit, and it will do so. Thou shalt ride +from home with two men at thy back. Over all thou shalt have a +great rough cloak, and under that, a russet kirtle of cheap +stuff, and under all, thy good clothes. Thou must take a small +axe in thy hand, and each of you must have two horses, one fat, +the other lean. Thou shalt carry hardware and smith's work with +thee hence, and ye must ride off early to-morrow morning, and +when ye are come across Whitewater westwards, mind and slouch thy +hat well over thy brows. Then men will ask who is this tall man, +and thy mates shall say, `Here is Huckster Hedinn the Big, a man +from Eyjafirth, who is going about with smith's work for sale.' +This Hedinn is ill-tempered and a chatterer -- a fellow who +thinks he alone knows everything. Very often he snatches back +his wares, and flies at men if everything is not done as he +wishes. So thou shalt ride west to Borgarfirth offering all +sorts of wares for sale, and be sure often to cry off thy +bargains, so that it will be noised abroad that Huckster Hedinn +is the worst of men to deal with, and that no lies have been told +of his bad behaviour. So thou shalt ride to Northwaterdale, and +to Hrutfirth, and Laxriverdale, till thou comest to +Hauskuldstede. There thou must stay a night, and sit in the +lowest place, and hang thy head down. Hauskuld will tell them +all not to meddle nor make with Huckster Hedinn, saying he is a +rude unfriendly fellow. Next morning thou must be off early and +go to the farm nearest Hrutstede. There thou must offer thy +goods for sale, praising up all that is worst, and tinkering up +the faults. The master of the house will pry about and find out +the faults. Thou must snatch the wares away from him, and speak +ill to him. He will say, 'twas not to be hoped that thou wouldst +behave well to him, when thou behavest ill to every one else. +Then thou shalt fly at him, though it is not thy wont, but mind +and spare thy strength, that thou mayest not be found out. Then +a man will be sent to Hrutstede to tell Hrut he had best come and +part you. He will come at once and ask thee to his house, and +thou must accept his offer. Thou shalt greet Hrut and he will +answer well. A place will be given thee on the lower bench over +against Hrut's high seat. He will ask if thou art from the +North, and thou shalt answer that thou art a man of Eyjafirth. +He will go on to ask if there are very many famous men there. +`Shabby fellows enough and to spare,' thou must answer. `Dost +thou know Reykiardale and the parts about?' he will ask. To +which thou must answer, `I know all Iceland by heart.' + +"`Are there any stout champions left in Reykiardale?' he will +ask. `Thieves and scoundrels,' thou shalt answer. Then Hrut +will smile and think it sport to listen. You two will go on to +talk of the men in the Eastfirth Quarter, and thou must always +find something to say against them. At last your talk will come +Rangrivervale, and then thou must say, there is small choice of +men left in those parts since Fiddle Mord died. At the same time +sing some stave to please Hrut, for I know thou art a skald. +Hrut will ask what makes thee say there is never a man to come in +Mord's place? and then thou must answer, that he was so wise a +man and so good a taker up of suits, that he never made a false +step in upholding his leadership. He will ask, `Dost thou know +how matters fared between me and him?' + +"`I know all about it,' thou must reply, `he took thy wife from +thee, and thou hadst not a word to say.'" + +Then Hrut will ask, `Dost thou not think it was some disgrace to +him when he could not get back his goods, though he set the suit +on foot?' + +"`I can answer thee that well enough,' thou must say. `Thou +challengedst him to single combat; but he was old, and so his +friends advised him not to fight with thee, and then they let the +suit fall to the ground.' + +"`True enough,' Hrut will say. `I said so, and that passed for +law among foolish men; but the suit might have been taken up +again at another Thing if he had the heart.' + +"`I know all that,' thou must say. + +Then he will ask, `Dost thou know anything about law?' + +"`Up in the North I am thought to know something about it,' thou +shalt say. `But still I should like thee to tell me how this +suit should be taken up.' + +"`What suit dost thou mean?' he will ask. + +"`A suit,' thou must answer, `which does not concern me. I want +to know how a man must set to work who wishes to get back Unna's +dower.' + +"Then Hrut will say, `In this suit I must be summoned so that I +can hear the summons, or I must be summoned here in my lawful +house.' + +"`Recite the summons, then,' thou must say, 'and I will say it +after thee.' + +"Then Hrut will summon himself; and mind and pay great heed to +every word he says. After that Hrut will bid thee repeat the +summons, and thou must do so, and say it all wrong, so that no +more than every other word is right." + +Then Hrut will smile and not mistrust thee, but say that scarce a +word is right. Thou must throw the blame on thy companions, and +say they put thee out, and then thou must ask him to say the +words first, word by word, and to let thee say the words after +him. He will give thee leave, and summon himself in the suit, +and thou shalt summon after him there and then, and this time say +every word right. When it is done, ask Hrut if that were rightly +summoned, and he will answer, `There is no flaw to be found in +it.' Then thou shalt say in a loud voice, so that thy companions +may hear, `I summon thee in the suit which Unna, Mord's daughter, +has made over to me with her plighted hand.' + +"But when men are sound asleep, you shall rise and take your +bridles and saddles, and tread softly, and go out of the house, +and put your saddles on your fat horses in the fields, and so +ride off on them, but leave the others behind you. You must ride +up into the hills away from the home pastures and stay there +three nights, for about so long will they seek you. After that +ride home south, riding always by night and resting by day. As +for us, we will then ride this summer to the Thing, and help thee +in thy suit." So Gunnar thanked Njal, and first of all rode +home. + + + +23. HUCKSTER HEDINN. + +Gunnar rode from home two nights afterwards, and two men with +him; they rode along until they got on Bluewoodheath and then men +on horseback met them and asked who that tall man might be of +whom so little was seen. But his companions said it was Huckster +Hedinn. Then the others said a worse was not to be looked for +behind, when such a man as he went before. Hedinn at once made +as though he would have set upon them, but yet each went their +way. So Gunnar went on doing everything as Njal had laid it down +for him, and when he came to Hauskuldstede he stayed there the +night, and thence he went down the dale till he came to the next +farm to Hrutstede. There he offered his wares for sale, and +Hedinn fell at once upon the farmer. This was told to Hrut, and +he sent for Hedinn, and Hedinn went at once to see Hrut, and had +a good welcome. Hrut seated him over against himself, and their +talk went pretty much as Njal had guessed; but when they came to +talk of Rangrivervale, and Hrut asked about the men there, Gunnar +sung this stave -- + + "Men in sooth are slow to find -- + So the people speak by stealth, + Often this hath reached my ears -- + All through Rangar's rolling vales. + Still I trow that Fiddle Mord, + Tried his hand in fight of yore; + Sure was never gold-bestower, + Such a man for might and wit." + +Then Hrut said, "Thou art a skald, Hedinn. But hast thou never +heard how things went between me and Mord?" Then Hedinn sung +another stave -- + + "Once I ween I heard the rumour, + How the Lord of rings (1) bereft thee; + From thine arms earth's offspring (2) tearing, + Trickfull he and trustful thou. + Then the men, the buckler-bearers, + Begged the mighty gold-begetter, + Sharp sword oft of old he reddened, + Not to stand in strife with thee." + +So they went on, till Hrut, in answer told him how the suit must +be taken up, and recited the summons. Hedinn repeated it all +wrong, and Hrut burst out laughing, and had no mistrust. Then he +said, Hrut must summon once more, and Hrut did so. Then Hedinn +repeated the summons a second time, and this time right, and +called his companions to witness how he summoned Hrut in a suit +which Unna, Mord's daughter, had made over to him with her +plighted hand. At night he went to sleep like other men, but as +soon as ever Hrut was sound asleep, they took their clothes and +arms, and went out and came to their horses, and rode off across +the river, and so up along the bank by Hiardarholt till the dale +broke off among the hills, and so there they are upon the fells +between Laxriverdale and Hawkdale, having got to a spot where no +one could find them unless he had fallen on them by chance. + +Hauskuld wakes up that night at Hauskuldstede, and roused all his +household. "I will tell you my dream," he said. "I thought I +saw a great bear go out of this house, and I knew at once this +beast's match was not to be found; two cubs followed him, wishing +well to the bear, and they all made for Hrutstede and went into +the house there. After that I woke. Now I wish to ask if any of +you saw aught about yon tall man." + +Then one man answered him, "I saw how a golden fringe and a bit +of scarlet cloth peeped out at his arm, and on his right arm he +had a ring of gold." + +Hauskuld said, "This beast is no man's fetch, but Gunnar's of +Lithend, and now methinks I see all about it. Up! let us ride +to Hrutstede," And they did so. Hrut lay in his locked bed, and +asks who have come there? Hauskuld tells who he is, and asked +what guests might be there in the house? + +"Only Huckster Hedinn is here," says Hrut. + +"A broader man across the back, it will be, I fear," says +Hauskuld, "I guess here must have been Gunnar of Lithend." + +"Then there has been a pretty trial of cunning," says Hrut. + +"What has happened?" says Hauskuld. + +"I told him how to take up Unna's suit, and I summoned myself and +he summoned after, and now he can use this first step in the +suit, and it is right in law." + +"There has, indeed, been a great falling off of wit on one side," +said Hauskuld, "and Gunnar cannot have planned it all by himself; +Njal must be at the bottom of this plot, for there is not his +match for wit in all the land." + +Now they look for Hedinn, but he is already off and away; after +that they gathered folk, and looked for them three days, but +could not find them. Gunnar rode south from the fell to Hawkdale +and so east of Skard, and north to Holtbeaconheath, and so on +until he got home. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Lord of rings," a periphrasis for a chief, that is, Mord. +(2) "Earth's offspring," a periphrasis for woman, that is, Unna. + + + +24. GUNNAR AND HRUT STRIVE AT THE THING. + +Gunnar rode to the Althing, and Hrut and Hauskuld rode thither +too with a very great company. Gunnar pursues his suit, and +began by calling on his neighbours to bear witness, but Hrut and +his brother had it in their minds to make an onslaught on him, +but they mistrusted their strength. + +Gunnar next went to the court of the men of Broadfirth, and bade +Hrut listen to his oath and declaration of the cause of the suit, +and to all the proofs which he was about to bring forward. After +that he took his oath, and declared his case. After that he +brought forward his witnesses of the summons, along with his +witnesses that the suit had been handed over to him. All this +time Njal was not at the court. Now Gunnar pursued his suit till +he called on the defendant to reply. Then Hrut took witness, and +said the suit was naught, and that there was a flaw in the +pleading; he declared that it had broken down because Gunnar had +failed to call those three witnesses which ought to have been +brought before the court. The first, that which was taken before +the marriage-bed, the second, before the man's door, the third, +at the Hill of Laws. By this time Njal was come to the court and +said the suit and pleading might still be kept alive if they +chose to strive in that way. + +"No," says Gunnar, "I will not have that; I will do the same to +Hrut as he did to Mord my kinsman; or, are those brothers Hrut +and Hauskuld so near that they may hear my voice." + +"Hear it we can," says Hrut. "What dost thou wish?" + +Gunnar said, "Now all men here present be ear-witnesses, that I +challenge thee Hrut to single combat, and we shall fight to-day +on the holm, which is here in Oxwater. But if thou wilt not +fight with me, then pay up all the money this very day." + +After that Gunnar sung a stave -- + + "Yes, so must it be, this morning -- + Now my mind is full of fire -- + Hrut with me on yonder island + Raises roar of helm and shield. + All that bear my words bear witness, + Warriors grasping Woden's guard, + Unless the wealthy wight down payeth + Dower of wife with flowing veil." + +After that Gunnar went away from the court with all his +followers. Hrut and Hauskuld went home too, and the suit was +never pursued nor defended from that day forth. Hrut said, as +soon as he got inside the booth, "This has never happened to me +before, that any man has offered me combat and I have shunned +it." + +"Then thou must mean to fight," says Hauskuld, "but that shall +not be if I have my way; for thou comest no nearer to Gunnar than +Mord would have come to thee, and we had better both of us pay up +the money to Gunnar." + +After that the brothers asked the householders of their own +country what they would lay down, and they one and all said they +would lay down as much as Hrut wished. + +"Let us go then," says Hauskuld, "to Gunnar's booth, and pay down +the money out of hand." That was told to Gunnar, and he went out +into the doorway of the booth, and Hauskuld said, "Now it is +thine to take the money." + +Gunnar said, "Pay it down, then, for I am ready to take it." + +So they paid down the money truly out of hand, and then Hauskuld +said, "Enjoy it now, as thou hast gotten it." Then Gunnar sang +another stave: -- + + "Men who wield the blade of battle + Hoarded wealth may well enjoy, + Guileless gotten this at least, + Golden meed I fearless take; + But if we for woman's quarrel, + Warriors born to brandish sword, + Glut the wolf with manly gore, + Worse the lot of both would be." + +Hrut answered, "III will be thy meed for this." + +"Be that as it may," says Gunnar. + +Then Hauskuld and his brother went home to their booth, and he +had much upon his mind, and said to Hrut, "Will this unfairness +of Gunnar's never be avenged?" + +"Not so," says Hrut; "'twill be avenged on him sure enough, but +we shall have no share nor profit in that vengeance. And after +all it is most likely that he will turn to our stock to seek for +friends." + +After that they left off speaking of the matter. Gunnar showed +Njal the money, and he said, "The suit has gone off well." + +"Ay," says Gunnar, "but it was all thy doing." + +Now men rode home from the Thing, and Gunnar got very great +honour from the suit. Gunnar handed over all the money to Unna, +and would have none of it, but said he thought he ought to look +more for help from her and her kin hereafter than from other men. +She said, so it should be. + + + +25. UNNA'S SECOND WEDDING + +There was a man named Valgard, he kept house at Hof by Rangriver, +he was the son of Jorund the Priest, and his brother was Wolf +Aurpriest (1). Those brothers, Wolf Aurpriest, and Valgard the +Guileful, set off to woo Unna, and she gave herself away to +Valgard without the advice of any of her kinsfolk. But Gunnar +and Njal, and many others thought ill of that, for he was a +cross-grained man and had few friends. They begot between them a +son, whose name was Mord, and he is long in this story. When he +was grown to man's estate, he worked ill to his kinsfolk but +worst of all to Gunnar. He was a crafty man in his temper, but +spiteful in his counsels. + +Now we will name Njal's sons. Skarphedinn was the eldest of +them. He was a tall man in growth, and strong withal; a good +swordsman; he could swim like a seal, the swiftest-looted of men, +and bold and dauntless; he had a great flow of words and quick +utterance; a good skald too; but still for the most part he kept +himself well in hand; his hair was dark brown, with crisp curly +locks; he had good eyes; his features were sharp, and his face +ashen pale, his nose turned up and his front teeth stuck out, and +his mouth was very ugly. Still he was the most soldierlike of +men. + +Grim was the name of Njal's second son. He was fair of face and +wore his hair long. His hair was dark, and he was comelier to +look on than Skarphedinn. A tall strong man. + +Helgi was the name of Njal's third son. He too was fair of face +and had fine hair. He was a strong man and well-skilled in arms. +He was a man of sense and knew well how to behave. They were all +unwedded at that time, Njal's sons. + +Hauskuld was the fourth of Njal's sons. He was baseborn. His +mother was Rodny, and she was Hauskuld's daughter, the sister of +Ingialld of the Springs. + +Njal asked Skarphedinn one day if he would take to himself a +wife. He bade his father settle the matter. Then Njal asked for +his hand Thorhilda, the daughter of Ranvir of Thorolfsfell, and +that was why they had another homestead there after that. +Skarphedinn got Thorhilda, but he stayed still with his father to +the end. Grim wooed Astrid of Deepback; she was a widow and very +wealthy. Grim got her to wife, and yet lived on with Njal. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) The son of Ranveig the Silly, the son of Valgard, the son of + Aefar, the son of Vemund Wordstopper, the son of Thorolf + Hooknose, the son of Thrand the Old, the son of Harold + Hilditann, the son of Hraereck Ringscatterer. The mother of + Harold Hilditann, was Aud the daughter of Ivar Widefathom, + the son of Halfdan the Clever. The brother of Valgard the + Guileful was Wolf Aurpriest -- from whom the Pointdwellers + sprung -- Wolf Aurpriest was the father of Swart, the father + of Lodmund, the father of Sigfus, the father of Saemund the + Wise. But from Valgard is sprung Kolbein the Young. + + + +26. OF ASGRIM AND HIS CHILDREN + +There was a man named Asgrim (1). He was Ellidagrim's son. The +brother of Asgrim Ellidagrim's son was Sigfus (2). Gauk +Trandil's son was Asgrim's foster-brother, who is said to have +been the fairest man of his day, and best skilled in all things; +but matters went ill with them, for Asgrim slew Gauk. + +Asgrim had two sons, and each of them was named Thorhall. They +were both hopeful men. Grim was the name of another of Asgrim's +sons, and Thorhalla was his daughter's name. She was the fairest +of women, and well behaved. + +Njal came to talk with his son Helgi, and said, "I have thought +of a match for thee, if thou wilt follow my advice." + +"That I will surely," says he, "for I know that thou both meanest +me well, and canst do well for me; but whither hast thou turned +thine eyes." + +"We will go and woo Asgrim Ellidagrim's son's daughter, for that +is the best choice we can make." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Ellidagrim was Asgrim's son, Aundot the Crow's son. His + mother's name was Jorunn, and she was the daughter of Teit, + the son of Kettlebjorn the Old of Mossfell. The mother of + Teit was Helga, daughter of Thord Skeggi's son, Hrapp's son, + Bjorn's son the Roughfooted, Grim's son, the Lord of Sogn in + Norway. The mother of Jorunn was Olof Harvest-heal, + daughter of Bodvar, Viking-Kari's son. +(2) His daughter was Thorgerda, mother of Sigfus, the father of + Saemund the Learned. + + + +27. HELGI NJAL'S SON'S WOOING + +A little after they rode out across Thurso water, and fared till +they came into Tongue. Asgrim was at home, and gave them a +hearty welcome; and they were there that night. Next morning +they began to talk, and then Njal raised the question of the +wooing, and asked for Thorhalla for his son Helgi's hand. Asgrim +answered that well, and said there were no men with whom he would +be more willing to make this bargain than with them. They fell +a-talking then about terms, and the end of it was that Asgrim +betrothed his daughter to Helgi, and the bridal day was named. +Gunnar was at that feast, and many other of the bestmen. After +the feast Njal offered to foster in his house Thorhall, Asgrim's +son, and he was with Njal long after. He loved Njal more than +his own father. Njal taught him law, so that he became the +greatest lawyer in Iceland in those days. + + + +28. HALLVARD COMES OUT TO ICELAND + +There came a ship out from Norway, and ran into Arnbael's Oyce +(1), and the master of the ship was Hallvard the White, a man +from the Bay (2). He went to stay at Lithend, and was with +Gunnar that winter, and was always asking him to fare abroad with +him. Gunnar spoke little about it, but yet said more unlikely +things might happen; and about spring he went over to +Bergthorsknoll to find out from Njal whether he thought it a wise +step in him to go abroad. + +"I think it is wise," says Njal; "they will think thee there an +honourable man, as thou art." + +"Wilt thou perhaps take my goods into thy keeping while I am +away, for I wish my brother Kolskegg to fare with me; but I would +that thou shouldst see after my household along with my mother." + +"I will not throw anything in the way of that," says Njal; "lean +on me in this thing as much as thou likest." + +"Good go with thee for thy words," says Gunnar, and he rides +then home. + +The Easterling (3) fell again to talk with Gunnar that he should +fare abroad. Gunnar asked if he had ever sailed to other lands? +He said he had sailed to every one of them that lay between +Norway and Russia, and so, too, I have sailed to Biarmaland (4). + +"Wilt thou sail with me eastward ho?" says Gunnar. + +"That I will of a surety," says he. + +Then Gunnar made up his mind to sail abroad with him. Njal took +all Gunnar's goods into his keeping. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Oyce," a north country word for the mouth of a river, from + the Icelandic. +(2) "The Bay" (comp. ch. ii., and other passages), the name + given to the great bay in the east of Norway, the entrance + of which from the North Sea is the Cattegat, and at the end + of which is the Christiania Firth. The name also applies to + the land round the Bay, which thus formed a district, the + boundary of which, on the one side, was the promontory + called Lindesnaes, or the Naze, and on the other, the + Gota-Elf, the river on which the Swedish town of Gottenburg + stands, and off the mouth of which lies the island of + Hisingen, mentioned shortly after. +(3) Easterling, i.e., the Norseman Hallvard. +(4) Permia, the country one comes to after doubling the North + Cape. + + + +29. GUNNAR GOES ABROAD + +So Gunnar fared abroad, and Kolskegg with him. They sailed first +to Tonsberg (1), and were there that winter. There had then been +a shift of rulers in Norway. Harold Grayfell was then dead, and +so was Gunnhillda. Earl Hacon the Bad, Sigurd's son, Hacon's +son, Gritgarth's son, then ruled the realm. The mother of Hacon +was Bergliot, the daughter of Earl Thorir. Her mother was Olof +Harvest-heal. She was Harold Fair-hair's daughter. + +Hallvard asks Gunnar if he would make up his mind to go to Earl +Hacon? + +"No; I will not do that," says Gunnar. "Hast thou ever a long- +ship?" + +"I have two," he says. + +"Then I would that we two went on warfare; and let us get men to +go with us." + +"I will do that," says Hallvard. + +After that they went to the Bay, and took with them two ships, +and fitted them out thence. They had good choice of men, for +much praise was said of Gunnar. + +"Whither wilt thou first fare?" says Gunnar. + +"I wish to go south-east to Hisingen, to see my kinsman Oliver," +says Hallvard. + +"What dost thou want of him?" says Gunnar. + +He answered, "He is a fine brave fellow, and he will be sure to +get us some more strength for our voyage." + +"Then let us go thither," says Gunnar. + +So, as soon as they were "boun," they held on east to Hisingen, +and had there a hearty welcome. Gunnar had only been there a +short time ere Oliver made much of him. Oliver asks about his +voyage, and Hallvard says that Gunnar wishes to go a-warfaring to +gather goods for himself. + +"There's no use thinking of that," says Oliver, "when ye have no +force." + +"Well" says Hallvard, "then you may add to it." + +"So I do mean to strengthen Gunnar somewhat," says Oliver; "and +though thou reckonest thyself my kith and kin, I think there is +more good in him." + +"What force, now, wilt thou add to ours?" he asks. + +"Two long-ships, one with twenty, and the other with thirty seats +for rowers." + +"Who shall man them?" asks Hallvard. + +"I will man one of them with my own house-carles, and the freemen +around shall man the other. But still I have found out that +strife has come into the river, and I know not whether ye two +will be able to get away; for they are in the river." + +"Who?" says Hallvard. + +"Brothers twain," says Oliver; "one's name is Vandil, and the +other's Karli, sons of Sjolf the Old, east away out of Gothland." + +Hallvard told Gunnar that Oliver had added some ships to theirs, +and Gunnar was glad at that. They busked them for their voyage +thence, till they were "allboun." Then Gunnar and Hallvard went +before Oliver, and thanked him; he bade them fare warily for the +sake of those brothers. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) A town at the mouth of the Christiania Firth. It was a + great place for traffic in early times, and was long the + only mart in the south-east of Norway. + + + +30. GUNNAR GOES A-SEA-ROVING + +So Gunnar held on out of the river, and he and Kolskegg were both +on board one ship. But Hallvard was on board another. Now, they +see the ships before them, and then Gunnar spoke, and said, "Let +us be ready for anything if they turn towards us! but else let +us have nothing to do with them." + +So they did that, and made all ready on board their ships. The +others parted their ships asunder, and made a fareway between the +ships. Gunnar fared straight on between the ships, but Vandil +caught up a grappling-iron, and cast it between their ships and +Gunnar's ship, and began at once to drag it towards him. + +Oliver had given Gunnar a good sword; Gunnar now drew it, and had +not yet put on his helm. He leapt at once on the forecastle of +Vandil's ship, and gave one man his death-blow. Karli ran his +ship alongside the other side of Gunnar's ship, and hurled a +spear athwart the deck, and aimed at him about the waist. Gunnar +sees this, and turned him about so quickly that no eye could +follow him, and caught the spear with his left hand, and hurled +it back at Karli's ship, and that man got his death who stood +before it. Kolskegg snatched up a grapnel and cast it at Karli's +ship, and the fluke fell inside the hold, and went out through +one of the planks and in rushed the coal-blue sea, and all the +men sprang on board other ships. + +Now Gunnar leapt back to his own ship, and then Hallvard came up, +and now a great battle arose. They saw now that their leader was +unflinching, and every man did as well as he could. Sometimes +Gunnar smote with the sword, and sometimes he hurled the spear, +and many a man had his bane at his hand. Kolskegg backed him +well. As for Karli, he hastened in a ship to his brother Vandil, +and thence they fought that day. During the day Kolskegg took a +rest on Gunnar's ship, and Gunnar sees that. Then he sung a +song -- + + "For the eagle ravine-eager, + Raven of my race, to-day + Better surely hast thou catered, + Lord of gold, than for thyself; + Here the morn come greedy ravens + Many any a rill of wolf (1) to sup, + But thee burning thirst down-beareth, + Prince of battle's Parliament!" + +After that Kolskegg took a beaker full of mead, and drank it off, +and went on fighting afterwards; and so it came about that those +brothers sprang up on the ship of Vandil and his brother, and +Kolskegg went on one side, and Gunnar on the other. Against +Gunnar came Vandil, and smote at once at him with his sword, and +the blow fell on his shield. Gunnar gave the shield a twist as +the sword pierced it, and broke it short off at the hilt. Then +Gunnar smote back at Vandil, and three swords seemed to be aloft, +and Vandil could not see how to shun the blow. Then Gunnar cut +both his legs from under him, and at the same time Kolskegg ran +Karli through with a spear. After that they took great war +spoil. + +Thence they held on south to Denmark, and thence east to Smoland, +(2) and had victory wherever they went. They did not come back +in autumn. The next summer they held on to Reval, and fell in +there with sea-rovers, and fought at once, and won the fight. +After that they steered east to Osel,(3) and lay there somewhile +under a ness. There they saw a man coming down from the ness +above them; Gunnar went on shore to meet the man, and they had a +talk. Gunnar asked him his name, and he said it was Tofi. +Gunnar asked again what he wanted. + +"Thee I want to see," says the man. " Two warships lie on the +other side under the ness, and I will tell thee who command them: +two brothers are the captains -- one's name is Hallgrim, and the +other's Kolskegg. I know them to be mighty men of war; and I +know too that they have such good weapons that the like are not +to be had. Hallgrim has a bill which he had made by seething- +spells; and this is what the spells say, that no weapon shall +give him his death-blow save that bill. That thing follows +it too that it is known at once when a man is to be slain with +that bill, for something sings in it so loudly that it may be +heard along way off -- such a strong nature has that bill in it." + +Then Gunnar sang a song -- + + "Soon shall I that spearhead seize, + And the bold sea-rover slay, + Him whose blows on headpiece ring, + Heaper up of piles of dead. + Then on Endil's courser (4) bounding, + O'er the sea-depths I will ride, + While the wretch who spells abuseth, + Life shall lose in Sigar's storm." (5) + +"Kolskegg has a short sword; that is also the best of weapons. +Force, too, they have -- a third more than ye. They have also +much goods, and have stowed them away on land, and I know clearly +where they are. But they have sent a spy-ship off the ness, and +they know all about you. Now they are getting themselves ready +as fast as they can; and as soon as they are `boun,' they mean +to run out against you. Now you have either to row away at once, +or to busk yourselves as quickly as ye can; but if ye win the day +then I will lead you to all their store of goods." + +Gunnar gave him a golden finger-ring, and went afterwards to his +men and told them that war-ships lay on the other side of the +ness, "and they know all about us; so let us take to our arms and +busk us well, for now there is gain to be got." + +Then they busked them; and just when they were `boun' they see +ships coming up to them. And now a fight sprung up between them, +and they fought long, and many men fell. Gunnar slew many a man. +Hallgrim and his men leapt on board Gunnar's ship. Gunnar turns +to meet him, and Hallgrim thrust at him with his bill. There was +a boom athwart the ship, and Gunnar leapt nimbly back over it. +Gunnar's shield was just before the boom, and Hallgrim thrust his +bill into it, and through it, and so on into the boom. Gunnar +cut at Hallgrim's arm hard, and lamed the forearm, but the sword +would not bite. Then down fell the bill, and Gunnar seized the +bill, and thrust Hallgrim through, and then sang a song -- + + "Slain is he who spoiled the people, + Lashing them with flashing steel; + Heard have I how Hallgrim's magic + Helm-rod forged in foreign land; + All men know, of heart-strings doughty, + How this bill hath come to me, + Deft in fight, the wolf's dear feeder, + Death alone us two shall part." + +And that vow Gunnar kept, in that he bore the bill while he +lived. Those namesakes the two Kolskeggs fought together, and +it was a near thing which would get the better of it. Then +Gunnar came up, and gave the other Kolskegg his death-blow. +After that the sea-rovers begged for mercy. Gunnar let them have +that choice, and he let them also count the slain, and take the +goods which the dead men owned, but he gave the others whom he +spared their arms and their clothing, and bade them be off to the +lands that fostered them. So they went off, and Gunnar took all +the goods that were left behind. + +Tofi came to Gunner after the battle, and offered to lead him to +that store of goods which the sea-rovers had stowed away, and +said that it was both better and larger than that which they had +already got. + +Gunnar said he was willing to go, and so he went ashore, and Tofi +before him, to a wood, and Gunnar behind him. They came to a +place where a great heap of wood was piled together. Tofi says +the goods were under there, then they tossed off the wood, and +found under it both gold and silver, clothes, and good weapons. +They bore those goods to the ships, and Gunnar asks Tofi in what +way he wished him to repay him. + +Tofi answered, "I am a Dansk man by race, and I wish thou wouldst +bring me to my kinsfolk." + +Gunnar asks why he was there away east? + +"I was taken by sea-rovers," says Tofi, "and they put me on land +here in Osel, and here I have been ever since." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Rill of wolf -- stream of blood. +(2) A province of Sweden. +(3) An island in the Baltic, off the coast of Esthonia. +(4) "Endil's courser" -- periphrasis for a ship. +(5) "Sigar's storm" -- periphrasis for a sea-fight. + + + +31. GUNNAR GOES TO KING HAROLD GORM'SSON AND EARL HACON + +Gunnar took Tofi on board, and said to Kolskegg and Hallvard, +"Now we will hold our course for the north lands." + +They were well pleased at that, and bade him have his way. So +Gunnar sailed from the east with much goods. He had ten ships, +and ran in with them to Heidarby in Denmark. King Harold Gorm's +son was there up the country, and he was told about Gunnar, and +how too that there was no man his match in all Iceland. He sent +men to him to ask him to come to him, and Gunnar went at once to +see the king, and the king made him a hearty welcome, and sat him +down next to himself. Gunnar was there half a month. The king +made himself sport by letting Gunnar prove himself in divers +feats of strength against his men, and there were none that were +his match even in one feat. + +Then the king said to Gunnar, "It seems to me as though thy peer +is not to be found far or near," and the king offered to get +Gunnar a wife, and to raise him to great power if he would settle +down there. + +Gunnar thanked the king for his offer and said, "I will first of +all sail back to Iceland to see my friends and kinsfolk." + +"Then thou wilt never come back to us," says the king. + +"Fate will settle that, lord," says Gunnar. + +Gunnar gave the king a good long-ship, and much goods besides, +and the king gave him a robe of honour, and golden-seamed gloves, +and a fillet with a knot of gold on it, and a Russian hat. + +Then Gunnar fared north to Hisingen. Oliver welcomed him with +both hands, and he gave back to Oliver his ships, with their +lading, and said that was his share of the spoil. Oliver took +the goods, and said Gunnar was a good man and true, and bade him +stay with him some while. Hallvard asked Gunnar if he had a mind +to go to see Earl Hacon. Gunnar said that was near his heart, +"for now I am somewhat proved, but then I was not tried at all +when thou badest me do this before." + +After that they fared north to Drontheim to see Earl Hacon, and +he gave Gunnar a hearty welcome, and bade him stay with him that +winter, and Gunnar took that offer, and every man thought him a +man of great worth. At Yule the Earl gave him a gold ring. + +Gunnar set his heart on Bergliota, the Earl's kinswoman, and it +was often to be seen from the Earl's way, that he would have +given her to him to wife if Gunnar had said anything about that. + + + +32. GUNNAR COMES OUT TO ICELAND + +When the spring came, the Earl asks Gunnar what course he meant +to take. He said he would go to Iceland. The Earl said that had +been a bad year for grain, "and there will be little sailing out +to Iceland, but still thou shalt have meal and timber both in thy +ship." + +Gunnar fitted out his ship as early as he could, and Hallvard +fared out with him and Kolskegg. They came out early in the +summer, and made Arnbael's Oyce before the Thing met. + +Gunnar rode home from the ship, but got men to strip her and lay +her up. But when they came home all men were glad to see them. +They were blithe and merry to their household, nor had their +haughtiness grown while they were away. + +Gunnar asks if Njal were at home; and he was told that he was at +home; then he let them saddle his horse, and those brothers rode +over to Bergthorsknoll. + +Njal was glad at their coming, and begged them to stay there that +night, and Gunnar told him of his voyages. + +Njal said he was a man of the greatest mark, "and thou hast been +much proved; but still thou wilt be more tried hereafter; for +many will envy thee." + +"With all men I would wish to stand well," says Gunnar. + +"Much bad will happen," said Njal, "and thou wilt always have +some quarrel to ward off." + +"So be it, then," says Gunnar, "so that I have a good ground on +my side." + +"So will it be too," says NjaI, "if thou hast not to smart for +others." + +Njal asked Gunnar if he would ride to the Thing. Gunnar said he +was going to ride thither, and asks Njal whether he were going to +ride; but he said he would not ride thither, "and if I had my +will thou wouldst do the like." + +Gunnar rode home, and gave Njal good gifts, and thanked him for +the care he had taken of his goods. Kolskegg urged him on much +to ride to the Thing, saying, "There thy honour will grow, for +many will flock to see thee there." + +"That has been little to my mind," says Gunnar, "to make a show +of myself; but I think it good and right to meet good and worthy +men." + +Hallvard by this time was also come thither, and offered to ride +to the thing with them. + + + +33. GUNNAR'S WOOING + +So Gunnar rode, and they all rode. But when they came to the +Thing they were so well arrayed that none could match them in +bravery; and men came out of every booth to wonder at them. +Gunnar rode to the booths of the men of Rangriver, and was there +with his kinsmen. Many men came to see Gunnar, and ask tidings +of him; and he was easy and merry to all men, and told them all +they wished to hear. + +It happened one day that Gunnar went away from the Hill of Laws, +and passed by the booths of the men from Mossfell; then he saw a +woman coming to meet him, and she was in goodly attire; but when +they met she spoke to Gunnar at once. He took her greeting well, +and asks what woman she might be. She told him her name was +Hallgerda, and said she was Hauskuld's daughter, Dalakoll's son. +She spoke up boldly to him, and bade him tell her of his voyages; +but he said he would not gainsay her a talk. Then they sat them +down and talked. She was so clad that she had on a red kirtle, +and had thrown over her a scarlet cloak trimmed with needlework +down to the waist. Her hair came down to her bosom, and was both +fair and full. Gunnar was clad in the scarlet clothes which King +Harold Gorm's son had given him; he had also the gold ring on his +arm which Earl Hacon had given him. + +So they talked long out loud, and at last it came about that he +asked whether she were unmarried. She said, so it was, "and +there are not many who would run the risk of that." + +"Thinkest thou none good enough for thee?" + +"Not that," she says, "but I am said to be hard to please in +husbands." + +"How wouldst thou answer, were I to ask for thee?" + +"That cannot be in thy mind," she says. + +"It is though," says he. + +"If thou hast any mind that way, go and see my father." + +After that they broke off their talk. + +Gunnar went straightway to the Dalesmen's booths, and met a man +outside the doorway, and asks whether Hauskuld were inside the +booth? + +The man says that he was. Then Gunnar went in, and Hauskuld and +Hrut made him welcome. He sat down between them, and no one +could find out from their talk that there had ever been any +misunderstanding between them. At last Gunnar's speech turned +thither; how these brothers would answer if he asked for +Hallgerda? + +"Well," says Hauskuld, "if that is indeed thy mind." + +Gunnar says that he is in earnest, "but we so parted last time, +that many would think it unlikely that we should ever be bound +together." + +"How thinkest thou, kinsman Hrut?" says Hauskuld. + +Hrut answered, "Methinks this is no even match." + +"How dost thou make that out?" says Gunnar. + +Hrut spoke, "In this wise will I answer thee about this matter, +as is the very truth. Thou art a brisk brave man well to do, and +unblemished; but she is much mixed up with ill report, and I will +not cheat thee in anything." + +"Good go with thee for thy words," says Gunnar, "but still I +shall hold that for true, that the old feud weighs with ye, if ye +will not let me make this match." + +"Not so," says Hrut, "'t is more because I see that thou art +unable to help thyself; but though we make no bargain, we would +still be thy friends." + +"I have talked to her about it," says Gunnar, "and it is not far +from her mind." + +Hrut says, "I know that you have both set your hearts on this +match; and, besides, ye two are those who run the most risk as to +how it turns out." + +Hrut told Gunnar unasked all about Hallgerda's temper, and Gunnar +at first thought that there was more than enough that was +wanting; but at last it came about that they struck a bargain. + +Then Hallgerda was sent for, and they talked over the business +when she was by, and now, as before, they made her betroth +herself. The bridal feast was to be at Lithend, and at first +they were to set about it secretly; but the end after all was +that every one knew of it. + +Gunnar rode home from the Thing, and came to Bergthorsknoll, and +told Njal of the bargain he had made. He took it heavily. + +Gunnar asks Njal why he thought this so unwise? + +"Because from her," says Njal, "will arise all kind of ill if +she comes hither east." + +"Never shall she spoil our friendship," says Gunnar. + +"Ah! but yet that may come very near," says Njal; "and, besides, +thou wilt have always to make atonement for her." + +Gunnar asked Njal to the wedding, and all those as well whom he +wished should be at it from Njal's house. + +Njal promised to go; and after that Gunnar rode home, and then +rode about the district to bid men to his wedding. + + + +34. OF THRAIN SIGFUS' SON + +There was a man named Thrain, he was the son of Sigfus, the son +of Sighvat the Red. He kept house at Gritwater on Fleetlithe. +He was Gunnar's kinsman, and a man of great mark. He had to wife +Thorhillda Skaldwife; she had a sharp tongue of her own, and was +given to jeering. Thrain loved her little. He and his wife were +bidden to the wedding, and she and Bergthora, Skarphedinn's +daughter, Njal's wife, waited on the guests with meat and drink. + +Kettle was the name of the second son of Sigfus; he kept house in +the Mark, east of Markfleet. He had to wife Thorgerda, Njal's +daughter. Thorkell was the name of the third son of Sigfus; the +fourth's name was Mord; the fifth's Lambi; the sixth's Sigmund; +the seventh's Sigurd. These were all Gunnar's kinsmen, and great +champions. Gunnar bade them all to the wedding. + +Gunnar had also bidden Valgard the Guileful, and Wolf Aurpriest, +and their sons Runolf and Mord. + +Hauskuld and Hrut came to the wedding with a very great company, +and the sons of Hauskuld, Thorleik, and Olof, were there; the +bride, too, came along with them, and her daughter Thorgerda came +also, and she was one of the fairest of women; she was then +fourteen winters old. Many other women were with her, and +besides there were Thorkatla Asgrim Ellidagrim's son's daughter, +and Njal's two daughters, Thorgerda and Helga. + +Gunnar had already many guests to meet them, and he thus arranged +his men. He sat on the middle of the bench, and on the inside, +away from him, Thrain Sigfus' son, then Wolf Aurpriest, then +Valgard the Guileful, then Mord and Runolf, then the other sons +of Sigfus, Lambi sat outermost of them. + +Next to Gunnar on the outside, away from him, sat Njal, then +Skarphedinn, then Helgi, then Grim, then Hauskuld Njal's son, +then Hafr the Wise, then Ingialld from the Springs, then the sons +of Thorir from Holt away east. Thorir would sit outermost of the +men of mark, for every one was pleased with the seat he got. + +Hauskuld, the bride's father, sat on the middle of the bench over +against Gunnar, but his sons sat on the inside away from him; +Hrut sat on the outside away from Hauskuld, but it is not said +how the others were placed. The bride sat in the middle of the +cross bench on the dais; but on one hand of her sat her daughter +Thorgerda, and on the other Thorkatla Asgrim Ellidagrim's son's +daughter. + +Thorhillda went about waiting on the guests, and Bergthora bore +the meat on the board. + +Now Thrain Sigfus' son kept staring at Thorgerda Glum's daughter; +his wife Thorhillda saw this, and she got wroth, and made a +couplet upon him. + +"Thrain," she says, + + "Gaping mouths are no wise good, + Goggle eyne are in thy head." + +He rose at once up from the board, and said he would put +Thorhillda away. "I will not bear her jibes and jeers any +longer;" and he was so quarrelsome about this, that he would not +be at the feast unless she were driven away. And so it was, that +she went away; and now each man sat in his place, and they drank +and were glad. + +Then Thrain began to speak, "I will not whisper about that which +is in my mind. This I will ask thee, Hauskuld Dalakoll's son, +wilt thou give me to wife Thorgerda, thy kinswoman?" + +"I do not know that," says Hauskuld; "methinks thou art ill +parted from the one thou hadst before. But what kind of man is +he, Gunnar?" + +Gunnar answers, "I will not say aught about the man, because he +is near of kin; but say thou about him, Njal," says Gunnar, "for +all men will believe it." + +Njal spoke, and said, "That is to be said of this man, that the +man is well to do for wealth, and a proper man in all things. A +man, too, of the greatest mark; so that ye may well make this +match with him." + +Then Hauskuld spoke, "What thinkest thou we ought to do, kinsman +Hrut?" + +"Thou mayst make the match, because it is an even one for her," +says Hrut. + +Then they talk about the terms of the bargain, and are soon of +one mind on all points. + +Then Gunnar stands up, and Thrain too, and they go to the cross +bench. Gunnar asked that mother and daughter whether they would +say yes to this bargain. They said they would find no fault with +it, and Hallgerda betrothed her daughter. Then the places of the +women were shifted again, and now Thorhalla sate between the +brides. And now the feast sped on well, and when it was over, +Hauskuld and his company ride west, but the men of Rangriver rode +to their own abode. Gunnar gave many men gifts, and that made +him much liked. + +Hallgerda took the housekeeping under her, and stood up for her +rights in word and deed. Thorgerda took to housekeeping at +Gritwater, and was a good housewife. + + + +35. THE VISIT TO BERGTHORSKNOLL + +Now it was the custom between Gunnar and Njal, that each made the +other a feast, winter and winter about, for friendship's sake; +and it was Gunnar's turn to go to feast at Njal's. So Gunnar and +Hallgerda set off for Bergthorsknoll, and when they got there +Helgi and his wife were not at home. Njal gave Gunnar and his +wife a hearty welcome, and when they had been there a little +while, Helgi came home with Thorhalla his wife. Then Bergthora +went up to the crossbench, and Thorhalla with her, and Bergthora +said to Hallgerda, "Thou shalt give place to this woman." + +She answered, "To no one will I give place, for I will not be +driven into the corner for any one." + +"I shall rule here," said Bergthora. After that Thorhalla sat +down, and Bergthora went round the table with water to wash the +guests' hands. Then Hallgerda took hold of Bergthora's hand, and +said, "There's not much to choose, though, between you two. Thou +hast hangnails on every finger, and Njal is beardless." + +"That's true," says Bergthora, "yet neither of us finds fault +with the other for it; but Thorwald, thy husband, was not +beardless, and yet thou plottedst his death." + +Then Hallgerda said, "It stands me in little stead to have the +bravest man in Iceland if thou dost not avenge this, Gunnar!" + +He sprang up and strode across away from the board, and said, +"Home I will go, and it were more seemly that thou shouldest +wrangle with those of thine own household, and not under other +men's roofs; but as for NjaI, I am his debtor for much honour, +and never will I be egged on by thee like a fool." + +After that they set off home. + +"Mind this Bergthora," said Hallgerda, "that we shall meet +again." + +Bergthora said she should not be better off for that. Gunnar +said nothing at all, but went home to Lithend, and was there at +home all the winter. And now the summer was running on towards +the Great Thing. + + + +36. KOL SLEW SWART + +Gunnar rode away to the Thing, but before he rode from home he +said to Hallgerda, "Be good now while I am away, and show none of +thine ill temper in anything with which my friends have to do." + +"The trolls take thy friends," says Hallgerda. + +So Gunnar rode to the Thing, and saw it was not good to come to +words with her. Njal rode to the Thing too, and all his sons +with him. + +Now it must be told of what tidings happened at home. Njal and +Gunnar owned a wood in common at Redslip; they had not shared the +wood, but each was wont to hew in it as he needed, and neither +said a word to the other about that. Hallgerda's grieve's (1) +name was Kol; he had been with her long, and was one of the worst +of men. There was a man named Swart; he was Njal's and +Bergthora's housecarle; they were very fond of him. Now +Bergthora told him that he must go up into Redslip and hew wood; +but she said, "I will get men to draw home the wood." + +He said he would do the work she set him to win; and so he went +up into Redslip, and was to be there a week. + +Some gangrel men came to Lithend from the east across Markfleet, +and said that Swart had been in Redslip, and hewn wood, and done +a deal of work. + +"So," says Hallgerda, "Bergthora must mean to rob me in many +things, but I'll take care that he does not hew again." + +Rannveig, Gunnar's mother, heard that, and said, "There have been +good housewives before now, though they never set their hearts on +manslaughter." + +Now the night wore away, and early next morning Hallgerda came to +speak to Kol, and said, "I have thought of some work for thee;" +and with that she put weapons into his hands, and went on to say +-- "Fare thou to Redslip; there wilt thou find Swart." + +"What shall I do to him?" he says. + +"Askest thou that, when thou art the worst of men?" she says. +"Thou shalt kill him." + +"I can get that done," he says, "but 'tis more likely that I +shall lose my own life for it." + +"Everything grows big in thy eyes," she says, "and thou behavest +ill to say this after I have spoken up for thee in everything. I +must get another man to do this if thou darest not." + +He took the axe, and was very wroth, and takes a horse that +Gunnar owned, and rides now till he comes east of Markfleet. +There he got off and bided in the wood, till they had carried +down the firewood, and Swart was left alone behind. Then Kol +sprang on him, and said, "More folk can hew great strokes than +thou alone;" and so he laid the axe on his head, and smote him +his death-blow, and rides home afterwards, and tells Hallgerda of +the slaying. + +She said, "I shall take such good care of thee, that no harm +shall come to thee." + +"May be so," says he, "but I dreamt all the other way as I slept +ere I did the deed." + +Now they come up into the wood, and find Swart slain, and bear +him home. Hallgerda sent a man to Gunnar at the Thing to tell +him of the slaying. Gunnar said no hard words at first of +Hallgerda to the messenger, and men knew not at first whether he +thought well or ill of it. A little after he stood up, and bade +his men go with him: they did so, and fared to Njal's booth. +Gunnar sent a man to fetch Njal, and begged him to come out. +Njal went out at once, and he and Gunnar fell a-talking, and +Gunnar said, "I have to tell thee of the slaying of a man, and my +wife and my grieve Kol were those who did it; but Swart, thy +housecarle, fell before them." + +Njal held his peace while he told him the whole story. Then Njal +spoke, "Thou must take heed not to let her have her way in +everything." + +Gunnar said, "Thou thyself shalt settle the terms." + +Njal spoke again, "'Twill be hard work for thee to atone for all +Hallgerda's mischief; and somewhere else there will be a broader +trail to follow than this which we two now have a share in, and +yet, even here there will be much awanting before all be well; +and herein we shall need to bear in mind the friendly words that +passed between us of old; and something tells me that thou wilt +come well out of it, but still thou wilt be sore tried." + +Then Njal took the award into his own hands from Gunnar, and +said, "I will not push this matter to the uttermost; thou shalt +pay twelve ounces of silver; but I will add this to my award, +that if anything happens from our homestead about which thou hast +to utter an award, thou wilt not be less easy in thy terms." + +Gunnar paid up the money out of hand, and rode home afterwards. +Njal, too, came home from the Thing, and his sons. Bergthora saw +the money, and said, "This is very justly settled; but even as +much money shall be paid for Kol as time goes on." + +Gunnar came home from the Thing and blamed Hallgerda. She said, +better men lay unatoned in many places. Gunnar said, she might +have her way in beginning a quarrel, "but how the matter is to be +settled rests with me." + +Hallgerda was for ever chattering of Swart's slaying, but +Bergthora liked that ill. Once Njal and her sons went up to +Thorolfsfell to see about the house-keeping there, but that +selfsame day this thing happened when Bergthora was out of doors: +she sees a man ride up to the house on a black horse. She stayed +there and did not go in, for she did not know the man. That man +had a spear in his hand, and was girded with a short sword. She +asked this man his name. + +"Atli is my name," says he. + +She asked whence he came. + +"I am an Eastfirther," he says. + +"Whither shalt thou go?" she says. + +"I am a homeless man," says he, "and I thought to see Njal and +Skarphedinn, and know if they would take me in." + +"What work is handiest to thee?" says she. + +"I am a man used to field-work," he says, "and many things else +come very handy to me; but I will not hide from thee that I am a +man of hard temper, and it has been many a man's lot before now +to bind up wounds at my hand." + +"I do not blame thee," she says, "though thou art no milksop." + +Atli said, "Hast thou any voice in things here?" + +"I am Njal's wife," she says, "and I have as much to say to our +housefolk as he." + +"Wilt thou take me in then?" says he. + +"I will give thee thy choice of that," says she. "If thou wilt +do all the work that I set before thee, and that, though I wish +to send thee where a man's life is at stake." + +"Thou must have so many men at thy beck," says he, "that thou +wilt not need me for such work." + +"That I will settle as I please," she says. + +"We will strike a bargain on these terms," says he. + +Then she took him into the household. Njal and his sons came +home and asked Bergthora what man that might be? + +"He is thy house-carle," she says, "and I took him in." Then she +went on to say he was no sluggard at work. + +"He will be a great worker enough, I daresay," says Njal, "but I +do not know whether he will be such a good worker." + +Skarphedinn was good to Atli. + +Njal and his sons ride to the Thing in the course of the summer; +Gunnar was also at the Thing. + +Njal took out a purse of money. + +"What money is that, father?" + +"Here is the money that Gunnar paid me for our housecarle last +summer." + +"That will come to stand thee in some stead," says Skarphedinn, +and smiled as he spoke. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Grieve, i.e., bailiff, head workman. + + + +37. THE SLAYING OF KOL, WHOM ATLI SLEW + +Now we must take up the story and say, that Atli asked Bergthora +what work he should do that day? + +"I have thought of some work for thee," she says; "thou shalt go +and look for Kol until thou find him; for now shalt thou slay him +this very day, if thou wilt do my will." + +"This work is well fitted," says Atli, "for each of us two are +bad fellows; but still I will so lay myself out for him that one +or other of us shall die." + +"Well mayst thou fare," she says, "and thou shalt not do this +deed for nothing." + +He took his weapons and his horse, and rode up to Fleetlithe, and +there met men who were coming down from Lithend. They were at +home east in the Mark. They asked Atli whither he meant to go? +He said he was riding to look for an old jade. They said that +was a small errand for such a workman, "but still 'twould be +better to ask those who have been about last night." + +"Who are they?" says he. + +"Killing-Kol," say they, "Hallgerda's house-carle, fared from the +fold just now, and has been awake all night." + +"I do not know whether I dare to meet him," says Atli, "he is +bad-tempered, and may be that I shall let another's wound be my +warning." + +"Thou bearest that look beneath the brows as though thou wert no +coward," they said, and showed him where Kol was. + +Then he spurred his horse and rides fast, and when he meets Ko1, +Atli said to him, "Go the pack-saddle bands well," says Atli. + +"That's no business of thine, worthless fellow, nor of any one +else whence thou comest." + +Atli said, "Thou hast something behind that is earnest work, but +that is to die." + +After that Atli thrust at him with his spear, and struck him +about his middle. Kol swept at him with his axe, but missed him, +and fell off his horse, and died at once. + +Atli rode till he met some of Hallgerda's workmen, and said, "Go +ye up to the horse yonder, and look to Kol, for he has fallen +off, and is dead." + +"Hast thou slain him? " say they. + +"Well, 'twill seem to Hallgerda as though he has not fallen by +his own hand." + +After that Atli rode home and told Bergthora; she thanked him for +this deed, and for the words which he had spoken about it. + +"I do not know," says he, "what Njal will think of this." + +"He will take it well upon his hands," she says, "and I will tell +thee one thing as a token of it, that he has carried away with +him to the Thing the price of that thrall which we took last +spring, and that money will now serve for Kol; but though peace +be made thou must still be ware of thyself, for Hallgerda will +keep no peace." + +"Wilt thou send at all a man to Njal to tell him of the slaying?" + +"I will not," she says, "I should like it better that Kol were +unatoned." + +Then they stopped talking about it. + +Hallgerda was told of Kol's slaying, and of the words that Atli +had said. She said Atli should be paid off for them. She sent a +man to the Thing to tell Gunnar of Kol's slaying; he answered +little or nothing, and sent a man to tell Njal. He too made no +answer, but Skarphedinn said, "Thralls are men of more mettle +than of yore; they used to fly at each other and fight, and no +one thought much harm of that; but now they will do naught but +kill," and as he said this he smiled. + +Njal pulled down the purse of money which hung up in the booth, +and went out: his sons went with him to Gunnar's booth. + +Skarphedinn said to a man who was in the doorway of the booth, +"Say thou to Gunnar that my father wants to see him." + +He did so, and Gunnar went out at once and gave Njal a hearty +welcome. After that they began to talk. + +"'Tis ill done," says Njal, "that my housewife should have broken +the peace, and let thy house-carle be slain." + +"She shall not have blame for that," says Gunnar. + +"Settle the award thyself," says Njal. + +"So I will do," says Gunnar, "and I value those two men at an +even price, Swart and Kol. Thou shalt pay me twelve ounces in +silver." + +Njal took the purse of money and handed it to Gunnar. Gunnar +knew the money, and saw it was the same that he had paid Njal. +Njal went away to his booth, and they were just as good friends +as before. When Njal came home, he blamed Bergthora; but she +said she would never give way to Hallgerda. Hallgerda was very +cross with Gunnar, because he had made peace for Kol's slaying. +Gunnar told her he would never break with Njal or his sons, and +she flew into a great rage; but Gunnar took no heed of that, and +so they sat for that year, and nothing noteworthy happened. + + + +38. THE KILLING OF ATLI THE THRALL + +Next spring Njal said to Atli, "I wish that thou wouldst change +thy abode to the east firths, so that Hallgerda may not put an +end to thy life?" + +"I am not afraid of that," says Atli, "and I will willingly stay +at home if I have the choice." + +"Still that is less wise," says Njal. + +"I think it better to lose my life in thy house than to change my +master; but this I will beg of thee, if I am slain, that a +thrall's price shall not be paid for me." + +"Thou shalt be atoned for as a free man; but perhaps Bergthora +will make thee a promise which she will fulfil, that revenge, man +for man, shall be taken for thee." + +Then he made up his mind to be a hired servant there. + +Now it must be told of Hallgerda that she sent a man west to +Bearfirth, to fetch Brynjolf the Unruly, her kinsman. He was a +base son of Swan, and he was one of the worst of men. Gunnar +knew nothing about it. Hallgerda said he was well fitted to be a +grieve. So Brynjolf came from the west, and Gunnar asked what he +was to do there? He said he was going to stay there. + +"Thou wilt not better our household," says Gunnar, "after what +has been told me of thee, but I will not turn away any of +Hallgerda's kinsmen, whom she wishes to be with her." + +Gunnar said little, but was not unkind to him, and so things went +on till the Thing. Gunnar rides to the Thing and Kolskegg rides +too, and when they came to the Thing they and Njal met, for he +and his sons were at the Thing, and all went well with Gunnar and +them. + +Bergthora said to Atli, "Go thou up into Thorolfsfell and work +there a week." + +So he went up thither, and was there on the sly, and burnt +charcoal in the wood. + +Hallgerda said to Brynjolf, "I have been told Atli is not at +home, and he must be winning work on Thorolfsfell." + +"What thinkest thou likeliest that he is working at," says he. + +"At something in the wood," she says. + +"What shall I do to him?" he asks. + +"Thou shalt kill him," says she. + +He was rather slow in answering her, and Hallgerda said, "'Twould +grow less in Thiostolf's eyes to kill Atli if he were alive." + +"Thou shalt have no need to goad me on much more," he says, and +then he seized his weapons, and takes his horse and mounts, and +rides to Thorolfsfell. There he saw a great reek of coalsmoke +east of the homestead, so he rides thither, and gets off his +horse and ties him up, but he goes where the smoke was thickest. +Then he sees where the charcoal pit is, and a man stands by it. +He saw that he had thrust his spear in the ground by him. +Brynjolf goes along with the smoke right up to him, but he was +eager at his work, and saw him not. Brynjolf gave him a stroke +on the head with his axe, and he turned so quick round that +Brynjolf loosed his hold of the axe, and Atli grasped the spear, +and hurled it after him. Then Brynjolf cast himself down on the +ground, but the spear flew away over him. + +"Lucky for thee that I was not ready for thee," says Atli, "but +now Hallgerda will be well pleased, for thou wilt tell her of my +death; but it is a comfort to know that thou wilt have the same +fate soon; but come now take thy axe which has been here." + +He answered him never a word, nor did he take the axe before he +was dead. Then he rode up to the house on Thorolfsfell, and told +of the slaying, and after that rode home and told Hallgerda. She +sent men to Bergthorsknoll, and let them tell Bergthora that now +Kol's slaying was paid for. + +After that Hallgerda sent a man to the Thing to tell Gunnar of +Atli's killing. + +Gunnar stood up, and Kolskegg with him, and Kolskegg said, +"Unthrifty will Hallgerda's kinsmen be to thee." + +Then they go to see Njal, and Gunnar said, "I have to tell thee +of Atli's killing." He told him also who slew him, and went on, +"And now I will bid thee atonement for the deed, and thou shalt +make the award thyself." + +Njal said, "We two have always meant never to come to strife +about anything; but still I cannot make him out a thrall." + +Gunnar said that was all right, and stretched out his hand. + +Njal named his witnesses, and they made peace on those terms. + +Skarphedinn said, "Hallgerda does not let our housecarles die +of old age." + +Gunnar said, "Thy mother will take care that blow goes for blow +between the houses." + +"Ay, ay," says Njal, "there will be enough of that work." + +After that Njal fixed the price at a hundred in silver, but +Gunnar paid it down at once. Many who stood by said that the +award was high; Gunnar got wroth, and said that a full atonement +was often paid for those who were no brisker men than Atli. + +With that they rode home from the Thing. + +Bergthora said to Njal when she saw the money, "Thou thinkest +thou hast fulfilled thy promise, but now my promise is still +behind." + +"There is no need that thou shouldst fulfil it," says Njal. + +"Nay," says she, "thou hast guessed it would be so; and so it +shall be." + +Hallgerda said to Gunnar, "Hast thou paid a hundred in silver for +Atli's slaying, and made him a free man?" + +"He was free before," says Gunnar, "and besides, I will not make +Njal's household outlaws who have forfeited their rights." + +"There's not a pin to choose between you," she said, "for both of +you are so blate?" + +"That's as things prove," says he. + +Then Gunnar was for a long time very short with her, till she +gave way to him; and now all was still for the rest of that year; +in the spring Njal did not increase his household, and now men +ride to the Thing about summer. + + + +39. THE SLAYING OF BRYNJOLF THE UNRULY + +There was a man named Thord, he was surnamed Freedmanson. +Sigtrygg was his father's name, and he had been the freedman of +Asgerd, and he was drowned in Markfleet. That was why Thord was +with Njal afterwards. He was a tall man and a strong, and he had +fostered all Njal's sons. He had set his heart on Gudfinna +Thorolf's daughter, Njal's kinswoman; she was housekeeper at home +there, and was then with child. + +Now Bergthora came to talk with Thord Freedmanson; she said, +"Thou shalt go to kill Brynjolf, Hallgerda's kinsman." + +"I am no man-slayer," he says, "but still I will do whatever thou +wilt." + +"This is my will," she says. + +After that he went up to Lithend, and made them call Hallgerda +out, and asked where Brynjolf might be. + +"What's thy will with him," she says. + +"I want him to tell me where he has hidden Atli's body; I have +heard say that he has buried it badly." + +She pointed to him and said he was down yonder in Acretongue. + +"Take heed," says Thord, "that the same thing does not befall him +as befell Atli." + +"Thou art no man-slayer," she says, "and so naught will come of +it even if ye two do meet." + +"Never have I seen man's blood, nor do I know how I should feel +if I did," he says, and gallops out of the "town" and down to +Acretongue. + +Rannveig, Gunnar's mother, had heard their talk. + +"Thou goadest his mind much, Hallgerda," she says, "but I think +him a dauntless man, and that thy kinsman will find." + +They met on the beaten way, Thord and Brynjolf; and Thord said, +"Guard thee, Brynjolf, for I will do no dastard's deed by thee." + +Brynjolf rode at Thord, and smote at him with his axe. He smote +at him at the same time with his axe, and hewed in sunder the +haft just above Brynjolf's hands, and then hewed at him at once a +second time, and struck him on the collar-bone, and the blow went +straight into his trunk. Then he fell from horseback, and was +dead on the spot. + +Thord met Hallgerda's herdsman, and gave out the slaying as done +by his hand, and said where he lay, and bade him tell Hallgerda +of the slaying. After that he rode home to Bergthorsknoll, and +told Bergthora of the slaying, and other people too. + +"Good luck go with thy hands," she said. + +The herdsman told Hallgerda of the slaying; she was snappish at +it, and said much ill would come of it, if she might have her +way. + + + +40. GUNNAR AND NJAL MAKE PEACE ABOUT BRYNJOLF'S SLAYING + +Now these tidings come to the Thing, and Njal made them tell him +the tale thrice, and then he said, "More men now become man- +slayers than I weened." + +Skarphedinn spoke, "That man, though, must have been twice fey," +he says, "who lost his life by our foster-father's hand, who has +never seen man's blood. And many would think that we brothers +would sooner have done this deed with the turn of temper that we +have." + +"Scant space wilt thou have," says Njal, "ere the like befalls +thee; but need will drive thee to it." + +Then they went to meet Gunnar, and told him of the slaying. +Gunnar spoke and said that was little man-scathe, "but yet he was +a free man." + +Njal offered to make peace at once, and Gunnar said yes, and he +was to settle the terms himself. He made his award there and +then, and laid it at one hundred in silver. Njal paid down the +money on the spot, and they were at peace after that. + + + +41. SIGMUND COMES OUT TO ICELAND + +There was a man whose name was Sigmund. He was the son of Lambi, +the son of Sighvat the Red. He was a great voyager, and a comely +and a courteous man; tall too, and strong. He was a man of proud +spirit, and a good skald, and well trained in most feats of +strength. He was noisy and boisterous, and given to jibes and +mocking. He made the land east in Homfirth. Skiolld was the +name of his fellow-traveller; he was a Swedish man, and ill to do +with. They took horse and rode from the east out of Hornfirth, +and did not draw bridle before they came to Lithend, in the +Fleetlithe. Gunnar gave them a hearty welcome, for the bonds of +kinship were close between them. Gunnar begged Sigmund to stay +there that winter, and Sigmund said he would take the offer if +Skiolld his fellow might be there too. + +"Well, I have been so told about him," said Gunnar, "that he is +no betterer of thy temper; but as it is, thou rather needest to +have it bettered. This, too, is a bad house to stay at, and I +would just give both of you a bit of advice, my kinsman, not to +fire up at the egging on of my wife Hallgerda; for she takes much +in hand that is far from my will." + +"His hands are clean who warns another," says Sigmund. + +"Then mind the advice given thee," says Gunnar, "for thou art +sure to be sore tried; and go along always with me, and lean upon +my counsel." + +After that they were in Gunnar's company. Hallgerda was good to +Sigmund; and it soon came about that things grew so warm that she +loaded him with money, and tended him no worse than her own +husband; and many talked about that, and did not know what lay +under it. + +One day Hallgerda said to Gunnar, "It is not good to be content +with that hundred in silver which thou tookest for my kinsman +Brynjolf. I shall avenue him if I may," she says. + +Gunnar said he had no mind to bandy words with her, and went +away. He met Kolskegg, and said to him, "Go and see Njal; and +tell him that Thord must be ware of himself though peace has been +made for, methinks, there is faithlessness somewhere." + +He rode off and told Njal, but Njal told Thord, and Kolskegg rode +home, and Njal thanked them for their faithfulness. + +Once on a time they two were out in the "town," Njal and Thord; a +he-goat was wont to go up and down in the "town," and no one was +allowed to drive him away. Then Thord spoke and said, "Well, +this is a wondrous thing!" + +"What is it that thou see'st that seems after a wondrous +fashion?" says Njal. + +"Methinks the goat lies here in the hollow, and he is all one +gore of blood." + +Njal said that there was no goat there, nor anything else. + +"What is it then?" says Thord. + +"Thou must be a `fey' man," says Njal, "and thou must have seen +the fetch that follows thee, and now be ware of thyself." + +"That will stand me in no stead," says Thord, "if death is doomed +for me." + +Then Hallgerda came to talk with Thrain Sigfus' son, and said, "I +would think thee my son-in-law indeed," she says, "if thou +slayest Thord Freedmanson." + +"I will not do that," he says, "for then I shall have the wrath +of my kinsman Gunnar; and besides, great things hang on this +deed, for this slaying would soon be avenged." + +"Who will avenge it?" she asks; "is it the beardless carle?" + +"Not so," says he, "his sons will avenge it." + +After that they talked long and low, and no man knew what counsel +they took together. + +Once it happened that Gunnar was not at home, but those +companions were. Thrain had come in from Gritwater, and then he +and they and Hallgerda sat out of doors and talked. Then +Hallgerda said, "This have ye two brothers in arms, Sigmund and +Skiolld, promised to slay Thord Freedmanson; but Thrain thou hast +promised me that thou wouldst stand by them when they did the +deed." + +They all acknowledged that they had given her this promise. + +"Now I will counsel you how to do it," she says: "Ye shall ride +east into Homfirth after your goods, and come home about the +beginning of the Thing, but if ye are at home before it begins, +Gunnar will wish that ye should ride to the Thing with him. Njal +will be at the Thing and his sons and Gunnar, but then ye two +shall slay Thord." + +They all agreed that this plan should be carried out. After that +they busked them east to the Firth, and Gunnar was not aware of +what they were about, and Gunnar rode to the Thing. Njal sent +Thord Freedmanson away east under Eyjafell, and bade him be away +there one night. So he went east, but he could not get back from +the east, for the Fleet had risen so high that it could not be +crossed on horseback ever so far up. Njal waited for him one +night, for he had meant him to have ridden with him; and Njal +said to Bregthora that she must send Thord to the Thing as soon +as ever he came home. Two nights after, Thord came from the +east, and Bergthora told him that he must ride to the Thing, "But +first thou shalt ride up into Thorolfsfell and see about the farm +there, and do not be there longer than one or two nights." + + + +42. THE SLAYING OF THORD FREEDMANSON + +Then Sigmund came from the east and those companions. Hallgerda +told them that Thord was at home, but that he was to ride +straightway to the Thing after a few nights' space. "Now ye will +have a fair chance at him," she says, "but if this goes off, ye +will never get nigh him." Men came to Lithend from Thorolfsfell, +and told Hallgerda that Thord was there. Hallgerda went to +Thrain Sigfus' son, and his companions, and said to him, "Now is +Thord on Thorolfsfell, and now your best plan is to fall on him +and kill him as he goes home." + +"That we will do," says Sigmund. So they went out, and took +their weapons and horses and rode on the way to meet him. +Sigmund said to Thrain, "Now thou shalt have nothing to do with +it; for we shall not need all of us." + +"Very well, so I will," says he. + +Then Thord rode up to them a little while after, and Sigmund said +to him, "Give thyself up," he says, "for now shalt thou die." + +"That shall not be," says Thord, "come thou to single combat with +me." + +"That shall not be either," says Sigmund; "we will make the most +of our numbers; but it is not strange that Skarphedinn is strong, +for it is said that a fourth of a foster-child's strength comes +from the foster-father. + +"Thou wilt feel the force of that," says Thord, "for Skarphedinn +will avenge me." + +After that they fall on him, and he breaks a spear of each of +them, so well did he guard himself. Then Skiolld cut off his +hand, and he still kept them off with his other hand for some +time, till Sigmund thrust him through. Then he fell dead to +earth. They drew over him turf and stones; and Thrain said, "We +have won an ill work, and Njal's sons will take this slaying ill +when they hear of it." + +They ride home and tell Hallgerda. She was glad to hear of the +slaying, but Rannveig, Gunnar's mother, said, "It is said `but a +short while is hand fain of blow,' and so it will be here; but +still Gunnar will set thee free from this matter. But if +Hallgerda makes thee take another fly in thy mouth, then that +will be thy bane." + +Hallgerda sent a man to Bergthorsknoll, to tell the slaying, and +another man to the Thing, to tell it to Gunnar. Bergthora said +she would not fight against Hallgerda with ill words about such a +matter; "That," quoth she, "would be no revenge for so great a +quarrel." + + + +43. NJAL AND GUNNAR MAKE PEACE FOR THE SLAYING OF THORD + +But when the messenger came to the Thing to tell Gunnar of the +slaying, then Gunnar said, "This has happened ill, and no tidings +could come to my ears which I should think worse; but yet we will +now go at once and see Njal. I still hope he may take it well, +though he be sorely tried." + +So they went to see Njal, and called him to come out and talk to +them. He went out at once to meet Gunnar, and they talked, nor +were there any more men by at first than Kolskegg. + +"Hard tidings have I to tell thee," says Gunnar; "the slaying of +Thord Freedmanson, and I wish to offer thee selfdoom for the +slaying." + +Njal held his peace some while, and then said, "That is well +offered, and I will take it; but yet it is to be looked for that +I shall have blame from my wife or from my sons for that, for it +will mislike them much; but still I will run the risk, for I know +that I have to deal with a good man and true; nor do I wish that +any breach should arise in our friendship on my part. + +"Wilt thou let thy sons be by, pray?" says Gunnar. + +"I will not," says Njal, "for they will not break the peace which +I make, but if they stand by while we make it they will not pull +well together with us." + +"So it shall be," says Gunnar. "See thou to it alone." + +Then they shook one another by the hand, and made peace well and +quickly. + +Then Njal said, "The award that I make is two hundred in silver, +and that thou wilt think much." + +"I do not think it too much," says Gunnar, and went home to his +booth. + +Njal's sons came home, and Skarphedinn asked whence that great +sum of money came, which his father held in his hand. + +Njal said, "I tell you of your foster-father's Thord's slaying, +and we two, Gunnar and I, have now made peace in the matter, and +he has paid an atonement for him as for two men." + +"Who slew him?" says Skarphedinn. + +"Sigmund and Skiolld, but Thrain was standing near too," says +Njal. + +"They thought they had need of much strength," says Skarphedinn, +and sang a song -- + + "Bold in deeds of derring-do, + Burdeners of ocean's steeds, + Strength enough it seems they needed + A11 to slay a single man; + When shall we our hands uplift? + We who brandish burnished steel -- + Famous men erst reddened weapons, + When? if now we quiet sit?" + +"Yes! when shall the day come when we shall lift our hands?" + +"That will not be long off," says Njal, "and then thou shalt not +be baulked; but still, methinks, I set great store on your not +breaking this peace that I have made." + +"Then we will not break it," says Skarphedinn, "but if anything +arises between us, then we will bear in mind the old feud." + +"Then I will ask you to spare no one," says Njal. + + + +44. SIGMUND MOCKS NJAL AND HIS SONS + +Now men ride home from the Thing; and when Gunnar came home, he +said to Sigmund, "Thou art a more unlucky man than I thought, and +turnest thy good gifts to thine own ill. But still I have made +peace for thee with Njal and his sons; and now, take care that +thou dost not let another fly come into thy mouth. Thou art not +at all after my mind, thou goest about with jibes and jeers, with +scorn and mocking; but that is not my turn of mind. That is why +thou gettest on so well with Hallgerda, because ye two have your +minds more alike." + +Gunnar scolded him a long time, and he answered him well, and +said he would follow his counsel more for the time to come than +he had followed it hitherto. Gunnar told him then they might get +on together. Gunnar and Njal kept up their friendship though the +rest of their people saw little of one another. It happened once +that some gangrel women came to Lithend from Bergthorsknoll; they +were great gossips and rather spiteful tongued. Hallgerda had a +bower, and sate often in it, and there sate with her her daughter +Thorgerda, and there too were Thrain and Sigmund, and a crowd of +women. Gunnar was not there, nor Kolskegg. These gangrel women +went into the bower, and Hallgerda greeted them, and made room +for them; then she asked them for news, but they had none to +tell. Hallgerda asked where they had been overnight; they said +at Bergthorsknoll. + +"What was Njal doing?" she says. + +"He was hard at work sitting still," they said. + +"What were Njal's sons doing?" she says; "they think themselves +men at any rate." + +"Tall men they are in growth," they say, "but as yet they are all +untried; Skarphedinn whetted an axe, Gim fitted a spearhead to +the shaft, Helgi riveted a hilt on a sword, Hauskuld strengthened +the handle of a shield." + +"They must be bent on some great deed," says Hallgerda. + +"We do not know that," they say. + +"What were Njal's house-carles doing?" she asks. + +"We don't know what some of them were doing, but one was carting +dung up the hill-side." + +"What good was there in doing that?" she asks. + +"He said it made the swathe better there than anywhere else," +they reply. "Witless now is Njal," says Hallgerda, "though he +knows how to give counsel on everything." + +"How so?" they ask. + +"I will only bring forward what is true to prove it," says she; +"why doesn't he make them cart dung over his beard that he may be +like other men? Let us call him `the Beardless Carle': but his +sons we will call `Dung-beardlings'; and now do pray give some +stave about them, Sigmund, and let us get some good by thy gift +of song." + +"I am quite ready to do that," says he, and sang these verses: + + "Lady proud with hawk in hand, + Prithee why should dungbeard boys, + Reft of reason, dare to hammer + Handle fast on battle shield? + For these lads of loathly feature -- + Lady scattering swanbath's beams (1) -- + Shaft not shun this ditty shameful + Which I shape upon them now. + + He the beardless carle shall listen + While I lash him with abuse, + Loon at whom our stomachs sicken, + Soon shall bear these words of scorn; + Far too nice for such base fellows + Is the name my bounty gives, + Een my muse her help refuses, + Making mirth of dungbeard boys. + + Here I find a nickname fitting + For those noisome dungbeard boys, -- + Loath am I to break my bargain + Linked with such a noble man -- + Knit we all our taunts together -- + Known to me is mind of man -- + Call we now with outburst common, + Him, that churl, the beardless carle." + +Thou art a jewel indeed," says Hallgerda; " how yielding thou art +to what I ask!" + +Just then Gunnar came in. He had been standing outside the door +of the bower, and heard all the words that had passed. They were +in a great fright when they saw him come in, and then all held +their peace, but before there had been bursts of laughter. + +Gunnar was very wroth, and said to Sigmund, "Thou art a foolish +man, and one that cannot keep to good advice, and thou revilest +Njal's sons, and Njal himself who is most worth of all; and this +thou doest in spite of what thou hast already done. Mind, this +will be thy death. But if any man repeats these words that thou +hast spoken, or these verses that thou hast made, that man shall +be sent away at once, and have my wrath beside." + +But they were all so sore afraid of him, that no one dared to +repeat those words. After that he went away, but the gangrel +women talked among themselves, and said that they would get a +reward from Bergthora if they told her all this. + +They went then away afterwards down thither, and took Bergthora +aside and told her the whole story of their own free will. + +Bergthora spoke and said, when men sate down to the board, "Gifts +have been given to all of you, father and sons, and ye will be no +true men unless ye repay them somehow." + +"What gifts are these? " asks Skarphedinn. + +"You, my sons," says Bergthora, "have got one gift between you +all. Ye are nicknamed `Dungbeardlings,' but my husband `the +Beardless Carle.'" + +"Ours is no woman's nature," says Skarphedinn, "that we should +fly into a rage at every little thing." + +"And yet Gunnar was wroth for your sakes," says she, "and he is +thought to be good-tempered. But if ye do not take vengeance for +this wrong, ye will avenge no shame." + +"The carline, our mother, thinks this fine sport," says +Skarphedinn, and smiled scornfully as he spoke, but still the +sweat burst out upon his brow, and red flecks came over his +checks, but that was not his wont. Grim was silent and bit his +lip. Helgi made no sign, and he said never a word. Hauskuld +went off with Bergthora; she came into the room again, and +fretted and foamed much. + +Njal spoke and said, "`Slow and sure,' says the proverb, +mistress! and so it is with many things, though they try men's +tempers, that there are always two sides to a story, even when +vengeance is taken." + +But at even when Njal was come into his bed, he heard that an axe +came against the panel and rang loudly, but there was another +shut bed, and there the shields were hung up, and he sees that +they are away. He said, "Who have taken down our shields?" + +"Thy sons went out with them," says Bergthora. + +Njal pulled his shoes on his feet, and went out at once, and +round to the other side of the house, and sees that they were +taking their course right up the slope; he said, "Whither away, +Skarphedinn?" + +"To look after thy sheep," he answers. + +"You would not then be armed," said Njal, "if you meant that, and +your errand must be something else." + +Then Skarphedinn sang a song, + + "Squanderer of hoarded wealth, + Some there are that own rich treasure, + Ore of sea that clasps the earth, + And yet care to count their sheep; + Those who forge sharp songs of mocking, + Death songs, scarcely can possess + Sense of sheep that crop the grass; + Such as these I seek in fight;" + +and said afterwards, "We shall fish for salmon, father." + +"'Twould be well then if it turned out so that the prey does not +get away from you." + +They went their way, but Njal went to his bed, and he said to +Bergthora, "Thy sons were out of doors all of them, with arms, +and now thou must have egged them on to something." + +"I will give them my heartfelt thanks," said Bergthora, "if they +tell me the slaying of Sigmund." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Swanbath's beams" -- periphrasis for gold. + + + +45. THE SLAYING OF SIGMUND AND SKIOLLD + +Now they, Njal's sons, fare up to Fleetlithe, and were that night +under the Lithe, and when the day began to break, they came near +to Lithend. That same morning both Sigmund and Skiolld rose up +and meant to go to the studhorses; they had bits with them, and +caught the horses that were in the "town" and rode away on them. +They found the stud-horses between two brooks. Skarphedinn +caught sight of them, for Sigmund was in bright clothing. +Skarphedinn said, "See you now the red elf yonder, lads?" They +looked that way, and said they saw him. + +Skarphedinn spoke again: "Thou, Hauskuld, shalt have nothing to +do with it, for thou wilt often be sent about alone without due +heed; but I mean Sigmund for myself; methinks that is like a man; +but Grim and Helgi, they shall try to slay Skiolld." + +Hauskuld sat him down, but they went until they came up to them. +Skarphedinn said to Sigmund, "Take thy weapons and defend +thyself; that is more needful now than to make mocking songs on +me and my brothers." + +Sigmund took up his weapons, but Skarphedinn waited the while. +Skiolld turned against Grim and Helgi, and they fell hotly to +fight. Sigmund had a helm on his head, and a shield at his side, +and was girt with a sword, his spear was in his hand; now he +turns against Skarphedinn, and thrusts at once at him with his +spear, and the thrust came on his shield. Skarphedinn dashes the +spearhaft in two, and lifts up his axe and hews at Sigmund, and +cleaves his shield down to below the handle. Sigmund drew his +sword and cut at Skarphedinn, and the sword cuts into his shield, +so that it stuck fast. Skarphedinn gave the shield such a quick +twist, that Sigmund let go his sword. Then Skarphedinn hews at +Sigmund with his axe; the "Ogress of war." Sigmund had on a +corselet, the axe came on his shoulder. Skarphedinn cleft the +shoulder-blade right through, and at the same time pulled the axe +towards him. Sigmund fell down on both knees, but sprang up +again at once. + +"Thou hast lilted low to me already," says Skarphedinn, "but +still thou shalt fall upon thy mother's bosom ere we two part." + +"III is that then," says Sigmund. + +Skarphedinn gave him a blow on his helm, and after that dealt +Sigmund his death-blow. + +Grim cut off Skiolld's foot at the ankle-joint, but Helgi thrust +him through with his spear, and he got his death there and then. + +Skarphedinn saw Hallgerda's shepherd, just as he had hewn off +Sigmund's head; he handed the head to the shepherd, and bade him +bear it to Hallgerda, and said she would know whether that head +had made jeering songs about them, and with that he sang a +song -- + + "Here! this head shalt thou, that heapest + Hoards from ocean-caverns won, (1) + Bear to Hallgerd with my greeting, + Her that hurries men to fight; + Sure am I, O firewood splitter! + That yon spendthrift knows it well, + And will answer if it ever + Uttered mocking songs on us." + +The shepherd casts the head down as soon as ever they parted, +for he dared not do so while their eyes were on him. They fared +along till they met some men down by Markfleet, and told them the +tidings. Skarphedinn gave himself out as the slayer of Sigmund +and Grim and Helgi as the slayers of Skiolld; then they fared +home and told Njal the tidings. He answers them, "Good luck to +your hands I Here no self-doom will come to pass as things +stand." + +Now we must take up the story, and say that the shepherd came +home to Lithend. He told Hallgerda the tidings. + +"Skarphedinn put Sigmund's head into my hands," he says, "and +bade me bring it thee; but I dared not do it, for I knew not how +thou wouldst like that." + +"'Twas ill that thou didst not do that," she says; "I would have +brought it to Gunnar, and then he would have avenged his kinsman, +or have to bear every man's blame." + +After that she went to Gunnar and said, "I tell thee of thy +kinsman Sigmund's slaying: Skarphedinn slew him, and wanted them +to bring me the head." + +"Just what might be looked for to befall him," says Gunnar, "for +ill redes bring ill luck, and both you and Skarphedinn have often +done one another spiteful turns." + +Then Gunnar went away; he let no steps be taken towards a suit +for manslaughter, and did nothing about it. Hallgerda often put +him in mind of it, and kept saying that Sigmund had fallen +unatoned. Gunnar gave no heed to that. + +Now three Things passed away, at each of which men thought that +he would follow up the suit; then a knotty point came on Gunnar's +hands, which he knew not how to set about, and then he rode to +find Njal. He gave Gunnar a hearty welcome. Gunnar said to +Njal, "I am come to seek a bit of good counsel at thy hands about +a knotty point." + +"Thou art worthy of it," says Njal, and gave him counsel what to +do. Then Gunnar stood up and thanked him. Njal then spoke, and +said, and took Gunnar by the hand, "Over long hath thy kinsman +Sigmund been unatoned." + +"He has been long ago atoned," says Gunnar, "but still I will not +fling back the honour offered me." + +Gunnar had never spoken an ill word of Njal's sons. Njal would +have nothing else than that Gunnar should make his own award in +the matter. He awarded two hundred in silver, but let Skiolld +fall without a price. They paid down all the money at once. + +Gunnar declared this their atonement at the Thingskala Thing, +when most men were at it, and laid great weight on the way in +which they (Njal and his sons) had behaved; he told too those bad +words which cost Sigmund his life, and no man was to repeat them +or sing the verses, but if any sung them, the man who uttered +them was to fall without atonement. + +Both Gunnar and Njal gave each other their words that no such +matters should ever happen that they would not settle among +themselves; and this pledge was well kept ever after, and they +were always friends. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Thou, that heapest boards," etc. -- merely a periphrasis + for man, and scarcely fitting, except in irony, to a + splitter of firewood. + + + +46. OF GIZUR THE WHITE AND GEIR THE PRIEST + +There was a man named Gizur the White; he was Teit's son; +Kettlebjorn the Old's son, of Mossfell. (1) Bishop Isleif was +Gizur's son. Gizur the White kept house at Mossfell, and was a +great chief. That man is also named in this story whose name was +Geir the Priest; his mother was Thorkatla, another daughter of +Kettlebjorn the Old of Mossfell. Geir kept house at Lithe. He +and Gizur backed one another in every matter. At that time Mord +Valgard's son kept house at Hof on the Rangrivervales; he was +crafty and spiteful. Valgard his father was then abroad, but his +mother was dead. He was very envious of Gunnar of Lithend. He +was wealthy, so far as goods went, but had not many friends. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Teit's mother's name was Helga. She was a daughter of Thord + Longbeard, who was the son of Hrapp, who was the son of + Bjorn the Rough-footed, who was the son of Grim, the Lord of + Sogn in Norway. Gizur's mother's name was Olof. She was a + daughter of Lord Baudvar, Viking-Kari's son. + + + +47. OF OTKELL IN KIRKBY + +There was a man named Otkell; he was the son of Skarf, the son of +Hallkell, who fought with Grim of Grimsness, and felled him on +the holm. (1) This Hallkell and Kettlebjorn the Old were +brothers. + +Otkell kept house at Kirkby; his wife's name was Thorgerda; she +was a daughter of Mar, the son of Runolf, the son of Naddad of +the Faroe Isles. Otkell was wealthy in goods. His son's name +was Thorgeir; he was young in years, and a bold dashing man. + +Skamkell was the name of another man; he kept house at another +farm called Hof (2); he was well off for money, but he was a +spiteful man and a liar; quarrelsome too, and ill to deal with. +He was Otkell's friend. Hallkell was the name of Otkell's +brother; he was a tall strong man, and lived there with Otkell; +their brother's name was Hallbjorn the White; he brought out to +Iceland a thrall, whose name was Malcolm; he was Irish, and had +not many friends. + +Hallbjorn went to stay with Otkell, and so did his thrall +Malcolm. The thrall was always saying that he should think +himself happy if Otkell owned him. Otkell was kind to him, and +gave him a knife and belt, and a full suit of clothes, but the +thrall turned his hand to any work that Otkell wished. + +Otkell wanted to make a bargain with his brother for the thrall; +he said he would give him the thrall, but said, too, that he was +a worse treasure than he thought. But as soon as Otkell owned +the thrall, then he did less and less work. Otkell often said +outright to Hallbjorn, that he thought the thrall did little +work; and he told Otkell that there was worse in him yet to +come. + +At that time came a great scarcity, so that men fell short both +of meat and hay, and that spread over all parts of Iceland. +Gunnar shared his hay and meat with many men; and all got them +who came thither, so long as his stores lasted. At last it came +about that Gunnar himself fell short both of hay and meat. Then +Gunnar called on Kolskegg to go along with him; he called too on +Thrain Sigfus' son, and Lambi Sigurd's son. They fared to +Kirkby, and called Otkell out. He greeted them, and Gunnar said, +"It so happens that I am come to deal with thee for hay and meat, +if there be any left." + +Otkell answers, "There is store of both, but I will sell thee +neither." + +"Wilt thou give me them then," says Gunnar, "and run the risk of +my paying thee back somehow?" + +"I will not do that either," says Otkell. + +Skamkell all the while was giving him bad counsel. + +Then Thrain Sigfus' son, said, "It would serve him right if we +take both hay and meat and lay down the worth of them instead." + +Skamkell answered, "All the men of Mossfell must be dead and gone +then, if ye, sons of Sigfus, are to come and rob them." + +"I will have no hand in any robbery," says Gunnar. + +"Wilt thou buy a thrall of me?" says Otkell. + +"I'll not spare to do that," says Gunnar. After that Gunnar +bought the thrall, and fared away as things stood. + +Njal hears of this, and said, "Such things are ill done, to +refuse to let Gunnar buy; and it is not a good outlook for others +if such men as he cannot get what they want." + +"What's the good of thy talking so much about such a little +matter," says Bergthora; "far more like a man would it be to let +him have both meat and hay, when thou lackest neither of them." + +"That is clear as day," says Njal, "and I will of a surety supply +his need somewhat." + +Then he fared up to Thorolfsfell, and his sons with him, and they +bound hay on fifteen horses; but on five horses they had meat. +Njal came to Lithend, and called Gunnar out. He greeted them +kindly. + +"Here is hay and meat," said Njal, "which I will give thee; and +my wish is, that thou shouldst never look to any one else than to +me if thou standest in need of anything." + +"Good are thy gifts," says Gunnar, "but methinks thy friendship +is still more worth, and that of thy sons." + +After that Njal fared home, and now the spring passes away. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) That is, slew him in a duel. +(2) Mord Valgard's son lived at the other farm called Hof. + + + +48. HOW HALLGERDA MAKES MALCOLM STEAL FROM KIRKBY + +Now Gunnar is about to ride to the Thing, but a great crowd of +men from the Side (1) east turned in as guests at his house. + +Gunnar bade them come and be his guests again, as they rode back +from the Thing; and they said they would do so. + +Now they ride to the Thing, and Njal and his sons were there. +That Thing was still and quiet. + +Now we must take up the story, and say that Hallgerda comes to +talk with Malcolm the thrall. + +"I have thought of an errand to send thee on," she says; "thou +shalt go to Kirkby." + +"And what shall I do there?" he says. + +"Thou shalt steal from thence food enough to load two horses, and +mind and have butter and cheese; but thou shalt lay fire in the +storehouse, and all will think that it has arisen out of +heedlessness, but no one will think that there has been theft." + +"Bad have I been," said the thrall, "but never have I been a +thief." + +"Hear a wonder!" says Hallgerda, "thou makest thyself good, thou +that hast been both thief and murderer; but thou shalt not dare +to do aught else than go, else will I let thee be slain." + +He thought he knew enough of her to be sure that she would so do +if he went not; so he took at night two horses and laid +packsaddles on them, and went his way to Kirkby. The house-dog +knew him and did not bark at him, and ran and fawned on him. +After that he went to the storehouse and loaded the two horses +with food out of it, but the storehouse he burnt, and the dog he +slew. + +He went up along by Rangriver, and his shoe-thong snapped; so he +takes his knife and makes the shoe right, but he leaves the knife +and belt lying there behind him. + +He fares till he comes to Lithend; then he misses the knife, but +dares not to go back. + +Now he brings Hallgerda the food, and she showed herself well +pleased at it. + +Next morning when men came out of doors at Kirkby there they saw +great scathe. Then a man was sent to the Thing to tell Otkell; +he bore the loss well, and said it must have happened because the +kitchen was next to the storehouse; and all thought that that was +how it happened. + +Now men ride home from the Thing, and many rode to Lithend. +Hallgerda set food on the board, and in came cheese and butter. +Gunnar knew that such food was not to be looked for in his house, +and asked Hallgerda whence it came? + +"Thence," she says; "whence thou mightest well eat of it; +besides, it is no man's business to trouble himself with +housekeeping." + +Gunner got wroth and said, "Ill indeed is it if I am a partaker +with thieves;" and with that he gave her a slap on the cheek. + +She said she would bear that slap in mind and repay it if she +could. + +So she went off and he went with her, and then all that was +on the board was cleared away, but flesh-meat was brought in +instead, and all thought that was because the flesh was thought +to have been got in a better way. + +Now the men who had been at the Thing fare away. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) That is, from the sea-side or shore, the long narrow strip + of habitable land between the mountains and the sea in the + south-east of Iceland. + + + +49. OF SKAMKELL'S EVIL COUNSEL + +Now we must tell of Skamkell. He rides after some sheep up along +Rangriver, and he sees something shining in the path. He finds a +knife and belt, and thinks he knows both of them. He fares with +them to Kirkby; Otkell was out of doors when Skamkell came. He +spoke to him and said, "Knowest thou aught of these pretty +things?" + +"Of a surety," says Otkell, "I know them." + +"Who owns them?" asks Skamkell. + +"Malcolm the thrall," says Otkell. + +"Then more shall see and know them than we two," says Skamkell, +"for true will I be to thee in counsel." + +They showed them to many men, and all knew them. Then Skamkell +said, "What counsel wilt thou now take?" + +"We shall go and see Mord Valgard's son," answers Otkell, "and +seek counsel of him." + +So they went to Hof, and showed the pretty things to Mord, and +asked him if he knew them? + +He said he knew them well enough, but what was there in that? +"Do you think you have a right to look for anything at Lithend?" + +"We think it hard for us," says Skamkell, "to know what to do, +when such mighty men have a hand in it." + +"That is so, sure enough," says Mord, "but yet I will get to know +those things, out of Gunnar's household, which none of you will +every know." + +"We would give thee money," they say, "if thou wouldst search out +this thing." + +"That money I shall buy full dear," answered Mord, "but still, +perhaps, it may be that I will look at the matter." + +They gave him three marks of silver for lending them his help. + +Then he gave them this counsel, that women should go about from +house to house with small ware, and give them to the housewives, +and mark what was given them in return. + +"For," he says, "'tis the turn of mind of all men first to give +away what has been stolen, if they have it in their keeping, and +so it will be here also, if this hath-happened by the hand of +man. Ye shall then come and show me what has been given to each +in each house, and I shall then be free from farther share in +this matter, if the truth comes to light." + +To this they agreed, and went home afterwards. + +Mord sends women about the country, and they were away half a +month. Then they came back, and had big bundles. Mord asked +where they had most given them? + +They said that at Lithend most was given them, and Hallgerda had +been most bountiful to them. + +He asked what was given them there. + +"Cheese," say they. + +He begged to see it, and they showed it to him, and it was in +great slices. These he took and kept. + +A little after, Mord fared to see Otkell, and bade that he would +bring Thorgerda's cheese-mould; and when that was done, he laid +the slices down in it, and lo! they fitted the mould in every +way. + +Then they saw, too, that a whole cheese had been given to them. + +Then Mord said, "Now may ye see that Hallgerda must have stolen +the cheese;" and they all passed the same judgment; and then Mord +said, that now he thought he was free of this matter. + +After that they parted. + +Shortly after Kolskegg fell to talking with Gunnar and said, "III +is it to tell, but the story is in every man's mouth, that +Hallgerda must have stolen, and that she was at the bottom of all +that great scathe that befell at Kirkby." + +Gunner said that he too thought that must be so. "But what is to +be done now?" + +Kolskegg answered, "Thou wilt think it thy most bounden duty to +make atonement for thy wife's wrong, and methinks it were best +that tbou farest to see Otkell, and makest him a handsome offer." + +"This is well spoken," says Gunnar, "and so it shall be." + +A little after Gunnar sent after Thrain Sigfus' son and Lambi +Sigurd's son, and they came at once. + +Gunnar told them whither he meant to go, and they were well +pleased. Gunnar rode with eleven men to Kirkby, and called +Otkell out. Skamkell was there too, and said, "I will go out +with thee, and it will be best now to have the balance of wit on +thy side. And I would wish to stand closest by thee when thou +needest it most, and now this will be put to the proof. Methinks +it were best that thou puttest on an air of great weight." + +Then they, Otkell and Skamkell, and Hallkell, and Hallbjorn, went +out all of them. + +They greeted Gunnar, and he took their greeting well. Otkell +asks whither he meant to go? + +"No farther than here," says Gunnar, "and my errand hither is to +tell thee about that bad mishap, how it arose from the plotting +of my wife and that thrall whom I bought from thee." + +"'Tis only what was to be looked for," says Hallbjorn. + +"Now I will make thee a good offer," says Gunnar, "and the offer +is this, that the best men here in the country round settle the +matter." + +"This is a fair-sounding offer," said Skamkell, "but an unfair +and uneven one. Thou art a man who has many friends among the +householders, but Otkell has not many friends." + +"Well," says Gunnar, "then I will offer thee that I shall make an +award, and utter it here on this spot, and so we will settle the +matter, and my good-will shall follow the settlement. But I will +make thee an atonement by paying twice the worth of what was +lost." + +"This choice shalt thou not take," said Skamkell; "and it is +unworthy to give up to him the right to make his own award, when +thou oughtest to have kept it for thyself." + +So Otkell said, "I will not give up to thee, Gunnar, the right to +make thine own award." + +"I see plainly," said Gunnar, "the help of men who will be paid +off for it one day, I daresay; but come now, utter an award for +thyself." + +Otkell leant toward Skamkell and said, "What shall I answer now?" + +"This thou shalt call a good offer, but still put thy suit into +the hands of Gizur the White, and Geir the Priest, and then many +will say this, that thou behavest like Hallkell, thy grandfather, +who was the greatest of champions." + +"Well offered is this, Gunnar," said Otkell, "but still my will +is thou wouldst give me time to see Gizur the White." + +"Do now whatever thou likest in the matter," said Gunnar; "but +men will say this, that thou couldst not see thine own honour +when thou wouldst have none of the choices I offer thee." + +Then Gunnar rode home, and when he had gone away, Hallbjorn said, +"Here I see how much man differs from man. Gunnar made thee good +offers, but thou wouldst take none of them; or how dost thou +think to strive with Gunnar in a quarrel, when no one is his +match in fight. But now he is still so kind-hearted a man that +it may be he will let these offers stand, though thou art only +ready to take them afterwards. Methinks it were best that thou +farest to see Gizur the White and Geir the Priest now this very +hour." + +Otkell let them catch his horse, and made ready in every way. +Otkell was not sharpsighted, and Skamkell walked on the way along +with him, and said to Otkell, "Methought it strange that thy +brother would not take this toil from thee, and now I will make +thee an offer to fare instead of thee, for I know that the +journey is irksome to thee." + +"I will take that offer," says Otkell, "but mind and be as +truthful as ever thou canst." + +"So it shall be," says Skamkell. + +Then Skamkell took his horse and cloak, but Otkell walks home. + +Hallbjorn was out of doors, and said to Otkell, "Ill is it to +have a thrall for one's bosom friend, and we shall rue this for +ever that thou hast turned back, and it is an unwise step to send +the greatest liar on an errand, of which one may so speak that +men's lives hang on it." + +"Thou wouldst be sore afraid," says Otkell, "if Gunnar had his +bill aloft, when thou art so scared now." + +"No one knows who will be most afraid then," said Hallbjorn; "but +this thou wilt have to own, that Gunnar does not lose much time +in brandishing his bill when he is wroth." + +"Ah!" said Otkell, "ye are all of you for yielding but Skamkell." + +And then they were both wroth. + + + +50. OF SKAMKELL'S LYING + +Skamkell came to Mossfell, and repeated all the offers to Gizur. + +"It so seems to me," says Gizur, "as though these have been +bravely offered; but why took he not these offers?" + +"The chief cause was," answers Skamkell, "that all wished to show +thee honour, and that was why he waited for thy utterance; +besides, that is best for all." + +So Skamkell stayed there the night over, but Gizur sent a man to +fetch Geir the Priest; and he came there early. Then Gizur told +him the story and said, "What course is to be taken now?" + +"As thou no doubt hast already made up thy mind -- to make the +best of the business for both sides." + +"Now we will let Skamkell tell his tale a second time, and see +how he repeats it." + +So they did that, and Gizur said, "Thou must have told this story +right; but still I have seen thee to be the wickedest of men, and +there is no faith in faces if thou turnest out well." + +Skamkell fared home, and rides first to Kirkby and calls Otkell +out. He greets Skamkell well, and Skamkell brought him the +greeting of Gizur and Geir. + +"But about this matter of the suit," be says, "there is no need +to speak softly, how that it is the will of both Gizur and Geir +that this suit should not be settled in a friendly way. They +gave that counsel that a summons should be set on foot, and that +Gunnar should be summoned for having partaken of the goods, but +Hallgerda for stealing them." + +"It shall be done," said Otkell, "in everything as they have +given counsel." + +"They thought most of this," says Skamkell, "that thou hadst +behaved so proudly; but as for me, I made as great a man of thee +in everything as I could." + +Now Otkell tells all this to his brothers, and Hallbjorn said, +"This must be the biggest lie." + +Now the time goes on until the last of the summoning days before +the Althing came. + +Then Otkell called on his brothers and Skamkell to ride on the +business of the summons to Lithend. + +Hallbjorn said he would go, but said also that they would rue +this summoning as time went on. + +Now they rode twelve of them together to Lithend, but when they +came into the "town," there was Gunnar out of doors, and knew +naught of their coming till they had ridden right up to the +house. + +He did not go in-doors then, and Otkell thundered out the summons +there and then; but when they had made an end of the summoning +Skamkell said, "Is it all right, master?" + +"Ye know that best;" says Gunnar, "but I will put thee in mind of +this journey one of these days, and of thy good help." + +"That will not harm us," says Skamkell, "if thy bill be not +aloft." + +Gunnar was very wroth and went in-doors, and told Kolskegg, and +Kolskegg said, "Ill was it that we were not out of doors; they +should have come here on the most shameful journey, if we had +been by." + +"Everything bides its time," says Gunnar; "but this journey will +not turn out to their honour." + +A little after Gunnar went and told Njal. + +"Let it not worry thee a jot," said Njal, "for this will be the +greatest honour to thee, ere this Thing comes to an end. As for +us, we will all back thee with counsel and force." + +Gunnar thanked him and rode home. + +Otkell rides to the Thing, and his brothers with him and +Skamkell. + + + +51. OF GUNNAR + +Gunnar rode to the Thing and all the sons of Sigfus; Njal and his +sons too, they all went with Gunnar; and it was said that no band +was so well knit and hardy as theirs. + +Gunnar went one day to the booth of the Dalemen; Hrut was by the +booth and Hauskuld, and they greeted Gunnar well. Now Gunnar +tells them the whole story of the suit up to that time. + +"What counsel gives Njal?" asks Hrut. + +"He bade me seek you brothers," says Gunnar, "and said he was +sure that he and you would look at the matter in the same light." + +"He wishes then," says Hrut, "that I should say what I think +for kinship's sake; and so it shall be. Thou shalt challenge +Gizur the White to combat on the island, if they do not leave the +whole award to thee; but Kolskegg shall challenge Geir the +Priest. As for Otkell and his crew, men must be got ready to +fall on them; and now we have such great strength all of us +together, that thou mayst carry out whatever thou wilt." + +Gunnar went home to his booth and told Njal. + +"Just what I looked for," said Njal. + +Wolf Aurpriest got wind of this plan, and told Gizur, and Gizur +said to Otkell, "Who gave thee that counsel that thou shouldst +summon Gunnar?" + +"Skamkell told me that was the counsel of both Geir the Priest +and thyself." + +"But where is that scoundrel?" says Gizur, "who has thus lied." + +"He lies sick up at our booth," says Otkell. + +"May he never rise from his bed," says Gizur. "Now we must all +go to see Gunnar, and offer him the right to make his own award; +but I know not whether he will take that now." + +Many men spoke ill of Skamkell, and he lay sick all through the +Thing. + +Gizur and his friends went to Gunnar's booth; their coming was +known, and Gunnar was told as he sat in his booth, and then they +all went out and stood in array. + +Gizur the White came first, and after a while he spoke and said, +"This is our offer -- that thou, Gunnar, makest thine own award +in this suit." + +"Then," says Gunnar, "it was no doubt far from thy counsel that I +was summoned." + +"I gave no such counsel," says Gizur, "neither I nor Geir." + +"Then thou must clear thyself of this charge by fitting proof." + +"What proof dost thou ask?" says Gizur. + +"That thou takest an oath," says Gunnar. + +"That I will do," says Gizur, "if thou wilt take the award into +thine own hands." + +"That was the offer I made a while ago," says Gunnar; "but now, +methinks, I have a greater matter to pass judgment on." + +"It will not be right to refuse to make thine own award," said +Njal; "for the greater the matter, the greater the honour in +making it." + +"Well," said Gunnar, "I will do this to please my friends, and +utter my award; but I give Otkell this bit of advice, never to +give me cause for quarrel hereafter." + +Then Hrut and Hauskuld were sent for, and they came thither, and +then Gizur the White and Gier the Priest took their oaths; but +Gunnar made his award, and spoke with no man about it, and +afterwards he uttered it as follows: + +"This is my award," he says; "first, I lay it down that the +storehouse must be paid for, and the food that was therein; but +for the thrall, I will pay thee no fine, for that thou hiddest +his faults; but I award him back to thee; for as the saying is, +`Birds of a feather flock most together.' Then, on the other +hand, I see that thou hast summoned me in scorn and mockery, and +for that I award to myself no less a sum than what the house that +was burnt and the stores in it were worth; but if ye think it +better that we be not set at one again, then I will let you have +your choice of that, but if so I have already made up my mind +what I shall do, and then I will fulfil my purpose." + +"What we ask," said Gizur, "is that thou shouldst not be hard on +Otkell, but we beg this of thee, on the other hand, that thou +wouldst be his friend." + +"That shall never be," said Gunnar, "so long as I live; but he +shall have Skamkell's friendship; on that he has long leant." + +"Well," answers Gizur, "we will close with thee in this matter, +though thou alone layest down the terms." + +Then all this atonement was made and hands were shaken on it, and +Gunnar said to Otkell, "It were wiser to go away to thy kinsfolk; +but if thou wilt be here in this country, mind that thou givest +me no cause of quarrel." + +"That is wholesome counsel," said Gizur; "and so he shall do." + +So Gunnar had the greatest honour from that suit, and afterwards +men rode home from the Thing. + +Now Gunnar sits in his house at home, and so things are quiet for +a while. + + + +52. OF RUNOLF, THE SON OF WOLF AURPRIEST + +There was a man named Runolf, the son of Wolf Aurpriest, he kept +house at the Dale, east of Markfleet. He was Otkell's guest once +when he rode from the Thing. Otkell gave him an ox, all black, +without a spot of white, nine winters old. Runolf thanked him +for the gift, and bade him come and see him at home whenever he +chose to go; and this bidding stood over for some while, so that +he had not paid the visit. Runolf often sent men to him and put +him in mind that he ought to come; and he always said he would +come, but never went. + +Now Otkell had two horses, dun coloured, with a black stripe down +the back; they were the best steeds to ride in all the country +round, and so fond of each other that whenever one went before +the other ran after him. + +There was an Easterling staying with Otkell, whose name was +Audulf; he had set his heart on Signy, Otkell's daughter. Audulf +was a tall man in growth, and strong. + + + +53. HOW OTKELL RODE OVER GUNNAR + +It happened next spring that Otkell said that they would ride +east to the Dale, to pay Runolf a visit, and all showed +themselves well pleased at that. Skamkell and his two brothers, +and Audulf and three men more, went along with Otkell. Otkell +rode one of the dun horses, but the other ran loose by his side. +They shaped their course east towards Markfleet; and now Otkell +gallops ahead, and now the horses race against each other, and +they break away from the path up towards the Fleetlithe. + +Now, Otkell goes faster than he wished, and it happened that +Gunnar had gone away from home out of his house all alone; and he +had a corn-sieve in one hand, but in the other a hand-axe. He +goes down to his seed field and sows his corn there, and had laid +his cloak of fine stuff and his axe down by his side, and so he +sows the corn a while. + +Now, it must be told how Otkell rides faster than he would. He +had spurs on his feet, and so he gallops down over the ploughed +field, and neither of them sees the other; and just as Gunnar +stands upright, Otkell rides down upon him and drives one of the +spurs into Gunnar's ear, and gives him a great gash, and it +bleeds at once much. + +Just then Otkell's companions rode up. + +"Ye may see, all of you," says Gunnar, "that thou hast drawn my +blood, and it is unworthy to go on so. First thou hast summoned +me, but now thou treadest me under foot, and ridest over me." + +Skamkell said, "Well it was no worse, master, but thou wast not +one whit less wroth at the Thing, when thou tookest the selfdoom +and clutchedst thy bill." + +Gunnar said, "When we two next meet thou shalt see the bill." +After that they part thus, and Skamkell shouted out and said, "Ye +ride hard, lads!" + +Gunnar went home, and said never a word to any one about what had +happened, and no one thought that this wound could have come by +man's doing. + +It happened, though, one day, that he told it to his brother +Kolskegg, and Kolskegg said, "This thou shalt tell to more men, +so that it may not be said that thou layest blame on dead men; +for it will be gainsaid if witnesses do not know beforehand what +has passed between you." + +Then Gunnar told it to his neighbours, and there was little talk +about it at first. + +Otkell comes east to the Dale, and they get a hearty welcome +there, and sit there a week. + +Skamkell told Runolf all about their meeting with Gunnar, and how +it had gone off; and one man happened to ask how Gunnar behaved. + +"Why," said Skamkell, "if it were a low-born man it would have +been said that he had wept." + +"Such things are ill spoken," says Runolf, "and when ye two next +meet, thou wilt have to own that there is no voice of weeping in +his frame of mind; and it will be well if better men have not to +pay for thy spite. Now it seems to me best when ye wish to go +home that I should go with you, for Gunnar will do me no harm." + +"I will not have that," says Otkell; "but I will ride across the +Fleet lower down." + +Runolf gave Otkell good gifts, and said they should not see one +another again. + +Otkell bade him then to bear his sons in mind if things turned +out so. + + + +54. THE FIGHT AT RANGRIVER + +Now we must take up the story, and say that Gunnar was out of +doors at Lithend, and sees his shepherd galloping up to the yard. +The shepherd rode straight into the "town; and Gunnar said, "Why +ridest thou so hard?" + +"I would be faithful to thee," said the man; "I saw men riding +down along Markfleet, eight of them together, and four of them +were in coloured clothes." + +Gunnar said, "That must be Otkell." + +The lad said, "I have often heard many temper-trying words of +Skamkell's; for Skamkell spoke away there east at Dale, and said +that thou sheddest tears when they rode over thee; but I tell it +thee because I cannot bear to listen to such speeches of +worthless men." + +"We must not be word-sick," says Gunnar, "but from this day forth +thou shall do no other work than what thou choosest for thyself." + +"Shall I say aught of this to Kolskegg thy brother?" asked the +shepherd. + +"Go thou and sleep," says Gunnar; "I will tell Kolskegg." + +The lad laid him down and fell asleep at once, but Gunnar took +the shepherd's horse and laid his saddle on him; he took his +shield, and girded him with his sword, Oliver's gift; he sets his +helm on his head; takes his bill, and something sung loud in it, +and his mother, Rannveig, heard it. She went up to him and said +"Wrathful art thou now, my son, and never saw I thee thus +before." + +Gunnar goes out, and drives the butt of his spear into the earth, +and throws himself into the saddle, and rides away, + +His mother, Rannveig, went into the sitting-room, where there was +a great noise of talking. + +"Ye speak loud," she says, "but yet the bill gave a louder sound +when Gunnar went out." + +Kolskegg heard what she said, and spoke, "This betokens no small +tidings. + +"That is well," says Hallgerda, "now they will soon prove whether +he goes away from them weeping." + +Kolskegg takes his weapons and seeks him a horse, and rides after +Gunnar as fast as he could. + +Gunnar rides across Acretongue, and so to Geilastofna and thence +to Rangriver, and down the stream to the ford at Hof. There were +some women at the milking-post there. Gunnar jumped off his +horse and tied him up. By this time the others were riding up +towards him; there were flat stones covered with mud in the path +that led down to the ford. + +Gunnar called out to them and said, "Now is the time to guard +yourselves; here now is the bill, and here now ye will put it to +the proof whether I shed one tear for all of you." + +Then they all of them sprang off their horses' backs and made +towards Gunnar. Hallbjorn was the foremost. + +"Do not thou come on," says Gunnar; "thee last of all would I +harm; but I will spare no one if I have to fight for my life." + +"That I cannot do," says Hallbjorn; "thou wilt strive to kill my +brother for all that, and it is a shame if I sit idly by." And +as he said this he thrust at Gunnar with a great spear which he +held in both hands. + +Gunnar threw his shield before the blow, but Hallbjorn pierced +the shield through. Gunnar thrust the shield down so hard that +it stood fast in the earth (1), but he brandished his sword so +quickly that no eye could follow it, and he made a blow with the +sword, and it fell on Hallbjorn's arm above the writs, so that it +cut it off. + +Skamkell ran behind Gunnar's back and makes a blow at him with a +great axe. Gunnar turned short round upon him and parries the +blow with the bill, and caught the axe under one of its horns +with such a wrench that it flew out of Skamkell's hand away into +the river. + +Then Gunnar sang a song: + + "Once thou askedst, foolish fellow, + Of this man, this seahorse racer, + When as fast as feet could foot it + Forth ye fled from farm of mine, + Whether that were rightly summoned? + Now with gore the spear we redden, + Battle-eager, and avenge us + Thus on thee, vile source of strife." + +Gunnar gives another thrust with his bill, and through Skamkell, +and lifts him up and casts him down in the muddy path on his +head. + +Audulf the Easterling snatches up a spear and launches it at +Gunnar. Gunnar caught the spear with his hand in the air, and +hurled it back at once, and it flew through the shield and the +Easterling too, and so down into the earth. + +Otkell smites at Gunnar with his sword, and aims at his leg just +below the knee, but Gunnar leapt up into the air and he misses +him. Then Gunnar thrusts at him the bill and the blow goes +through him. + +Then Kolskegg comes up, and rushes at once at Hallkell and dealt +him his death-blow with his short sword. There and then they +slay eight men. + +A woman who saw all this, ran home and told Mord, and besought +him to part them. + +"They alone will be there," he says, "of whom I care not though +they slay one another." + +"Thou canst not mean to say that," she says, "for thy kinsman +Gunnar, and thy friend Otkell will be there." + +"Baggage, that thou art," he says, "thou art always chattering," +and so he lay still in-doors while they fought. + +Gunnar and Kolskegg rode home after this work, and they rode hard +up along the river bank, and Gunnar leapt off his horse and came +down on his feet. + +Then Kolskegg said, "Hard now thou ridest, brother!" + +"Ay," said Gunnar, "that was what Skamkell said when he uttered +those very words when they rode over me." + +"Well, thou hast avenged that now," says Kolskegg. + +"I would like to know," says Gunnar, "whether I am by so much the +less brisk and bold than other men, because I think more of +killing men than they?" + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) This shews that the shields were oblong, running down to a + point. + + + +55. NJAL'S ADVICE TO GUNNAR + +Now those tidings are heard far and wide, and many said that they +thought they had not happened before it was likely. Gunnar rode +to Bergthorsknoll and told Njal of these deeds. + +Njal said, "Thou hast done great things, but thou hast been +sorely tried." + +"How will it now go henceforth?" says Gunnar. + +"Wilt thou that I tell thee what hath not yet come to pass?" asks +Njal. "Thou wilt ride to the Thing, and thou wilt abide by my +counsel and get the greatest honour from this matter. This will +be the beginning of thy manslayings." + +"But give me some cunning counsel," says Gunnar. + +"I will do that," says Njal, "never slay more than one man in the +same stock, and never break the peace which good men and true +make between thee and others, and least of all in such a matter +as this." + +Gunnar said, "I should have thought there was more risk of that +with others than with me." + +"Like enough," says Njal, "but still thou shalt so think of thy +quarrels, that if that should come to pass of which I have warned +thee, then thou wilt have but a little while to live; but +otherwise, thou wilt come to be an old man." + +Gunnar said, "Dost thou know what will be thine own death?" + +"I know it," says Njal. + +"What?" asks Gunnar. + +"That," says Njal, "which all would be the last to think." + +After that Gunnar rode home. + +A man was sent to Gizur the White and Geir the Priest, for they +had the blood-feud after Otkell. Then they had a meeting, and +had a talk about what was to be done; and they were of one mind +that the quarrel should be followed up at law. Then some one was +sought who would take the suit up, but no one was ready to do +that. + +"It seems to me," says Gizur, "that now there are only two +courses, that one of us two undertakes the suit, and then we +shall have to draw lots who it shall be, or else the man will be +unatoned. We may make up our minds, too, that this will be a +heavy suit to touch; Gunnar has many kinsmen and is much beloved; +but that one of us who does not draw the lot, shall ride to the +Thing and never leave it until the suit comes to an end." + +After that they drew lots, and Geir the Priest drew the lot to +take up the suit. + +A little after, they rode from the west over the river, and came +to the spot where the meeting had been by Rangriver, and dug up +the bodies, and took witness to the wounds. After that they gave +lawful notice and summoned nine neighbours to bear witness in the +suit. + +They were told that Gunnar was at home with about thirty men; +then Geir the Priest asked whether Gizur would ride against him +with one hundred men. + +"I will not do that," says he, "though the balance of force is +great on our side." + +After that they rode back home. The news that the suit was set +on foot was spread all over the country, and the saying ran that +the Thing would be very noisy and stormy. + + + +56. GUNNAR AND GEIR THE PRIEST STRIVE AT THE THING + +There was a man named Skapti. He was the son of Thorod (1). +That father and son were great chiefs, and very well skilled in +law. Thorod was thought to be rather crafty and guileful. They +stood by Gizur the White in every quarrel. + +As for the Lithemen and the dwellers by Rangriver, they came in a +great body to the Thing. Gunnar was so beloved that all said +with one voice that they would back him. + +Now they all come to the Thing and fit up their booths. In +company with Gizur the White were these chiefs: Skapti Thorod's +son, Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, Oddi of Kidberg, and Halldor +Ornolf's son. + +Now one day men went to the Hill of Laws, and then Geir the +Priest stood up and gave notice that he had a suit of +manslaughter against Gunnar for the slaying of Otkell. Another +suit of manslaughter he brought against Gunnar for the slaying of +Halljborn the White; then, too, he went on in the same way as to +the slaying of Audulf, and so, too, as to the slaying of +Skamkell. Then, too, he laid a suit of manslaughter against +Kolskegg for the slaying of Hallkell. + +And when he had given due notice of all his suits of manslaughter +it was said that he spoke well. He asked, too, in what Quarter +court the suits lay, and in what house in the district the +defendants dwelt. After that men went away from the Hill of +Laws, and so the Thing goes on till the day when the courts were +to be set to try suits. Then either side gathered their men +together in great strength. + +Geir the Priest and Gizur the White stood at the court of the men +of Rangriver looking north, and Gunnar and Njal stood looking +south towards the court. + +Geir the Priest bade Gunnar to listen to his oath, and then he +took the oath, and afterwards declared his suit. + +Then he let men bear witness of the notice given by the suit; +then he called upon the neighbours who were to form the inquest +to take their seats; then he called on Gunnar to challenge the +inquest; and then he called on the inquest to utter their +finding. Then the neighbours who were summoned on the inquest +went to the court and took witness, and said that there was a bar +to their finding in the suit as to Audulf's slaying, because the +next of kin who ought to follow it up was in Norway, and so they +had nothing to do with that suit. + +After that they uttered their finding in the suit as to Otkell, +and brought in Gunnar as truly guilty of killing him. + +Then Geir the Priest called on Gunnar for his defence, and took +witness of all the steps in the suit which had been proved. + +Then Gunnar, in his turn, called on Geir the Priest to listen to +his oath, and to the defence which he was about to bring forward +in the suit. Then he took the oath and said, "This defence I +make to this suit, that I took witness and outlawed Otkell before +my neighbours for that bloody wound which I got when Otkell gave +me a hurt with his spur; but thee, Geir the Priest, I forbid by a +lawful protest made before a priest, to pursue this suit, and so, +too, I forbid the judges to hear it; and with this I make all the +steps hitherto taken in this suit void and of none-effect. I +forbid thee by a lawful protest, a full, fair, and binding +protest, as I have a right to forbid thee by the common custom of +the Thing and by the law of the land. + +"Besides, I will tell thee something else which I mean to do," +says Gunnar. + +"What!" says Geir, "wilt thou challenge me to the island as thou +art wont, and not bear the law?" + +"Not that," says Gunnar; "I shall summon thee at the Hill of Laws +for that thou calledst those men on the inquest who had no right +to deal with Audulf's slaying, and I will declare thee for that +guilty of outlawry." + +Then Njal said, "Things must not take this turn, for the only end +of it will be that this strife will be carried to the uttermost. +Each of you, as it seems to me, has much on his side. There are +some of these manslaughters, Gunnar, about which thou canst say +nothing to hinder the court from finding thee guilty; but thou +hast set on foot a suit against Geir, in which he, too, must be +found guilty. Thou too, Geir the Priest, shalt know that this +suit of outlawry which hangs over thee shall not fall to the +ground if thou wilt not listen to my words." + +Thorod the Priest said, "It seems to us as though the most +peaceful way would be that a settlement and atonement were come +to in the suit. But why sayest thou so little, Gizur the White?" + +"It seems to me," says Gizur, "as though we shall need to have +strong props for our suit; we may see, too, that Gunnar's friends +stand near him, and so the best turn for us that things can take +will be that good men and true should utter an award on the suit, +if Gunnar so wills it." + +"I have ever been willing to make matters up," says Gunnar; "and +besides, ye have much wrong to follow up, but still I think I was +hard driven to do as I did." + +And now the end of those suits was, by the counsel of the wisest +men, that all the suits were put to arbitration; six men were to +make this award, and it was uttered there and then at the Thing. + +The award was that Skamkell should be unatoned. The blood money +for Otkell's death was to be set off against the hurt Gunnar got +from the spur; and as for the rest of the manslaughters, they +were paid for after the worth of the men, and Gunnar's kinsmen +gave money so that all the fines might be paid up at the Thing. + +Then Geir the Priest and Gizur the White went up and gave Gunnar +pledges that they would keep the peace in good faith. + +Gunnar rode home from the Thing, and thanked men for their help, +and gave gifts to many, and got the greatest honour from the +suit. + +Now Gunnar sits at home in his honour. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Thorod's mother was Thorvor, she was daughter of Thormod + Skapti's son, son of Oleif the Broad, son of Oliver + Barncarle. + + + +57. OF STARKAD AND HIS SONS + +There was a man named Starkad; he was a son of Bork the Waxy- +toothed-blade, the son of Thorkell Clubfoot, who took the land +round about Threecorner as the first settler. His wife's name +was Hallbera (1). The sons of Starkad and Hallbera were these: +Thorgeir and Bork and Thorkell. Hildigunna the Leech was their +sister. + +They were very proud men in temper, hard-hearted and unkind. +They treated men wrongfully. + +There was a man named Egil; he was a son of Kol, who took land as +a settler between Storlek and Reydwater. The brother of Egil was +Aunund of Witchwood, father of Hall the Strong, who was at the +slaying of Holt-Thorir with the sons of Kettle the Smooth- +tongued. + +Egil kept house at Sandgil; his sons were these: Kol, and Ottar, +and Hauk. Their mother's name was Steinvor; she was Starkad's +sister. + +Egil's sons were tall and strifeful; they were most unfair men. +They were always on one side with Starkad's sons. Their sister +was Gudruna Nightsun, and she was the bestbred of women. + +Egil had taken into his house two Easterlings; the one's name was +Thorir and the other's Thorgrim. They were not long come out +hither for the first time, and were wealthy and beloved by their +friends; they were well skilled in arms, too, and dauntless in +everything. + +Starkad had a good horse of chesnut hue, and it was thought that +no horse was his match in fight. Once it happened that these +brothers from Sandgil were away under the Threecorner. They had +much gossip about all the householders in the Fleetlithe, and +they fell at last to asking whether there was any one that would +fight a horse against them. + +But there were some men there who spoke so as to flatter and +honour them, that not only was there no one who would dare do +that, but that there was no one that had such a horse + +Then Hildigunna answered, "I know that man who will dare to fight +horses with you." + +"Name him," they say. + +"Gunnar has a brown horse," she says, "and he will dare to fight +his horse against you, and against any one else." + +"As for you women," they say, "you think no one can be Gunnar's +match; but though Geir the Priest or Gizur the White have come +off with shame from before him, still it is not settled that we +shall fare in the same way." + +"Ye will fare much worse," she says: and so there arose out of +this the greatest strife between them. Then Starkad said, "My +will is that ye try your hands on Gunnar last of all; for ye will +find it hard work to go against his good luck." + +"Thou wilt give us leave, though, to offer him a horsefight?" + +"I will give you leave, if ye play him no trick." + +They said they would be sure to do what their father said. + +Now they rode to Lithend; Gunnar was at home, and went out, and +Kolskegg and Hjort went with him, and they gave them a hearty +welcome, and asked whither they meant to go? + +"No farther than hither," they say. "We are told that thou hast a +good horse, and we wish to challenge thee to a horse-fight." + +"Small stories can go about my horse," says Gunnar; "he is young +and untried in every way." + +"But still thou wilt be good enough to have the fight, for +Hildigunna guessed that thou wouldest be easy in matching thy +horse." + +"How came ye to talk about that?" says Gunnar. + +"There were some men," say they, "who were sure that no one would +dare to fight his horse with ours." + +"I would dare to fight him," says Gunnar; "but I think that was +spitefully said." + +"Shall we look upon the match as made, then?" they asked. + +"Well, your journey will seem to you better if ye have your way +in this; but still I will beg this of you, that we so fight our +horses that we make sport for each other, but that no quarrel may +arise from it, and that ye put no shame upon me; but if ye do to +me as ye do to others, then there will be no help for it but that +I shall give you such a buffet as it will seem hard to you to put +up with. In a word, I shall do then just as ye do first." + +Then they ride home. Starkad asked how their journey had gone +off; they said that Gunnar had made their going good. + +"He gave his word to fight his horse, and we settled when and +where the horse-fight should be; but it was plain in everything +that he thought he fell short of us, and he begged and prayed to +get off." + +"It will often be found," says Hildigunna, "that Gunnar is slow +to be drawn into quarrels, but a hard hitter if he cannot avoid +them." + +Gunnar rode to see Njal, and told him of the horse-fight, and +what words had passed between them, "But how dost thou think the +horse-fight will turn out?" + +"Thou wilt be uppermost," says Njal, "but yet many a man's bane +will arise out of this fight." + +"Will my bane perhaps come out of it?" asks Gunnar. + +"Not out of this," says Njal; "but still they will bear in mind +both the old and the new feud who fare against thee, and thou +wilt have naught left for it but to yield." + +Then Gunnar rode home. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) She was daughter of Hroald the Red and Hildigunna Thorstein + Titling's daughter. The mother of Hildigunna was Aud Eyvind + Karf's daughter, the sister of Modolf the Wise of Mosfell, + from whom the Modylfings are sprung. + + + +58. HOW GUNNAR'S HORSE FOUGHT + +Just then Gunnar heard of the death of his father-in-law +Hauskuld; a few nights after, Thorgerda, Thrain's wife, was +delivered at Gritwater, and gave birth to a boy child. Then she +sent a man to her mother, and bade her choose whether it should +be called Glum or Hauskuld. She bade call it Hauskuld. So that +name was given to the boy. + +Gunnar and Hallgerda had two sons, the one's name was Hogni and +the other's Grani. Hogni was a brave man of few words, +distrustful and slow to believe, but truthful. + +Now men ride to the horse-fight, and a very great crowd is +gathered together there. Gunnar was there and his brothers, and +the sons of Sigfus. Njal and all his sons. There too was come +Starkad and his sons, and Egil and his sons, and they said to +Gunnar that now they would lead the horses together. + +Gunnar said, "That was well." + +Skarphedinn said, "Wilt thou that I drive thy horse, kinsman +Gunnar?" + +"I will not have that," says Gunnar. + +"It wouldn't be amiss though," says Skarphedinn; "we are hot- +headed on both sides." + +"Ye would say or do little," says Gunnar, "before a quarrel would +spring up; but with me it will take longer, though it will be all +the same in the end." + +After that the horses were led together; Gunnar busked him to +drive his horse, but Skarphedinn led him out. Gunnar was in a +red kirtle, and had about his loins a broad belt, and a great +riding-rod in his hand. + +Then the horses ran at one another, and bit each other long, so +that there was no need for any one to touch them, and that was +the greatest sport. + +Then Thorgeir and Kol made up their minds that they would push +their horse forward just as the horses rushed together, and see +if Gunnar would fall before him. + +Now the horses ran at one another again, and both Thorgeir and +Kol ran alongside their horses' flank. + +Gunnar pushes his horse against them, and what happened in a +trice was this, that Thorgeir and his brother fall down flat on +their backs, and their horse a-top of them. + +Then they spring up and rush at Gunnar. Gunnar swings himself +free and seizes Kol, casts him down on the field, so that he lies +senseless. Thorgeir Starkad's son smote Gunnar's horse such a +blow that one of his eyes started out. Gunnar smote Thorgeir +with his riding-rod, and down falls Thorgeir senseless; but +Gunnar goes to his horse, and said to Kolskegg, "Cut off the +horse's head; he shall not live a maimed and blemished beast." + +So Kolskegg cut the head off the horse. + +Then Thorgeir got on his feet and took his weapons, and wanted to +fly at Gunnar, but that was stopped, and there was a great throng +and crush. + +Skarphedinn said, "This crowd wearies me, and it is far more +manly that men should fight it out with weapons; and so he sang a +song: + + "At the Thing there is a throng; + Past all bounds the crowding comes; + Hard 'twill be to patch up peace + 'Twixt the men. This wearies me; + Worthier is it far for men + Weapons red with gore to stain; + I for one would sooner tame + Hunger huge of cub of wolf." + +Gunnar was still, so that one man held him, and spoke no ill +words. + +Njal tried to bring about a settlement, or to get pledges of +peace; but Thorgeir said he would neither give nor take peace; +far rather, he said, would he see Gunnar dead for the blow. + +Kolskegg said, "Gunnar has before now stood too fast, than that +he should have fallen for words alone, and so it will be again." + +Now men ride away from the horse-field, every one to his home. +They make no attack on Gunnar, and so that halfyear passed away. +At the Thing, the summer after, Gunnar met Olaf the peacock, his +cousin, and he asked him to come and see him, but yet bade him be +ware of himself; "For," says he, "they will do us all the harm +they can, and mind and fare always with many men at thy back." + +He gave him much good counsel beside, and they agreed that there +should be the greatest friendship between them. + + + +59. OF ASGRIM AND WOLF UGGIS' SON + +Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing +against Wolf Uggis' son. It was a matter of inheritance. Asgrim +took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a +bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five +neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine. +And now they have this as their bar. + +Then Gunnar spoke and said,"I will challenge thee to single +combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get +their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that +I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they +were not here themselves." + +"But," says Wolf, "this quarrel is not one between thee and me." + +"Still it shall be as good as though it were," says Gunnar. + +And the end of the suit was, that Wolf had to pay down all the +money. + +Then Asgrim said to Gunnar, "I will ask thee to come and see me +this summer, and I will ever be with thee in lawsuits, and never +against thee." + +Gunnar rides home from the Thing, and a little while after he and +Njal met. Njal besought Gunnar to be ware of himself, and said +he had been told that those away under the Threecorner meant to +fall on him, and bade him never go about with a small company, +and always to have his weapons with him. Gunnar said so it +should be, and told him that Asgrim had asked him to pay him a +visit, "and I mean to go now this harvest." + +"Let no men know before thou farest how long thou wilt be away," +said Njal; "but, besides, I beg thee to let my sons ride with +thee, and then no attack will be made on thee." + +So they settled that among themselves. + +Now the summer wears away till it was eight weeks to winter, and +then Gunnar says to Kolskegg, "Make thee ready to ride, for we +shall ride to a feast at Tongue." + +"Shall we say anything about it to Njal's sons?" said Kolskegg. + +"No," says Gunnar; "they shall fall into no quarrels for me." + + + +60. AN ATTACK AGAINST GUNNAR AGREED ON + +They rode three together, Gunnar and his brothers. Gunnar had +the bill and his sword, Oliver's gift; but Kolskegg had his short +sword; Hjort, too, had proper weapons. + +Now they rode to Tongue, and Asgrim gave them a hearty welcome, +and they were there some while. At last they gave it out that +they meant to go home there and then. Asgrim gave them good +gifts, and offered to ride east with them, but Gunnar said there +was no need of any such thing; and so he did not go. + +Sigurd Swinehead was the name of a man who dwelt by Thurso water. +He came to the farm under the Threecorner, for he had given his +word to keep watch on Gunnar's doings, and so he went and told +them of his journey home; "and," quoth he, "there could never be +a finer chance than just now, when he has only two men with him." + +"How many men shall we need to have to lie in wait for him?" says +Starkad. + +"Weak men shall be as nothing before him," he says; "and it is +not safe to have fewer than thirty men." + +"Where shall we lie in wait?" + +"By Knafaholes," he says; "there he will not see us before he +comes on us." + +"Go thou to Sandgil and tell Egil that fifteen of them must busk +themselves thence, and now other fifteen will go hence to +Knafaholes." + +Thorgeir said to Hildigunna, "This hand shall show thee Gunnar +dead this very night." + +"Nay, but I guess," says she, "that thou wilt hang thy head after +ye two meet." + +So those four, father and sons, fare away from the Threecorner, +and eleven men besides, and they fared to Knafaholes, and lay in +wait there. + +Sigurd Swinehead came to Sandgil and said, "Hither am I sent by +Starkad and his sons to tell thee, Egil, that ye, father and +sons, must fare to Knafaholes to lie in wait for Gunnar." + +"How many shall we fare in all?" says Egil. + +"Fifteen, reckoning me," he says. + +Kol said, "Now I mean to try my hand on Kolskegg." + +"Then I think thou meanest to have a good deal on thy hands," +says Sigurd. + +Egil begged his Easterlings to fare with him. They said they had +no quarrel with Gunnar; "and besides," says Thorir, "ye seem to +need much help here, when a crowd of men shall go against three +men." + +Then Egil went away and was wroth. + +Then the mistress of the house said to the Easterling, "In an +evil hour hath my daughter Gudruna humbled herself, and broken +the point of her maidenly pride, and lain by thy side as thy +wife, when thou wilt not dare to follow thy father-in-law, and +thou must be a coward," she says. + +"I will go," he says, "with thy husband, and neither of us two +shall come back." + +After that he went to Thorgrim his messmate, and said, "Take thou +now the keys of my chests; for I shall never unlock them again. +I bid thee take for thine own whatever of our goods thou wilt; +but sail away from Iceland, and do not think of revenge for me. +But if thou dost not leave the land, it will be thy death." + +So the Easterling joined himself to their band. + + + +61. GUNNAR'S DREAM + +Now we must go back and say that Gunnar rides east over Thurso +water, but when he had gone a little way from the river, he grew +very drowsy, and bade them lie down and rest there. + +They did so. He fell fast asleep, and struggled much as he +slumbered. + +Then Kolskegg said, "Gunnar dreams now." But Hjort said, "I +would like to wake him." + +"That shall not be," said Kolskegg, "but he shall dream his +dream out." + +Gunnar lay, a very long while, and threw off his shield from him, +and he grew very warm. Kolskegg said, "What hast thou dreamt, +kinsman?" + +"That have I dreamt," says Gunnar, "which if I had dreamt it +there, I would never have ridden with so few men from Tongue." + +"Tell us thy dream," says Kolskegg. + +Then Gunnar sang a song: + + "Chief, that chargest foes in fight! + Now I fear that I have ridden + Short of men from Tongue, this harvest; + Raven's fast I sure shall break. + Lord, that scatters Ocean's fire! (1) + This, at least, I long to say, + Kite with wolf shall fight for marrow + Ill I dreamt with wandering thought." + +"I dreamt, methought, that I was riding on by Knafaholes, and +there I thought I saw many wolves, and they all made at me; but I +turned away from them straight towards Rangriver, and then +methought they pressed hard on me on all sides, but I kept them +at bay, and shot all those that were foremost, till they came so +close to me that I could not use my bow against them. Then I +took my sword, and I smote with it with one hand, but thrust at +them with my bill with the other. Shield myself then I did not, +and methought then I knew not what shielded me. Then I slew many +wolves, and thou, too, Kolskegg; but Hjort methought they pulled +down, and tore open his breast, and one methought had his heart +in his maw; but I grew so wroth that I hewed that wolf asunder +just below the brisket, and after that methought the wolves +turned and fled. Now my counsel is, brother Hjort, that thou +ridest back west to Tongue." + +"I will not do that," says Hjort; "though I know my death is +sure, I will stand by thee still." + +Then they rode and came east by Knafaholes, and Kolskegg said, +"Seest thou, kinsman! Many spears stand up by the holes, and men +with weapons." + +"It does not take me unawares," says Gunnar, "that my dream comes +true." + +"What is best to be done now?" says Kolskegg; "I guess thou wilt +not run away from them." + +"They shall not have that to jeer about," says Gunnar, "but we +will ride on down to the ness by Rangriver; there is some vantage +ground there." + +Now they rode on to the ness, and made them ready there, and as +they rode on past them, Kol called out and said, "Whither art +thou running to now, Gunnar?" + +But Kolskegg said, "Say the same thing farther on when this day +has come to an end." + + +ENDNOTES: + +1. "Ocean's fire," a periphrasis for "gold." The whole line is + a periphrasis for "bountiful chief." + + + +62. THE SLAYING OF HJORT AND FOURTEEN MEN + +After that Starkad egged on his men, and then they turn down upon +them into the ness. Sigurd Swinehead came first and had a red +targe, but in his other hand he held a cutlass. Gunnar sees him +and shoots an arrow at him from his bow; he held the shield up +aloft when he saw the arrow flying high, and the shaft passes +through the shield and into his eye, and so came out at the nape +of his neck, and that was the first man slain. + +A second arrow Gunnar shot at Ulfhedinn, one of Starkad's men, +and that struck him about the middle and he fell at the feet of a +yeoman, and the yeoman over him. Kolskegg cast a stone and +struck the yeoman on the head, and that was his deathblow. + +Then Starkad said, "'Twill never answer our end that he should +use his bow, but let us come on well and stoutly." Then each man +egged on the other, and Gunnar guarded himself with his bow and +arrows as long as he could; after that he throws them down, and +then he takes his bill and sword and fights with both hands. +There is long the hardest fight, but still Gunnar and Kolskegg +slew man after man. + +Then Thorgeir, Starkad's son, said, "I vowed to bring Hildigunna +thy head, Gunnar." + +Then Gunnar sang a song: + + "Thou, that battle-sleet down bringeth, + Scarce I trow thou speakest truth; + She, the girl with golden armlets, + Cannot care for such a gift; + But, O serpent's hoard despoiler! + If the maid must have my head -- + Maid whose wrist Rhine's fire (1) wreatheth, + Closer come to crash of spear." + +"She will not think that so much worth having," says Gunnar; "but +still to get it thou wilt have to come nearer!" + +Thorgeir said to his brothers, "Let us run all of us upon him at +once; he has no shield and we shall have his life in our hands." + +So Bork and Thorkel both ran forward and were quicker than +Thorgeir. Bork made a blow at Gunnar, and Gunnar threw his bill +so hard in the way, that the sword flew out of Bork's hand; then +he sees Thorkel standing on his other hand within stroke of +sword. Gunnar was standing with his body swayed a little on one +side, and he makes a sweep with his sword, and caught Thorkel on +the neck, and off flew his head. + +Kol Egil's son, said, "Let me get at Kolskegg," and turning to +Kolskegg he said, "This I have often said, that we two would be +just about an even match in fight." + +"That we can soon prove," says Kolskegg. + +Kol thrust at him with his spear; Kolskegg had just slain a man +and had his hands full, and so he could not throw his shield +before the blow, and the thrust came upon his thigh, on the +outside of the limb and went through it. + +Kolskegg turned sharp round, and strode towards him, and smote +him with his short sword on the thigh, and cut off his leg, and +said, "Did it touch thee or not?" + +"Now," says Kol, "I pay for being bare of my shield." + +So he stood a while on his other leg and looked at the stump. + +"Thou needest not to look at it," said Kolskegg; "'tis even as +thou seest, the leg is off." + +Then Kol fell down dead. + +But when Egil sees this, he runs at Gunnar and makes a cut at +him; Gunnar thrusts at him with the bill and struck him in the +middle, and Gunnar hoists him up on the bill and hurls him out +into Rangriver. + +Then Starkad said, "Wretch that thou art indeed," Thorir +Easterling, "when thou sittest by; but thy host, and father-in- +law Egil, is slain." + +Then the Easterling sprung up and was very wroth. Hjort had been +the death of two men, and the Easterling leapt on him and smote +him full on the breast. Then Hjort fell down dead on the spot. + +Gunnar sees this and was swift to smite at the Easterling, and +cuts him asunder at the waist. + +A little while after Gunnar hurls the bill at Bork, and struck +him in the middle, and the bill went through him and stuck in the +ground. + +Then Kolskegg cut off Hauk Egil's son's head, and Gunnar smites +off Otter's hand at the elbow-joint. Then Starkad said, "Let us +fly now. We have not to do with men!" + +Gunnar said, "Ye two will think it a sad story if there is naught +on you to show that ye have both been in the battle." + +Then Gunnar ran after Starkad and Thorgeir, and gave them each a +wound. After that they parted; and Gunnar and his brothers had +then wounded many men who got away from the field, but fourteen +lost their lives, and Hjort the fifteenth. + +Gunnar brought Hjort home, laid out on his shield, and he was +buried in a cairn there. Many men grieved for him, for he had +many dear friends. + +Starkad came home, too, and Hildigunna dressed his wounds and +Thorgeir's, and said, "Ye would have given a great deal not to +have fallen out with Gunnar." + +"So we would," says Starkad. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Rhine's fire," a periphrasis for gold. + + + +63. NJAL'S COUNSEL TO GUNNAR + +Steinvor, at Sandgil, besought Thorgrim the Easterling to take in +hand the care of her goods, and not to sail away from Iceland, +and so to keep in mind the death of his messmate and kinsman. + +"My messmate Thorir," said he, "foretold that I should fall by +Gunnar's hand if I stayed here in the land, and he must have +foreseen that when he foreknew his own death." + +"I will give thee," she says, "Gudruna my daughter to wife, and +all my goods into the bargain." + +"I knew not," he said, "that thou wouldest pay such a long +price." + +After that they struck the bargain that he shall have her, and +the wedding feast was to be the next summer. + +Now Gunnar rides to Bergthorsknoll, and Kolskegg with him. Njal +was out of doors and his sons, and they went to meet Gunnar and +gave them a hearty welcome. After that they fell a-talking, and +Gunnar said, "Hither am I come to seek good counsel and help at +thy hand." + +"That is thy due," said Njal. + +"I have fallen into a great strait," says Gunnar, "and slain many +men, and I wish to know what thou wilt make of the matter?" + +"Many will say this," said Njal, "that thou hast been driven into +it much against thy will; but now thou shalt give me time to take +counsel with myself." + +Then Njal went away all by himself, and thought over a plan, and +came back and said, "Now have I thought over the matter somewhat, +and it seems to me as though this must be carried through -- if +it be carried through at all -- with hardihood and daring. +Thorgeir has got my kinswoman Thorfinna with child, and I will +hand over to thee the suit for seduction. Another suit of +outlawry against Starkad I hand over also to thee, for having +hewn trees in my wood on the Threecorner ridge. Both these suits +shalt thou take up. Thou shalt fare too, to the spot where ye +fought, and dig up the dead, and name witnesses to the wounds, +and make all the dead outlaws, for that they came against thee +with that mind to give thee and thy brothers wounds or swift +death. But if this be tried at the Thing, and it be brought up +against thee that thou first gave Thorgeir a blow, and so mayst +neither plead thine own cause nor that of others, then I will +answer in that matter, and say that I gave thee back thy rights +at the Thingskala-Thing, so that thou shouldest be able to plead +thine own suit as well as that of others, and then there will be +an answer to that point. Thou shalt also go to see Tyrfing of +Berianess, and he must hand over to thee a suit against Aunund of +Witchwood, who has the blood feud after his brother Egil." + +Then first of all Gunnar rode home; but a few nights after Njal's +sons and Gunnar rode thither where the bodies were, and dug them +up that were buried there. Then Gunnar summoned them all as +outlaws for assault and treachery, and rode home after that. + + + +64. OF VALGARD AND MORD + +That same harvest Valgard the Guileful came out to Iceland, and +fared home to Hof. Then Thorgeir went to see Valgard and Mord, +and told them what a strait they were in if Gunnar were to be +allowed to make all those men outlaws whom he had slain. + +Valgard said that must be Njal's counsel, and yet everything had +not come out yet which he was likely to have taught him. + +Then Thorgeir begged those kinsmen for help and backing, but they +held out a long while, and at last asked for, and got a large sum +of money. + +That, too, was part of their plan, that Mord should ask for +Thorkatla, Gizur the White's daughter, and Thorgeir was to ride +at once west across the river with Valgard and Mord. + +So the day after they rode twelve of them together and came to +Mossfell. There they were heartily welcomed, and they put the +question to Gizur about the wooing, and the end of it was that +the match should be made, and the wedding feast was to be in half +a month's space at Mossfell. + +They ride home, and after that they ride to the wedding and there +was a crowd of guests to meet them, and it went off well. +Thorkatla went home with Mord and took the housekeeping in hand, +but Valgard went abroad again the next summer. + +Now Mord eggs on Thorgeir to set his suit on foot against Gunnar, +and Thorgeir went to find Aunund; he bids him now to begin a suit +for manslaughter for his brother Egil and his sons; "but I will +begin one for the manslaughter of my brothers, and for the wounds +of myself and my father." + +He said he was quite ready to do that, and then they set out, and +give notice of the manslaughter, and summon nine neighbours who +dwelt nearest to the spot where the deed was done. This +beginning of the suit was heard of at Lithend; and then Gunnar +rides to see Njal, and told him, and asked what he wished them to +do next. + +"Now," says Njal, "thou shalt summon those who dwell next to the +spot, and thy neighbours; and call men to witness before the +neighbours, and choose out Kol as the slayer in the manslaughter +of Hjort thy brother: for that is lawful and right; then thou +shalt give notice of the suit for manslaughter at Kol's hand, +though he be dead. Then shalt thou call men to witness, and +summon the neighbours to ride to the Allthing to bear witness of +the fact, whether they, Kol and his companions, were on the spot, +and in onslaught when Hjort was slain. Thou shalt also summon +Thorgeir for the suit of seduction, and Aunund at the suit of +Tyrfing." + +Gunnar now did in everything as Njal gave him counsel. This men +thought a strange beginning of suits, and now these matters come +before the Thing. Gunnar rides to the Thing, and Njal's sons and +the sons of Sigfus. Gunnar had sent messengers to his cousins +and kinsmen, that they should ride to the Thing, and come with as +many men as they could, and told them that this matter would lead +to much strife. So they gathered together in a great band from +the west. + +Mord rode to the Thing and Runolf of the DaIe, and those under +the Threecorner, and Aunund of Witchwood. But when they come to +the Thing, they join them in one company with Gizur the White and +Geir the Priest. + + + +65. OF FINES AND ATONEMENTS + +Gunnar, and the sons of Sigfus, and Njal's sons, went altogether +in one band, and they marched so swiftly and closely that men who +came in their way had to take heed lest they should get a fall; +and nothing was so often spoken about over the whole Thing as +these great lawsuits. + +Gunnar went to meet his cousins, and Olaf and his men greeted him +well. They asked Gunnar about the fight, but he told them all +about it, and was just in all he said; he told them, too, what +steps he had taken since. + +Then Olaf said,"'Tis worth much to see how close Njal stands by +thee in all counsel." + +Gunnar said he should never be able to repay that, but then he +begged them for help; and they said that was his due. + +Now the suits on both sides came before the court, and each +pleads his cause. + +Mord asked, "How it was that a man could have the right to set a +suit on foot who, like Gunnar, had already made himself an outlaw +by striking Thorgeir a blow?" + +"Wast thou," answered Njal, "at Thingskala-Thing last autumn?" + +"Surely I was," says Mord. + +"Heardest thou," asks Njal, "how Gunnar offered him full +atonement? Then I gave back Gunnar his right to do all lawful +deeds." + +"That is right and good law," says Mord, "but how does the matter +stand if Gunnar has laid the slaying of Hjort at Kol's door, when +it was the Easterling that slew him?" + +"That was right and lawful," says Njal, "when he chose him as the +slayer before witnesses." + +"That was lawful and right, no doubt," says Mord; "but for what +did Gunnar summon them all as outlaws?" + +"Thou needest not to ask about that," says Njal, "when they went +out to deal wounds and manslaughter." + +"Yes," says Mord, "but neither befell Gunnar." + +"Gunnar's brothers," said Njal, "Kolskegg and Hjort, were there, +and one of them got his death and the other a flesh wound." + +"Thou speakest nothing but what is law," says Mord, "though it is +hard to abide by it." + +Then Hiallti Skeggi's son of Thursodale, stood forth and said. "I +have had no share in any of your lawsuits; but I wish to know +whether thou wilt do something, Gunnar, for the sake of my words +and friendship." + +"What askest thou?" says Gunnar. + +"This," he says, "that ye lay down the whole suit to the award +and judgment of good men and true." + +"If I do so," said Gunnar, "then thou shalt never be against me, +whatever men I may have to deal with." + +"I will give my word to that," says Hjallti. + +After that he tried his best with Gunnar's adversaries, and +brought it about that they were all set at one again. And after +that each side gave the other pledges of peace; but for +Thorgeir's wound came the suit for seduction, and for the hewing +in the wood, Starkad's wound. Thorgeir's brothers were atoned +for by half fines, but half fell away for the onslaught on +Gunnar. Egil's slaying and Tyrfing's lawsuit were set off +against each other. For Hjort's slaying, the slaying of Kol and +of the Easterling were to come, and as for all the rest, they +were atoned for with half fines. + +Njal was in this award, and Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and Hjallti +Skeggi's son. + +Njal had much money out at interest with Starkad, and at Sandgil +too, and he gave it all to Gunnar to make up these fines. + +So many friends had Gunnar at the Thing, that he not only paid up +there and then all the fines on the spot, but gave besides gifts +to many chiefs who had lent him help; and he had the greatest +honour from the suit; and all were agreed in this, that no man +was his match in all the South Quarter. + +So Gunnar rides home from the Thing and sits there in peace, but +still his adversaries envied him much for his honour. + + + +66. OF THORGEIR OTKELL'S SON + +Now we must tell of Thorgeir Otkell's son; he grew up to be a +tall strong man, true-hearted and guileless, but rather too ready +to listen to fair words. He had many friends among the best men, +and was much beloved by his kinsmen. + +Once on a time Thorgeir Starkad's son had been to see his kinsman +Mord. + +"I can ill brook," he says, "that settlement of matters which we +and Gunnar had, but I have bought thy help so long as we two are +above ground; I wish thou wouldest think out some plan and lay it +deep; this is why I say it right out, because I know that thou +art Gunnar's greatest foe, and he too thine. I will much +increase thine honour if thou takest pains in this matter." + +"It will always seem as though I were greedy of gain, but so it +must be. Yet it will be hard to take care that thou mayest not +seem to be a truce-breaker, or peace-breaker, and yet carry out +thy point. But now I have been told that Kolskegg means to try a +suit, and regain a fourth part of Moeidsknoll, which was paid to +thy father as an atonement for his son. He has taken up this +suit for his mother, but this too is Gunnar's counsel, to pay in +goods and not to let the land go. We must wait till this comes +about, and then declare that he has broken the settlement made +with you. He has also taken a cornfield from Thorgeir Otkell's +son, and so broken the settlement with him too. Thou shalt go to +see Thorgeir Otkell's son, and bring him into the matter with +thee, and then fall on Gunnar; but if ye fail in aught of this, +and cannot get him hunted down, still ye shall set on him over +and over again. I must tell thee that Njal has "spaed" his +fortune, and foretold about his life, if he slays more than once +in the same stock, that it would lead him to his death, if it so +fell out that he broke the settlement made after the deed. +Therefore shalt thou bring Thorgeir into the suit, because he has +already slain his father; and now, if ye two are together in an +affray, thou shalt shield thyself; but he will go boldly on, and +then Gunnar will slay him. Then he has slain twice in the same +stock, but thou shalt fly from the fight. And if this is to drag +him to his death he will break the settlement afterwards, and so +we may wait till then." + +After that Thorgeir goes home and tells his father secretly. +Then they agreed among themselves that they should work out this +plot by stealth. + + + +67. OF THORGEIR STARKAD'S SON + +Sometime after Thorgeir Starkad's son fared to Kirkby to see his +namesake, and they went aside to speak, and talked secretly all +day; but at the end Thorgeir Starkad's son gave his namesake a +spear inlaid with gold, and rode home afterwards; they made the +greatest friendship the one with the other. + +At the Thingskala-Thing in the autumn, Kolskegg laid claim to the +land at Moeidsknoll, but Gunnar took witness, and offered ready +money, or another piece of land at a lawful price to those under +the Threecorner. + +Thorgeir took witness also, that Gunnar was breaking the +settlement made between them. + +After that the Thing was broken up, and so the next year wore +away. + +Those namesakes were always meeting, and there was the greatest +friendship between them. Kolskegg spoke to Gunnar and said, "I +am told that there is great friendship between those namesakes, +and it is the talk of many men that they will prove untrue, and I +would that thou wouldst be ware of thyself." + +"Death will come to me when it will come," says Gunnar, "wherever +I may be, if that is my fate." + +Then they left off talking about it. + +About autumn, Gunnar gave out that they would work one week there +at home, and the next down in the isles, and so make an end of +their hay-making. At the same time, he let it be known that +every man would have to leave the house, save himself and the +women. + +Thorgeir under Threecorner goes to see his namesake, but as soon +as they met they began to talk after their wont, and Thorgeir +Starkad's son, said, "I would that we could harden our hearts +and fall on Gunnar." + +"Well," says Thorgeir Otkell's son, "every struggle with Gunnar +has had but one end, that few have gained the day; besides, +methinks it sounds ill to be called a peace-breaker." + +"They have broken the peace, not we," says Thorgeir Starkad's +son. "Gunnar took away from thee thy cornfield; and he has taken +Moeidsknoll from my father and me." + +And so they settle it between them to fall on Gunnar; and then +Thorgeir said that Gunnar would be all alone at home in a few +nights' space, "and then thou shalt come to meet me with eleven +men, but I will have as many." + +After that Thorgeir rode home. + + + +68. OF NJAL AND THOSE NAMESAKES + +Now when Kolskegg and the house-carles had been three nights in +the isles, Thorgeir Starkad's son had news of that, and sends +word to his namesake that he should come to meet him on +Threecorner ridge. + +After that Thorgeir of the Threecorner busked him with eleven +men; he rides up on the ridge and there waits for his namesake. + +And now Gunnar is at home in his house, and those namesakes ride +into a wood hard by. There such a drowsiness came over them that +they could do naught else but sleep. So they hung their shields +up in the boughs, and tethered their horses, and laid their +weapons by their sides. + +Njal was that night up in Thorolfsfell, and could not sleep at +all, but went out and in by turns. + +Thorhilda asked Njal why he could not sleep? + +"Many things now flit before my eyes," said he; "I see many +fetches of Gunnar's bitter foes, and what is very strange is +this, they seem to be mad with rage, and yet they fare without +plan or purpose." + +A little after, a man rode up to the door and got off his horse's +back and went in, and there was come the shepherd of Thorhilda +and her husband. + +"Didst thou find the sheep?" she asked. + +"I found what might be more worth," said he. + +"What was that?" asked Njal. + +"I found twenty-four men up in the wood yonder; they had tethered +their horses, but slept themselves. Their shields they had hung +up in the boughs." + +But so closely had he looked at them that he told of all their +weapons and wargear and clothes, and then Njal knew plainly who +each of them must have been, and said to him, "'Twere good +hiring if there were many such shepherds; and this shall ever +stand to thy good; but still I will send thee on an errand." + +He said at once he would go. + +"Thou shalt go," says Njal, "to Lithend and tell Gunnar that he +must fare to Gritwater, and then send after men; but I will go to +meet with those who are in the wood and scare them away. This +thing hath well come to pass, so that they shall gain nothing by +this journey, but lose much." + +The shepherd set off and told Gunnar as plainly as he could the +whole story. Then Gunnar rode to Gritwater and summoned men to +him. + +Now it is to be told of Njal how he rides to meet these +namesakes. + +"Unwarily ye lie here," he says, "or for what end shall this +journey have been made? And Gunnar is not a man to be trifled +with. But if the truth must be told then, this is the greatest +treason. Ye shall also know this, that Gunnar is gathering +force, and he will come here in the twinkling of an eye, and slay +you all, unless ye ride away home." + +They bestirred them at once, for they were in great fear, and +took their weapons, and mounted their horses and galloped home +under the Threecorner. + +Njal fared to meet Gunnar and bade him not to break up his +company. + +"But I will go and seek for an atonement; now they will be finely +frightened; but for this treason no less a sum shall be paid when +one has to deal with all of them, than shall be paid for the +slaying of one or other of those namesakes, though such a thing +should come to pass. This money I will take into my keeping, and +so lay it out that it may be ready to thy hand when thou hast +need of it." + + + +69. OLAF THE PEACOCK'S GIFTS TO GUNNAR + +Gunnar thanked Njal for his aid, and Njal rode away under the +Threecorner, and told those namesakes that Gunnar would not break +up his band of men before he had fought it out with them. + +They began to offer terms for themselves, and were full of dread, +and bade Njal to come between them with an offer of atonement. + +Njal said that could only be if there were no guile behind. Then +they begged him to have a share in the award, and said they would +hold to what he awarded. + +Njal said he would make no award unless it were at the Thing, and +unless the best men were by; and they agreed to that. + +Then NjaI came between them, so that they gave each other pledges +of peace and atonement. + +Njal was to utter the award, and to name as his fellows those +whom he chose. + +A little while after those namesakes met Mord Valgard's son, and +Mord blamed them much for having laid the matter in Njal's hands, +when he was Gunnar's great friend. He said that would turn out +ill for them. + +Now men ride to the Althing after their wont, and now both sides +are at the Thing. + +Njal begged for a hearing, and asked all the best men who were +come thither, what right at law they thought Gunnar had against +those namesakes for their treason. They said they thought such a +man had great right on his side. + +Njal went on to ask, whether he had a right of action against all +of them, or whether the leaders had to answer for them all in the +suit? + +They say that most of the blame would fall on the leaders, but a +great deal still on them all. + +"Many will say this," said Mord, "that it was not without a cause +when Gunnar broke the settlement made with those namesakes." + +"That is no breach of settlement," says Njal, "that any man +should take the law against another; for with law shall our land +be built up and settled, and with lawlessness wasted and +spoiled." + +Then Njal tells them that Gunnar had offered land for +Moeidsknoll, or other goods. + +Then those namesakes thought they had been beguiled by Mord, and +scolded him much, and said that this fine was all his doing. + +Njal named twelve men as judges in the suit, and then every man +paid a hundred in silver who had gone out, but each of those +namesakes two hundred. + +Njal took this money into his keeping but either side gave the +other pledges of peace, and Njal gave out the terms. + +Then Gunnar rode from the Thing west to the Dales, till he came +to Hjardarholt, and Olaf the Peacock gave him a hearty welcome. +There he sat half a month, and rode far and wide about the Dales, +and all welcomed him with joyful hands. But at their parting +Olaf said, "I will give thee three things of price, a gold ring, +and a cloak which Moorkjartan the Erse king owned, and a hound +that was given me in Ireland; he is big, and no worse follower +than a sturdy man. Besides, it is part of his nature that he has +man's wit, and he will bay at every man whom he knows is thy foe, +but never at thy friends; he can see, too, in any man's face, +whether he means thee well or ill, and he will lay down his life +to be true to thee. This hound's name is Sam." + +After that he spoke to the hound, "Now shalt thou follow Gunnar, +and do him all the service thou canst." + +The hound went at once to Gunnar and laid himself down at his +feet. + +Olaf bade Gunnar to be ware of himself, and said he had many +enviers, "For now thou art thought to be a famous man throughout +all the land." + +Gunnar thanked him for his gifts and good counsel, and rode home. + +Now Gunnar sits at home for sometime, and all is quiet. + + + +70. MORD'S COUNSEL + +A little after, those namesakes and Mord met, and they were not +at all of one mind. They thought they had lost much goods for +Mord's sake, but had got nothing in return; and they bade him set +on foot some other plot which might do Gunnar harm. + +Mord said so it should be. "But now this is my counsel, that +thou, Thorgeir Otkell's son shouldest beguile Ormilda, Gunnar's +kinswoman; but Gunnar will let his displeasure grow against thee +at that, and then I will spread that story abroad that Gunnar +will not suffer thee to do such things. Then ye two shall some +time after make an attack on Gunnar, but still ye must not seek +him at home, for there is no thinking of that while the hound is +alive." + +So they settled this plan among them that it should be brought +about. + +Thorgeir began to turn his steps towards Ormilda, and Gunnar +thought that ill, and great dislike arose between them. + +So the winter wore away. Now comes the summer, and their secret +meetings went on oftener than before. + +As for Thorgeir of the Threecorner and Mord, they were always +meeting; and they plan an onslaught on Gunnar when he rides down +to the isles to see after the work done by his house-caries. + +One day Mord was ware of it when Gunnar rode down to the isles, +and sent a man off under the Threecorner to tell Thorgeir that +then would be the likeliest time to try to fall on Gunnar. + +They bestirred them at once, and fare thence twelve together, but +when they came to Kirkby there they found thirteen men waiting +for them. + +Then they made up their minds to ride down to Rangriver and lie +in wait there for Gunnar. + +But when Gunnar rode up from the isles, Kolskegg rode with him. +Gunnar had his bow and his arrows and his bill. Kolskegg had his +short sword and weapons to match. + + + +71. THE SLAYING OF THORGEIR OTKELL'S SON + +That token happened as Gunnar and his brother rode up towards +Rangriver, that much blood burst out on the bill. + +Kolskegg asked what that might mean. + +Gunnar says, "If such tokens took place in other lands, it was +called `wound-drops,' and Master Oliver told me also that this +only happened before great fights." + +So they rode on till they saw men sitting by the river on the +other side, and they had tethered their horses. + +Gunnar said, "Now we have an ambush." + +Kolskegg answered, "Long have they been faithless; but what is +best to be done now?" + +"We will gallop up alongside them to the ford," says Gunnar, "and +there make ready for them." + +The others saw that and turned at once towards them. + +Gunnar strings his bow, and takes his arrows and throws them on +the ground before him, and shoots as soon as ever they come +within shot; by that Gunnar wounded many men, but some he slew. + +Then Thorgeir Otkell's son spoke and said, "This is no use; let +us make for him as hard as we can." + +They did so, and first went Aunund the Fair, Thorgeir's kinsman. +Gunnar hurled the bill at him, and it fell on his shield and +clove it in twain, but the bill rushed through Aunund. Augmund +Shockhead rushed at Gunnar behind his back. Kolskegg saw that +and cut off at once both Augmund's legs from under him, and +hurled him out into Rangriver, and he was drowned there and then. + +Then a hard battle arose; Gunnar cut with one hand and thrust +with the other. Kolskegg slew some men and wounded many. + +Thorgeir Starkad's son called out to his namesake, "It looks very +little as though thou hadst a father to avenge." + +"True it is," he answers, "that I do not make much way, but yet +thou hast not followed in my footsteps; still I will not bear thy +reproaches." + +With that he rushes at Gunnar in great wrath, and thrust his +spear through his shield, and so on through his arm. + +Gunnar gave the shield such a sharp twist that the spearhead +broke short off at the socket. Gunnar sees that another man was +come within reach of his sword, and he smites at him and deals +him his death-blow. After that, he clutches his bill with both +hands; just then, Thorgeir Otkell's son had come near him with a +drawn sword, and Gunnar turns on him in great wrath, and drives +the bill through him, and lifts him up aloft, and casts him out +into Rangriver, and he drifts down towards the ford, and stuck +fast there on a stone; and the name of that ford has since been +Thorgeir's ford. + +Then Thorgeir Starkad's son said, "Let us fly now; no victory +will be fated to us this time." + +So they all turned and fled from the field. + +"Let us follow them up now," says Kolskegg "and take thou thy bow +and arrows, and thou wilt come within bowshot of Thorgeir +Starkad's son." + +Then Gunnar sang a song: + + "Reaver of rich river-treasure, + Plundered will our purses be, + Though to-day we wound no other + Warriors wight in play of spears + Aye, if I for all these sailors + Lowly lying, fines must pay -- + This is why I hold my hand, + Hearken, brother dear, to me."_ + +"Our purses will be emptied," says Gunnar, "by the time that +these are atoned for who now lie here dead." + +"Thou wilt never lack money," says Kolskegg; "but Thorgeir will +never leave off before he compasses thy death." + +Gunnar sang another song: + + "Lord of water-skates (1) that skim + Sea-king's fields, more good as he, + Shedding wounds' red stream, must stand + In my way ere I shall wince. + I, the golden armlets' warder, + Snakelike twined around my wrist, + Ne'er shall shun a foeman's faulchion + Flashing bright in din of fight." + +"He, and a few more as good as he," says Gunnar, "must stand in +my path ere I am afraid of them." + +After that they ride home and tell the tidings. Hallgerda was +well pleased to hear them, and praised the deed much. + +Rannveig said, "May be the deed is good; but somehow," she says, +"I feel too downcast about it to think that good can come of it." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Water-skates," a periphrasis for ships. + + + +72. OF THE SUITS FOR MANSLAUGHTER AT THE THING + +These tidings were spread far and wide, and Thorgeir's death was +a great grief to many a man. Gizur the White and his men rode to +the spot and gave notice of the manslaughter, and called the +neighbours on the inquest to the Thing. Then they rode home +west. + +Njal and Gunnar met and talked about the battle. Then Njal said +to Gunnar, "Now be ware of thyself. Now hast thou slain twice in +the same stock; and so now take heed to thy behaviour, and think +that it is as much as thy life is worth, if thou dost not hold to +the settlement that is made." + +"Nor do I mean to break it in any way," says Gunnar, "but still I +shall need thy help at the Thing." + +"I will hold to my faithfulness to thee," said Njal, "till my +death day." + +Then Gunnar rides home. Now the Thing draws near; and each side +gather a great company; and it is a matter of much talk at the +Thing how these suits will end. + +Those two, Gizur the White, and Geir the Priest, talked with each +other as to who should give notice of the suit of manslaughter +after Thorgeir, and the end of it was that Gizur took the suit on +his hand, and gave notice of it at the Hill of Laws, and spoke in +these words: -- + +"I gave notice of a suit for assault laid down by law against +Gunnar Hamond's son; for that he rushed with an onslaught laid +down by law on Thorgeir Otkell's son, and wounded him with a body +wound, which proved a death wound, so that Thorgeir got his +death. + +"I say on this charge he ought to become a convicted outlaw, not +to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in +any need. + +"I say that his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the +men of the Quarter, whose right it is by law to seize the goods +of outlaws. + +"I give notice of this charge in the Quarter Court, into which +this suit ought by law to come. + +"I give this lawful notice in the hearing of all men at the Hill +of Laws. + +"I give notice now of this suit, and of full forfeiture and +outlawry against Gunnar Hamond's son." + +A second time Gizur took witness, and gave notice of a suit +against Gunnar Hamond's son, for that he had wounded Thorgeir +Otkell's son with a body wound which was a death wound, and from +which Thorgeir got his death, on such and such a spot when Gunnar +first sprang on Thorgeir with an onslaught, laid down by law. + +After that he gave notice of this declaration as he had done of +the first. Then he asked in what Quarter Court the suit lay, and +in what house in the district the defendant dwelt. + +When that was over, men left the Hill of Laws, and all said that +he spoke well. + +Gunnar kept himself well in hand and said little or nothing. + +Now the Thing wears away till the day when the courts were to be +set. + +Then Gunnar stood looking south by the court of the men of +Rangriver, and his men with him. + +Gizur stood looking north, and calls his witnesses, and bade +Gunnar to listen to his oath, and to his declaration of the suit, +and to all the steps and proofs which he meant to bring forward. +After that he took his oath, and then he brought forward the suit +in the same shape before the court, as he had given notice of it +before. Then he made them bring forward witness of the notice, +then he bade the neighbours on the inquest to take their seats, +and called upon Gunnar to challenge the inquest. + + + +73. OF THE ATONEMENT + +Then Njal spoke and said, "Now I can no longer sit still and take +no part. Let us go to where the neighbours sit on the inquest." + +They went thither and challenged four neighbours out of the +inquest, but they called on the five that were left to answer the +following question in Gunnar's favour, "Whether those namesakes +had gone out with that mind to the place of meeting to do Gunnar +a mischief if they could?" + +But all bore witness at once that so it was. + +Then Njal called this a lawful defence to the suit, and said he +would bring forward proof of it unless they gave over the suit to +arbitration. + +Then many chiefs joined in praying for an atonement, and so it +was brought about that twelve men should utter an award in the +matter. + +Then either side went and handselled this settlement to the +other. Afterwards the award was made, and the sum to be paid +settled, and it was all to be paid down then and there at the +Thing. + +But besides, Gunnar was to go abroad and Kolskegg with him, and +they were to be away three winters; but if Gunnar did not go +abroad when he had a chance of a passage, then he was to be slain +by the kinsmen of those whom he had killed. + +Gunnar made no sign, as though he thought the terms of atonement +were not good. He asked Njal for that money which he had handed +over to him to keep. Njal had laid the money out at interest and +paid it down all at once, and it just came to what Gunnar had to +pay for himself. + +Now they ride home. Gunnar and Njal rode both together from the +Thing, and then Njal said to Gunnar, "Take good care, messmate, +that thou keepest to this atonement, and bear in mind what we +have spoken about; for though thy former journey abroad brought +thee to great honour, this will be a far greater honour to thee. +Thou wilt come back with great glory, and live to be an old man, +and no man here will then tread on thy heel; but if thou dost not +fare away, and so breakest thy atonement, then thou wilt be slain +here in the land, and that is ill knowing for those who are thy +friends." + +Gunnar said he had no mind to break the atonement, and he rides +home and told them of the settlement. + +Rannveig said it was well that he fared abroad, for then they +must find some one else to quarrel with. + + + +74. KOLSKEGG GOES ABROAD + +Thrain Sigfus' son said to his wife that he meant to fare abroad +that summer. She said that was well. So he took his passage +with Hogni the White. + +Gunnar took his passage with Arnfin of the Bay; and Kolskegg was +to go with him. + +Grim and Helgi, Njal's sons, asked their father's leave to go +abroad too, and Njal said, "This foreign voyage ye will find hard +work, so hard that it will be doubtful whether ye keep your +lives; but still ye two will get some honour and glory, but it is +not unlikely that a quarrel will arise out of your journey when +ye come back." + +Still they kept on asking their father to let them go, and the +end of it was that he bade them go if they chose. + +Then they got them a passage with Bard the Black, and Olof +Kettle's son of Elda; and it is the talk of the whole country +that all the better men in that district were leaving it. + +By this time Gunnar's sons, Hogni and Grani, were grown up; they +were men of very different turn of mind. Grani had much of his +mother's temper, but Hogni was kind and good. + +Gunnar made men bear down the wares of his brother and himself to +the ship, and when all Gunnar's baggage had come down, and the +ship was all but "boun," then Gunnar rides to Bergthorsknoll, and +to other homesteads to see men, and thanked them all for the help +they had given him. + +The day after he gets ready early for his journey to the ship, +and told all his people that he would ride away for good and all, +and men took that much to heart, but still they said that they +looked to his coming back afterwards. + +Gunnar threw his arms round each of the household when he was +"boun," and every one of them went out of doors with him; he +leans on the butt of his spear and leaps into the saddle, and he +and Kolskegg ride away. + +They ride down along Markfleet, and just then Gunnar's horse +tripped and threw him off. He turned with his face up towards +the Lithe and the homestead at Lithend, and said, "Fair is the +Lithe; so fair that it has never seemed to me so fair; the corn +fields are white to harvest and the home mead is mown; and now I +will ride back home, and not fare abroad at all." + +"Do not this joy to thy foes," says Kolskegg, "by breaking thy +atonement, for no man could think thou wouldst do thus, and thou +mayst be sure that all will happen as Njal has said." + +"I will not go away any whither," said Gunnar, "and so I would +thou shouldest do too." + +"That shall not be," says Kolskegg; "I will never do a base thing +in this, nor in any thing else which is left to my good faith; +and this is that one thing that could tear us asunder; but tell +this to my kinsman and to my mother that I never mean to see +Iceland again, for I shall soon learn that thou art dead, +brother, and then there will be nothing left to bring me back." + +So they parted there and then. Gunnar rides home to Lithend, but +Kolskegg rides to the ship, and goes abroad. + +Hallgerda was glad to see Gunnar when he came home, but his +mother said little or nothing. + +How Gunnar sits at home that fall and winter, and had not many +men with him. + +Now the winter leaves the farmyard. Olaf the Peacock asked +Gunnar and Hallgerda to come and stay with him; but as for the +farm, to put it into the hands of his mother and his son Hogni. + +Gunnar thought that a good thing at first, and agreed to it, but +when it came to the point he would not do it. + +But at the Thing next summer, Gizur the White, and Geir the +Priest, gave notice of Gunnar's outlawry at the Hill of Laws; and +before the Thing broke up Gizur summoned all Gunnar's foes to +meet in the "Great Rift." (1) He summoned Starkad under the +Threecorner, and Thorgeir his son; Mord and Valgard the Guileful; +Geir the Priest and Hjalti Skeggi's son; Thorbrand and Asbrand, +Thorleik's sons; Eyjulf, and Aunund his son. Aunund of Witchwood +and Thorgrim the Easterling of Sandgil. + +The Gizur spoke and said, "I will make you all this offer, that +we go out against Gunnar this summer and slay him." + +"I gave my word to Gunnar," said Hjalti, "here at the Thing, +when he showed himself most willing to yield to my prayer, that I +would never be in any attack upon him; and so it shall be." + +Then Hjalti went away, but those who were left behind made up +their minds to make an onslaught on Gunnar, and shook hands on +the bargain, and laid a fine on any one that left the +undertaking. + +Mord was to keep watch and spy out when there was the best chance +of falling on him, and they were forty men in this league, and +they thought it would be a light thing for them to hunt down +Gunnar, now that Kolskegg was away, and Thrain and many other of +Gunnar's friends. + +Men ride from the Thing, and Njal went to see Gunnar, and told +him of his outlawry, and how an onslaught was planned against +him. + +"Methinks thou art the best of friends," says Gunnar; "thou +makest me aware of what is meant." + +"Now," says Njal, "I would that Skarphedinn should come to thy +house, and my son Hauskuld; they will lay down their lives for +thy life." + +"I will not," says Gunnar, "that thy sons should be slain for my +sake, and thou hast a right to look for other things from me." + +"All thy care will come to nothing," says Njal; "quarrels will +turn thitherward where my sons are as soon as thou art dead and +gone." + +"That is not unlikely," says Gunnar, "but still it would mislike +me that they fell into them for me; but this one thing I will ask +of thee, that ye see after my son Hogni, but I say naught of +Grani, for he does not behave himself much after my mind." + +Njal rode home, and gave his word to do that. + +It is said that Gunnar rode to all meetings of men, and to all +lawful Things, and his foes never dared to fall on him. + +And so some time went on that he went about as a free and +guiltless man. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Great Rift," Almannagja -- The great volcanic rift, or + "geo," as it would be called in Orkney and Shetland, which + bounds the plain of the Allthing on one side. + + + +75. THE RIDING TO LITHEND + +Next autumn Mord Valgard's son sent word that Gunnar would be all +alone at home, but all his people would be down in the isles to +make an end of their haymaking. Then Gizur the White and Geir +the Priest rode east over the rivers as soon as ever they heard +that, and so east across the sands to Hof. Then they sent word +to Starkad under the Threecorner, and there they all met who were +to fall on Gunnar, and took counsel how they might best bring it +about. + +Mord said that they could not come on Gunnar unawares, unless +they seized the farmer who dwelt at the next homestead, whose +name was Thorkell, and made him go against his will with them to +lay hands on the hound Sam, and unless he went before them to the +homestead to do this. + +Then they set out east for Lithend, but sent to fetch Thorkell. +They seized him and bound him, and gave him two choices -- one +that they would slay him, or else he must lay hands on the hound; +but he chooses rather to save his life, and went with them. + +There was a beaten sunk road, between fences, above the farm yard +at Lithend, and there they halted with their band. Master +Thorkell went up to the homestead, and the tyke lay on the top of +the house, and he entices the dog away with him into a deep +hollow in the path. Just then the hound sees that there are men +before them, and he leaps on Thorkell and tears his belly open. + +Aunund of Witchwood smote the hound on the head with his axe, so +that the blade sunk into the brain. The hound gave such a great +howl that they thought it passing strange, and he fell down dead. + + + +76. GUNNAR'S SLAYING + +Gunnar woke up in his hall and said, "Thou hast been sorely +treated, Sam, my fosterling, and this warning is so meant that +our two deaths will not be far apart." + +Gunnar's hall was made all of wood, and roofed with beams above, +and there were window-slits under the beams that carried the +roof, and they were fitted with shutters. + +Gunnar slept in a loft above the hall, and so did Hallgerda and +his mother. + +Now when they were come near to the house they knew not whether +Gunnar were at home, and bade that some one would go straight up +to the house and see if he could find out. But the rest sat them +down on the ground. + +Thorgrim the Easterling went and began to climb up on the hall; +Gunnar sees that a red kirtle passed before the windowslit, and +thrusts out the bill, and smote him on the middle. Thorgrim's +feet slipped from under him, and he dropped his shield, and down +he toppled from the roof. + +Then he goes to Gizur and his band as they sat on the ground. + +Gizur looked at him and said, "Well, is Gunnar at home? + +"Find that out for yourselves," said Thorgrim; "but this I am +sure of, that his bill is at home," and with that he fell down +dead. + +Then they made for the buildings. Gunnar shot out arrows at +them, and made a stout defence, and they could get nothing done. +Then some of them got into the out houses and tried to attack him +thence, but Gunnar found them out with his arrows there also, and +still they could get nothing done. + +So it went on for a while, then they took a rest, and made a +second onslaught. Gunnar still shot out at them, and they could +do nothing, and fell off the second time. Then Gizur the White +said, "Let us press on harder; nothing comes of our onslaught." + +Then they made a third bout of it, and were long at it, and then +they fell off again. + +Gunnar said, "There lies an arrow outside on the wall, and it is +one of their shafts; I will shoot at them with it, and it will be +a shame to them if they get a hurt from their own weapons." + +His mother said, "Do not so, my son; nor rouse them again when +they have already fallen off from the attack." + +But Gunnar caught up the arrow and shot it after them, and struck +Eylif Aunund's son, and he got a great wound; he was standing all +by himself, and they knew not that he was wounded. + +"Out came an arm yonder," says Gizur, "and there was a gold ring +on it, and took an arrow from the roof, and they would not look +outside for shafts if there were enough in doors; and now ye +shall made a fresh onslaught." + +"Let us burn him house and all," said Mord. + +"That shall never be," says Gizur, "though I knew that my life +lay on it; but it is easy for thee to find out some plan, such a +cunning man as thou art said to be." + +Some ropes lay there on the ground, and they were often used to +strengthen the roof. Then Mord said, "Let us take the ropes and +throw one end over the end of the carrying beams, but let us +fasten the other end to these rocks and twist them tight with +levers, and so pull the roof off the hall." + +So they took the ropes and all lent a hand to carry this out, and +before Gunnar was aware of it, they had pulled the whole roof off +the hall. + +Then Gunnar still shoots with his bow so that they could never +come nigh him. Then Mord said again that they must burn the +house over Gunnar's head. But Gizur said, "I know not why thou +wilt speak of that which no one else wishes, and that shall never +be." + +Just then Thorbrand Thorleik's son, sprang up on the roof, and +cuts asunder Gunnar's bowstring. Gunnar clutches the bill with +both hands, and turns on him quickly and drives it through him, +and hurls him down on the ground. + +Then up sprung Asbrand his brother. Gunnar thrusts at him with +his bill, and he threw his shield before the blow, but the bill +passed clean through the shield and broke both his arms, and down +he fell from the wall. + +Gunnar had already wounded eight men and slain those twain (1). +By that time Gunnar had got two wounds, and all men said that he +never once winced either at wounds or death. + +Then Gunnar said to Hallgerda, "Give me two locks of thy hair, +and ye two, my mother and thou, twist them together into a +bowstring for me." + +"Does aught lie on it?" she says. + +"My life lies on it;" he said; "for they will never come to close +quarters with me if I can keep them off with my bow." + +"Well!" she says, "now I will call to thy mind that slap on the +face which thou gavest me; and I care never a whit whether thou +holdest out a long while or a short." + +Then Gunnar sang a song: + + "Each who hurts the gory javelin + Hath some honour of his own, + Now my helpmeet wimple-hooded + Hurries all my fame to earth. + No one owner of a war-ship + Often asks for little things, + Woman, fond of Frodi's flour (2), + Wends her hand as she is wont." + +"Every one has something to boast of," says Gunnar, "and I will +ask thee no more for this." + +"Thou behavest ill," said Rannveig, "andthis shame shall long be +had in mind." + +Gunnar made a stout and bold defence, and now wounds other eight +men with such sore wounds that many lay at death's door. Gunnar +keeps them all off until he fell worn out with toil. Then they +wounded him with many and great wounds, but still he got away out +of their hands, and held his own against them a while longer, but +at last it came about that they slew him. + +Of this defence of his, Thorkell the Skald of Gota-Elf sang in +the verses which follow -- + + "We have heard how south in Iceland + Gunnar guarded well himself, + Boldly battle's thunder wielding, + Fiercest foeman on the wave; + Hero of the golden collar, + Sixteen with the sword he wounded; + In the shock that Odin loveth, + Two before him tasted death." + +But this is what Thormod Olaf's son sang -- + + "None that scattered sea's bright sunbeams (3), + Won more glorious fame than Gunnar, + So runs fame of old in Iceland, + Fitting fame of heathen men; + Lord of fight when helms were crashing, + Lives of foeman twain he took, + Wielding bitter steel he sorely + Wounded twelve, and four besides." + +Then Gizur spoke and said, "We have now laid low to earth a +mighty chief, and hard work has it been, and the fame of this +defence of his shall last as long as men live in this land." + +After that he went to see Rannveig and said, "Wilt thou grant us +earth here for two of our men who are dead, that they may lie in +a cairn here?" + +"All the more willingly for two," she says, "because I wish with +all my heart I had to grant it to all of you." + +"It must be forgiven thee," he says, "to speak thus, for thou +hast had a great loss." + +Then he gave orders that no man should spoil or rob anything +there. + +After that they went away. + +Then Thorgeir Starkad's son said, "We may not be in our house at +home for the sons of Sigfus, unless thou Gizur or thou Geir be +here south some little while." + +"This shall be so," says Gizur, and they cast lots, and the lot +fell on Geir to stay behind. + +After that he came to the Point, and set up his house there; he +had a son whose name was Hroald; he was base born, and his +mother's name was Biartey (4); he boasted that he had given +Gunnar his death blow. Hroald was at the Point with his father. + +Thorgeir Starkad's son boasted of another wound which he had +given to Gunnar. + +Gizur sat at home at Mossfell. Gunnar's slaying was heard of, +and ill spoken of throughout the whole country, and his death was +a great grief to many a man. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Thorgrim Easterling and Thorbrand. +(2) "Frodi's flour," a periphrasis for "gold." +(3) "Sea's bright sunbeams," a periphrasis for "gold." +(4) She was a sister of Thorwald the Scurvy, who was slain at + Horsebeck in Grimsness. + + + + +77. GUNNAR SINGS A SONG DEAD + +Njal could ill brook Gunnar's death, nor could the sons of Sigfus +brook it either. + +They asked whether Njal thought they had any right to give notice +of a suit of manslaughter for Gunnar, or to set the suit on foot. + +He said that could not be done, as the man had been outlawed; but +said it would be better worth trying to do something to wound +their glory, by slaying some men in vengeance after him. + +They cast a cairn over Gunnar, and made him sit upright in the +cairn. Rannveig would not hear of his bill being buried in the +cairn, but said he alone should have it as his own, who was ready +to avenge Gunnar. So no one took the bill. + +She was so hard on Hallgerda, that she was on the point of +killing her; and she said that she had been the cause of her +son's slaying. + +Then Hallgerda fled away to Gritwater, and her son Grani with +her, and they shared the goods between them; Hogni was to have +the land at Lithend and the homestead on it, but Grani was to +have the land let out on lease. + +Now this token happened at Lithend, that the neat-herd and the +serving-maid were driving cattle by Gunnar's cairn. They thought +that he was merry, and that he was singing inside the cairn. +They went home and told Rannveig, Gunnar's mother, of this token, +but she bade them go and tell Njal. + +Then they went over to Bergthorsknoll and told Njal, but he made +them tell it three times over. + +After that, he had a long talk all alone with Skarphedinn; and +Skarphedinn took his weapons and goes with them to Lithend. + +Rannveig and Hogni gave him a hearty welcome, and were very glad +to see him. Rannveig asked him to stay there some time, and he +said he would. + +He and Hogni were always together, at home and abroad. Hogni was +a brisk, brave man, well-bred and well-trained in mind and body, +but distrustful and slow to believe what he was told, and that +was why they dared not tell him of the token. + +Now those two, Skarphedinn and Hogni, were out of doors one +evening by Gunnar's cairn on the south side. The moon and stars +were shining clear and bright, but every now and then the clouds +drove over them. Then all at once they thought they saw the +cairn standing open, and lo! Gunnar had turned himself in the +cairn and looked at the moon. They thought they saw four lights +burning in the cairn, and none of them threw a shadow. They saw +that Gunnar was merry, and he wore a joyful face. He sang a +song, and so loud, that it might have been heard though they had +been further off. + + "He that lavished rings in largesse, + When the fights' red rain-drips fell, + Bright of face, with heart-strings hardy, + Hogni's father met his fate; + Then his brow with helmet shrouding, + Bearing battle-shield, he spake, + `I will die the prop of battle, + Sooner die than yield an inch, + Yes, sooner die than yield an inch." + +After that the cairn was shut up again. + +"Wouldst thou believe these tokens if Njal or I told them to +thee?" says Skarphedinn. + +"I would believe them," he says, "if Njal told them, for it is +said he never lies." + +"Such tokens as these mean much," says Skarphedinn, "when he +shows himself to us, he who would sooner die than yield to his +foes; and see how he has taught us what we ought to do." + +"I shall be able to bring nothing to pass," says Hogni, "unless +thou wilt stand by me." + +"Now," says Skarphedinn, "will I bear in mind how Gunnar behaved +after the slaying of your kinsman Sigmund; now I will yield you +such help as I may. My father gave his word to Gunnar to do that +whenever thou or thy mother had need of it." + +After that they go home to Lithend. + + + +78. GUNNAR OF LITHEND AVENGED + +"Now we shall set off at once," says Skarphedinn, "this very +night; for if they learn that I am here, they will be more wary +of themselves." + +"I will fulfil thy counsel," says Hogni. + +After that they took their weapons when all men were in their +beds. Hogni takes down the bill, and it gave a sharp ringing +sound. + +Rannveig sprang up in great wrath and said, "Who touches the +bill, when I forbade every one to lay hand on it?" + +"I mean," says Hogni, "to bring it to my father, that he may bear +it with him to Valhalla, and have it with him when the warriors +meet." + +"Rather shalt thou now bear it," she answered, "and avenge thy +father; for the bill has spoken of one man's death or more." + +Then Hogni went out, and told Skarphedinn all the words that his +grandmother had spoken. + +After that they fare to the Point, and two ravens flew along with +them all the way. They came to the Point while it was still +night. Then they drove the flock before them up to the house, +and then Hroald and Tjorfi ran out and drove the flock up the +hollow path, and had their weapons with them. + +Skarphedinn sprang up and said, "Thou needest not to stand and +think if it be really as it seems. Men are here." + +Then Skarphedinn smites Tjorfi his deathblow. Hroald had a spear +in his hand, and Hogni rushes at him; Hroald thrusts at him, but +Hogni hewed asunder the spear-shaft with his bill, and drives the +bill through him. + +After that they left them there dead, and turn away thence under +the Threecorner. + +Skarphedinn jumps up on the house and plucks the grass, and those +who were inside the house thought it was cattle that had come on +the roof. Starkad and Thorgeir took their weapons and upper +clothing, and went out and round about the fence of the yard. +But when Starkad sees Skarphedinn he was afraid, and wanted to +turn back. + +Skarphedinn cut him down by the fence. Then Hogni comes against +Thorgeir and slays him with the bill. + +Thence they went to Hof, and Mord was outside in the field, and +begged for mercy, and offered them full atonement. + +Skarphedinn told Mord the slaying of those four men, and sang a +song: + + "Four who wielded warlike weapons + We have slain, all men of worth, + Them at once, gold-greedy fellow, + Thou shalt follow on the spot; + Let us press this pinch-purse so, + Pouring fear into his heart; + Wretch! reach out to Gunnar's son + Right to settle all disputes." + +"And the like journey," says Skarphedinn, "shalt thou also fare, +or hand over to Hogni the right to make his own award, if he will +take these terms." + +Hogni said his mind had been made up not to come to any terms +with the slayers of his father; but still at last he took the +right to make his own award from Mord. + + + +79. HOGNI TAKES AN ATONEMENT FOR GUNNAR'S DEATH + +Njal took a share in bringing those who had the blood-feud after +Starkad and Thorgeir to take an atonement, and a district meeting +was called together, and men were chosen to make the award, and +every matter was taken into account, even the attack on Gunnar, +though he was an outlaw; but such a fine as was awarded, all that +Mord paid; for they did not close their award against him before +the other matter was already settled, and then they set off one +award against the other. + +Then they were all set at one again, but at the Thing there was +great talk, and the end of it was, that Geir the Priest and Hogni +were set at one again, and that atonement they held to ever +afterwards. + +Geir the Priest dwelt in the Lithe till his deathday, and he is +out of the story. + +Njal asked as a wife for Hogni Alfeida the daughter of Weatherlid +the Skald, and she was given away to him. Their son was Ari, who +sailed for Shetland, and took him a wife there; from him is come +Einar the Shetlander, one of the briskest and boldest of men. + +Hogni kept up his friendship with Njal, and he is now out of the +story. + + + +80. OF KOLSKEGG: HOW HE WAS BAPTIZED + +Now it is to be told of Kolskegg how he comes to Norway, and is +in the Bay east that winter. But the summer after he fares east +to Denmark, and bound himself to Sweyn Forkbeard the Dane-king, +and there he had great honour. + +One night he dreamt that a man came to him; he was bright and +glistening, and he thought he woke him up. He spoke, and said to +him, "Stand up and come with me." + +"What wilt thou with me?" he asks. + +"I will get thee a bride, and thou shalt be my knight." + +He thought he said yea to that, and after that he woke up. + +Then he went to a wizard and told him the dream, but he read it +so that he should fare to southern lands and become God's knight. + +Kolskegg was baptized in Denmark, but still he could not rest +there, but fared east to Russia, and was there one winter. Then +he fared thence out to Micklegarth (1), and there took service +with the Emperor. The last that was heard of him was, that he +wedded a wife there, and was captain over the Varangians, and +stayed there till his deathday; and he, too, is out of this +story. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Constantinople. + + + +81. OF THRAIN: HOW HE SLEW KOL + +Now we must take up the story, and say how Thrain Sigfus' son +came to Norway. They made the land north in Helgeland, and held +on south to Drontheim, and so to Hlada (1). But as soon as Earl +Hacon heard of that, he sent men to them, and would know what men +were in the ship. They came back and told him who the men were. +Then the earl sent for Thrain Sigfus' son, and he went to see +him. The earl asked of what stock he might be. He said that he +was Gunnar of Lithend's near kinsman. The earl said, "That shall +stand thee in good stead; for I have seen many men from Iceland, +but none his match." + +"Lord," said Thrain, "is it your will that I should be with you +this winter?" + +The earl took to him, and Thrain was there that winter, and was +thought much of. + +There was a man named Kol, he was a great sea-rover. He was the +son of Asmund Ashside, east out of Smoland. He lay east in the +Gota-Elf, and had five ships, and much force. + +Thence Kol steered his course out of the river to Norway and +landed at Fold (2), in the bight of the "Bay," and came on +Hallvard Soti unawares, and found him in a loft. He kept them +off bravely till they set fire to the house, then he gave himself +up; but they slew him, and took there much goods, and sailed +thence to Lodese (3). + +Earl Hacon heard these tidings, and made them make Kol an outlaw +over all his realm, and set a price upon his head. + +Once on a time it so happened that the earl began to speak thus, +"Too far off from us now is Gunnar of Lithend. He would slay my +outlaw if he were here; but now the Icelanders will slay him, and +it is ill that he hath not fared to us." + +Then Thrain Sigfus' son answered, "I am not Gunnar, but still I +am near akin to him, and I will undertake this voyage." + +The earl said, "I should be glad of that, and thou shalt be very +well fitted out for the journey." + +After that his son Eric began to speak, and said, "Your word, +father, is good to many men, but fulfilling it is quite another +thing. This is the hardest undertaking; for this sea-rover is +tough and ill to deal with, wherefore thou wilt need to take +great pains, both as to men and ships for this voyage." + +Thrain said, "I will set out on this voyage, though it looks +ugly." + +After that the earl gave him five ships, and all well trimmed +and manned. Along with Thrain was Gunnar Lambi's son, and Lambi +Sigurd's son. Gunnar was Thrain's brother's son, and had come to +him young, and each loved the other much. + +Eric, the earl's son, went heartily along with them, and looked +after strength for them, both in men and weapons and made such +changes in them as he thought were needful. After they were +"boun," Eric got them a pilot. Then they sailed south along the +land; but wherever they came to land, the earl allowed them to +deal with whatever they needed as their own. + +So they held on east to Lodese, and then they heard that Kol was +gone to Denmark. Then they shaped their course south thither; +but when they came south to Helsingborg, they met men in a boat +who said that Kol was there just before them, and would be +staying there for a while. + +One day when the weather was good, Kol saw the ships as they +sailed up towards him, and said he had dreamt of Earl Hacon the +night before, and told his people he was sure these must be his +men, and bade them all to take their weapons. + +After that they busked them, and a fight arose; and they fought +long, so that neither side had the mastery. + +Then Kol sprang up on Thrain's ship, and cleared the gangways +fast, and slays many men. He had a gilded helm. + +Now Thrain sees that this is no good, and now he eggs on his men +to go along with him, but he himself goes first and meets Kol. + +Kol hews at him, and the blow fell on Thrain's shield, and cleft +it down from top to bottom. Then Kol got a blow on the arm, from +a stone and then down fell his sword. + +Thrain hews at Kol, and the stroke came on his leg so that it cut +it off. After that they slew Kol, and Thrain cut off his head, +and they threw the trunk overboard, but kept his head. + +They took much spoil, and then they held on north to Drontheim, +and go to see the earl. + +The earl gave Thrain a hearty welcome, and he shewed the earl +Kol's head, but the earl thanked him for that deed. + +Eric said it was worth more than words alone, and the earl said +so it was, and bade them come along with him. + +They went thither, where the earl had made them make a good ship +that was not made like a common long-ship. It had a vulture's +head, and was much carved and painted. + +"Thou art a great man for show, Thrain," said the earl, "and so +have both of you, kinsmen, been, Gunnar and thou; and now I will +give thee this ship, but it is called the Vulture. Along with it +shall go my friendship; and my will is that thou stayest with me +as long as thou wilt." + +He thanked him for his goodness, and said he had no longing to go +to Iceland just yet. + +The earl had a journey to make to the marches of the land to meet +the Swede-king. Thrain went with him that summer, and was a +shipmaster and steered the Vulture, and sailed so fast that few +could keep up with him, and he was much envied. But it always +came out that the earl laid great store on Gunnar, for he set +down sternly all who tried Thrain's temper. + +So Thrain was all that winter with the earl, but next spring the +earl asked Thrain whether he would stay there or fare to Iceland; +but Thrain said he had not yet made up his mind, and said that he +wished first to know tidings from Iceland. + +The earl said that so it should be as he thought it suited him +best; and Thrain was with the earl. + +Then those tidings were heard from Iceland, which many thought +great news, the death of Gunnar of Lithend. Then the earl would +not that Thrain should fare out of Iceland, and so there he +stayed with him. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Hlada or Lada, and sometimes in the plural Ladir, was the + old capital of Drontheim, before Nidaros -- the present + Drontheim -- was founded. Drontheim was originally the name + of the country round the firth of the same name, and is not + used in the old sagas for a town. +(2) The country round the Christiania Firth, at the top of "the + Bay." +(3) A town in Sweden on the Gota-Elf. + + + +82. NJAL'S SONS SAIL ABROAD + +Now it must be told how Njal's sons, Grim and Helgi, left Iceland +the same summer that Thrain and his fellows went away; and in the +ship with them were Olaf Kettle's son of Elda, and Bard the +Black. They got so strong a wind from the north that they were +driven south into the main; and so thick a mist came over them +that they could not tell whither they were driving, and they were +out a long while. At last they came to where was a great ground +sea, and thought then they must be near land. So then Njal's +sons asked Bard if he could tell at all to what land they were +likely to be nearest. + +"Many lands there are," said he, "which we might hit with the +weather we have had -- the Orkneys, or Scotland, or Ireland." + +Two nights after, they saw land on both boards, and a great +surf running up in the firth. They cast anchor outside the +breakers, and the wind began to fall; and next morning it was +calm. Then they see thirteen ships coming out to them. + +Then Bard spoke and said, "What counsel shall we take now, for +these men are going to make an onslaught on us?" + +So they took counsel whether they should defend themselves or +yield, but before they could make up their minds, the Vikings +were upon them. Then each side asked the other their names, and +what their leaders were called. So the leaders of the chapmen +told their names, and asked back who led that host. One called +himself Gritgard, and the other Snowcolf, sons of Moldan of +Duncansby in Scotland, kinsmen of Malcolm the Scot king. + +"And now," says Gritgard, "we have laid down two choices, one +that ye go on shore, and we will take your goods; the other is, +that we fall on you and slay every man that we can catch." + +"The will of the chapmen," answers Helgi, "is to defend +themselves." + +But the chapmen called out, "Wretch that thou art to speak thus! +What defence can we make? Lading is less than life." + +But Grim, he fell upon a plan to shout out to the Vikings, and +would not let them hear the bad choice of the chapmen. + +Then Bard and Olaf said, "Think ye not that these Icelanders will +make game of you sluggards; take rather your weapons and guard +your goods." + +So they all seized their weapons, and bound themselves, one with +another, never to give up so long as they had strength to fight. + + + +83. OF KARI SOLMUND'S SON + +Then the Vikings shot at them and the fight began, and the +chapmen guard themselves well. Snowcolf sprang aboard and at +Olaf, and thrust his spear through his body, but Grim thrust at +Snowcolf with his spear, and so stoutly, that he fell overboard. +Then Helgi turned to meet Grim, and they two drove down all the +Vikings as they tried to board, and Njal's sons were ever where +there was most need. Then the Vikings called out to the chapmen +and bade them give up, but they said they would never yield. +Just then some one looked seaward, and there they see ships +coming from the south round the Ness, and they were not fewer +than ten, and they row hard and steer thitherwards. Along their +sides were shield on shield, but on that ship that came first +stood a man by the mast, who was clad in a silken kirtle, and had +a gilded helm, and his hair was both fair and thick; that man had +a spear inlaid with gold in his hand. + +He asked, "Who have here such an uneven game?" + +Helgi tells his name, and said that against them are Gritgard and +Snowcolf. + +"But who are your captains?" he asks. + +Helgi answered, "Bard the Black, who lives, but the other, who +is dead and gone, was called Olaf." + +"Are ye men from Iceland?" says he. + +"Sure enough we are," Helgi answers. + +He asked whose sons they were, and they told him, then he knew +them and said, "Well known names have ye all, father and sons +both. + +"Who art thou?" asks Helgi. + +"My name is Kari, and I am Solmund's son." + +"Whence comest thou?" says Helgi. + +"From the Southern Isles." + +"Then thou art welcome," says Helgi, "if thou wilt give us a +little help." + +"I'll give ye all the help ye need," says Kari; "but what do +ye ask?" + +"To fall on them," says Helgi. + +Kari says that so it shall be. So they pulled up to them, and +then the battle began the second time; but when they had fought a +little while, Kari springs up on Snowcolf's ship; he turns to +meet him and smites at him with his sword. Kari leaps nimbly +backwards over a beam that lay athwart the ship, and Snowcolf +smote the beam so that both edges of the sword were hidden. Then +Kari smites at him, and the sword fell on his shoulder, and the +stroke was so mighty that he cleft in twain shoulder, arm, and +all, and Snowcolf got his death there and then. Gritgard hurled +a spear at Kari, but Kari saw it and sprang up aloft, and the +spear missed him. Just then Helgi and Grim came up both to meet +Kari, and Helgi springs on Gritgard and thrusts his spear through +him, and that was his death blow; after that they went round the +whole ship on both boards, and then men begged for mercy. So +they gave them all peace, but took all their goods. After that +they ran all the ships out under the islands. + + + +84. OF EARL SIGURD + +Sigurd was the name of an earl who ruled over the Orkneys; he was +the son of Hlodver, the son of Thorfinn the skullsplitter, the +son of Turf-Einar, the son of Rognvald, Earl of Moeren, the son +of Eystein the Noisy. Kari was one of Earl Sigurd's body-guard, +and had just been gathering scatts in the Southern Isles from +Earl Gilli. Now Kari asks them to go to Hrossey (1), and said +the earl would take to them well. They agreed to that, and went +with Kari and came to Hrossey. Kari led them to see the earl, +and said what men they were. + +"How came they," says the earl, "to fall upon thee?" + +"I found them," says Kari, "in Scotland's firths, and they were +fighting with the sons of Earl Moldan, and held their own so well +that they threw themselves about between the bulwarks, from side +to side, and were always there where the trial was greatest, and +now I ask you to give them quarters among your body-guard." + +"It shall be as thou choosest," says the earl, "thou hast already +taken them so much by the hand." + +Then they were there with the earl that winter, and were worthily +treated, but Helgi was silent as the winter wore on. The earl +could not tell what was at the bottom of that, and asked why he +was so silent, and what was on his mind. "Thinkest thou it not +good to be here?" + +"Good, methinks, it is here," he says. + +"Then what art thou thinking about?" asks the earl. + +"Hast thou any realm to guard in Scotland?" asks Helgi. + +"So we think," says the earl, "but what makes thee think about +that, or what is the matter with it?" + +"The Scots," says Helgi, "must have taken your steward's life, +and stopped all the messengers, that none should cross the +Pentland Firth." + +"Hast thou the second sight?" said the earl. + +"That has been little proved," answers Helgi. + +"Well," says the earl, "I will increase thy honour if this be so, +otherwise thou shalt smart for it." + +"Nay," says Kari, "Helgi is not that kind of man, and like enough +his words are sooth, for his father has the second sight." + +After that the earl sent men south to Straumey (2) to Arnljot, +his steward there, and after that Arnljot sent them across the +Pentland Firth, and they spied out and learnt that Earl Hundi and +Earl Melsnati had taken the life of Havard in Thraswick, Earl +Sigurd's brother-in-law. So Arnljot sent word to Earl Sigurd to +come south with a great host and drive those earls out of his +realm, and as soon as the earl heard that, he gathered together a +mighty host from all the isles. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) The mainland of Orkney, now Pomona. +(2) Now Stroma, in the Pentland Firth. + + + +85. THE BATTLE WITH THE EARLS + +After that the earl set out south with his host, and Kari went +with him, and Njal's sons too. They came south to Caithness. +The earl had these realms in Scotland, Ross and Moray, +Sutherland, and the Dales. There came to meet them men from +those realms, and said that the earls were a short way off with a +great host. Then Earl Sigurd turns his host thither, and the +name of that place is Duncansness above which they met, and it +came to a great battle between them. Now the Scots had let some +of their host go free from the main battle, and these took the +earl's men in flank, and many men fell there till Njal's sons +turned against the foe, and fought with them and put them to +flight; but still it was a hard fight, and then Njal's sons +turned back to the front by the earl's standard, and fought well. +Now Kari turns to meet Earl Melsnati, and Melsnati hurled a spear +at him, but Kari caught the spear and threw it back and through +the earl. Then Earl Hundi fled, but they chased the fleers until +they learnt that Malcolm was gathering a host at Duncansby. Then +the earl took counsel with his men, and it seemed to all the best +plan to turn back, and not to fight with such a mighty land +force; so they turned back. But when the earl came to Staumey +they shared the battle-spoil. After that he went north to +Hrossey, and Njal's sons and Kari followed him. Then the earl +made a great feast, and at that feast he gave Kari a good sword, +and a spear inlaid with gold; but he gave Helgi a gold ring and a +mantle, and Grim a shield and sword. After that he took Helgi +and Grim into his body-guard, and thanked them for their good +help. They were with the earl that winter and the summer after, +till Kari went sea-roving; then they went with him, and harried +far and wide that summer, and everywhere won the victory. They +fought against Godred, King of Man, and conquered him; and after +that they fared back, and had gotten much goods. Next winter +they were still with the earl, and when the spring came Njal's +sons asked leave to go to Norway. The earl said they should go +or not as they pleased, and he gave them a good ship and smart +men. As for Kari, he said he must come that summer to Norway +with Earl Hacon's scatts, and then they would meet; and so it +fell out that they gave each other their word to meet. After +that Njal's sons put out to sea and sailed for Norway, and made +the land north near Drontheim. + + + +86. HRAPP'S VOYAGE FROM ICELAND + +There was a man named Kolbein, and his surname was Arnljot's son; +he was a man from Drontheim; he sailed out to Iceland that same +summer in which Kolskegg and Njal's sons went abroad. He was +that winter east in Broaddale; but the spring after, he made his +ship ready for sea in Gautawick; and when men were almost "boun," +a man rowed up to them in a boat, and made the boat fast to the +ship, and afterwards he went on board the ship to see Kolbein. + +Kolbein asked that man for his name. + +"My name is Hrapp," says he. + +"What wilt thou with me?" says Kolbein. + +"I wish to ask thee to put me across the Iceland main." + +"Whose son art thou?" asks Kolbein. + +"I am a son of Aurgunleid, the son of Geirolf the Fighter." + +"What need lies on thee," asked Kolbein, "to drive thee abroad?" + +"I have slain a man," says Hrapp. + +"What manslaughter was that," says Kolbein, "and what men have +the blood-feud?" + +"The men of Weaponfirth," says Hrapp, "but the man I slew was +Aurlyg, the son of Aurlyg, the son of Roger the White." + +"I guess this," says Kolbein, "that he will have the worst of it +who bears thee abroad." + +"I am the friend of my friend," said Hrapp, "but when ill is done +to me I repay it. Nor am I short of money to lay down for my +passage." + +Then Kolbein took Hrapp on board, and a little while after a fair +breeze sprung up, and they sailed away on the sea. + +Hrapp ran short of food at sea and then he sate him down at the +mess of those who were nearest to him. They sprang up with ill +words, and so it was that they came to blows, and Hrapp, in a +trice, has two men under him. + +Then Kolbein was told, and he bade Hrapp to come and share his +mess, and he accepted that. + +Now they come off the sea, and lie outside off Agdirness. + +Then Kolbein asked where that money was which he had offered to +pay for his fare? + +"It is out in Iceland," answers Hrapp. + +"Thou wilt beguile more men than me, I fear," says Kolbein; "but +now I will forgive thee all the fare." + +Hrapp bade him have thanks for that. "But what counsel dost thou +give as to what I ought to do?" + +"That first of all," he says, "that thou goest from the ship as +soon as ever thou canst, for all Easterlings will bear thee bad +witness; but there is yet another bit of good counsel which I +will give thee, and that is, never to cheat thy master." + +Then Hrapp went on shore with his weapons, and he had a great axe +with an iron-bound haft in his hand. + +He fares on and on till he comes to Gudbrand of the Dale. He was +the greatest friend of Earl Hacon. They two had a shrine between +them, and it was never opened but when the earl came thither. +That was the second greatest shrine in Norway, but the other was +at Hlada. + +Thrand was the name of Gudbrand's son, but his daughter's name +was Gudruna. + +Hrapp went in before Gudbrand, and hailed him well. + +He asked whence he came and what was his name. Hrapp told him +about himself, and how he had sailed abroad from Iceland. + +After that he asks Gudbrand to take him into his household as a +guest. + +"It does not seem," said Gudbrand, "to look on thee, as thou wert +a man to bring good luck." + +"Methinks, then," says Hrapp, "that all I have heard about thee +has been great lies; for it is said that thou takest every one +into thy house that asks thee; and that no man is thy match for +goodness and kindness, far or near; but now I shall have to speak +against that saying, if thou dost not take me in." + +"Well, thou shalt stay here," said Gudbrand. + +"To what seat wilt thou shew me?" says Hrapp. + +"To one on the lower bench, over against my high seat." + +Then Hrapp went and took his seat. He was able to tell of many +things, and so it was at first that Gudbrand and many thought it +sport to listen to him; but still it came about that most men +thought him too much given to mocking, and the end of it was that +he took to talking alone with Gudruna, so that many said that he +meant to beguile her. + +But when Gudbrand was aware of that, he scolded her much for +daring to talk alone with him, and bade her beware of speaking +aught to him if the whole household did not hear it. She gave +her word to be good at first, but still it was soon the old story +over again as to their talk. Then Gudbrand got Asvard, his +overseer, to go about with her, out of doors and in, and to be +with her wherever she went. One day it happened that she begged +for leave to go into the nutwood for a pastime, and Asvard went +along with her. Hrapp goes to seek for them and found them, and +took her by the hand, and led her away alone. + +Then Asvard went to look for her, and found them both together +stretched on the grass in a thicket. + +He rushes at them, axe in air, and smote at Hrapp's leg, but +Hrapp gave himself a sudden turn, and he missed him. Hrapp +springs on his feet as quick as he can, and caught up his axe. +Then Asvard wished to turn and get away, but Hrapp hewed asunder +his back-bone. + +Then Gudruna said, "Now hast thou done that deed which will +hinder thy stay any longer with my father; but still there is +something behind which he will like still less, for I go with +child." + +"He shall not learn this from others," says Hrapp, "but I will go +home and tell him both these tidings." + +"Then," she says, "thou wilt not come away with thy life." + +"I will run the risk of that," he says. + +After that he sees her back to the other women, but he went home. +Gudbrand sat in his high seat, and there were few men in the +room. + +Hrapp went in before him, and bore his axe high. + +"Why is thine axe bloody?" asks Gudbrand. + +"I made it so by doing a piece of work on thy overseer Asvard's +back," says Hrapp. + +"That can be no good work," says Gudbrand; "thou must have slain +him." + +"So it is, be sure," says Hrapp. + +"What did ye fall out about?" asks Gudbrand. + +"Oh!" says Hrapp, "what you would think small cause enough. He +wanted to hew off my leg." + +"What hadst thou done first?" asked Gudbrand. + +"What he had no right to meddle with," says Hrapp. + +"Still thou wilt tell me what it was." + +"Well!" said Hrapp, "if thou must know, I lay by thy daughter's +side, and he thought that bad." + +"Up men!" cried Gudbrand, "and take him. He shall be slain out +of hand." + +"Very little good wilt thou let me reap of my son-in-lawship," +says Hrapp, "but thou hast not so many men at thy back as to do +that speedily." + +Up they rose, but he sprang out of doors. They run after him, +but he got away to the wood, and they could not lay hold of him. + +Then Gudbrand gathers people, and lets the wood be searched; but +they find him not, for the wood was great and thick. + +Hrapp fares through the wood till he came to a clearing; there he +found a house, and saw a man outside cleaving wood. + +He asked that man for his name, and he said his name was Tofi. + +Tofi asked him for his name in turn, and Hrapp told him his true +name. + +Hrapp asked why the householder had set up his abode so far from +other men? + +"For that here," he says, "I think I am less likely to have +brawls with other men." + +"It is strange how we beat about the bush in our talk," says +Hrapp, "but I will first tell thee who I am. I have been with +Gudbrand of the Dale, but I ran away thence because I slew his +overseer; but now I know that we are both of us bad men; for thou +wouldst not have come hither away from other men unless thou wert +some man's outlaw. And now I give thee two choices, either that +I will tell where thou art, or that we two have between us, share +and share alike, all that is here." + +"This is even as thou savest," said the householder; "I seized +and carried off this woman who is here with me, and many men have +sought for me." + +Then he led Hrapp in with him; there was a small house there, but +well built. + +The master of the house told his mistress that he had taken Hrapp +into his company. + +"Most men will get ill luck from this man," she says; "but thou +wilt have thy way." + +So Hrapp was there after that. He was a great wanderer, and was +never at home. He still brings about meetings with Gudruna; her +father and brother, Thrand and Gudbrand, lay in wait for him, but +they could never get nigh him, and so all that year passed away. + +Gudbrand sent and told Earl Hacon what trouble he had had with +Hrapp, and the earl let him be made an outlaw, and laid a price +upon his head. He said, too, that he would go himself to look +after him; but that passed off, and the earl thought it easy +enough for them to catch him when he went about so unwarily. + + + +87. THRAIN TOOK TO HRAPP + +That same summer Njal's sons fared to Norway from the Orkneys, as +was before written, and they were there at the fair during the +summer. Then Thrain Sigfus' son busked his ship for Iceland, and +was all but "boun." At that time Earl Hacon went to a feast at +Gudbrand's house. That night Killing-Hrapp came to the shrine of +Earl Hacon and Gudbrand, and he went inside the house, and there +he saw Thorgerda Shrinebride sitting, and she was as tall as a +fullgrown man. She had a great gold ring on her arm, and a +wimple on her head; he strips her of her wimple, and takes the +gold ring from off her. Then he sees Thor's car, and takes from +him a second gold ring; a third he took from Irpa; and then +dragged them all out, and spoiled them of all their gear. + +After that he laid fire to the shrine, and burnt it down, and +then he goes away just as it began to dawn. He walks across a +ploughed field, and there six men sprang up with weapons, and +fall upon him at once; but he made a stout defence, and the end +of the business was that he slays three men, but wounds Thrand to +the death, and drives two to the woods, so that they could bear +no news to the earl. He then went up to Thrand and said, "It is +now in my power to slay thee if I will, but I will not do that; +and now I will set more store by the ties that are between us +than ye have shown to me." + +Now Hrapp means to turn back to the wood, but now he sees that +men have come between him and the wood, so he dares not venture +to turn thither, but lays him down in a thicket, and so lies +there a while. + +Earl Hacon and Gudbrand went that morning early to the shrine and +found it burnt down; but the three gods were outside, stripped of +all their bravery. + +Then Gudbrand began to speak, and said, "Much might is given to +our gods, when here they have walked of themselves out of the +fire!" + +"The gods can have naught to do with it," says the earl; "a man +must have burnt the shrine, and borne the gods out; but the gods +do not avenge everything on the spot. That man who has done this +will no doubt be driven away out of Valhalla, and never come in +thither." + +Just then up ran four of the earl's men, and told them ill +tidings for they said they had found three men slain in the +field, and Thrand wounded to the death. + +"Who can have done this?" says the earl. + +"Killing-Hrapp," they say. + +"Then he must have burnt down the shrine," says the earl. + +They said they thought he was like enough to have done it. + +"And where may he be now?" says the earl. + +They said that Thrand had told them that he had lain down in a +thicket. + +The earl goes thither to look for him, but Hrapp was off and +away. Then the earl set his men to search for him, but still +they could not find him. So the earl was in the hue and cry +himself, but first he bade them rest a while. + +Then the earl went aside by himself, away from other men, and +bade that no man should follow him, and so he stays a while. He +fell down on both his knees, and held his hands before his eyes; +after that he went back to them, and then he said to them, "Come +with me." + +So they went along with him. He turns short away from the path +on which they had walked before, and they came to a dell. There +up sprang Hrapp before them, and there it was that he had hidden +himself at first. + +The earl urges on his men to run after him, but Hrapp was so +swift-footed that they never came near him. Hrapp made for +Hlada. There both Thrain and Njal's sons lay "boun" for sea at +the same time. Hrapp runs to where Njal's sons are. + +"Help me, like good men and true," he said, "for the earl will +slay me." + +Helgi looked at him, and said, "Thou lookest like an unlucky man, +and the man who will not take thee in will have the best of it." + +"Would that the worst might befall you from me," says Hrapp. + +"I am the man," says Helgi, "to avenge me on thee for this as +time rolls on." + +Then Hrapp turned to Thrain Sigfus' son, and bade him shelter +him. + +"What hast thou on thy hand?" says Thrain. + +"I have burnt a shrine under the earl's eyes, and slain some men, +and now he will be here speedily, for he has joined in the hue +and cry himself." + +"It hardly beseems me to do this," says Thrain, "when the earl +has done me so much good." + +Then he shewed Thrain the precious things which he had borne out +of the shrine, and offered to give him the goods, but Thrain said +he could not take them unless he gave him other goods of the same +worth for them. + +"Then," said Hrapp, "here will I take my stand, and here shall +I be slain before thine eyes, and then thou wilt have to abide by +every man's blame." + +Then they see the earl and his band of men coming, and then +Thrain took Hrapp under his safeguard, and let them shove off the +boat, and put out to his ship. + +Then Thrain said, "Now this will be thy best hiding place, to +knock out the bottoms of two casks, and then thou shalt get into +them." + +So it was done, and he got into the casks, and then they were +lashed together, and lowered overboard. + +Then comes the earl with his band to Njal's sons, and asked if +Hrapp had come there. + +They said that he had come. + +The earl asked whither he had gone thence? + +They said they had not kept eyes on him, and could not say. + +"He," said the earl, "should have great honour from me who would +tell me where Hrapp was." + +Then Grim said softly to Helgi, "Why should we not say, What know +I whether Thrain will repay us with any good?" + +"We should not tell a whit more for that," says Helgi, "when his +life lies at stake." + +"May be," said Grim, "the earl will turn his vengeance on us, +for he is so wroth that some one will have to fall before him." + +"That must not move us," says Helgi, "but still we will pull our +ship out, and so away to sea as soon as ever we get a wind." + +So they rowed out under an isle that lay there, and wait there +for a fair breeze. + +The earl went about among the sailors, and tried them all, but +they, one and all, denied that they knew aught of Hrapp. + +Then the earl said, "Now we will go to Thrain, my brother in +arms, and he will give Hrapp up, if he knows anything of him." + +After that they took a long-ship and went off to the merchant +ship. + +Thrain sees the earl coming, and stands up and greets him kindly. +The earl took his greeting well and spoke thus, -- "We are +seeking for a man whose name is Hrapp, and he is an Icelander. +He has done us all kind of ill; and now we will ask you to be +good enough to give him up, or to tell us where he is." + +"Ye know, lord," said Thrain, "that I slew your outlaw, and +then put my fife in peril, and for that I had of you great +honour." + +"More honour shalt thou now have," says the earl. + +Now Thrain thought within himself, and could not make up his mind +how the earl would take it, so he denies that Hrapp is here, and +bade the earl to look for him. He spent little time on that, and +went on land alone, away from other men, and was then very wroth, +so that no man dared to speak to him. + +"Shew me to Njal's sons," said the earl, "and I will force them +to tell me the truth." + +Then he was told that they had put out of the harbour. + +"Then there is no help for it," says the earl, "but still there +were two water-casks alongside of Thrain's ship, and in them a +man may well have been hid, and if Thrain has bidden him, there +he must be; and now we will go a second time to see Thrain." + +Thrain sees that the earl means to put off again and said, +"However wroth the earl was last time, now he will be half as +wroth again, and now the life of every man on board the ship lies +at stake." + +They all gave their words to hide the matter, for they were all +sore afraid. Then they took some sacks out of the lading, and +put Hrapp down into the hold in their stead, and other sacks that +were light were laid over him. + +Now comes the earl, just as they were done stowing Hrapp away. +Thrain greeted the earl well. The earl was rather slow to return +it, and they saw that the earl was very wroth. + +Then said the earl to Thrain, "Give thou up Hrapp, for I am quite +sure that thou hast hidden him." + +"Where shall I have hidden him, Lord?" says Thrain. + +"That thou knowest best," says the earl; "but if I must guess, +then I think that thou hiddest him in the water-casks a while +ago." + +"Well!" says Thrain, "I would rather not be taken for a liar, far +sooner would I that ye should search the ship." + +Then the earl went on board the ship and hunted and hunted, but +found him not. + +"Dost thou speak me free now?" says Thrain. + +"Far from it," says the earl, "and yet I cannot tell why we +cannot find him, but methinks I see through it all when I come on +shore, but when I come here, I can see nothing." + +With that he made them row him ashore. He was so wroth that +there was no speaking to him. His son Sweyn was there with him, +and he said, "A strange turn of mind this to let guiltless men +smart for one's wrath!" + +Then the earl went away alone aside from other men, and after +that he went back to them at once, and said, "Let us row out to +them again," and they did so. + +"Where can he have been hidden?" says Sweyn. + +"There's not much good in knowing that," says the earl, "for now +he will be away thence; two sacks lay there by the rest of the +lading, and Hrapp must have come into the lading in their place." + +Then Thrain began to speak, and said, "They are running off the +ship again, and they must mean to pay us another visit. Now we +will take him out of the lading, and stow other things in his +stead, but let the sacks still lie loose. They did so, and then +Thrain spoke: "Now let us fold Hrapp in the sail." + +It was then brailed up to the yard, and they did so. + +Then the earl comes to Thrain and his men, and he was very wroth, +and said, "Wilt thou now give up the man, Thrain?" and he is +worse now than before. + +"I would have given him up long ago," answers Thrain, "if he had +been in my keeping, or where can he have been?" + +"In the lading," says the earl. + +"Then why did ye not seek him there?" says Thrain. + +"That never came into our mind," says the earl. + +After that they sought him over all the ship, and found him not. + +"Will you now hold me free?" says Thrain. + +"Surely not," says the earl, "for I know that thou hast hidden +away the man, though I find him not; but I would rather that thou +shouldst be a dastard to me than I to thee," says the earl, and +then they went on shore. + +"Now," says the earl, "I seem to see that Thrain has hidden away +Hrapp in the sail." + +Just then, up sprung a fair breeze, and Thrain and his men sailed +out to sea. He then spoke these words which have long been held +in mind since -- + + "Let us make the Vulture fly, + Nothing now gars Thrain flinch." + +But when the earl heard of Thrain's words, then he said, "'Tis +not my want of foresight which caused this, but rather their +ill-fellowship, which will drag them both to death." + +Thrain was a short time out on the sea, and so came to Iceland, +and fared home to his house. Hrapp went along with Thrain, and +was with him that year; but the spring after, Thrain got him a +homestead at Hrappstede, and he dwelt there; but yet he spent +most of his time at Gritwater. He was thought to spoil +everything there, and some men even said that he was too good +friends with Hallgerda, and that he led her astray, but some +spoke against that. + +Thrain gave the Vulture to his kinsman, Mord the Reckless; that +Mord slew Oddi Haldor's son, east in Gautawick by Berufirth. + +All Thrain's kinsmen looked on him as a chief. + + + +88. EARL HACON FIGHTS WITH NJAL'S SONS. + +Now we must take up the story, and say how, when Earl Hacon +missed Thrain, he spoke to Sweyn his son, and said, "Let us take +four long-ships, and let us fare against Njal's sons and slay +them, for they must have known all about it with Thrain." + +"'Tis not good counsel," says Sweyn, "to throw the blame on +guiltless men, but to let him escape who is guilty." + +"I shall have my way in this," says the earl. + +Now they hold on after Njal's sons, and seek for them, and find +them under an island. + +Grim first saw the earl's ships and said to Helgi, "Here are war +ships sailing up, and I see that here is the earl, and he can +mean to offer us no peace." + +"It is said," said Helgi, "that he is the boldest man who holds +his own against all comers, and so we will defend ourselves." + +They all bade him take the course he thought best, and then they +took to their arms. + +Now the earl comes up and called out to them, and bade them give +themselves up. + +Helgi said that they would defend themselves so long as they +could. + +Then the earl offered peace and quarter to all who would neither +defend themselves nor Helgi; but Helgi was so much beloved that +all said they would rather die with him. + +Then the earl and his men fall on them, but they defended +themselves well, and Njal's sons were ever where there was most +need. The earl often offered peace, but they all made the same +answer, and said they would never yield. + +Then Aslak of Longisle pressed them hard and came on board their +ship thrice. Then Grim said, "Thou pressest on hard, and 'twere +well that thou gettest what thou seekest;" and with that he +snatched up a spear and hurled it at him, and hit him under the +chin, and Aslak got his death wound there and then. + +A little after, Helgi slew Egil the earl's banner-bearer. + +Then Sweyn, Earl Hacon's son, fell on them, and made men hem them +in and bear them down with shields, and so they were taken +captive. + +The earl was for letting them all be slain at once, but Sweyn +said that should not be, and said too that it was night. + +Then the earl said, "Well, then, slay them to-morrow, but bind +them fast to-night." + +"So, I ween, it must be," says Sweyn; "but never yet have I met +brisker men than these, and I call it the greatest manscathe to +take their lives." + +"They have slain two of our briskest men," said the earl, "and +for that they shall be slain." + +"Because they were brisker men themselves," says Sweyn; "but +still in this it must be done as thou willest." + +So they were bound and fettered. + +After that the earl fell asleep; but when all men slept, Grim +spoke to Helgi, and said, "Away would I get if I could." + +"Let us try some trick then," says Helgi. + +Grim sees that there lies an axe edge up, so Grim crawled +thither, and gets the bowstring which bound him cut asunder +against the axe, but still he got great wounds on his arms. + +Then he set Helgi loose, and after that they crawled over the +ship's side, and got on shore, so that neither Hacon nor his men +were ware of them. Then they broke off their fetters, and walked +away to the other side of the island. By that time it began to +dawn. There they found a ship, and knew that there was come Kari +Solmund's son. They went at once to meet him, and told him of +their wrongs and hardships, and showed him their wounds, and said +the earl would be then asleep. + +"Ill is it," said Kari, "that ye should suffer such wrongs for +wicked men; but what now would be most to your minds?" + +"To fall on the earl," they say, "and slay, him." + +"This will not be fated," says Kari; "but still ye do not lack +heart, but we will first know whether he is there now." + +After that they fared thither, and then the earl was up and away. + +Then Kari sailed in to Hlada to meet the earl, and brought him +the Orkney scatts, so the earl said, "Hast thou taken Njal's sons +into thy keeping?" + +"So it is, sure enough," says Kari. + +"Wilt thou hand Njal's sons over to me?" asks the earl. + +"No, I will not," said Kari. + +"Wilt thou swear this," says the earl, "that thou wilt not fall +on me with Njal's sons?" + +Then Eric, the earl's son, spoke and said, "Such things ought +not to be asked. Kari has always been our friend, and things +should not have gone as they have, had I been by. Njal's sons +should have been set free from all blame, but they should have +had chastisement who had wrought for it. Methinks now it would +be more seemly to give Njal's sons good gifts for the hardships +and wrongs which have been put upon them, and the wounds they +have got." + +"So it ought to be, sure enough," says the earl, "but I know not +whether they will take an atonement." + +Then the earl said that Kari should try the feeling of Njal's +sons as to an atonement. + +After that Kari spoke to Helgi, and asked whether he would take +any amends from the earl or not. + +"I will take them," said Helgi, "from his son Eric, but I will +have nothing to do with the earl." + +Then Kari told Eric their answer. + +"So it shall be." says Eric. "He shall take the amends from me +if he thinks it better; and tell them this too, that I bid them +to my house, and my father shall do them no harm." + +This bidding they took, and went to Eric's house, and were with +him till Kari was ready to sail west across the sea to meet Earl +Sigurd. + +Then Eric made a feast for Kari, and gave him gifts, and Njal's +sons gifts too. After that Kari fared west across the sea, and +met Earl Sigurd, and he greeted them very well, and they were +with the earl that winter. + +But when the spring came, Kari asked Njal's sons to go on warfare +with him, but Grim said they would only do so if he would fare +with them afterwards out to Iceland. Kari gave his word to do +that, and then they fared with him a-searoving. They harried +south about Anglesea and all the Southern isles. Thence they +held on to Cantyre, and landed there, and fought with the +landsmen, and got thence much goods, and so fared to their ships. +Thence they fared south to Wales, and harried there. Then +they held on for Alan, and there they met Godred, and fought with +him, and got the victory, and slew Dungal the king's son. There +they took great spoil. Thence they held on north to Coll, and +found Earl Gilli there, and he greeted them well and there they +stayed with him a while. The earl fared with them to the Orkneys +to meet Earl Sigurd, but next spring Earl Sigurd gave away his +sister Nereida to Earl Gilli, and then he fared back to the +Southern isles. + + + +89. NJAL'S SONS AND KARI COME OUT TO ICELAND + +That summer Kari and Njal's sons busked them for Iceland, and +when they were "all-boun" they went to see the earl. The earl +gave them good gifts, and they parted with great friendship. + +Now they put to sea and have a short passage, and they got a fine +fair breeze, and made the land at Eyrar. Then they got them +horses and ride from the ship to Bergthorsknoll, but when they +came home all men were glad to see them. They flitted home their +goods and laid up the ship, and Kari was there that winter with +Njal. + +But the spring after, Kari asked for Njal's daughter, Helga, to +wife, and Helgi and Grim backed his suit; and so the end of it +was that she was betrothed to Kari and the day for the wedding- +feast was fixed, and the feast was held half a month before +mid-summer, and they were that winter with Njal. + +Then Kari bought him land at Dyrholms, east away by Mydale, and +set up a farm there; they put in there a grieve and housekeeper +to see after the farm, but they themselves were ever with Njal. + + + +90. THE QUARREL OF NJAL'S SONS WITH THRAIN SIGFUS' SON + +Hrapp owned a farm at Hrappstede, but for all that he was always +at Gritwater, and he was thought to spoil everything there. +Thrain was good to him. + +Once on a time it happened that Kettle of the Mark was at +Bergthorsknoll; then Njal's sons told him of their wrongs and +hardships, and said they had much to lay at Thrain Sigfus son's +door, whenever they chose to speak about it. + +NjaI said it would be best that Kettle should talk with his +brother Thrain about it, and he gave his word to do so. + +So they gave Kettle breathing-time to talk to Thrain. + +A little after they spoke of the matter again to Kettle, but he +said that be would repeat few of the words that had passed +between them, "For it was pretty plain that Thrain thought I set +too great store on being your brother-in-law." + +Then they dropped talking about it, and thought they saw that +things looked ugly, and so they asked their father for his +counsel as to what was to be done, but they told him they would +not let things rest as they then stood. + +"Such things," said Njal, "are not so strange. It will be +thought that they are slain without a cause, if they are slain +now, and my counsel is, that as many men as may be should be +brought to talk with them about these things, and thus as many as +we can find may be ear-witnesses if they answer ill as to these +things. Then Kari shall talk about them too, for he is just the +man with the right turn of mind for this; then the dislike +between you will grow and grow, for they will heap bad words on +bad words when men bring the matter forward, for they are foolish +men. It may also well be that it may be said that my sons are +slow to take up a quarrel, but ye shall bear that for the sake of +gaining time, for there are two sides to everything that is done, +and ye can always pick a quarrel; but still ye shall let so much +of your purpose out, as to say that if any wrong be put upon you +that ye do mean something. But if ye had taken counsel from me +at first, then these things should never have been spoken about +at all, and then ye would have gotten no disgrace from them; but +now ye have the greatest risk of it, and so it will go on ever +growing and growing with your disgrace, that ye will never get +rid of it until ye bring yourselves into a strait, and have to +fight your way out with weapons; but in that there is a long and +weary night in which ye will have to grope your way." + +After that they ceased speaking about it; but the matter became +the daily talk of many men. + +One day it happened that those brothers spoke to Kari and bade +him go to Gritwater. Kari said he thought he might go +elsewhither on a better journey, but still he would go if that +were Njal's counsel. So after that Kari fares to meet Thrain, +and then they talk over the matter, and they did not each look at +it in the same way. + +Kari comes home, and Njal's sons ask how things had gone between +Thrain and him. Kari said he would rather not repeat the words +that had passed, "But," he went on, "it is to be looked for that +the like words will be spoken when ye yourselves can hear them." + +Thrain had fifteen house-carles trained to arms in his house, and +eight of them rode with him whithersoever he went. Thrain was +very fond of show and dress, and always rode in a blue cloak, and +had on a gilded helm, and the spear -- the earl's gift -- in his +band, and a fair shield, and a sword at his belt. Along with him +always went Gunnar Lambi's son, and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Grani +Gunnar of Lithend's son. But nearest of all to him went Killing- +Hrapp. Lodinn was the name of his serving-man, he too went with +Thrain when he journeyed; Tjorvi was the name of Lodinn's +brother, and he too was one of Thrain's band. The worst of all, +in their words against Njal's sons, were Hrapp and Grani; and it +was mostly their doing that no atonement was offered to them. + +Njal's sons often spoke to Kari that he should ride with them; +and it came to that at last, for he said it would be well that +they heard Thrain's answer. + +Then they busked them, four of Njal's sons, and Kari the fifth, +and so they fare to Gritwater. + +There was a wide porch in the homestead there, so that many men +might stand in it side by side. There was a woman out of doors, +and she saw their coming, and told Thrain of it; he bade them to +go out into the porch, and take their arms, and they did so. + +Thrain stood in mid-door, but Killing-Hrapp and Grani Gunnar's +son stood on either hand of him; then next stood Gunnar Lambi's +son, then Lodinn and Tjorvi, then Lambi Sigurd's son; then each +of the others took his place right and left; for the house-carles +were all at home. + +Skarphedinn and his men walk up from below, and he went first, +then Kari, then Hauskuld, then Grim, then Helgi. But when they +had come up to the door, then not a word of welcome passed the +lips of those who stood before them. + +"May we all be welcome here?" said Skarphedinn. + +Hallgerda stood in the porch, and had been talking low to Hrapp, +then she spoke out loud: "None of those who are here will say +that ye are welcome." + +Then Skarphedinn sang a song: + + "Prop of sea-waves' fire (1), thy fretting + Cannot cast a weight on us, + Warriors wight; yes, wolf and eagle + Willingly I feed to-day; + Carline thrust into the ingle, + Or a tramping whore, art thou; + Lord of skates that skim the sea-belt (2), + Odin's mocking cup (3) I mix" + +"Thy words," said Skarphedinn, "will not be worth much, for thou +art either a hag, only fit to sit in the ingle, or a harlot." + +"These words of thine thou shalt pay for," she says, "ere thou +farest home." + +"Thee am I come to see, Thrain," said Helgi, "and to know if thou +wilt make me any amends for those wrongs and hardships which +befell me for thy sake in Norway." + +"I never knew," said Thrain, "that ye two brothers were wont to +measure your manhood by money; or, how long shall such a claim +for amends stand over?" + +"Many will say," says Helgi, "that thou oughtest to offer us +atonement, since thy life was at stake." + +Then Hrapp said, "'Twas just luck that swayed the balance, when +he got stripes who ought to bear them; and she dragged you under +disgrace and hardships, but us away from them." + +"Little good luck was there in that," says Helgi, "to break faith +with the earl, and to take to thee instead." + +"Thinkest thou not that thou hast some amends to seek from me," +says Hrapp. "I will atone thee in a way that, methinks, were +fitting." + +"The only dealings we shall have," says Helgi, "will be those +which will not stand thee in good stead." + +"Don't bandy words with Hrapp," said Skarphedinn, "but give him a +red skin for a grey." (4) + +"Hold thy tongue, Skarphedinn," said Hrapp, "or I will not spare +to bring my axe on thy head." + +"'Twill be proved soon enough, I dare say," says Skarphedinn, +"which of us is to scatter gravel over the other's head." + +"Away with you home, ye `Dungbeardlings!'" says Hallgerda, "and +so we will call you always from this day forth; but your father +we will call `the Beardless Carle.'" + +They did not fare home before all who were there had made +themselves guilty of uttering those words, save Thrain; he +forbade men to utter them. + +Then Njal's sons went away, and fared till they came home, then +they told their father. + +"Did ye call any men to witness of those words?" says Njal. + +"We called none," says Skarphedinn; "we do not mean to follow +that suit up except on the battle-field." + +"No one will now think," says Bergthora, "that ye have the heart +to lift your weapons." + +"Spare thy tongue, mistress!" says Kari, "in egging on thy sons, +for they will be quite eager enough." + +After that they all talk long in secret, Njal and his sons, and +Kari Solmund's son, their brother-in-law. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(l) "Prop of sea-waves' fire," a periphrasis for woman that + bears gold on her arm. +(2) "Skates that skim." etc.. a periphrasis for ships. +(3) "Odin's mocking cup," mocking songs. +(4) An allusion to the Beast Epic, where the cunning fox laughs + at the flayed condition of his stupid foes, the wolf and + bear. We should say, "Don't stop to speak with him, but + rather beat him black and blue." + + + +91. THRAIN SIGFUS' SON'S SLAYING + +Now there was great talk about this quarrel of theirs, and all +seemed to know that it would not settle down peacefully. + +Runolf, the son of Wolf Aurpriest, east in the Dale, was a great +friend of Thrain's, and had asked Thrain to come and see him, and +it was settled that he should come east when about three weeks or +a month were wanting to winter. + +Thrain bade Hrapp, and Grani, and Gunnar Lambi's son, and Lambi +Sigurd's son, and Lodinn, and Tjorvi, eight of them in all, to go +on this journey with him. Hallgerda and Thorgerda were to go +too. At the same time Thrain gave it out that he meant to stay +in the Mark with his brother Kettle, and said how many nights he +meant to be away from home. + +They all of them had full arms. So they rode east across +Markfleet, and found there some gangrel women, and they begged +them to put them across the Fleet west on their horses, and they +did so. + +Then they rode into the Dale, and had a hearty welcome; there +Kettle of the Mark met them, and there they sate two nights. + +Both Runolf and Kettle besought Thrain that he would make up his +quarrel with Njal's sons; but he said he would never pay any +money, and answered crossly, for he said he thought himself quite +a match for Njal's sons wherever they met. + +"So it may be," says Runolf; "but so far as I can see, no man has +been their match since Gunnar of Lithend died and it is likelier +that ye will both drag one another down to death." + +Thrain said that was not to be dreaded. + +Then Thrain fared up into the Mark, and was there two nights +more; after that he rode down into the Dale, and was sent away +from both houses with fitting gifts. + +Now the Markfleet was then flowing between sheets of ice on both +sides, and there were tongues of ice bridging it across every +here and there. + +Thrain said that he meant to ride home that evening, but Runolf +said that he ought not to ride home; he said, too, that it would +be more wary not to fare back as he had said he would before he +left home. + +"That is fear, and I will none of it," answers Thrain. + +Now those gangrel women whom they had put across the Fleet came +to Bergthorsknoll, and Bergthora asked whence they came, but they +answered, "Away east under Eyjafell." + +"Then, who put you across Markfleet?" said Bergthora. + +"Those," said they, "who were the most boastful and bravest clad +of men." + +"Who?" asked Bergthora. + +"Thrain Sigfus' son," said they, "and his company, but we thought +it best to tell thee that they were so full-tonged towards this +house, against thy husband and his sons." + +"Listeners do not often hear good of themselves," says Bergthora. +After that they went their way, and Bergthora gave them gifts on +their going, and asked them when Thrain might be coming home. + +They said that he would be from home four or five nights. + +After that Bergthora told her sons and her son-in-law Kari, and +they talked long and low about the matter. + +But that same morning when Thrain and his men rode from the east, +Njal woke up early and heard how Skarphedinn's axe came against +the panel. + +Then Njal rises up, and goes out, and sees that his sons are all +there with their weapons, and Kari, his son-in-law too. +Skarphedinn was foremost. He was in a blue cape, and had a +targe, and his axe aloft on his shoulder. Next to him went +Helgi; he was in a red kirtle, had a helm on his head, and a red +shield, on which a hart was marked. Next to him went Kari; he +had on a silken jerkin, a gilded helm and shield, and on it was +drawn a lion. They were all in bright holiday clothes. + +Njal called out to Skarphedinn, "Whither art thou going, +kinsman?" + +"On a sheep hunt," he said. + +"So it was once before," said Njal, "but then ye hunted men." + +Skarphedinn laughed at that, and said, "Hear ye what the old man +says? He is not without his doubts." + +"When was it that thou spokest thus before," asks Kari. + +"When I slew Sigmund the White," says Skarphedinn, "Gunnar of +Lithend's kinsman." + +"For what?" asks Kari. + +"He had slain Thord Freedmanson, my foster-father." + +Njal went home, but they fared up into the Redslips, and bided +there; thence they could see the others as soon as ever they rode +from the east out of the Dale. + +There was sunshine that day and bright weather. + +Now Thrain and his men ride down out of the Dale along the river +bank. + +Lambi Sigurd's son said, "Shields gleam away yonder in the +Redslips when the sun shines on them, and there must be some men +lying in wait there." + +"Then," says Thrain, "we will turn our way lower down the Fleet, +and then they will come to meet us if they have any business with +us." + +So they turn down the Fleet. "Now they have caughtsight of us," +said Skarphedinn, "for lo! they turn their path elsewhither, and +now we have no other choice than to run down and meet them." + +"Many men," said Kari, "would rather not lie in wait if the +balance of force were not more on their side than it is on ours; +they are eight, but we are five." + +Now they turn down along the Fleet, and see a tongue of ice +bridging the stream lower down and mean to cross there. + +Thrain and his men take their stand upon the ice away from the +tongue, and Thrain said, "What can these men want? They are +five, and we are eight." + +"I guess," said Lambi Sigurd's son, "that they would still run +the risk though more men stood against them." + +Thrain throws off his cloak, and takes off his helm. + +Now it happened to Skarphedinn, as they ran down along the Fleet, +that his shoe-string snapped asunder, and he stayed behind. + +"Why so slow, Skarphedinn?" quoth Grim. + +"I am tying my shoe," he says. + +"Let us get on ahead," says Kari; "methinks he will not be slower +than we." + +So they turn off to the tongue, and run as fast as they can. +Skarphedinn sprang up as soon as he was ready, and had lifted his +axe, "the ogress of war," aloft, and runs right down to the +Fleet. But the Fleet was so deep that there was no fording it +for a long way up or down. + +A great sheet of ice had been thrown up by the flood on the other +side of the Fleet as smooth and slippery as glass, and there +Thrain and his men stood in the midst of the sheet. + +Skarphedinn takes a spring into the air, and leaps over the +stream between the icebanks, and does not check his course, but +rushes still onwards with a slide. The sheet of ice was very +slippery, and so he went as fast as a bird flies. Thrain was +just about to put his helm on his head; and now Skarphedinn bore +down on them, and hews at Thrain with his axe, "the ogress of +war," and smote him on the head, and clove him down to the teeth, +so that his jaw-teeth fell out on the ice. This feat was done +with such a quick sleight that no one could get a blow at him; he +glided away from them at once at full speed. Tjorvi, indeed, +threw his shield before him on the ice, but he leapt over it, and +still kept his feet, and slid quite to the end of the sheet of +ice. + +There Kari and his brothers came to meet him. + +"This was done like a man," says Kari. + +"Your share is still left," says Skarphedinn, and sang a song: + + "To the strife of swords not slower, + After all, I came than you, + For with ready stroke the sturdy + Squanderer of wealth I felled; + But since Grim's and Helgi's sea-stag (1) + Norway's Earl erst took and stripped, + Now 'tis time for sea-fire bearers (2) + Such dishonour to avenge." + +And this other song he sang: + + "Swiftly down I dashed my weapon, + Gashing giant, byrnie-breacher (3), + She, the noisy ogre's namesake (4), + Soon with flesh the ravens glutted; + Now your words to Hrapp remember, + On broad ice now rouse the storm, + With dull crash war's eager ogress + Battle's earliest note hath sung." + +"That befits us well, and we will do it well," says Helgi. + +Then they turn up towards them. Both Grim and Helgi see where +Hrapp is, and they turned on him at once. Hrapp hews at Grim +there and then with his axe; Helgi sees this and cuts at Hrapp's +arm, and cut it off, and down fell the axe. + +"In this," says Hrapp, "thou hast done a most needful work, for +this hand hath wrought harm and death to many a man." + +"And so here an end shall be put to it," says Grim; and with +that he ran him through with a spear, and then Hrapp fell down +dead. + +Tjorvi turns against Kari and hurls a spear at him. Kari leapt +up in the air, and the spear flew below his feet. Then Kari +rushes at him, and hews at him on the breast with his sword, and +the blow passed at once into his chest, and he got his death +there and then. + +Then Skarphedinn seizes both Gunnar Lambi's son, and Grani +Gunnar's son, and said, "Here have I caught two whelps! but what +shall we do with them? + +"It is in thy power," says Helgi, "to slay both or either of +them, if you wish them dead." + +"I cannot find it in my heart to do both -- help Hogni and slay +his brother," says Skarphedinn. + +"Then the day will once come," says Helgi, "when thou wilt wish +that thou hadst slain him, for never will he be true to thee, nor +will any one of the others who are now here." + +"I shall not fear them," answers Skarphedinn. + +After that they gave peace to Grani Gunnar's son, and Gunnar +Lambi's son, and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Lodinn. + +After that they went down to the Fleet where Skarphedinn had +leapt over it, and Kari and the others measured the length of the +leap with their spear-shafts, and it was twelve ells (5). + +Then they turned homewards, and Njal asked what tidings. They +told him all just as it had happened, and Njal said, "These are +great tidings, and it is more likely that hence will come the +death of one of my sons, if not more evil." + +Gunnar Lambi's son bore the body of Thrain with him to Gritwater, +and he was laid in a cairn there. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Sea-stag," periphrasis for ship. +(2) "Sea-fire bearers," the bearers of gold, men, that is, Helgi + and Grim. +(3) "Byrnie-breacher," piercer of coats of mail. +(4) "Noisy ogre's namesake," an allusion to the name of Skarp + hedinn's axe, "the ogress of war." +(5) Twelve ells, about twenty-four feet (the Norse ell being + something more than two feet), a good jump, but not beyond + the power of man. Comp. "Orkn. Saga", ch. 113, new ed., + vol. i., 457, where Earl Harold leaps nine ells over a dike. + + + +92. KETTLE TAKES HAUSKULD AS HIS FOSTER-SON + +Kettle of the Mark had to wife Thorgerda Njal's daughter, but he +was Thrain's brother, and he thought he was come into a strait, +so he rode to Njal's house, and asked whether he were willing to +atone in any way for Thrain's slaying? + +"I will atone for it handsomely," answered Njal; "and my wish is +that thou shouldst look after the matter with thy brothers who +have to take the price of the atonement, that they may be ready +to join in it." + +Kettle said he would do so with all his heart, and Kettle rode +home first; a little after, he summoned all his brothers to +Lithend, and then he had a talk with them; and Hogni was on his +side all through the talk; and so it came about that men were +chosen to utter the award; and a meeting was agreed on, and the +fair price of a man was awarded for Thrain's slaying, and they +all had a share in the blood-money who had a lawful right to it. +After that pledges of peace and good faith were agreed to, and +they were settled in the most sure and binding way. + +Njal paid down all the money out of hand well and bravely; and so +things were quiet for a while. + +One day Njal rode up into the Mark, and he and Kettle talked +together the whole day; Njal rode home at even, and no man knew +of what they had taken counsel. + +A little after Kettle fares to Gritwater, and he said to +Thorgerda, "Long have I loved my brother Thrain much, and now I +will shew it, for I will ask Hauskuld Thrain's son to be my +foster-child." + +"Thou shalt have thy choice of this," she says; "and thou shalt +give this lad all the help in thy power when he is grown up, and +avenge him if he is slain with weapons, and bestow money on him +for his wife's dower; and besides, thou shalt swear to do all +this." + +Now Hauskuld fares home with Kettle, and is with him some time. + + + +93. NJAL TAKES HAUSKULD TO FOSTER + +Once on a time Njal rides up into the Mark, and he had a hearty +welcome. He was there that night, and in the evening Njal called +out to the lad Hauskuld, and he went up to him at once. + +Njal had a ring of gold on his hand, and showed it to the lad. +He took hold of the gold, and looked at it, and put it on his +finger. + +"Wilt thou take the gold as a gift?" said Njal. + +"That I will," said the lad. + +"Knowest thou," says Njal, "what brought thy father to his +death?" + +"I know," answers the lad, "that Skarphedinn slew him; but we +need not keep that in mind, when an atonement has been made for +it, and a full price paid for him." + +"Better answered than asked," said Njal; "and thou wilt live to +be a good man and true," he adds. + +"Methinks thy forecasting," says Hauskuld, "is worth having, for +I know that thou art foresighted and unlying." + +"Now will I offer to foster thee," said Njal, "if thou wilt take +the offer." + +He said he would be willing to take both that honour and any +other good offer which he might make. So the end of the matter +was, that Hauskuld fared home with Njal as his foster-son. + +He suffered no harm to come nigh the lad, and loved him much. +Njal's sons took him about with them, and did him honour in every +way. And so things go on till Hauskuld is full grown. He was +both tall and strong; the fairest of men to look on, and well +haired; blithe of speech, bountiful, well behaved; as well +trained to arms as the best; fairspoken to all men, and much +beloved. + +Njal's sons and Hauskuld were never apart, either in word or +deed. + + + +94. OF FLOSI THORD'S SON + +There was a man named Flosi, he was the son of Thord Freyspriest +(1). Flosi had to wife Steinvora, daughter of Hall of the Side. +She was base born, and her mother's name was Solvora, daughter of +Herjolf the White. Flosi dwelt at Swinefell, and was a mighty +chief. He was tall of stature, and strong, withal, the most +forward and boldest of men. His brother's name was Starkad (2); +he was not by the same mother as Flosi. + +The other brothers of Flosi were Thorgeir and Stein, Kolbein and +Egil. Hildigunna was the name of the daughter of Starkad Flosi's +brother. She was a proud, high-spirited maiden, and one of the +fairest of women. She was so skilful with her hands, that few +women were equally skilful. She was the grimmest and hardest- +hearted of all women; but still a woman of open hand and heart +when any fitting call was made upon her. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Thord was the son of Auzur, the son of Asbjorn Eyjangr the + son of Bjorn, the son of Helgi, the son of Bjorn the + Roughfooted, the son of Grim, the Lord of Sogn. The mother + of Flosi was Ingunna, daughter of Thorir of Espihole, the + son of Hamond Hellskin, the son of Hjor, the son of Half, + who ruled over the men of Half, the son of Hjorfeif, the + lover of women. The mother of Thorir was Ingunna, daughter + of Helgi the Lean, who took the land round Eyjafirth, as the + first settler. +(2) The mother of Starkad was Thraslauga, daughter of Thorstein + titling the son of Gerleif; but the mother of Thraslauga was + Aud; she was a daughter of Eyvind Karf, one of the first + settlers, and sister of Modolf the Wise. + + + +95. OF HALL OF THE SIDE + +Hall was the name of a man who was called Hall of the Side. He +was the son of Thorstein Baudvar's son (1). Hall had to wife +Joreida, daughter of Thidrandi (2) the Wise. Thorstein was the +name of Hall's brother, and he was nick-named Broad-paunch. His +son was Kol, whom Kari slays in Wales. The sons of Hall of the +Side were Thorstein and Egil, Thorwald and Ljot, and Thidrandi, +whom, it is said, the goddesses slew. + +There was a man named Thorir, whose surname was Holt-Thorir; his +sons were these: -- Thorgeir Craggeir, and Thorleif Crow, from +whom the Wood-dwellers are come, and Thorgrim the Big. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Hall's mother's name was Thordisa, and she was a daughter of + Auzur, the son of Hrodlaug, the son of Earl Rognvald of + Maeren, the son of Eystein the Noisy. +(2) Thidrandi was the son of Kettle Rumble, the son of Thorir, + the son of Thidrandi of Verudale. The brothers of Thidrandi + were Kettle Rumble, in Njordwick, and Thorwald, the father + of Helgi Droplaug's son. Hallkatla was the sister of + Joreida. She was the mother of Thorkel Geiti's son, and + Thidrandi. + + + +96. OF THE CHANGE OF FAITH + +There had been a change of rulers in Norway, Earl Hacon was dead +and gone, but in his stead was come Olaf Tryggvi's son. That was +the end of Earl Hacon, that Kark the thrall cut his throat at +Rimul in Gaulardale. + +Along with that was heard that there had been a change of faith +in Norway; they had cast off the old faith, but King Olaf had +christened the western lands, Shetland, and the Orkneys, and the +Faroe Isles. + +Then many men spoke so that Njal heard it, that it was a strange +and wicked thing to throw off the old faith. + +Then Njal spoke and said, "It seems to me as though this new +faith must be much better, and he will be happy who follows this +rather than the other; and if those men come out hither who +preach this faith, then I will back them well." + +He went often alone away from other men and muttered to himself. + +That same harvest a ship came out into the firths east to +Berufirth, at a spot called Gautawick. The captain's name was +Thangbrand. He was a son of Willibald, a count of Saxony. +Thangbrand was sent out hither by King Olaf Tryggvi's son, to +preach the faith. Along with him came that man of Iceland whose +name was Gudleif (1). Gudleif was a great man-slayer, and one of +the strongest of men, and hardy and forward in everything. + +Two brothers dwelt at Beruness; the name of the one was Thorleif, +but the other was Kettle. They were sons of Holmstein, the son +of Auzur of Broaddale. These brothers held a meeting and forbade +men to have any dealings with them. This Hall of the Side heard. +He dwelt at Thvattwater in Alftafirth; he rode to the ship with +twenty-nine men, and he fares at once to find Thangbrand, and +spoke to him and asked him, "Trade is rather dull, is it not?" + +He answered that so it was. + +"Now will I say my errand," says Hall; "it is, that I wish to ask +you all to my house, and run the risk of my being able to get rid +of your wares for you." + +Thangbrand thanked him, and fared to Thvattwater that harvest. + +It so happened one morning that Thangbrand was out early and made +them pitch a tent on land, and sang mass in it, and took much +pains with it, for it was a great high day. + +Hall spoke to Thangbrand and asked, "In memory of whom keepest +thou this day?" + +"In memory of Michael the archangel," says Thangbrand. + +"What follows that angel?" asks Hall. + +"Much good," says Thangbrand. "He will weigh all the good that +thou doest, and he is so merciful, that whenever any one pleases +him, he makes his good deeds weigh more." + +"I would like to have him for my friend," says Hall. + +"That thou mayest well have," says Thangbrand, "only give thyself +over to him by God's help this very day." + +"I only make this condition," says Hall, "that thou givest thy +word for him that he will then become my guardian angel." + +"That I will promise," says Thangbrand. + +Then Hall was baptized, and all his household. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) He was the son of Ari, the son of Mar, the son of Atli, the + son of Wolf Squinteye, the son of Hogni the White, the son + of Otryg, the son of Oblaud, the son of Hjorleif the lover + of women, King of Hordaland. + + + +97. OF THANGBRAND'S JOURNEYS + +The spring after Thangbrand set out to preach Christianity, and +Hall went with him. But when they came west across Lonsheath to +Staffell, there they found a man dwelling named Thorkell. He +spoke most against the faith, and challenged Thangbrand to single +combat. Then Thangbrand bore a rood-cross (1) before his shield, +and the end of their combat was that Thangbrand won the day and +slew Thorkell. + +Thence they fared to Hornfirth and turned in as guests at +Borgarhaven, west of Heinabergs sand. There Hilldir the Old +dwelt (2), and then Hilldir and all his household took upon them +the new faith. + +Thence they fared to Fellcombe, and went in as guests to +Calffell. There dwelt Kol Thorstein's son, Hall's kinsman, and +he took upon him the faith and all his house. + +Thence they fared to Swinefell, and Flosi only took the sign of +the cross, but gave his word to back them at the Thing. + +Thence they fared west to Woodcombe, and went in as guests at +Kirkby. There dwelt Surt Asbjorn's son, the son of Thorstein, +the son of Kettle the Foolish. These had all of them been +Christians from father to son. + +After that they fared out of Woodcombe on to Headbrink. By that +time the story of their journey was spread far and wide. There +was a man named Sorcerer-Hedinn who dwelt in Carlinedale. There +heathen men made a bargain with him that he should put Thangbrand +to death with all his company. He fared upon Arnstacksheath, and +there made a great sacrifice when Thangbrand was riding from the +east. Then the earth burst asunder under his horse, but he +sprang off his horse and saved himself on the brink of the gulf, +but the earth swallowed up the horse and all his harness, and +they never saw him more. + +Then Thangbrand praised God. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Rood-cross, a crucifix. +(2) His son was Glum who fared to the burning with Flosi. + + + +98. OF THANGBRAND AND GUDLEIF + +Gudleif now searches for Sorcerer-Hedinn and finds him on the +heath, and chases him down into Carlinedale, and got within +spearshot of him, and shoots a spear at him and through him. + +Thence they fared to Dyrholms and held a meeting there, and +preached the faith there, and there Ingialld, the son of +Thorsteinn Highbankawk, became a Christian. + +Thence they fared to the Fleetlithe and preached the faith there. +There Weatherlid the Skald, and Ari his son, spoke most against +the faith, and for that they slew Weatherlid, and then this song +was sung about it -- + + "He who proved his blade on bucklers, + South went through the land to whet + Brand that oft hath felled his foeman, + 'Gainst the forge which foams with song (1); + Mighty wielder of war's sickle + Made his sword's avenging edge + Hard on hero's helm-prop rattle (2), + Skull of Weatherlid the Skald." + +Thence Thangbrand fared to Bergthorsknoll, and Njal took the +faith and all his house, but Mord and Valgard went much against +it, and thence they fared out across the rivers; so they went on +into Hawkdale and there they baptized Hall (3), and he was then +three winters old. + +Thence Thangbrand fared to Grimsness, there Thorwald the Scurvy +gathered a band against him, and sent word to Wolf Uggi's son +that he must fare against Thangbrand and slay him, and made this +song on him -- + + "To the wolf in Woden's harness, + Uggi's worthy warlike son, + I, steel's swinger dearly loving, + This my dimple bidding send; + That the wolf of Gods (4) he chaseth -- + Man who snaps at chink of gold -- + Wolf who base our Gods blasphemeth, + I the other wolf (5) will crush." + +Wolf sang another song in return: + + "Swarthy skarf from mouth that skimmeth + Of the man who speaks in song + Never will I catch, though surely + Wealthy warrior it hath sent; + Tender of the sea-horse snorting, + E'en though ill deeds are on foot, + Still to risk mine eyes are open; + Harmful 'tis to snap at flies (6)." + +"And," says he, "I don't mean to be made a catspaw by him, but +let him take heed lest his tongue twists a noose for his own +neck." + +And after that the messenger fared back to Thorwald the Scurvy +and told him Wolf's words. Thorwald had many men about him, and +gave it out that he would lie in wait for them on Bluewood-heath. + +Now those two, Thangbrand and Gudleif, ride out of Hawkdale, and +there they came upon a man who rode to meet them. That man asked +for Gudleif, and when he found him he said, "Thou shalt gain by +being the brother of Thorgil of Reykiahole, for I will let thee +know that they have set many ambushes, and this too, that +Thorwald the Scurvy is now with his band at Hestbeck on +Grimsness." + +"We shall not the less for all that ride to meet him," says +Gudleif, and then they turned down to Hestbeck. Thorwald was +then come across the brook, and Gudleif said to Thangbrand, "Here +is now Thorwald; let us rush on him now." + +Thangbrand shot a spear through Thorwald, but Gudleif smote him +on the shoulder and hewed his arm off, and that was his death. + +After that they ride up to the Thing, and it was a near thing +that the kinsmen of Thorwald had fallen on Thangbrand, but Njal +and the eastfirthers stood by Thangbrand. + +Then Hjallti Skeggi's son sang this rhyme at the Hill of Laws: + + "Ever will I Gods blaspheme + Freyja methinks a dog does seem, + Freyja a dog? Aye! let them be + Both dogs together Odin and she (7)." + +Hjallti fared abroad that summer and Gizur the White with him, +but Thangbrand's ship was wrecked away east at Bulandsness, and +the ship's name was Bison. + +Thangbrand and his messmate fared right through the west country, +and Steinvora, the mother of Ref the Skald, came against him; she +preached the heathen faith to Thangbrand and made him a long +speech. Thangbrand held his peace while she spoke, but made a +long speech after her, and turned all that she had said the wrong +way against her. + +"Hast thou heard," she said, "how Thor challenged Christ to +single combat, and how he did not dare to fight with Thor?" + +"I have heard tell," says Thangbrand, "that Thor was naught but +dust and ashes, if God had not willed that he should live." + +"Knowest thou," she says, "who it was that shattered thy ship?" + +"What hast thou to say about that?" he asks. + +"That I will tell thee," she says: + + "He that giant's offspring (8) slayeth + Broke the mew-field's bison stout (9), + Thus the Gods, bell's warder (10) grieving, + Crushed the falcon of the strand (11); + To the courser of the causeway (12) + Little good was Christ I ween, + When Thor shattered ships to pieces + Gylfi's hart (13) no God could help." + +And again she sung another song: + + "Thangbrand's vessel from her moorings, + Sea-king's steed, Thor wrathful tore, + Shook and shattered all her timbers, + Hurled her broadside on the beach; + Ne'er again shall Viking's snow-shoe (14), + On the briny billows glide, + For a storm by Thor awakened, + Dashed the bark to splinters small." + +After that Thangbrand and Steinvora parted, and they fared west +to Bardastrand. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Forge which foams with song," the poet's head, in which + songs are forged, and gush forth like foaming mead. +(2) "Hero's helm-prop," the hero's, man's, head which supports + his helm. +(3) It is needless to say that this Hall was not Hall of the + Side. +(4) "Wolf of Gods," the "caput lupinum," the outlaw of heaven, + the outcast from Valhalla, Thangbrand. +(5) "The other wolf," Gudleif. +(6) "Swarthy skarf," the skarf, or "pelecanus carbo", the + cormorant. He compares the message of Thorwald to the + cormorant skimming over the waves, and says he will never + take it. "Snap at flies," a very common Icelandic metaphor + from fish rising to a fly. +(7) Maurer thinks the allusion is here to some mythological + legend on Odin's adventures which has not come down to us. +(8) "He that giant's," etc., Thor. +(9) "Mew-field's bison," the sea-going ship, which sails over + the plain of the sea-mew. +(10) "Bell's warder," the Christian priest whose bell-ringing + formed part of the rites of the new faith. +(11) "Falcon of the strand," ship. +(12) "Courser of the causeway," ship. +(13) "Gylfi's hart," ship. +(14) "Viking's snow-shoe," sea-king's ship. + + + +99. OF GEST ODDLEIF'S SON + +Gest Oddleit's son dwelt at Hagi on Bardastrand. He was one of +the wisest of men, so that he foresaw the fates and fortunes of +men. He made a feast for Thangbrand and his men. They fared to +Hagi with sixty men. Then it was said that there were two +hundred heathen men to meet them, and that a Baresark was looked +for to come thither, whose name was Otrygg, and all were afraid +of him. Of him such great things as these were said, that he +feared neither fire nor sword, and the heathen men were sore +afraid at his coming. Then Thangbrand asked if men were willing +to take the faith, but all the heathen met spoke against it. + +"Well," says Thangbrand, "I will give you the means whereby ye +shall prove whether my faith is better. We will hallow two +fires. The heathen men shall hallow one and I the other, but a +third shall be unhallowed; and if the Baresark is afraid of the +one that I hallow, but treads both the others, then ye shall take +the faith." + +"That is well spoken," says Gest, "and I will agree to this for +myself and my household." + +And when Gest had so spoken, then many more agreed to it. + +Then it was said that the Baresark was coming up to the +homestead, and then the fires were made and burnt strong. Then +men took their arms and sprang up on the benches, and so +waited. + +The Baresark rushed in with his weapons. He comes into the room, +and treads at once the fire which the heathen men had hallowed, +and so comes to the fire that Thangbrand had hallowed, and dares +not to tread it, but said that he was on fire all over. He hews +with his sword at the bench, but strikes a crossbeam as he +brandished the weapon aloft. Thangbrand smote the arm of the +Baresark with his crucifix, and so mighty a token followed that +the sword fell from the Baresark's hand. + +Then Thangbrand thrusts a sword into his breast, and Gudleif +smote him on the arm and hewed it off. Then many went up and +slew the Baresark. + +After that Thangbrand asked if they would take the faith now? + +Gest said he had only spoken what he meant to keep to. + +Then Thangbrand baptized Gest and all his house and many others. +Then Thangbrand took counsel with Gest whether he should go any +further west among the firths, but Gest set his face against +that, and said they were a hard race of men there, and ill to +deal with, "but if it be foredoomed that this faith shall make +its way, then it will be taken as law at the Althing, and then +all the chiefs out of the districts will be there." + +"I did all that I could at the Thing," says Thangbrand, "and it +was very uphill work." + +"Still thou hast done most of the work," says Gest, "though it +may be fated that others shall make Christianity law; but it is +here as the saying runs, `No tree falls at the first stroke.'" + +After that Gest gave Thangbrand good gifts, and he fared back +south. Thangbrand fared to the Southlander's Quarter, and so to +the Eastfirths. He turned in as a guest at Bergthorsknoll, and +Njal gave him good gifts. Thence he rode east to Alftafirth to +meet Hall of the Side. He caused his ship to be mended, and +heathen men called it "Iron-basket." On board that ship +Thangbrand fared abroad, and Gudleif with him. + + + +100. OF GIZUR THE WHITE AND HJALLTI + +That same summer Hjallti Skeggi's son was outlawed at the Thing +for blasphemy against the Gods. + +Thangbrand told King Olaf of all the mischief that the Icelanders +had done to him, and said that they were such sorcerers there +that the earth burst asunder under his horse and swallowed up the +horse. + +Then King Olaf was so wroth that he made them seize all the men +from Iceland and set them in dungeons, and meant to slay them. + +Then they, Gizur the White and Hjallti, came up and offered to +lay themselves in pledge for those men, and fare out to Iceland +and preach the faith. The king took this well, and they got them +all set free again. + +Then Gizur and Hjallti busked their ship for Iceland, and were +soon "boun." They made the land at Eyrar when ten weeks of +summer had passed; they got them horses at once, but left other +men to strip their ship. Then they ride with thirty men to the +Thing, and sent word to the Christian men that they must be ready +to stand by them. + +Hjallti stayed behind at Reydarmull, for he had heard that he had +been made an outlaw for blasphemy, but when they came to the +"Boiling Kettle" (1) down below the brink of the Rift (2), there +came Hjallti after them, and said he would not let the heathen +men see that he was afraid of them. + +Then many Christian men rode to meet them, and they ride in +battle array to the Thing. The heathen men had drawn up their +men in array to meet them, and it was a near thing that the whole +body of the Thing had come to blows, but still it did not go so +far. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Boiling kettle." This was a hyer, or hot spring. +(2) This was the "Raven's Rift," opposite to the "Great Rift" on + the other side of Thingfield. + + + +101. OF THORGEIR OF LIGHTWATER + +There was a man named Thorgeir who dwelt at Lightwater; he was +the son of Tjorfi, the son of Thorkel the Long, the son of Kettle +Longneck. His mother's name was Thoruna, and she was the +daughter of Thorstein, the son of Sigmund, the son of Bard of the +Nip. Gudrida was the name of his wife; she was a daughter of +Thorkel the Black of Hleidrargarth. His brother was Worm Wallet- +back, the father of Hlenni the Old of Saurby (1). + +The Christian men set up their booths, and Gizur the White and +Hjallti were in the booths of the men from Mossfell. The day +after both sides went to the Hill of Laws, and each, the +Christian men as well as the heathen, took witness, and declared +themselves out of the other's laws, and then there was such an +uproar on the Hill of Laws that no man could hear the other's +voice. + +After that men went away, and all thought things looked like the +greatest entanglement. The Christian men chose as their Speaker +Hall of the Side, but Hall went to Thorgeir, the priest of +Lightwater, who was the old Speaker of the law, and gave him +three marks of silver (2) to utter what the law should be, but +still that was most hazardous counsel, since he was an heathen. + +Thorgeir lay all that day on the ground, and spread a cloak over +his head, so that no man spoke with him; but the day after men +went to the Hill of Laws, and then Thorgeir bade them be silent +and listen, and spoke thus: "It seems to me as though our matters +were come to a dead lock, if we are not all to have one and the +same law; for if there be a sundering of the laws, then there +will be a sundering of the peace, and we shall never be able to +live in the land. Now, I will ask both Christian men and heathen +whether they will hold to those laws which I utter?" + +They all said they would. + +He said he wished to take an oath of them, and pledges that they +would hold to them, and they all said "yea" to that, and so he +took pledges from them. + +"This is the beginning of our laws," he said, "that all men shall +be Christian here in the land, and believe in one God, the +Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, but leave off all idol- +worship, not expose children to perish, and not eat horseflesh. +It shall be outlawry if such things are proved openly against any +man; but if these things are done by stealth, then it shall be +blameless." + +But all this heathendom was all done away with within a few +years' space, so that those things were not allowed to be done +either by stealth or openly. + +Thorgeir then uttered the law as to keeping the Lord's day and +fast days, Yuletide and Easter, and all the greatest highdays and +holidays. + +The heathen men thought they had been greatly cheated; but still +the true faith was brought into the law, and so all men became +Christian here in the land. + +After that men fare home from the Thing. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Kettle and Thorkel were both sons of Thorir Tag, the son of + Kettle the Seal, the son of Ornolf, the son of Bjornolf, the + son of Grim Hairycheek, the son of Kettle Haeing, the son of + Hallbjorn Halftroll of Ravensfood. +(2) This was no bribe, but his lawful fee. + + + +102. THE WEDDING OF HAUSKULD, THE PRIEST OF WHITENESS + +Now we must take up the story, and say that Njal spoke thus to +Hauskuld, his foster-son, and said, "I would seek thee a match." + +Hauskuld bade him settle the matter as he pleased, and asked +whether he was most likely to turn his eyes. + +"There is a woman called Hildigunna," answers Njal, "and she is +the daughter of Starkad, the son of Thord Freyspriest. She is +the best match I know of." + +"See thou to it, foster-father," said Hauskuld; "that shall be my +choice which thou choosest." + +"Then we will look thitherward," says Njal. + +A little while after, Njal called on men to go along with him. +Then the sons of Sigfus, and Njal's sons, and Kari Solmund's son, +all of them fared with him and they rode east to Swinefell. + +There they got a hearty welcome. + +The day after, Njal and Flosi went to talk alone, and the speech +of Njal ended thus, that he said, "This is my errand here, that +we have set out on a wooing-journey, to ask for thy kinswoman +Hildigunna." + +"At whose hand?" says Flosi. + +"At the hand of Hauskuld, my foster-son," says Njal. + +"Such things are well meant," says Flosi, "but still ye run each +of you great risk, the one from the other; but what hast thou to +say of Hauskuld?" + +"Good I am able to say of him," says Njal; "and besides, I will +lay down as much money as will seem fitting to thy niece and +thyself, if thou wilt think of making this match. + +"We will call her hither," says Flosi, "and know how she looks on +the man." + +Then Hildigunna was called, and she came thither. + +Flosi told her of the wooing, but she said she was a proudhearted +woman. + +"And I know not how things will turn out between me and men of +like spirit; but this, too, is not the least of my dislike, that +this man has no priesthood or leadership over men, but thou hast +always said that thou wouldest not wed me to a man who had not +the priesthood." + +"This is quite enough," says Flosi, "if thou wilt not be wedded +to Hauskuld, to make me take no more pains about the match." + +"Nay! " she says, "I do not say that I will not be wedded to +Hauskuld if they can get him a priesthood or a leadership over +men; but otherwise I will have nothing to say to the match." + +"Then," said Njal, "I will beg thee to let this match stand over +for three winters, that I may see what I can do." + +Flosi said that so it should be. + +"I will only bargain for this one thing," says Hildigunna, "if +this match comes to pass, that we shall stay here away east." + +Njal said he would rather leave that to Hauskuld, but Hauskuld +said that he put faith in many men, but in none so much as his +foster-father. + +Now they ride from the east. + +Njal sought to get a priesthood and leadership for Hauskuld, but +no one was willing to sell his priesthood, and now the summer +passes away till the Althing. + +There were great quarrels at the Thing that summer, and many a +man then did as was their wont, in faring to see Njal; but he +gave such counsel in men's lawsuits as was not thought at all +likely, so that both the pleadings and the defence came to +naught, and out of that great strife arose, when the lawsuits +could not be brought to an end, and men rode home from the Thing +unatoned. + +Now things go on till another Thing comes. Njal rode to the +Thing, and at first all is quiet until Njal says that it is high +time for men to give notice of their suits. + +Then many said that they thought that came to little, when no man +could get his suit settled, even though the witnesses were +summoned to the Althing, "and so," say they, "we would rather +seek our rights with point and edge." + +"So it must not be," says Njal, "for it will never do to have no +law in the land. But yet ye have much to say on your side in +this matter, and it behoves us who know the law, and who are +bound to guide the law, to set men at one again, and to ensue +peace. 'Twere good counsel, then, methinks, that we call +together all the chiefs and talk the matter over." + +Then they go to the Court of Laws, and Njal spoke and said, +"Thee, Skapti Thorod's son and you other chiefs, I call on, and +say, that methinks our lawsuits have come into a dead lock, if we +have to follow up our suits in the Quarter Courts, and they get +so entangled that they can neither be pleaded nor ended. +Methinks, it were wiser if we had a Fifth Court, and there +pleaded those suits which cannot be brought to an end in the +Quarter Courts." + +"How," said Skapti, "wilt thou name a Fifth Court, when the +Quarter Court is named for the old priesthoods, three twelves in +each quarter?" + +"I can see help for that," says Njal, "by setting up new +priesthoods, and filling them with the men who are best fitted in +each Quarter, and then let those men who are willing to agree to +it, declare themselves ready to join the new priest's Thing." + +"Well," says Skapti, "we will take this choice; but what weighty +suits shall come before the court?" + +"These matters shall come before it," says Njal, -- "all matters +of contempt of the Thing, such as if men bear false witness, or +utter a false finding; hither, too, shall come all those suits in +which the judges are divided in opinion in the Quarter Court; +then they shall be summoned to the Fifth Court; so, too, if men +offer bribes, or take them, for their help in suits. In this +court all the oaths shall be of the strongest kind, and two men +shall follow every oath, who shall support on their words of +honour what the others swear. So it shall be also, if the +pleadings on one side are right in form, and the other wrong, +that the judgment shall be given for those that are right in +form. Every suit in this court shall be pleaded just as is now +done in the Quarter Court, save and except that when four twelves +are named in the Fifth Court, then the plaintiff shall name and +set aside six men out of the court, and the defendant other six; +but if he will not set them aside, then the plaintiff shall name +them and set them aside as he has done with his own six; but if +the plaintiff does not set them aside, then the suit comes to +naught, for three twelves shall utter judgment on all suits. We +shall also have this arrangement in the Court of Laws, that those +only shall have the right to make or change laws who sit on the +middle bench, and to this bench those only shall be chosen who +are wisest and best. There, too, shall the Fifth Court sit; but +if those who sit in the Court of Laws are not agreed as to what +they shall allow or bring in as law, then they shall clear the +court for a division, and the majority shall bind the rest; but +if any man who has a seat in the Court be outside the Court of +Laws and cannot get inside it, or thinks himself overborne in the +suit, then he shall forbid them by a protest, so that they can +hear it in the Court, and then he has made all their grants and +all their decisions void and of none effect, and stopped them by +his protest." + +After that, Skapti Thorod's son brought the Fifth Court into the +law, and all that was spoken of before. Then men went to the +Hill of Laws, and men set up new priesthoods: In the +Northlanders' Quarter were these new priesthoods. The priesthood +of the Melmen in Midfirth, and the Laufesingers' priesthood in +the Eyjafirth. + +Then Njal begged for a hearing, and spoke thus: "It is known to +many men what passed between my sons and the men of Gritwater +when they slew Thrain Sigfus' son. But for all that we settled +the matter; and now I have taken Hauskuld into my house, and +planned a marriage for him if he can get a priesthood anywhere; +but no man will sell his priesthood, and so I will beg you to +give me leave to set up a new priesthood at Whiteness for +Hauskuld." + +He got this leave from all, and after that he set up the new +priesthood for Hauskuld; and he was afterwards called Hauskuld, +the Priest of Whiteness. + +After that, men ride home from the Thing, and Njal stayed but a +short time at home ere he rides east to Swinefell, and his sons +with him, and again stirs in the matter of the marriage with +Flosi; but Flosi said he was ready to keep faith with them in +everything. + +Then Hildigunna was betrothed to Hauskuld, and the day for the +wedding feast was fixed, and so the matter ended. They then ride +home, but they rode again shortly to the bridal, and Flosi paid +down all her goods and money after the wedding, and all went off +well. + +They fared home to Bergthorsknoll, and were there the next year, +and all went well between Hildigunna and Bergthom. But the next +spring Njal bought land in Ossaby, and hands it over to Hauskuld, +and thither he fares to his own abode. Njal got him all his +household, and there was such love between them all, that none of +them thought anything that he said or did any worth unless the +others had a share in it. + +Hauskuld dwelt long at Ossaby, and each backed the other's +honour, and Njal's sons were always in Hauskuld's company. Their +friendship was so warm, that each house bade the other to a feast +every harvest, and gave each other great gifts; and so it goes on +for a long while. + + + +103. THE SLAYING OF HAUSKULD NJAL'S SON + +There was a man named Lyting; he dwelt at Samstede, and he had to +wife a woman named Steinvora; she was a daughter of Sigfus, and +Thrain's sister. Lyting was tall of growth and a strong man, +wealthy in goods and ill to deal with. + +It happened once that Lyting had a feast in his house at +Samstede, and he had bidden thither Hauskuld and the sons of +Sigfus, and they all came. There, too, was Grani Gunnar's son, +and Gunnar Lambi's son, and Lambi Sigurd's son. + +Hauskuld Njal's son and his mother had a farm at Holt, and he was +always riding to his farm from Bergthorsknoll, and his path lay +by the homestead at Samstede. Hauskuld had a son called Amund; +he had been born blind, but for all that he was tall and strong. +Lytina had two brothers -- the one's name was Hallstein, and the +other's Hallgrim. They were the most unruly of men, and they +were ever with their brother, for other men could not bear their +temper. + +Lyting was out of doors most of that day, but every now and then +he went inside his house. At last he had gone to his seat, when +in came a woman who had been out of doors, and she said, "You +were too far off to see outside how that proud fellow rode by the +farm-yard!" + +"What proud fellow was that," says Lyting "of whom thou +speakest?" + +"Hauskuld Njal's son rode here by the yard," she says. + +"He rides often here by the farm-yard," said Lyting, "and I can't +say that it does not try my temper; and now I will make thee an +offer, Hauskuld, to go along with thee if thou wilt avenge thy +father and slay Hauskuld Njal's son." + +"That I will not do," says Hauskuld, "for then I should repay +Njal, my foster-father, evil for good, and mayst thou and thy +feasts never thrive henceforth." + +With that he sprang up away from the board, and made them catch +his horses, and rode home. + +Then Lyting said to Grani Gunnar's son, "Thou wert by when Thrain +was slain, and that will still be in thy mind; and thou, too, +Gunnar Lambi's son, and thou, Lambi Sigurd's son. Now, my will +is that we ride to meet him this evening, and slay him." + +"No," says Grani, "I will not fall on Njal's son, and so break +the atonement which good men and true have made." + +With like words spoke each man of them, and so, too, spoke all +the sons of Sigfus; and they took that counsel to ride away. + +Then Lyting said, when they had gone away, "All men know that I +have taken no atonement for my brother-in-law Thrain, and I shall +never be content that no vengeance -- man for man -- shall be +taken for him." + +After that he called on his two brothers to go with him, and +three house-carles as well. They went on the way to meet +Hauskuld as he came back, and lay in wait for him north of the +farm-yard in a pit; and there they bided till it was about +mideven (1). Then Hauskuld rode up to them. They jump up all of +them with their arms, and fall on him. Hauskuld guarded himself +well, so that for a long while they could not get the better of +him; but the end of it was at last that he wounded Lyting on the +arm, and slew two of his serving-men, and then fell himself. +They gave Hauskuld sixteen wounds, but they hewed not off the +head from his body. They fared away into the wood east of +Rangriver, and hid themselves there. + +That same evening, Rodny's shepherd found Hauskuld dead, and went +home and told Rodny of her son's slaying. + +"Was he surely dead?" she asks; "was his head off?" + +"It was not," he says. + +"I shall know if I see," she says; "so take thou my horse and +driving gear." + +He did so, and got all things ready, and then they went thither +where Hauskuld lay. + +She looked at the wounds, and said, "'Tis even as I thought, that +he could not be quite dead, and Njal no doubt can cure greater +wounds." + +After that they took the body and laid it on the sledge and drove +to Bergthorsknoll, and drew it into the sheepcote, and made him +sit upright against the wall. + +Then they went both of them and knocked at the door, and a house- +carle went to the door. She steals in by him at once, and goes +till she comes to Njal's bed. + +She asked whether Njal were awake? He said he had slept up to +that time, but was then awake. + +"But why art thou come hither so early?" + +"Rise thou up," said Rodny, "from thy bed by my rival's side, and +come out, and she too, and thy sons, to see thy son Hauskuld." + +They rose and went out. + +"Let us take our weapons," said Skarphedinn, "and have them +with us." + +Njal said naught at that, and they ran in and came out again +armed. + +She goes first till they come to the sheepcote; she goes in and +bade them follow her. Then she lit a torch, and held it up and +said, "Here, Njal, is thy son Hauskuld, and he hath gotten many +wounds upon him, and now he will need leechcraft." + +"I see death marks on him," said Njal, "but no signs of life; but +why hast thou not closed his eyes and nostrils? see, his +nostrils are still open!" + +"That duty I meant for Skarphedinn," she says. + +Then Skarphedinn went to close his eyes and nostrils, and said to +his father, "Who, sayest thou, hath slain him?" + +"Lyting of Samstede and his brothers must have slain him," says +Njal. + +Then Rodny said, "Into thy hands, Skarphedinn, I leave it to take +vengeance for thy brother, and I ween that thou wilt take it +well, though he be not lawfully begotten, and that thou wilt not +be slow to take it." + +"Wonderfully do ye men behave," said Bergthora, "when ye slay men +for small cause, but talk and tarry over such as this until no +vengeance at all is taken; and now of this will soon come to +Hauskuld, the Priest of Whiteness, and he will be offering you +atonement, and you will grant him that, but now is the time to +set about it, if ye seek for vengeance." + +"Our mother eggs us on now with a just goading," said +Skarphedinn, and sang a song. + + "Well we know the warrior's temper (2), + One and all, well, father thine, + But atonement to the mother, + Snake-land's stem (3) and thee were base; + He that hoardeth ocean's fire (4) + Hearing this will leave his home; + Wound of weapon us hath smitten, + Worse the lot of those that wait!" + +After that they all ran out of the sheepcote, but Rodny went +indoors with Njal, and was there the rest of the night. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Mideven, six o'clock p.m. +(2) "Warrior's temper," the temper of Hauskuld of Whiteness. +(3) "Snake-land's stem," a periphrasis for woman, Rodny. +(4) "He that hoardeth ocean's fire," a periphrasis for man, + Hauskuld of Whiteness. + + + +104. THE SLAYING OF LYTING'S BROTHERS + +Now we must speak of Skarphedinn and his brothers, how they bend +their course up to Rangriver. Then Skarphedinn said, "Stand we +here and listen, and let us go stilly, for I hear the voices of +men up along the river's bank. But will ye, Helgi and Grim, deal +with Lyting single-handed, or with both his brothers?" + +They said they would sooner deal with Lyting alone. + +"Still," says Skarphedinn, "there is more game in him, and +methinks it were ill if he gets away, but I trust myself best for +not letting him escape." + +"We will take such steps," says Helgi, "if we get a chance at +him, that he shall not slip through our fingers." + +Then they went thitherward, where they heard the voices of men, +and see where Lyting and his brothers are by a stream. + +Skarphedinn leaps over the stream at once, and alights on the +sandy brink on the other side. There upon it stands Hallgrim and +his brother. Skarphedinn smites at Hallgrim's thigh, so that he +cut the leg clean off, but he grasps Hallstein with his left +hand. Lyting thrust at Skarphedinn, but Helgi came up then and +threw his shield before the spear, and caught the blow on it. +Lyting took up a stone and hurled it at Skarphedinn, and he lost +his hold on Hallstein. Hallstein sprang up the sandy bank, but +could get up it in no other way than by crawling on his hands and +knees. Skarphedinn made a side blow at him with his axe, "the +ogress of war," and hews asunder his backbone. Now Lyting turns +and flies, but Helgi and Grim both went after him, and each gave +him a wound, but still Lyting got across the river away from +them, and so to the horses, and gallops till he comes to Ossaby. + +Hauskuld was at home, and meets him at once. Lyting told him of +these deeds. + +"Such things were to be looked for by thee," says Hauskuld. +"Thou hast behaved like a madman, and here the truth of the old +saw will be proved; `but a short while is hand fain of blow.' +Methinks what thou hast got to look to now is whether thou wilt +be able to save thy life or not." + +"Sure enough," says Lyting, "I had hard work to get away, but +still I wish now that thou wouldest get me atoned with Njal and +his sons, so that I might keep my farm." + +"So it shall be," says Hauskuld. + +After that Hauskuld made them saddle his horse, and rode to +Bergthorsknoll with five men. Njal's sons were then come home +and had laid them down to sleep. + +Hauskuld went at once to see Njal, and they began to talk. + +"Hither am I come," said Hauskuld to Njal, "to beg a boon on +behalf of Lyting, my uncle. He has done great wickedness against +you and yours, broken his atonement and slain thy son." + +"Lyting will perhaps think," said Njal, "that he has already paid +a heavy fine in the loss of his brothers, but if I grant him any +terms, I shall let him reap the good of my love for thee, and I +will tell thee before I utter the award of atonement, that +Lyting's brothers shall fall as outlaws. Nor shall Lyting have +any atonement for his wounds, but on the other hand, he shall pay +the full blood-fine for Hauskuld." + +"My wish," said Hauskuld, "is, that thou shouldest make thine own +terms." + +"Well," says Njal, "then I will utter the award at once if thou +wilt." + +"Wilt thou," says Hauskuld, "that thy sons should be by?" + +"Then we should be no nearer an atonement than we were before," +says Njal, "but they will keep to the atonement which I utter." + +Then Hauskuld said, "Let us close the matter then, and handsel +him peace on behalf of thy sons." + +"So it shall be," says Njal. "My will then is, that he pays two +hundred in silver for the slaying of Hauskuld, but he may still +dwell at Samstede; and yet I think it were wiser if he sold his +land and changed his abode; but not for this quarrel; neither I +nor my sons will break our pledges of peace to him; but methinks +it may be that some one may rise up in this country against whom +he may have to be on his guard. Yet, lest it should seem that I +make a man an outcast from his native place, I allow him to be +here in this neighbourhood, but in that case he alone is +answerable for what may happen." + +After that Hauskuld fared home, and Njal's sons woke up as he +went and asked their father who had come, but he told them that +his foster-son Hauskuld had been there. + +"He must have come to ask a boon for Lyting then," said +Skarphedinn. + +"So it was," says Njal. + +"Ill was it then," says Grim. + +"Hauskuld could not have thrown his shield before him," says +Njal, "if thou hadst slain him, as it was meant thou shouldst." + +"Let us throw no blame on our father," says Skarphedinn. + +Now it is to be said that this atonement was kept between them +afterwards. + + + +105. OF AMUND THE BLIND + +That event happened three winters after at the Thingskala-Thing +that Amund the Blind was at the Thing; he was the son of Hauskuld +Njal's son. He made men lead him about among the booths, and so +he came to the booth inside which was Lyting of Samstede. He +made them lead him into the booth till he came before Lyting. + +"Is Lyting of Samstede here?" he asked. + +"What dost thou want?" says Lyting. + +"I want to know," says Amund, "what atonement thou wilt pay me +for my father. I am base-born, and I have touched no fine." + +"I have atoned for the slaying of thy father," says Lyting, "with +a full price, and thy father's father and thy father's brothers +took the money; but my brothers fell without a price as outlaws; +and so it was that I had both done an ill deed, and paid dear for +it." + +"I ask not," says Amund, "as to thy having paid an atonement to +them. I know that ye two are now friends, but I ask this, what +atonement thou wilt pay to me?" + +"None at all," says Lyting. + +"I cannot see," says Amund, "how thou canst have right before +God, when thou hast stricken me so near the heart; but all I can +say is, that if I were blessed with the sight of both my eyes, I +would have either a money fine for my father, or revenge man for +man, and so may God judge between us." + +After that he went out; but when he came to the door of the +booth, he turned short round towards the inside. Then his eyes +were opened, and he said, "Praised be the Lord! Now I see what +his will is." + +With that he ran straight into the booth until he comes before +Lyting, and smites him with an axe on the head, so that it sunk +in up to the hammer, and gives the axe a pull towards him. + +Lyting fell forwards and was dead at once. + +Amund goes out to the door of the booth, and when he got to the +very same spot on which he had stood when his eyes were opened, +lo! they were shut again, and he was blind all his life after. + +Then he made them lead him to Njal and his sons, and he told them +of Lyting's slaying. + +"Thou mayest not be blamed for this," says Njal, "for such things +are settled by a higher power; but it is worth while to take +warning from such events, lest we cut any short who have such +near claims as Amund had." + +After that Njal offered an atonement to Lyting's kinsmen. +Hauskuld the Priest of Whiteness had a share in bringing Lyting's +kinsmen to take the fine, and then the matter was put to an +award, and half the fines fell away for the sake of the claim +which he seemed to have on Lyting. + +After that men came forward with pledges of peace and good faith, +and Lyting's kinsmen granted pledges to Amund. Men rode home +from the Thing; and now all is quiet for a long while. + + + +106. OF VALGARD THE GUILEFUL + +Valgard the Guileful came back to Iceland that summer; he was +then still heathen. He fared to Hof to his son Mord's house, and +was there the winter over. He said to Mord, "Here I have ridden +far and wide all over the neighbourhood, and methinks I do not +know it for the same. I came to Whiteness, and there I saw many +tofts of booths and much ground levelled for building. I came to +Thingskala-Thing, and there I saw all our booths broken down. +What is the meaning of such strange things? + +"New priesthoods," answers Mord, "have been set up here, and a +law for a Fifth Court, and men have declared themselves out of my +Thing, and have gone over to Hauskuld's Thing." + +"Ill hast thou repaid me," said Valgard, "for giving up to thee +my priesthood, when thou hast handled it so little like a man, +and now my wish is that thou shouldst pay them off by something +that will drag them all down to death; and this thou canst do by +setting them by the ears by talebearing, so that Njal's sons may +slay Hauskuld; but there are many who will have the blood-feud +after him, and so Njal's sons will be slain in that quarrel." + +"I shall never be able to get that done," says Mord. + +"I will give thee a plan," says Valgard; "thou shalt ask Njal's +sons to thy house, and send them away with gifts, but thou shalt +keep thy tale-bearing in the background until great friendship +has sprung up between you, and they trust thee no worse than +their own selves. So wilt thou be able to avenge thyself on +Skarphedinn for that he took thy money from thee after Gunnar's +death; and in this wise, further on, thou wilt be able to seize +the leadership when they are all dead and gone." + +This plan they settled between them should be brought to pass; +and Mord said, "I would, father, that thou wouldst take on thee +the new faith. Thou art an old man. + +"I will not do that," says Valgard. "I would rather that thou +shouldst cast off the faith, and see what follows then." + +Mord said he would not do that. Valgard broke crosses before +Mord's face, and all holy tokens. A little after Valgard took a +sickness and breathed his last, and he was laid in a cairn by +Hof. + + + +107. OF MORD AND NJAL'S SONS + +Some while after Mord rode to Bergthorsknoll and saw Skarphedinn +there; he fell into very fair words with them, and so he talked +the whole day, and said he wished to be good friends with them, +and to see much of them. + +Skarphedinn took it all well, but said he had never sought for +anything of the kind before. So it came about that he got +himself into such great friendship with them, that neither side +thought they had taken any good counsel unless the other had a +share in it. + +Njal always disliked his coming thither, and it often happened +that he was angry with him. + +It happened one day that Mord came to Bergthorsknoll, and Mord +said to Njal's sons, "I have made up my mind to give a feast +yonder, and I mean to drink in my heirship after my father, but +to that feast I wish to bid you, Njal's sons, and Kari; and at +the same time I give you my word that ye shall not fare away +giftless." + +They promised to go, and now he fares home and makes ready the +feast. He bade to it many householders, and that feast was very +crowded. + +Thither came Njal's sons and Kari. Mord gave Skarphedinn a +brooch of gold, and a silver belt to Kari, and good gifts to Grim +and Helgi. + +They come home and boast of these gifts, and show them to Njal. +He said they would be bought full dear, "and take heed that ye do +not repay the giver in the coin which he no doubt wishes to get." + + + +108. OF THE SLANDER OF MORD VALGARD'S SON. + +A little after Njal's sons and Hauskuld were to have their yearly +feasts, and they were the first to bid Hauskuld to come to them. + +Skarphedinn had a brown horse four winters old, both tall and +sightly. He was a stallion, and had never yet been matched in +fight. That horse Skarphedinn gave to Hauskuld, and along with +him two mares. They all gave Hauskuld gifts, and assured him of +their friendship. + +After that Hauskuld bade them to his house at Ossaby, and had +many guests to meet them, and a great crowd. + +It happened that he had just then taken down his hall, but he had +built three outhouses, and there the beds were made. + +So all that were bidden came, and the feast went off very well. +But when men were to go home Hauskuld picked out good gifts for +them, and went a part of the way with Njal's sons. + +The sons of Sigfus followed him and all the crowd, and both sides +said that nothing should ever come between them to spoil their +friendship. + +A little while after Mord came to Ossaby and called Hauskuld out +to talk with him, and they went aside and spoke. + +"What a difference in manliness there is," said Mord, "between +thee and Njal's sons! Thou gavest them good gifts, but they gave +thee gifts with great mockery." + +"How makest thou that out?" says Hauskuld. + +"They gave thee a horse which they called a `dark horse,' and +that they did out of mockery to thee, because they thought thee +too untried. I can tell thee also that they envy thee the +priesthood. Skarphedinn took it up as his own at the Thing when +thou camest not to the Thing at the summoning of the Fifth Court, +and Skarphedinn never means to let it go." + +"That is not true," says Hauskuld, "for I got it back at the +Folkmote last harvest." + +"Then that was Njal's doing," says Mord. "They broke, too, the +atonement about Lyting." + +"I do not mean to lay that at their door," says Hauskuld. + +"Well," says Mord, "thou canst not deny that when ye two, +Skarphedinn and thou, were going east towards Markfleet, an axe +fell out from under his belt, and he meant to have slain thee +then and there." + +"It was his woodman's axe," says Hauskuld, "and I saw how he put +it under his belt; and now, Mord, I will just tell thee this +right out, that thou canst never say so much ill of Njal's sons +as to make me believe it; but though there were aught in it, and +it were true as thou sayest, that either I must slay them or they +me, then would I far rather suffer death at their hands than work +them any harm. But as for thee, thou art all the worse a man for +having spoken this." + +After that Mord fares home. A little after Mord goes to see +Njal's sons, and he talks much with those brothers and Kari. + +"I have been told," says Mord, "that Hauskuld has said that thou, +Skarphedinn, hast broken the atonement made with Lyting; but I +was made aware also that he thought that thou hadst meant some +treachery against him when ye two fared to Markfleet. But still, +methinks that was no less treachery when he bade you to a feast +at his house, and stowed you away in an outhouse that was +farthest from the house, and wood was then heaped round the +outhouse all night, and he meant to burn you all inside; but it +so happened that Hogni Gunnar's son came that night, and naught +came of their onslaught, for they were afraid of him. After that +he followed you on your way and great band of men with him, then +he meant to make another onslaught on you, and set Grani Gunnar's +son, and Gunnar Lambi's son to kill thee; but their hearts failed +them, and they dared not to fall on thee." + +But when he had spoken thus, first of all they spoke against it, +but the end of it was that they believed him, and from that day +forth a coldness sprung up on their part towards Hauskuld, and +they scarcely ever spoke to him when they met; but Hauskuld +showed them little deference, and so things went on for a while. + +Next harvest Hauskuld fared east to Swinefell to a feast, and +Flosi gave him a hearty welcome. Hildigunna was there too. Then +Flosi spoke to Hauskuld and said, "Hildigunna tells me that there +is great coldness with you and Njal's sons, and methinks that is +ill, and I will beg thee not to ride west, but I will get thee a +homestead in Skaptarfell, and I will send my brother, Thorgeir, +to dwell at Ossaby." + +"Then some will say," says Hauskuld, "that I am flying thence for +fear's sake, and that I will not have said." + +"Then it is more likely that great trouble will arise," says +Flosi. + +"Ill is that then," says Hauskuld, "for I would rather fall +unatoned, than that many should reap ill for my sake." + +Hauskuld busked him to ride home a few nights after, but Flosi +gave him a scarlet cloak, and it was embroidered with needlework +down to the waist. + +Hauskuld rode home to Ossaby, and now all is quiet for a while. + +Hauskuld was so much beloved that few men were his foes, but the +same ill-will went on between him and Njal's sons the whole +winter through. + +Njal had taken as his foster-child, Thord, the son of Kari. He +had also fostered Thorhall, the son of Asgrim Ellidagrim's son. +Thorhall was a strong man, and hardy both in body and mind, he +had learnt so much law that he was the third greatest lawyer in +Iceland. + +Next spring was an early spring, and men are busy sowing their +corn. + + + +109. OF MORD AND NJAL'S SONS + +It happened one day that Mord came to Berathorsknoll. He and +Kari and Njal's sons fell a-talking at once, and Mord slanders +Hauskuld after his wont, and has now many new tales to tell, and +does naught but egg Skarphedinn and them on to slay Hauskuld, and +said he would be beforehand with them if they did not fall on him +at once. + +"I will let thee have thy way in this," says Skarphedinn, "if +thou wilt fare with us, and have some hand in it." + +"That I am ready to do," says Mord, and so they bound that fast +with promises, and he was to come there that evening. + +Bergthora asked Njal, "What are they talking about out of doors?" + +"I am not in their counsels," says Njal, "but I was seldom left +out of them when their plans were good." + +Skarphedinn did not lie down to rest that evening, nor his +brothers, nor Kari. + +That same night, when it was well-nigh spent, came Mord Valgard's +son, and Njal's sons and Kari took their weapons and rode away. +They fared till they came to Ossaby, and bided there by a fence. +The weather was good, and the sun just risen. + + + +110. THE SLAYING OF HAUSKULD, THE PRIEST OFWHITENESS + +About that time Hauskuld, the Priest of Whiteness, awoke; he put +on his clothes, and threw over him his cloak, Flosi's gift. He +took his corn-sieve, and had his sword in his other hand, and +walks towards the fence, and sows the corn as he goes. + +Skarphedinn and his band had agreed that they would all give +him a wound. Skarphedinn sprang up from behind the fence, but +when Hauskuld saw him he wanted to turn away, then Skarphedinn +ran up to him and said, "Don't try to turn on thy heel, Whiteness +priest," and hews at him, and the blow came on his head, and he +fell on his knees. Hauskuld said these words when he fell, "God +help me, and forgive you!" + +Then they all ran up to him and gave him wounds. + +After that Mord said, "A plan comes into my mind." + +"What is that?" says Skarphedinn. + +"That I shall fare home as soon as I can, but after that I will +fare up to Gritwater, and tell them the tidings, and say 'tis an +ill deed; but I know surely that Thorgerda will ask me to give +notice of the slaying, and I will do that, for that will be the +surest way to spoil their suit. I will also send a man to Ossaby +and know how soon they take any counsel in the matter, and that +man will learn all these tidings thence, and I will make believe +that I have heard them from him." + +"Do so by all means," says Skarphedinn. + +Those brothers fared home, and Kari with them, and when they came +home they told Njal the tidings. + +"Sorrowful tidings are these," says Njal, "and such are ill to +hear, for sooth to say this grief touches me so nearly, that +methinks it were better to have lost two of my sons and that +Hauskuld lived." + +"It is some excuse for thee," says Skarphedinn, "that thou art +an old man, and it is to be looked for that this touches thee +nearly." + +"But this," says Njal, "no less than old age, is why I grieve, +that I know better than thou what will come after." + +"What will come after?" says Skarphedinn. + +"My death," says Njal, "and the death of my wife and of all my +sons." + +"What dost thou foretell for me?" says Kari. + +"They will have hard work to go against thy good fortune, for +thou wilt be more than a match for all of them." + +This one thing touched Njal so nearly that he could never speak +of it without shedding tears. + + + +111. OF HILDIGNNA AND MORD VALGARD'S SON + +Hildigunna woke up and found that Hauskuld was away out of his +bed. + +"Hard have been my dreams," she said, "and not good; but go and +search for him, Hauskuld." + +So they searched for him about the homestead and found him not. + +By that time she had dressed herself; then she goes and two men +with her, to the fence, and there they find Hauskuld slain. + +Just then, too, came up Mord Valgard's son's shepherd, and told +her that Njal's sons had gone down thence, "and," he said, +"Skarphedinn called out to me and gave notice of the slaying as +done by him." + +"It were a manly deed," she says, "if one man had been at it." + +She took the cloak and wiped off all the blood with it, and +wrapped the gouts of gore up in it, and so folded it together and +laid it up in her chest. + +Now she sent a man up to Gritwater to tell the tidings thither, +but Mord was there before him, and had already told the tidings. +There, too, was come Kettle of the Mark. + +Thorgerda said to Kettle, "Now is Hauskuld dead as we know, and +now bear in mind what thou promisedst to do when thou tookest him +for thy fosterchild." + +"It may well be," says Kettle, "that I promised very many things +then, for I thought not that these days would ever befall us that +have now come to pass; but yet I am come into a strait, for `nose +is next of kin to eyes,' since I have Njal's daughter to wife." + +"Art thou willing, then," says Thorgerda, "that Mord should give +notice of the suit for the slaying?" + +"I know not that," says Kettle, "for me ill comes from him more +often than good." + +But as soon as ever Mord began to speak to Kettle he fared the +same as others, in that he thought as though Mord would be true +to him, and so the end of their counsel was that Mord should give +notice of the slaying, and get ready the suit in every way before +the Thing. + +Then Mord fared down to Ossaby, and thither came nine neighbours +who dwelt nearest the spot. + +Mord had ten men with him. He shows the neighbours Hauskuld's +wounds, and takes witness to the hurts, and names a man as the +dealer of every wound save one; that he made as though he knew +not who had dealt it, but that wound he had dealt himself. But +the slaying he gave notice of at Skarphedinn's hand, and the +wounds at his brothers' and Kari's. + +After that he called on nine neighbours who dwelt nearest the +spot to ride away from home to the Althing on the inquest. + +After that he rode home. He scarce ever met Njal's sons, and +when he did meet them, he was cross, and that was part of their +plan. + +The slaying of Hauskuld was heard over all the land, and was +ill-spoken of. Njal's sons went to see Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, +and asked him for aid. + +"Ye very well know that ye may look that I shall help you in all +great suits, but still my heart is heavy about this suit, for +there are many who have the blood feud, and this slaying is ill- +spoken of over all the land." + +Now Njal's sons fare home. + + + +112. THE PEDIGREE OF GUDMUND THE POWERFUL + +There was a man named Gudmund the Powerful, who dwelt at +Modruvale in Eyjafirth. He was the son of Eyjolf the son of +Einar (1). Gudmund was a mighty chief, wealthy in goods; he had +in his house a hundred hired servants. He overbore in rank and +weight all the chiefs in the north country, so that some left +their homesteads, but some he put to death, and some gave up +their priesthoods for his sake, and from him are come the +greatest part of all the picked and famous families in the land, +such as "the Pointdwellers" and the "Sturlungs" and the +"Hvamdwellers," and the "Fleetmen," and Kettle the Bishop, and +many of the greatest men. + +Gudmund was a friend of Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and so he hoped +to get his help. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Einar was the son of Audun the Bald, the son of Thorolf + Butter, the son of Thorstein the Unstable, the son of Grim + with the Tuft. The mother of Gudmund was Hallberg, the + daughter of Thorodd Helm, but the mother of Hallbera was + Reginleifa, daughter of Saemund the South-islander; after + him is named Saemundslithe in Skagafirth. The mother of + Eyjolf, Gudmund's father, was Valgerda Runolf's daughter; + the mother of Valgerda was Valbjorg, her mother was Joruna + the Disowned, a daughter of King Oswald the Saint. The + mother of Einar, the father of Eyjolf, was Helga, a daughter + of Helgi the Lean, who took Eyjafirth as the first settler. + Helgi was the son of Eyvind the Easterling. The mother of + Helgi was Raforta, the daughter of Kjarval, the Erse King. + The mother of Helga Helgi's daughter, was Thoruna the + Horned, daughter of Kettle Flatnose, the son of Bjorn the + Rough-footed, the son of Grim, Lord of Sogn. The mother of + Grim was Hervora, but the mother of Hervora was Thorgerda, + daughter of King Haleyg of Helgeland. Thorlauga was the + name of Gudmund the Powerful's wife, she was a daughter of + Atli the Strong, the son of Eilif the Eagle. the son of + Bard, the son of Jalkettle, the son of Ref, the son of Skidi + the Old. Herdisa was the name of Thorlauga's mother, a + daughter of Thord of the Head, the son of Bjorn Butter- + carrier, the son of Hroald the son of Hrodlaug the Sad, the + son of Bjorn Ironside, the son of Ragnar Hairybreeks, the + son of Sigurd Ring, the son of Randver, the son of Radbard. + The mother of Herdisa Thord's daughter was Thorgerda Skidi's + daughter, her mother was Fridgerda, a daughter of Kjarval, + the Erse King. + + + +113. OF SNORRI THE PRIEST, AND HIS STOCK + +There was a man named Snorri, who was surnamed the Priest. He +dwelt at Helgafell before Gudruna Oswif's daughter bought the +land of him, and dwelt there till she died of old age; but Snorri +then went and dwelt at Hvamsfirth on Saelingdale's tongue. +Thorgrim was the name of Snorri's father, and he was a son of +Thorstein codcatcher (1). Snorri was a great friend of Asgrim +Ellidagrim's son, and he looked for help there also. Snorri was +the wisest and shrewdest of all these men in Iceland who had not +the gift of foresight. He was good to his friends, but grim to +his foes. + +At that time there was a great riding to the Thing out of all the +Quarters, and men had many suits set on foot. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Thorstein Codcatcher was the son of Thorolf Mostrarskegg, + the son of Ornolf Fish-driver, but Ari the Wise ways he was + the son of Thorgil Reydarside. Thorolf Mostrarskegg had to + wife Oska, the daughter of Thorstein the Red. The mother of + Thorgrim was named Thora, a daughter of Oleif the Shy, the + son of Thorstein the Red, the son of Oleif the White, the + son of Ingialld, the son of Helgi; but the mother of + Ingialld was Thora, a daughter of Sigurd Snake-eye, son of + Ragnar Hairybreeks; but the mother of Snorri the Priest was + Thordisa, the daughter of Sur, and the sister of Gisli. + + + +114. OF FLOSI THORD'S SON + +Flosi hears of Hauskuld's slaying, and that brings him much grief +and wrath, but still he kept his feelings well in hand. He was +told how the suit had been set on foot, as has been said, for +Hauskuld's slaying, and he said little about it. He sent word to +Hall of the Side, his father-in-law, and to Ljot his son, that +they must gather in a great company at the Thing. Ljot was +thought the most hopeful man for a chief away there east. It had +been foretold that if he could ride three summers running to the +Thing, and come safe and sound home, that then he would be the +greatest chief in all his family, and the oldest man. He had +then ridden one summer to the Thing, and now he meant to ride the +second time. + +Flosi sent word to Kol Thorstein's son, and Glum the son of +Hilldir the Old, the son of Gerleif, the son of Aunund Wallet- +back, and to Modolf Kettle's son, and they all rode to meet +Flosi. + +Hall gave his word, too, to gather a great company, and Flosi +rode till he came to Kirkby, to Surt Asbjorn's son. Then Flosi +sent after Kolbein Egil's son, his brother's son, and he came to +him there. Thence he rode to Headbrink. There dwelt Thorgrim +the Showy, the son of Thorkel the Fair. Flosi begged him to ride +to the Althing with him, and he said yea to the journey, and +spoke thus to Flosi, "Often hast thou been more glad, master, +than thou art now, but thou hast some right to be so." + +"Of a truth," said Flosi, "that hath now come on my hands, which +I would give all my goods that it had never happened. Ill seed +has been sown, and so an ill crop will spring from it." + +Thence he rode over Amstacksheath, and so to Solheim that +evening. There dwelt Lodmund Wolf's son, but he was a great +friend of Flosi, and there he stayed that night, and next morning +Lodmund rode with him into the Dale. + +There dwelt RunoIf, the son of Wolf Aurpriest. + +Flosi said to Runolf, "Here we shall have true stories as to the +slaying of Hauskuld, the Priest of Whiteness. Thou art a +truthful man, and hast got at the truth by asking, and I will +trust to all that thou tellest me as to what was the cause of +quarrel between them." + +"There is no good in mincing the matter," said Runolf, "but we +must say outright that he has been slain for less than no cause; +and his death is a great grief to all men. No one thinks it so +much a loss as Njal, his foster-father." + +"Then they will be ill off for help from men," says Flosi; "and +they will find no one to speak up for them." + +"So it will be," says Runolf, "unless it be otherwise +foredoomed." + +"What has been done in the suit?" says Flosi. + +"Now the neighbours have been summoned on the inquest," says +Runolf, "and due notice given of the suit for manslaughter." + +"Who took that step?" asks Flosi. + +"Mord Valgard's son," says Runolf. + +"How far is that to be trusted?" says Flosi. + +"He is of my kin," says Runolf; "but still if I tell the truth of +him, I must say that more men reap ill than good from him. But +this one thing I will ask of thee, Flosi, that thou givest rest +to thy wrath, and takest the matter up in such a way as may lead +to the least trouble. For Njal will make a good offer, and so +will others of the best men." + +"Ride thou then to the Thing, Runolf," said Flosi, "and thy words +shall have much weight with me, unless things turn out worse than +they should." + +After that they cease speaking about it, and Runolf promised to +go to the Thing. + +Runolf sent word to Hafr the Wise, his kinsman, and he rode +thither at once. + +Thence Flosi rode to Ossaby. + + + +115. OF FLOSI AND HILDIGUNNA + +Hildigunna was out of doors, and said, "Now shall all the men of +my household be out of doors when Flosi rides into the yard; but +the women shall sweep the house and deck it with hangings, and +make ready the high seat for Flosi." + +Then Flosi rode into the town, and Hildigunna turned to him and +said, "Come in safe and sound and happy kinsman, and my heart is +fain at thy coming hither." + +"Here," says Flosi, "we will break our fast, and then we will +ride on." + +Then their horses were tethered, and Flosi went into the sitting- +room and sat him down, and spurned the high seat away from him on +the dais, and said, "I am neither king nor earl, and there is no +need to make a high seat for me to sit on, nor is there any need +to make a mock of me." + +Hildigunna was standing close by, and said, "It is ill if it +mislikes thee, for this we did with a whole heart." + +"If thy heart is whole towards me, then what I do will praise +itself if it be well done, but it will blame itself if it be ill +done." + +Hildigunna laughed a cold laugh, and said, "There is nothing new +in that, we will go nearer yet ere we have done." + +She sat her down by Flosi, and they talked long and low. + +After that the board was laid, and Flosi and his band washed +their hands. Flosi looked hard at the towel and saw that it was +all in rags, and had one end torn off. He threw it down on the +bench and would not wipe himself with it, but tore off a piece of +the tablecloth, and wiped himself with that, and then threw it to +his men. + +After that Flosi sat down to the board and bade men eat. + +Then Hildigunna came into the room and went before Flosi, and +threw her hair off her eyes and wept. + +"Heavy-hearted art thou now, kinswoman," said Flosi, "when thou +weepest, but still it is well that thou shouldst weep for a good +husband." + +"What vengeance or help shall I have of thee?" she says. + +"I will follow up thy suit," said Flosi, "to the utmost limit of +the law, or strive for that atonement which good men and true +shall say that we ought to have as full amends." + +"Hauskuld would avenge thee," she said, "if he had the blood-feud +after thee." + +"Thou lackest not grimness," answered Flosi, "and what thou +wantest is plain." + +"Arnor Ornolf's son, of Forswaterwood," said Hildigunna, "had +done less wrong towards Thord Frey's priest thy father; and yet +thy brothers Kolbein and Egil slew him at Skaptarfells-Thing." + +Then Hildigunna went back into the hall and unlocked her chest, +and then she took out the cloak, Flosi's gift, and in it Hauskuld +had been slain, and there she had kept it, blood and all. Then +she went back into the sitting-room with the Cloak; she went up +silently to Flosi. Flosi had just then eaten his full, and the +board was cleared. Hildigunna threw the cloak over Flosi, and +the gore rattled down all over him. + +Then she spoke and said, "This cloak, Flosi, thou gavest to +Hauskuld, and now I will give it back to thee; he was slain in +it, and I call God and all good men to witness, that I abjure +thee, by all the might of thy Christ, and by thy manhood and +bravery, to take vengeance for all those wounds which he had on +his dead body, or else to be called every man's dastard." + +Flosi threw the cloak off him and hurled it into her lap, and +said, "Thou art the greatest hell-hag, and thou wishest that we +should take that course which will be the worst for all of us. +But `women's counsel is ever cruel.'" + +Flosi was so stirred at this, that sometimes he was bloodred in +the face, and sometimes ashy pale as withered grass, and +sometimes blue as death. + +Flosi and his men rode away; he rode to Holtford, and there waits +for the sons of Sigfus and other of his men. + +Ingialld dwelt at the Springs; he was the brother of Rodny, +Hauskuld Njal's son's mother (1). Ingialld had to wife +Thraslauga, the daughter of Egil, the son of Thord Frey's priest +(2). Flosi sent word to Ingialld to come to him, and Ingialld +went at once, with fourteen men. They were all of his household. +Ingialld was a tall man and a strong, and slow to meddle with +other men's business, one of the bravest of men, and very +bountiful to his friends. + +Flosi greeted him well, and said to him, "Great trouble hath now +come on me and my brothers-in-law, and it is hard to see our way +out of it; I beseech thee not to part from my suit until this +trouble is past and gone." + +"I am come into a strait myself," said Ingialld, "for the sake of +the ties that there are between me and Njal and his sons, and +other great matters which stand in the way." + +"I thought," said Flosi, "when I gave away my brother's daughter +to thee, that thou gavest me thy word to stand by me in every +suit." + +"It is most likely," says Ingialld, "that I shall do so, but +still I will now, first of all, ride home, and thence to the +Thing." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) They were children of Hauskuld the White, the son of + Ingialld the Strong, the son of Gerfinn the Red, the son of + Solvi, the son of Tborstein Baresarks-bane. +(2) The mother of Egil was Thraslauga, the daughter of Thorstein + Titling; the mother of Thraslauga was Unna, the daughter of + Eyvind Karf. + + + +116. OF FLOSI AND MORD AND THE SONS OF SIGFUS + +The sons of Sigfus heard how Flosi was at Holtford, and they rode +thither to meet him, and there were Kettle of the Mark, and Lambi +his brother, Thorkell and Mord, the sons of Sigfus, Sigmund their +brother, and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Gunnar Lambi's son, and +Grani Gunnar's son, and Vebrand Hamond's son. + +Flosi stood up to meet them, and greeted them gladly. So they +went down the river. Flosi had the whole story from them about +the slaying, and there was no difference between them and Kettle +of the Mark's story. + +Flosi spoke to Kettle of the Mark, and said, "This now I ask of +thee; how tightly are your hearts knit as to this suit, thou and +the other sons of Sigfus?" + +"My wish is," said Kettle, "that there should be peace between +us, but yet I have sworn an oath not to part from this suit till +it has been brought somehow to an end; and to lay my life on it." + +"Thou art a good man and true," said Flosi, "and it is well to +have such men with one." + +Then Grani Gunnar's son and Lambi Sigurd's son both spoke +together, and said, "We wish for outlawry and death." + +"It is not given us," said Flosi, "both to share and choose, we +must take what we can get." + +"I have had it in my heart," says Grani, "ever since they slew +Thrain by Markfleet, and after that his son Hauskuld, never to be +atoned with them by a lasting peace, for I would willingly stand +by when they were all slain, every man of them." + +"Thou hast stood so near to them," said Flosi, "that thou +mightest have avenged these things hadst thou had the heart and +manhood. Methinks thou and many others now ask for what ye would +give much money hereafter never to have had a share in. I see +this clearly, that though we slay Njal or his sons, still they +are men of so great worth, and of such good family, that there +will be such a blood feud and hue and cry after them, that we +shall have to fall on our knees before many a man, and beg for +help, ere we get an atonement and find our way out of this +strait. Ye may make up your minds, then, that many will become +poor who before had great goods, but some of vou will lose both +goods and life." + +Mord Valgard's son rode to meet Flosi, and said he would ride to +the Thing with him with all his men. Flosi took that well, and +raised a matter of a wedding with him, that he should give away +Rannveiga his daughter to Starkad Flosi's brother's son, who +dwelt at Staffell. Flosi did this because he thouoht he would so +make sure both of his faithfulness and force. + +Mord took the wedding kindly, but handed the matter over to Gizur +the White, and bade him talk about it at the Thing. + +Mord had to wife Thorkatla, Gizur the White's daughter. + +They two, Mord and Flosi, rode both together to the Thing, and +talked the whole day, and no man knew aught of their counsel. + + + +117. NJAL AND SKARPHEDINN TALK TOGETHER + +Now, we must say how Njal said to Skarphedinn. + +"What plan have ye laid down for yourselves, thou and thy +brothers and Kari?" + +"Little reck we of dreams in most matters," said Skarphedinn; +"but if thou must know, we shall ride to Tongue to Asgrim +Ellidagrim's son, and thence to the Thing; but, what meanest thou +to do about thine own journey, father?" + +"I shall ride to the Thing," says Njal, "for it belongs to my +honour not to be severed from your suit so long as I live. I +ween that many men will have good words to say of me, and so I +shall stand you in good stead, and do you no harm." + +There, too, was Thorhall Asgrim's son, and Njal's fosterson. The +sons of Njal laughed at him because he was clad in a coat of +russet, and asked how long he meant to wear that? + +"I shall have thrown it off," he said, "when I have to follow up +the blood-feud for my foster-father." + +"There will ever be most good in thee," said Njal, "when there +is most need of it." + +So they all busked them to ride away from home, and were nigh +thirty men in all, and rode till they came to Thursowater. Then +came after them Njal's kinsmen, Thorleif Crow, and Thorgrim the +Big; they were Holt-Thorir's sons, and offered their help and +following to Njal's sons, and they took that gladly. + +So they rode altogether across Thursowater, until they came on +Laxwater bank, and took a rest and baited their horses there, and +there Hjallti Skeggi's son came to meet them, and Njal's sons +fell to talking with him, and they talked long and low. + +"Now, I will show," said Hjallti, "that I am not blackhearted; +Njal has asked me for help, and I have agreed to it, and given my +word to aid him; he has often given me and many others the worth +of it in cunning counsel." + +Hjallti tells Njal all about Flosi's doings. They sent Thorhall +on to Tongue to tell Asgrim that they would be there that +evening; and Asgrim made ready at once, and was out of doors to +meet them when Njal rode into the town." + +Njal was clad in a blue cape, and had a felt hat on his head, and +a small axe in his hand. Asgrim helped Njal off his horse, and +led him and sate him down in his own seat. After that they all +went in, Njal's sons and Kari. Then Asgrim went out. + +Hjallti wished to turn away, and thought there were too many +there; but Asgrim caught hold of his reins, and said he should +never have his way in riding off, and made men unsaddle their +horses, and led Hjallti in and sate him down by Njal's side; but +Thorleif and his brother sat on the other bench and their men +with them. + +Asgrim sate him down on a stool before Njal, and asked, "What +says thy heart about our matter?" + +"It speaks rather heavily," says Njal, "for I am afraid that we +shall have no lucky men with us in the suit; but I would, friend, +that thou shouldest send after all the men who belong to thy +Thing, and ride to the Althing with me." + +"I have always meant to do that," says Asgrim; "and this I will +promise thee at the same time, that I will never leave thy cause +while I can get any men to follow me." + +But all those who were in the house thanked him, and said that +was bravely spoken. They were there that night, but the day +after all Asgrim's band came thither. + +And after that they all rode together till they come up on the +Thing-field, and fit up their booths. + + + +118. ASGRIM AND NJAL'S SONS PRAY MEN FOR HELP + +By that time Flosi had come to the Thing, and filled all his +booths. Runolf filled the Dale-dwellers' booths, and Mord the +booths of the men from Rangriver. Hall of the Side had long +since come from the east, but scarce any of the other men; but +still Hall of the Side had come with a great band, and joined +this at once to Flosi's company, and begged him to take an +atonement and to make peace. + +Hall was a wise man and good-hearted. Flosi answered him well in +everything, but gave way in nothing. + +Hall asked what men had promised him help? Flosi named Mord +Valgard's son, and said he had asked for his daughter at the hand +of his kinsman Starkad. + +Hall said she was a good match, but it was ill dealing with Mord, +"And that thou wilt put to the proof ere this Thing be over." + +After that they ceased talking. + +One day Njal and Asgrim had a long talk in secret. + +Then all at once Asgrim sprang up and said to Njal's sons, "We +must set about seeking friends, that we may not be overborne by +force; for this suit will be followed up boldly." + +Then Asgrim went out, and Helgi Njal's son next; then Kari +Solmund's son; then Grim Njal's son; then Skarphedinn; then +Thorhall; then Thorgrim the Big; then Thorleif Crow. + +They went to the booth of Gizur the White and inside it. Gizur +stood up to meet them, and bade them sit down and drink. + +"Not thitherward," says Asgrim, "tends our way, and we will speak +our errand out loud, and not mutter and mouth about it. What +help shall I have from thee, as thou art my kinsman?" + +"Jorunn, my sister," said Gizur, "would wish that I should not +shrink from standing by thee; and so it shall be now and +hereafter, that we will both of us have the same fate." + +Asgrim thanked him, and went away afterwards. + +Then Skarphedinn asked, "Whither shall we go now?" + +"To the booths of the men of Olfus," says Asgrim. + +So they went thither, and Asgrim asked whether Skapti Thorod's +son were in the booth? He was told that he was. Then they went +inside the booth. + +Skapti sate on the cross-bench, and greeted Asgrim, and he took +the greeting well. + +Skapti offered Asgrim a seat by his side, but Asgrim said he +should only stay there a little while, "But still we have an +errand to thee." + +"Let me hear it?" says Skapti. + +"I wish to beg thee for thy help, that thou wilt stand by us in +our suit." + +"One thing I had hoped," says Skapti, "and that is, that neither +you nor your troubles would ever come into my dwelling." + +"Such things are ill-spoken," says Asgrim, "when a man is the +last to help others, when most lies on his aid." + +"Who is yon man," says Skapti, "before whom four men walk, a big +burly man, and pale-faced, unlucky-looking, well-knit, and +troll-like?" + +"My name is Skarphedinn," he answers, "and thou hast often seen +me at the Thing; but in this I am wiser than you, that I have no +need to ask what thy name is. Thy name is Skapti Thorod's son, +but before thou calledst thyself `Bristlepoll,' after thou hadst +slain Kettle of Elda; then thou shavedst thy poll, and puttedst +pitch on thy head, and then thou hiredst thralls to cut up a sod +of turf, and thou creptest underneath it to spend the night. +After that thou wentest to Thorolf Lopt's son of Eyrar, and he +took thee on board, and bore thee out here in his meal sacks." + +After that Asgrim and his band went out, and Skarphedinn asked, +"Whither shall we go now?" + +"To Snorri the Priest's booth," says Asgrim. + +Then they went to Snorri's booth. There was a man outside before +the booth, and Asgrim asked whether Snorri were in the booth. + +The man said he was. + +Asgrim went into the booth, and all the others. Snorri was +sitting on the cross-bench, and Asgrim went and stood before him, +and hailed him well. + +Snorri took his greeting blithely, and bade him sit down. + +Asgrim said he should be only a short time there, "But we have +an errand with thee." + +Snorri bade him tell it. + +"I would," said Asgrim, "that thou wouldst come with me to the +court, and stand by me with thy help, for thou art a wise man, +and a great man of business." + +"Suits fall heavy on us now," says Snorri the Priest, "and now +many men push forward against us, and so we are slow to take up +the troublesome suits of other men from other quarters." + +"Thou mayest stand excused," says Asgrim "for thou art not in our +debt for any service." + +"I know," says Snorri, "that thou art a good man and true, and +I will promise thee this, that I will not be against thee, and +not yield help to thy foes." + +Asgrim thanked him, and Snorri the Priest asked, "Who is that man +before whom four go, pale-faced, and sharp-featured, and who +shows his front teeth, and has his axe aloft on his shoulder." + +"My name is Hedinn," he says, "but some men call me Skarphedinn +by my full name; but what more hast thou to say to me." + +"This," said Snorri the Priest, "that methinks thou art a well- +knit, ready-handed man, but yet I guess that the best part of thy +good fortune is past, and I ween thou hast now not long to live." + +"That is well," says Skarphedinn, "for that is a debt we all have +to pay, but still it were more needful to avenge thy father than +to foretell my fate in this way." + +"Many have said that before," says Snorri, "and I will not be +angry at such words." + +After that they went out, and got no help there. Then they fared +to the booths of the men of Skagafirth. There Hafr (1) the +Wealthy had his booth. The mother of Hafr was named Thoruna, she +was a daughter of Asbjorn Baldpate of Myrka, the son of +Hrosbjorn. + +Asgrim and his band went into the booth, and Hafr sate in the +midst of it, and was talking to a man. + +Asgrim went up to him, and bailed him well; he took it kindly, +and bade him sit down. + +"This I would ask of thee," said Asgrim, "that thou wouldst +grant me and my sons-in-law help. + +Hafr answered sharp and quick, and said he would have nothing to +do with their troubles. + +"But still I must ask who that pale-faced man is before whom +four men go, so ill-looking, as though he had come out of the +sea-crags." + +"Never mind, milksop that thou art!" said Skarphedinn, "who I +am, for I will dare to go forward wherever thou standest before +me, and little would I fear though such striplings were in my +path. 'Twere rather thy duty, too, to get back thy sister +Swanlauga, whom Eydis Ironsword and his messmate Stediakoll took +away out of thy house, but thou didst not dare to do aught +against them." + +"Let us go out," said Asgrim, "there is no hope of help here." + +Then they went out to the booths of men of Modruvale, and asked +whether Gudmund the Powerful were in the booth, but they were +told he was. + +Then they went into the booth. There was a high seat in the +midst of it, and there sate Gudmund the Powerful. + +Asgrim went and stood before him, and hailed him. + +Gudmund took his greeting well, and asked him to sit down. + +"I will not sit," said Asgrim, "but I wish to pray thee for help, +for thou art a bold man and a mighty chief." + +"I will not be against thee," said Gudmund, "but if I see fit to +yield thee help, we may well talk of that afterwards," and so he +treated them well and kindly in every way. + +Asgrim thanked him for his words, and Gudmund said, "There is one +man in your band at whom I have gazed for a while, and he seems +to me more terrible than most men that I have seen." + +"Which is he?" says Asgrim. + +"Four go before him," says Gudmund; "dark brown is his hair, and +pale is his face; tall of growth and sturdy. So quick and shifty +in his manliness that I would rather have his following than that +of ten other men; but yet the man is unlucky-looking." + +"I know," said Skarphedinn, "that thou speakest at me, but it +does not go in the same way as to luck with me and thee. I have +blame, indeed, from the slaying of Hauskuld, the Whiteness +Priest, as is fair and right; but both Thorkel Foulmouth and +Thorir Helgi's son spread abroad bad stories about thee, and that +has tried thy temper very much." + +Then they went out, and Skarphedinn said, "Whither shall we go +now?" + +"To the booths of the men of Lightwater," said Asgrim. + +There Thorkel Foulmouth (2) had set up his booth. + +Thorkel Foulmouth had been abroad and worked his way to fame in +other lands. He had slain a robber east in Jemtland's wood, and +then he fared on east into Sweden, and was a messmate of Saurkvir +the Churl, and they harried eastward ho; but to the east of +Baltic side (3) Thorkel had to fetch water for them one evening; +then he met a wild man of the woods (4), and struggled against +him long; but the end of it was that he slew the wild man. +Thence he fared east into Adalsyssla, and there he slew a flying +fire-drake. After that he fared back to Sweden, and thence to +Norway, and so out to Iceland, and let these deeds of derring do +be carved over his shut bed, and on the stool before his high +seat. He fought, too, on Lightwater way with his brothers +against Gudmund the Powerful, and the men of Lightwater won the +day. He and Thorir Helgi's son spread abroad bad stories about +Gudmund. Thorkel said there was no man in Iceland with whom he +would not fight in single combat, or yield an inch to, if need +were. He was called Thorkel Foulmouth, because he spared no one +with whom he had to do either in word or deed. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Hafr was the son of Thorkel, the son of Eric of Gooddale, + the son of Geirmund, the son of Hroald, the son of Eric + Frizzlebeard who felled Gritgarth in Soknardale in Norway. +(2) Thorkel was the son of Thorgeir the Priest, the son of + Tjorfi, the son of Thorkel the Long; but the mother of + Thorgeir was Thoruna, the daughter of Thorstein, the son of + Sigmund, son of Bard of the Nip. The mother of Thorkel + Foulmouth was named Gudrida; she was a daughter of Thorkel + the B1ack of Hleidrargarth, the son of Thorir Tag, the son + of Kettle the Seal, the son of Ornolf, the son of Bjornolf, + the son of Grim Hairy-cheek, the son of Kettle Haeing, the + son of Hallbjorn Halftroll. +(3) "Baltic side." This probably means a part of the Finnish + coast in the Gulf of Bothnia. See "Fornm. Sogur", xii. + 264-5. +(4) "Wild man of the woods." In the original Finngalkn, a + fabulous monster, half man and half beast. + + + +119. OF SKARPHEDINN AND THORKEL FOULMOUTH + +Asgrim and his fellows went to Thorkel Foulmouth's booth, and +Asgrim said then to his companions, "This booth Thorkel Foulmouth +owns, a great champion, and it were worth much to us to get +his-help. We must here take heed in everything, for he is self- +willed and bad tempered; and now I will beg thee, Skarphedinn, +not to let thyself be led into our talk." + +Skarphedinn smiled at that. He was so clad, he had on a blue +kirtle and grey breeks, and black shoes on his feet, coming high +up his leg; he had a silver belt about him, and that same axe in +his hand with which he slew Thrain, and which he called the +"ogress of war," a round buckler, and a silken band round his +brow, and his hair brushed back behind his ears. He was the most +soldier-like of men, and by that all men knew him. He went in +his appointed place, and neither before nor behind. + +Now they went into the booth and into its inner chamber. Thorkel +sate in the middle of the cross-bench, and his men away from him +on all sides. Asgrim hailed him, and Thorkel took the greeting +well, and Asgrim said to him, "For this have we come hither, to +ask help of thee, and that thou wouldst come to the Court with +us." + +"What need can ye have of my help," said Thorkel, "when ye have +already gone to Gudmund; he must surely have promised thee his +help?" + +"We could not get his help," says Asgrim. + +"Then Gudmund thought the suit likely to make him foes," said +Thorkel; "and so no doubt it will be, for such deeds are the +worst that have ever been done; nor do I know what can have +driven you to come hither to me, and to think that I should be +easier to undertake your suit than Gudmund, or that I would back +a wrongful quarrel." + +Then Asgrim held his peace, and thought it would be hard work to +win him over. + +Then Thorkel went on and said, "Who is that big and ugly fellow, +before whom four men go, pale-faced and sharp featured, and +unlucky-looking, and cross-grained?" + +"My name is Skarphedinn," said Skarphedinn, "and thou hast no +right to pick me out, a guiltless man, for thy railing. It never +has befallen me to make my father bow down before me, or to have +fought against him, as thou didst with thy father. Thou hast +ridden little to the Althing, or toiled in quarrels at it, and no +doubt it is handier for thee to mind thy milking pails at home +than to be here at Axewater in idleness. But stay, it were as +well if thou pickedst out from thy teeth that steak of mare's +rump which thou atest ere thou rodest to the Thing while thy +shepherd looked on all the while, and wondered that thou couldst +work such filthiness!" + +Then Thorkel sprang up in mickle wrath, and clutched his short +sword and said, "This sword I got in Sweden when I slew the +greatest champion, but since then I have slain many a man with +it, and as soon as ever I reach thee I will drive it through +thee, and thou shalt take that for thy bitter words." + +Skarphedinn stood with his axe aloft, and smiled scornfully and +said, "This axe I had in my hand when I leapt twelve ells across +Markfleet and slew Thrain Sigfus' son, and eight of them stood +before me, and none of them could touch me. Never have I aimed +weapon at man that I have not smitten him." + +And with that he tore himself from his brothers, and Kari his +brother-in-law, and strode forward to Thorkel. + +Then Skarphedinn said, "Now, Thorkel Foulmouth, do one of these +two things: sheathe thy sword and sit thee down, or I drive the +axe into thy head and cleave thee down to the chine." + +Then Thorkel sate him down and sheathed the sword, and such a +thing never happened to him either before or since. + +Then Asgrim and his band go out, and Skarphedinn said, "Whither +shall we now go?" + +"Home to our booths," answered Asgrim. + +"Then we fare back to our booths wearied of begging," says +Skarphedinn. + +"In many places," said Asgrim, "hast thou been rather sharp- +tongued, but here now, in what Thorkel had a share methinks thou +hast only treated him as is fitting," + +Then they went home to their booths, and told Njal, word for +word, all that had been done. + +"Things," he said, "draw on to what must be." + +Now Gudmund the Powerful heard what has passed between Thorkel +and Skarphedinn, and said, "Ye all know how things fared between +us and the men of Lightwater, but I have never suffered such +scorn and mocking at their hands as has befallen Thorkel from +Skarphedinn, and this is just as it should be." + +Then he said to Einar of Thvera, his brother, "Thou shalt go with +all my band, and stand by Njal's sons when the courts go out to +try suits; but if they need help next summer, then I myself will +yield them help." + +Einar agreed to that, and sent and told Asgrim, and Asgrim said, +"There is no man like Gudmund for nobleness of mind," and then +he told it to Njal. + + + +120. OF THE PLEADING OF THE SUIT + +The next day Asgrim, and Gizur the White, and Hjallti Skeggi's +son, and Einar of Thvera, met together. There, too, was Mord +Valgard's son; he had then let the suit fall from his hand, and +given it over to the sons of Sigfus. + +Then Asgrim spoke. + +"Thee first I speak to about this matter, Gizur the White and +thee Hjallti, and thee Einar, that I may tell you how the suit +stands. It will be known to all of you that Mord took up the +suit, but the truth of the matter is, that Mord was at Hauskuld's +slaying, and wounded him with that wound, for giving which no man +was named. It seems to me, then, that this suit must come to +naught by reason of a lawful flaw." + +"Then we will plead it at once," says Hjallti. + +"It is not good counsel," said Thorhall Asgrim's son, "that this +should not be hidden until the courts are set." + +"How so?" asks Hjallti. + +"If," said Thorhall, "they knew now at once that the suit has +been wrongly set on foot, then they may still save the suit by +sending a man home from the Thing, and summoning the neighbours +from home over again, and calling on them to ride to the Thing, +and then the suit will be lawfully set on foot." + +"Thou art a wise man, Thorhall," say they, "and we will take +thy counsel." + +After that each man went to his booth. + +The sons of Sigfus gave notice of their suits at the Hill of +Laws, and asked in what Quarter Courts they lay, and in what +house in the district the defendants dwelt. But on the Friday +night the courts were to go out to try suits, and so the Thing +was quiet up to that day. + +Many sought to bring about an atonement between them, but Flosi +was steadfast; but others were still more wordy, and things +looked ill. + +Now the time comes when the courts were to go out, on the Friday +evening. Then the whole body of men at the Thing went to the +courts. Flosi stood south at the court of the men of Rangriver, +and his band with him. There with him was Hall of the Side, and +Runolf of the Dale, Wolf Aurpriest's son, and those other men who +had promised Flosi help. + +But north of the court of the men of Rangriver stood Asgrim +Ellidagrim's son, and Gizur the White, Hjallti Skeggi's son, and +Einar of Thvera. But Njal's sons were at home at their booth, +and Kari and Thorleif Crow, and Thorgeir Craggeir, and Thorgrim +the Big. They sate all with their weapons, and their band looked +safe from onslaught. + +Njal had already prayed the judges to go into the court, and now +the sons of Sigfus plead their suit. They took witness and bade +Njal's sons to listen to their oath; after that they took their +oath, and then they declared their suit; then they brought +forward witness of the notice, then they bade the neighbours on +the inquest to take their seats, then they called on Njal's sons +to challenge the inquest. + +Then up stood Thorhall Asgrim's son, and took witness, and +forbade the inquest by a protest to utter their finding; and his +ground was, that he who had given notice of the suit was truly +under the ban of the law, and was himself an outlaw. + +"Of whom speakest thou this?" says Flosi. + +"Mord Valgard's son," said Thorhall, "fared to Hauskuld's slaying +with Njal's sons, and wounded him with that wound for which no +man was named when witness was taken to the death-wounds; and ye +can say nothing against this, and so the suit comes to naught." + + + +121. OF THE AWARD OF ATONEMENT BETWEEN FLOSI AND NJAL + +Then Njal stood up and said, "This I pray, Hall of the Side, and +Flosi, and all the sons of Sigfus, and all our men, too, that ye +will not go away but listen to my words." + +They did so, and then he spoke thus: "It seems to me as though +this suit were come to naught, and it is likely it should, for it +hath sprung from an ill root. I will let you all know that I +loved Hauskuld more than my own sons, and when I heard that he +was slain, methought the sweetest light of my eyes was quenched, +and I would rather have lost all my sons, and that he were alive. +Now I ask thee, Hall of the Side, and thee Runolf of the Dale, +and thee Hjallti Skeggi's son, and thee Einar of Thvera, and thee +Hafr the Wise, that I may be allowed to make an atonement for the +slaying of Hauskuld on my son's behalf; and I wish that those men +who are best fitted to do so shall utter the award." + +Gizur, and Hafr, and Einar, spoke each on their own part, and +prayed Flosi to take an atonement, and promised him their +friendship in return. + +Flosi answered them well in all things, but still did not give +his word. + +Then Hall of the Side said to Flosi, "Wilt thou now keep thy +word, and grant me my boon which thou hast already promised me, +when I put beyond sea Thorgrim, the son of Kettle the Fat, thy +kinsman, when he had slain Halli the Red." + +"I will grant it thee, father-in-law," said Flosi, "for that +alone wilt thou ask which will make my honour greater than it +erewhile was." + +"Then," said Hall, "my wish is that thou shouldst be quickly +atoned, and lettest good men and true make an award, and so buy +the friendship of good and worthy men." + +"I will let you all know," said Flosi, "that I will do according +to the word of Hall, my father-in-law, and other of the worthiest +men, that he and others of the best men on each side, lawfully +named, shall make this award. Methinks Njal is worthy that I +should grant him this." + +Njal thanked him and all of them, and others who were by thanked +them too, and said that Flosi had behaved well. + +Then Flosi said, "Now will I name my daysmen (1): First, I name +Hall, my father-in-law; Auzur from Broadwater; Surt Asbjorn's son +of Kirkby; Modolf Kettle's son," -- he dwelt then at Asar -- +"Hafr the Wise; and Runoff of the Dale; and it is scarce worth +while to say that these are the fittest men out of all my +company." + +Now he bade Njal to name his daysmen, and then Njal stood up, and +said, "First of these I name, Asgrim Ellidagrim's son; and +Hjallti Skeggi's son; Gizur the White; Einar of Thvera; Snorri +the Priest; and Gudmund the Powerful." + +After that Njal and Flosi, and the sons of Sigfus shook hands, +and Njal pledged his hand on behalf of all his sons, and of Kari, +his son-in-law, that they would hold to what those twelve men +doomed; and one might say that the whole body of men at the Thing +was glad at that. + +Then men were sent after Snorri and Gudmund, for they were in +their booths. + +Then it was given out that the judges in this award would sit in +the Court of Laws, but all the others were to go away. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) The true English word for "arbitrator," or " umpire." See + "Job" ix. 33 -- "Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, + that might lay his hand upon us both." See also Holland's + "Translations of Livy", Page 137 -- "A more shameful + precedent for the time to come: namely, that umpires and + dates-men should convert the thing in suit unto their own + and proper vantage." + + + +122. OF THE JUDGES + +Then Snorri the Priest spoke thus, "Now are we here twelve +judges to whom these suits are handed over, now I will beg you +all that we may have no stumbling blocks in these suits, so that +they may not be atoned." + +"Will ye," said Gudmund, "award either the lesser or the greater +outlawry? Shall they be banished from the district, or from the +whole land?" + +"Neither of them," says Snorri, "for those banishments are often +ill fulfilled, and men have been slain for that sake, and +atonements broken, but I will award so great a money fine that no +man shall have had a higher price here in the land than +Hauskuld." + +They all spoke well of his words. + +Then they talked over the matter, and could not agree which +should first utter how great he thought the fine ought to be, and +so the end of it was that they cast lots, and the lot fell on +Snorri to utter it. + +Then Snorri said, "I will not sit long over this, I will now tell +you what my utterance is, I will let Hauskuld be atoned for with +triple manfines, but that is six hundred in silver. Now ye shall +change it, if ye think it too much or too little." + +They said that they would change it in nothing. + +"This too shall be added," he said, "that all the money shall be +paid down here at the Thing." + +Then Gizur the White spoke and said, "Methinks that can hardly +be, for they will not have enough money to pay their fines." + +"I know what Snorri wishes," said Gudmund the Powerful, "he wants +that all we daysmen should give such a sum as our bounty will +bestow, and then many will do as we do." + +Hall of the Side thanked him, and said he would willingly give as +much as any one else gave, and then all the other daysmen agreed +to that. + +After that they went away, and settled between them that Hall +should utter the award at the Hill of Laws. + +So the bell was rung, and all men went to the Hill of Laws, and +Hall of the Side stood up and spoke, "In this suit, in which we +have come to an award, we have been all well agreed, and we have +awarded six hundred in silver, and half this sum we the daysmen +will pay, but it must all be paid up here at the Thing. But it +is my prayer to all the people that each man will give something +for God's sake." + +All answered well to that, and then Hall took witness to the +award, that no one should be able to break it. + +Njal thanked them for their award, but Skarphedinn stood by, and +held his peace, and smiled scornfully. + +Then men went from the Hill of Laws and to their booths, but the +daysmen gathered together in the freemen's churchyard the money +which they had promised to give. + +Njal's sons handed over that money which they had by them, and +Kari did the same, and that came to a hundred in silver. + +Njal took out that money which he had with him, and that was +another hundred in silver. + +So this money was all brought before the Hill of Laws, and then +men gave so much, that not a penny was wanting. + +Then Njal took a silken scarf and a pair of boots and laid them +on the top of the heap. + +After that, Hall said to Njal, that he should go to fetch his +sons, "But I will go for Flosi, and now each must give the other +pledges of peace." + +Then Njal went home to his booth, and spoke to his sons and said, +"Now are our suits come into a fair way of settlement, now are +we men atoned, for all the money has been brought together in one +place; and now either side is to go and grant the other peace and +pledges of good faith. I will therefore ask you this, my sons, +not to spoil these things in any way." + +Skarphedinn stroked his brow, and smiled scornfully. So they all +go to the Court of Laws. + +Hall went to meet Flosi and said, "Go thou now to the Court of +Laws, for now all the money has been bravely paid down, and it +has been brought together in one place." + +Then Flosi bade the sons of Sigfus to go up with him, and they +all went out of their booths. They came from the east, but Njal +went from the west to the Court of Laws, and his sons with him. + +Skarphedinn went to the middle bench and stood there. + +Flosi went into the Court of Laws to look closely at the money, +and said, "This money is both great and good, and well paid +down, as was to be looked for." + +After that he took up the scarf, and waved it, and asked, "Who +may have given this?" + +But no man answered him. + +A second time he waved the scarf, and asked, "Who may have given +this?" and laughed, but no man answered him. + +Then Flosi said, "How is it that none of you knows who has owned +this gear, or is it that none dares to tell me?" + +"Who?" said Skarphedinn, "dost thou think, has given it?" + +"If thou must know," said Flosi, "then I will tell thee; I think +that thy father the `Beardless Carle' must have given it, for +many know not who look at him whether he is more a man than a +woman." + +"Such words are ill-spoken," said Skarphedinn, "to make game of +him, an old man, and no man of any worth has ever done so before. +Ye may know, too, that he is a man, for he has had sons by his +wife, and few of our kinsfolk have fallen unatoned by our house, +so that we have not had vengeance for them." + +Then Skarphedinn took to himself the silken scarf, but threw a +pair of blue breeks to Flosi, and said he would need them more. + +"Why," said Flosi, "should I need these more?" + +"Because," said Skarphedinn, "thou art the sweetheart of the +Swinefell's goblin, if, as men say, he does indeed turn thee into +a woman every ninth night." + +Then Flosi spurned the money, and said he would not touch a penny +of it, and then he said he would only have one of two things: +either that Hauskuld should fall unatoned, or they would have +vengeance for him. + +Then Flosi would neither give nor take peace, and he said to the +sons of Sigfus, "Go we now home; one fate shall befall us all." + +Then they went home to their booth, and Hall said, "Here most +unlucky men have a share in this suit." + +Njal and his sons went home to their booth, and Njal said, "Now +comes to pass what my heart told me long ago, that this suit +would fall heavy on us." + +"Not so," says Skarphedinn; "they can never pursue us by the laws +of the land." + +"Then that will happen," says Njal, "which will be worse for all +of us." + +Those men who had given the money spoke about it, and said that +they should take it back; but Gudmund the Powerful said, "That +shame I will never choose for myself, to take back what I have +given away, either here or elsewhere." + +"That is well spoken," they said; and then no one would take it +back. + +Then Snorri the Priest said, "My counsel is, that Gizur the White +and Hjallti Skeggi's son keep the money till the next Althing; my +heart tells me that no long time will pass ere there may be need +to touch this money." + +Hjallti took half the money and kept it safe, but Gizur took the +rest. + +Then men went home to their booths. + + + +123. AN ATTACK PLANNED ON NJAL AND HIS SONS + +Flosi summoned all his men up to the "Great Rift," and went +thither himself. + +So when all his men were come, there were one hundred and twenty +of them. + +Then Flosi spake thus to the sons of Sigfus, "In what way shall +I stand by you in this quarrel, which will be most to your +minds?" + +"Nothing will please us," said Gunnar Lambi's son, "until those +brothers, Njal's sons, are all slain." + +"This," said Flosi, "will I promise to you, ye sons of Sigfus, +not to part from this quarrel before one of us bites the dust +before the other. I will also know whether there be any man here +who will not stand by us in this quarrel." + +But they all said they would stand by him. + +Then Flosi said, "Come now all to me, and swear an oath that no +man will shrink from this quarrel." + +Then all went up to Flosi and swore oaths to him; and then Flosi +said, "We will all of us shake hands on this, that he shall have +forfeited life and land who quits this quarrel ere it be over." + +These were the chiefs who were with Flosi: -- Kol the son of +Thorstein Broadpaunch, the brother's son of Hall of the Side, +Hroald Auzur's son from Broadwater, Auzur son of Aunund Wallet- +back, Thorstein the Fair, the son of Gerleif, Glum Hildir's son, +Modolf Kettle's son, Thorir the son of Thord Illugi's son of +Mauratongue, Kolbein and Egil Flosi's kinsmen, Kettle Sigfus' +son, and Mord his brother, Ingialld of the Springs, Thorkel and +Lambi, Grani Gunnar's son, Gunnar Lambi's son, and Sigmund +Sigfus' son, and Hroar from Hromundstede. + +Then Flosi said to the sons of Sigfus, "Choose ye now a leader, +whomsoever ye think best fitted; for some one man must needs be +chief over the quarrel" + +Then Kettle of the Mark answered, "If the choice is to be left +with us brothers, then we will soon choose that this duty should +fall on thee; there are many things which lead to this. Thou art +a man of great birth, and a mighty chief, stout of heart, and +strong of body, and wise withal, and so we think it best that +thou shouldst see to all that is needful in the quarrel." + +"It is most fitting," said Flosi, "that I should agree to +undertake this as your prayer asks; and now I will lay down the +course which we shall follow, and my counsel is, that each man +ride home from the Thing, and look after his household during the +summer, so long as men's haymaking lasts. I, too, will ride +home, and be at home this summer; but when that Lord's day comes +on which winter is eight weeks off, then I will let them sing me +a mass at home, and afterwards ride west across Loomnips Sand; +each of our men shall have two horses. I will not swell our +company beyond those which have now taken the oath, for we have +enough and to spare if all keep true tryst. I will ride all the +Lord's day and the night as well, but at even on the second day +of the week, I shall ride up to Threecorner ridge about mid-even. +There shall ye then be all come who have sworn an oath in this +matter. But if there be any one who has not come, and who has +joined us in this quarrel, then that man shall lose nothing save +his life, if we may have our way." + +"How does that hang together," said Kettle, "that thou canst ride +from home on the Lord's day, and come the second day of the week +to Threecorner ridge?" + +"I will ride," said Flosi "up from Skaptartongue, and north of +the Eyjafell Jokul, and so down into Godaland, and it may be done +if I ride fast. And now I will tell you my whole purpose, that +when we meet there all together, we shall ride to Bergthorsknoll +with all our band, and fall on Njal's sons with fire and sword, +and not turn away before they are all dead. Ye shall hide this +plan, for our lives lie on it. And now we will take to our +horses and ride home." + +Then they all went to their booths. + +After that Flosi made them saddle his horses, and they waited for +no man, and rode home. + +Flosi would not stay to meet Hall his father-in-law, for he knew +of a surety that Hall would set his face against all strong +deeds. + +Njal rode home from the Thing and his sons. They were at home +that summcr. Njal asked Kari his son-in-law whether he thought +at all of riding east to Dyrholms to his own house. + +"I will not ride east," answered Kari, "for one fate shall befall +me and thy sons. + +Njal thanked him, and said that was only what was likely from +him. There were nearly thirty fighting men in Njal's house, +reckoning the house-carles. + +One day it happened that Rodny Hauskuld's daughter, the mother of +Hauskuld Njal's son, came to the Springs. Her brother Ingialld +greeted her well, but she would not take his greeting, but yet +bade him go out with her. Ingialld did so, and went out with +her; and so they walked away from the farm-yard both together. +Then she clutched hold of him and they both sat down, and Rodny +said, "Is it true that thou hast sworn an oath to fall on Njal, +and slay him and his sons?" + +"True it is," said he. + +"A very great dastard art thou," she says, "thou, whom Njal hath +thrice saved from outlawry." + +"Still it hath come to this," says Ingialld, "that my life lies +on it if I do not this?" + +"Not so," says she, "thou shalt live all the same, and be called +a better man, if thou betrayest not him to whom thou oughtest to +behave best." + +Then she took a linen hood out of her bag, it was clotted with +blood all over, and torn and tattered, and said, "This hood, +Hauskuld Njal's son, and thy sister's son, had on his head when +they slew him; methinks, then, it is ill doing to stand by those +from whom this mischief sprang." + +"Well!" answers Ingialld, "so it shall be that I will not be +against Njal whatever follows after, but still I know that they +will turn and throw trouble on me." + +"Now mightest thou," said Rodny, "yield Njal and his sons great +help, if thou tellest him all these plans." + +"That I will not do," says Ingialld, "for then I am every man's +dastard if I tell what was trusted to me in good faith; but it is +a manly deed to sunder myself from this quarrel when I know that +there is a sure looking for of vengeance but tell Njal and his +sons to be ware of themselves all this summer, for that will be +good counsel, and to keep many men about them." + +Then she fared to Bergthoknoll, and told Njal all this talk; and +Njal thanked her, and said she had done well, "For there would be +more wickedness in his falling on me than of all men else." + +She fared home, but he told this to his sons. + +There was a carline at Bergthorsknoll, whose name was Saevuna. +She was wise in many things, and foresighted; but she was then +very old, and Njal's sons called her an old dotard, when she +talked so much, but still some things which she said came to +pass. It fell one day that she took a cudgel in her hand, and +went up above the house to a stack of vetches. She beat the +stack of vetches with her cudgel, and wished it might never +thrive, "Wretch that it was!" + +Skarphedinn laughed at her, and asked why she was so angry with +the vetch stack. + +"This stack of vetches," said the carline, "will be taken and +lighted with fire when Njal my master is burnt, house and all, +and Bergthorn my foster-child. Take it away to the water, or +burn it up as quick as you can." + +"We will not do that," says Skarphedinn, "for something else will +be got to light a fire with, if that were foredoomed, though this +stack were not here." + +The carline babbled the whole summer about the vetchstack that it +should be got indoors, but something always hindered it. + + + +124. OF PORTENTS + +At Reykium on Skeid dwelt one Runolf Thorstein's son. His son's +name was Hildiglum. He went out on the night of the Lord's day, +when nine weeks were still to winter; he heard a great crash, so +that he thought both heaven and earth shook. Then he looked into +the west "airt," and he thought he saw thereabouts a ring of +fiery hue, and within the ring a man on a grey horse. He passed +quickly by him, and rode hard. He had a flaming firebrand in his +hand, and he rode so close to him that he could see him plainly. +He was as black as pitch, and he sung this song with a mighty +voice: + + "Here I ride swift steed, + His Bank flecked with rime, + Rain from his mane drips, + Horse mighty for harm; + Flames flare at each end, + Gall glows in the midst, + So fares it with Flosi's redes + As this flaming brand flies; + And so fares it with Flosi's redes + As this flaming brand flies." + +Then he thought he hurled the firebrand east towards the fells +before him, and such a blaze of fire leapt up to meet it that he +could not see the fells for the blaze. It seemed as though that +man rode east among the flames and vanished there. + +After that he went to his bed, and was senseless a long time, +but at last he came to himself. He bore in mind all that had +happened, and told his father, but he bade him tell it to Hjallti +Skeggi's son. So he went and told Hjallti, but he said he had +seen "`the Wolf's ride,' and that comes ever before great +tidings." + + + +125. FLOSI'S JOURNEY FROM HOME + +Flosi busked him from the east when two months were still to +winter, and summoned to him all his men who had promised him help +and company. Each of them had two horses and good weapons, and +they all came to Swinefell, and were there that night. + +Flosi made them say prayers betimes on the Lord's day, and +afterwards they sate down to meat. He spoke to his household, +and told them what work each was to do while he was away. After +that he went to his horses. + +Flosi and his men rode first west on the Sand (1). Flosi bade +them not to ride too hard at first; but said they would do well +enough at that pace, and he bade all to wait for the others if +any of them had need to stop. They rode west to Woodcombe, and +came to Kirkby. Flosi there bade all men to come into the +church, and pray to God, and men did so. + +After that they mounted their horses, and rode on the fell, and +so to Fishwaters, and rode a little to the west of the lakes, and +so struck down west on to the Sand (2). Then they left Eyjafell +Jokul on their left hand, and so came down into Godaland, and so +on to Markfleet, and came about nones (3) on the second day of +the week to Threecorner ridge, and waited till mid-even. Then +all had came thither save Ingialld of the Springs. + +The sons of Sigfus spoke much ill of him, but Flosi bade them not +blame Ingialld when he was not by, "But we will pay him for this +hereafter." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Sand," Skeidara sand. +(2) "Sand," Maelifell's sand. +(3) "Nones," the well-known canonical hour of the day, the ninth + hour from six a.m., that is, about three o'clock when one of + the church services took place. + + + +126. OF PORTENTS AT BERGTHORSKNOLL + +Now we must take up the story, and turn to Bergthorsknoll, and +say that Grim and Helgi go to Holar. They had children out at +foster there, and they told their mother that they should not +come home that evening. They were in Holar all the day, and +there came some poor women and said they had come from far. +Those brothers asked them for tidings, and they said they had no +tidings to tell, "But still we might tell you one bit of news." + +They asked what that might be, and bade them not hide it. They +said so it should be. + +"We came down out of Fleetlithe, and we saw all the sons of +Sigfus riding fully armed -- they made for Threecorner ridge, and +were fifteen in company. We saw too Grani Gunnar's son and +Gunnar Lambi's son, and they were five in all. They took the +same road, and one may say now that the whole country-side is +faring and flitting about." + +"Then," said Helgi Njal's son, "Flosi must have come from the +east, and they must have all gone to meet him, and we two, Grim, +should be where Skarphedinn is." + +Grim said so it ought to be, and they fared home. + +That same evening Bergthora spoke to her household, and said, +"Now shall ye choose your meat to-night, so that each may have +what he likes best; for this evening is the last that I shall set +meat before my household." + +"That shall not be," they said. + +"It will be though," she says, "and I could tell you much more +if I would, but this shall be a token, that Grim and Helgi will +be home ere men have eaten their full to-night; and if this turns +out so, then the rest that I say will happen too." + +After that she set meat on the board, and Njal said "Wondrously +now it seems to me. Methinks I see all round the room, and it +seems as though the gable wall were thrown down, but the whole +board and the meat on it is one gore of blood." + +All thought this strange but Skarphedinn, he bade men not be +downcast, nor to utter other unseemly sounds, so that men might +make a story out of them. + +"For it befits us surely more than other men to bear us well, and +it is only what is looked for from us." + +Grim and Helgi came home ere the board was cleared, and men were +much struck at that. Njal asked why they had returned so quickly +but they told what they had heard. + +Njal bade no man go to sleep, but to be ware of themselves. + + + +127. THE ONSLAUGHT (1) ON BERGTHORSKNOLL + +Now Flosi speaks to his men, "Now we will ride to Bergthorsknoll, +and come thither before supper-time." + +They do so. There was a dell in the knoll, and they rode +thither, and tethered their horses there, and stayed there till +the evening was far spent. + +Then Flosi said, "Now we will go straight up to the house, and +keep close, and walk slow, and see what counsel they will take." + +Njal stood out of doors, and his sons, and Kari and all the +serving-men, and they stood in array to meet them in the yard, +and they were near thirty of them. + +Flosi halted and said, "Now we shall see what counsel they take, +for it seems to me, if they stand out of doors to meet us, as +though we should never get the mastery over them." + +"Then is our journey bad," says Grani Gunnar's son, "if we are +not to dare to fall on them." + +"Nor shall that be," says Flosi; "for we will fall on them though +they stand out of doors; but we shall pay that penalty, that many +will not go away to tell which side won the day." + +Njal said to his men, "See ye now what a great band of men they +have." + +"They have both a great and well-knit band," says Skarphedinn; +"but this is why they make a halt now, because they think it will +be a hard struggle to master us." + +"That cannot be why they halt," says Njal; "and my will is that +our men go indoors, for they had hard work to master Gunnar of +Lithend, though he was alone to meet them; but here is a strong +house as there was there, and they will be slow to come to close +quarters." + +"This is not to be settled in that wise," says Skarphedinn, "for +those chiefs fell on Gunnar's house, who were so nobleminded, +that they would rather turn back than burn him, house and all; +but these will fall on us at once with fire, if they cannot get +at us in any other way, for they will leave no stone unturned to +get the better of us; and no doubt they think, as is not +unlikely, that it will be their deaths if we escape out of their +hands. Besides, I am unwilling to let myself be stifled indoors +like a fox in his earth." + +"Now," said Njal, "as often it happens, my sons, ye set my +counsel at naught, and show me no honour, but when ye were +younger ye did not so, and then your plans were better +furthered." + +"Let us do," said Helgi, "as our father wills; that will be best +for us." + +"I am not so sure of that," says Skarphedinn, "for now he is +`fey'; but still I may well humour my father in this, by being +burnt indoors along with him, for I am not afraid of my death." + +Then he said to Kari, "Let us stand by one another well, brother- +in-law, so that neither parts from the other." + +"That I have made up my mind to do," says Kari; "but if it should +be otherwise doomed, -- well! then it must be as it must be, and +I shall not be able to fight against it." + +"Avenge us, and we will avenge thee," says Skarphedinn, "if we +live after thee." + +Kari said so it should be. + +Then they all went in, and stood in array at the door. + +"Now are they all `fey,'" said Flosi, "since they have gone +indoors, and we will go right up to them as quickly as we can, +and throng as close as we can before the door, and give heed that +none of them, neither Kari nor Njal's sons, get away; for that +were our bane." + +So Flosi and his men came up to the house, and set men +to watch round the house, if there were any secret doors in it. +But Flosi went up to the front of the house with his men. + +Then Hroald Auzur's son ran up to where Skarphedinn stood, and +thrust at him. Skarphedinn hewed the spearhead off the shaft as +he held it, and made another stroke at him, and the axe fell on +the top of the shield, and dashed back the whole shield on +Hroald's body, but the upper horn of the axe caught him on the +brow, and he fell at full length on his back, and was dead at +once. + +"Little chance had that one with thee, Skarphedinn," said Kari, +"and thou art our boldest." + +"I'm not so sure of that," says Skarphedinn, and he drew up his +lips and smiled. + +Kari, and Grim, and Helgi, threw out many spears, and wounded +many men; but Flosi and his men could do nothing. + +At last Flosi said, "We have already gotten great manscathe in +our men; many are wounded, and he slain whom we would choose last +of all. It is now clear that we shall never master them with +weapons; many now there be who are not so forward in fight as +they boasted, and yet they were those who goaded us on most. I +say this most to Grani Gunnar's son, and Gunnar Lambi's son, who +were the least willing to spare their foes. But still we shall +have to take to some other plan for ourselves, and now there are +but two choices left, and neither of them good. One is to turn +away, and that is our death; the other, to set fire to the house, +and burn them inside it; and that is a deed which we shall have +to answer for heavily before God, since we are Christian men +ourselves; but still we must take to that counsel." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) The Icelandic word is "heimsokn," a term which still lingers + in the grave offence known in Scottish law as "hamesucken." + + + +128. NJAL'S BURNING + +Now they took fire, and made a great pile before the doors. Then +Skarphedinn said, "What, lads! are ye lighting a fire, or are ye +taking to cooking?" + +"So it shall be," answered Grani Gunnar's son; "and thou shalt +not need to be better done." + +"Thou repayest me," said Skarphedinn, "as one may look for from +the man that thou art. I avenged thy father, and thou settest +most store by that duty which is farthest from thee." + +Then the women threw whey on the fire, and quenched it as fast as +they lit it. Some, too, brought water, or slops. + +Then Kol Thorstein's son said to Flosi, "A plan comes into my +mind; I have seen a loft over the hall among the crosstrees, and +we will put the fire in there, and light it with the vetch-stack +that stands just above the house." + +Then they took the vetch-stack and set fire to it, and they who +were inside were not aware of it till the whole hall was a-blaze +over their heads. + +Then Flosi and his men made a great pile before each of the +doors, and then the women folk who were inside began to weep and +to wail. + +Njal spoke to them and said, "Keep up your hearts, nor utter +shrieks, for this is but a passing storm, and it will be long +before ye have another such; and put your faith in God, and +believe that he is so merciful that he will not let us burn both +in this world and the next." + +Such words of comfort had he for them all, and others still more +strong. + +Now the whole house began to blaze. Then Njal went to the door +and said, "Is Flosi so near that he can hear my voice." + +Flosi said that he could hear it. + +"Wilt thou," said Njal, "take an atonement from my sons, or allow +any men to go out." + +"I will not," answers Flosi, "take any atonement from thy sons, +and now our dealings shall come to an end once for all, and I +will not stir from this spot till they are all dead; but I will +allow the women and children and house-carles to go out." + +Then Njal went into the house, and said to the fold, "Now all +those must go out to whom leave is given, and so go thou out +Thorhalla Asgrim's daughter, and all the people also with thee +who may." + +Then Thorhalla said, "This is another parting between me and +Helgi than I thought of a while ago; but still I will egg on my +father and brothers to avenge this manscathe which is wrought +here." + +"Go, and good go with thee," said Njal, "for thou art a brave +woman." + +After that she went out and much folk with her. + +Then Astrid of Deepback said to Helgi Njal's son, "Come thou out +with me, and I will throw a woman's cloak over thee, and tie thy +head with a kerchief." + +He spoke against it at first, but at last he did so at the prayer +of others. + +So Astrid wrapped the kerchief round Helgi's head, but Thorhilda, +Skarphedinn's wife, threw the cloak over him, and he went out +between them, and then Thorgerda Njal's daughter, and Helga her +sister, and many other folk went out too. + +But when Helgi came out Flosi said, "That is a tall woman and +broad across the shoulders that went yonder, take her and hold +her." + +But when Helgi heard that, he cast away the cloak. He had got +his sword under his arm, and hewed at a man, and the blow fell on +his shield and cut off the point of it, and the man's leg as +well. Then Flosi came up and hewed at Helgi's neck, and took off +his head at a stroke. + +Then Flosi went to the door and called out to Njal, and said he +would speak with him and Bergthora. + +Now Njal does so, and Flosi said, "I will offer thee, master +Njal, leave to go out, for it is unworthy that thou shouldst burn +indoors." + +"I will not go out," said Njal, "for I am an old man, and little +fitted to avenge my sons, but I will not live in shame." + +Then Flosi said to Bergthora, "Come thou out, housewife, for I +will for no sake burn thee indoors." + +"I was given away to Njal young," said Bergthora, "and I have +promised him this, that we would both share the same fate." + +After that they both went back into the house. + +"What counsel shall we now take," said Bergthora. + +"We will go to our bed," says Njal, "and lay us down; I have long +been eager for rest." + +Then she said to the boy Thord, Kari's son, "Thee will I take +out, and thou shalt not burn in here." + +"Thou hast promised me this, grandmother," says the boy, "that we +should never part so long as I wished to be with thee; but +methinks it is much better to die with thee and Njal than to live +after you." + +Then she bore the boy to her bed, and Njal spoke to his steward +and said, "Now thou shalt see where we lay us down, and how I +lay us out, for I mean not to stir an inch hence, whether reek or +burning smart me, and so thou wilt be able to guess where to look +for our bones," + +He said he would do so. + +There had been an ox slaughtered and the hide lay there. Njal +told the steward to spread the hide over them, and he did so. + +So there they lay down both of them in their bed, and put the boy +between them. Then they signed themselves and the boy with the +cross, and gave over their souls into God's hand, and that was +the last word that men heard them utter. + +Then the steward took the hide and spread it over them, and went +out afterwards. Kettle of the Mark caught hold of him, and +dragged him out, he asked carefully after his father-in-law Njal, +but the steward told him the whole truth. Then Kettle said, +"Great grief hath been sent on us, when we have had to share such +ill-luck together." + +Skarphedinn saw how his father laid him down, and how he laid +himself out, and then he said, "Our father goes early to bed, and +that is what was to be looked for, for he is an old man." + +Then Skarphedinn, and Kari, and Grim, caught the brands as fast +as they dropped down, and hurled them out at them, and so it went +on awhile. Then they hurled spears in at them, but they caught +them all as they flew, and sent them back again. + +Then Flosi bade them cease shooting, "for all feats of arms will +go hard with us when we deal with them; ye may well wait till the +fire overcomes them." + +So they do that, and shoot no more. + +Then the great beams out of the roof began to fall, and +Skarphedinn said, "Now must my father be dead, and I have neither +heard groan nor cough from him." + +Then they went to the end of the hall, and there had fallen down +a cross-beam inside which was much burnt in the middle. + +Kari spoke to Skarphedinn, and said, "Leap thou out here, and I +will help thee to do so, and I will leap out after thee, and then +we shall both get away if we set about it so, for hitherward +blows all the smoke." + +"Thou shalt leap first," said Skarphedinn; "but I will leap +straightway on thy heels." + +"That is not wise," says Kari, "for I can get out well enough +elsewhere, though it does not come about here." + +"I will not do that," says Skarphedinn; "leap thou out first, but +I will leap after thee at once." + +"It is bidden to every man," says Kari, "to seek to save his life +while he has a choice, and I will do so now; but still this +parting of ours will be in such wise that we shall never see one +another more; for if I leap out of the fire, I shall have no mind +to leap back into the fire to thee, and then each of us will have +to fare his own way." + +"It joys me, brother-in-law," says Skarphedinn, "to think that if +thou gettest away thou wilt avenge me." + +Then Kari took up a blazing bench in his hand, and runs up along +the cross-beam, then he hurls the bench out at the roof, and it +fell among those who were outside. + +Then they ran away, and by that time all Kari's upper clothing +and his hair were a-b1aze, then he threw himself down from the +roof, and so crept along with the smoke. + +Then one man said who was nearest, "Was that a man that leapt out +at the roof?" + +"Far from it," says another; "more likely it was Skarphedinn who +hurled a firebrand at us." + +After that they had no more mistrust. + +Kari ran till he came to a stream, and then he threw himself down +into it, and so quenched the fire on him. + +After that he ran along under shelter of the smoke into a hollow, +and rested him there, and that has since been called Kari's +Hollow. + + + +129. SKARPHEDINN'S DEATH + +Now it is to be told of Skarphedinn that he runs out on the +cross-beam straight after Kari, but when he came to where the +beam was most burnt, then it broke down under him. Skarphedinn +came down on his feet, and tried again the second time, and +climbs up the wall with a run, then down on him came the wall- +plate, and he toppled down again inside. + +Then Skarphedinn said, "Now one can see what will come;" and then +he went along the side wall. Gunnar Lambi's son leapt up on the +wall and sees Skarphedinn, he spoke thus, "Weepest thou now, +Skarphedinn?" + +"Not so," says Skarphedinn; "but true it is that the smoke makes +one's eyes smart, but is it as it seems to me, dost thou laugh?" + +"So it is surely," says Gunnar, "and I have never laughed since +thou slewest Thrain on Markfleet." + +Then Skarphedinn said, "Here now is a keepsake for thee;" and +with that he took out of his purse the jaw-tooth which he had +hewn out of Thrain, and threw it at Gunnar, and struck him in the +eye, so that it started out and lay on his cheek. + +Then Gunnar fell down from the roof. + +Skarphedinn then went to his brother Grim, and they held one +another by the hand and trode the fire; but when they came to the +middle of the hall Grim fell down dead. + +Then Skarphedinn went to the end of the house, and then there was +a great crash, and down fell the roof. Skarphedinn was then shut +in between it and the gable, and so he could not stir a step +thence. + +Flosi and his band stayed by the fire until it was broad +daylight; then came a man riding up to them. Flosi asked him for +his name, but he said his name was Geirmund, and that he was a +kinsman of the sons of Sigfus. + +"Ye have done a mighty deed," he says. + +"Men," said Flosi, "will call it both a mighty deed and an ill +deed, but that can't be helped now." + +"How many men have lost their lives here?" asks Geirmund. + +"Here have died," says Flosi, "Njal and Bergthora and all their +sons, Thord Kari's son, Kari Solmund's son, but besides these we +cannot say for a surety, because we know not their names." + +"Thou tellest him now dead," said Geirmund, "with whom we have +gossiped this morning." + +"Who is that?" says Flosi. + +"We two," says Geirmund, "I and my neighbour Bard, met Kari +Solmund's son, and Bard gave him his horse, and his hair and his +upper clothes were burned off him!" + +"Had he any weapons?" asks Flosi. + +"He had the sword `Life-luller,'" says Geirmund, "and one edge of +it was blue with fire, and Bard and I said that it must have +become soft, but he answered thus, that he would harden it in the +blood of the sons of Sigfus or the other Burners." + +"What said he of Skarphedinn?" said Flosi. + +"He said both he and Grim were alive," answers Geirmund, "when +they parted; but he said that now they must be dead." + +"Thou hast told us a tale," said Flosi, "which bodes us no idle +peace, for that man hath now got away who comes next to Gunnar of +Lithend in all things; and now, ye sons of Sigfus, and ye other +burners, know this, that such a great blood feud, and hue and cry +will be made about this burning, that it will make many a man +headless, but some will lose all their goods. Now I doubt much +whether any man of you, ye sons of Sigfus, will dare to stay in +his house; and that is not to be wondered at; and so I will bid +you all to come and stay with me in the east, and let us all +share one fate." + +They thanked him for his offer, and said they would be glad to +take it. + +Then Modolf Kettle's son, sang a song: + + "But one prop of Njal's house liveth, + All the rest inside are burnt, + All but one -- those bounteous spenders, + Sigfus' stalwart sons wrought this; + Son of Gollnir (1) now is glutted + Vengeance for brave Hauskuld's death, + Brisk flew fire through thy dwelling, + Bright flames blazed above thy roof." + +"We shall have to boast of something else than that Njal has been +burnt in his house," says Flosi, "for there is no glory in that." + +Then he went up on the gable, and Glum Hilldir's son, and some +other men. Then Glum said, "Is Skarphedinn dead, indeed?" But +the others said he must have been dead long ago. + +The fire sometimes blazed up fitfully and sometimes burned low, +and then they heard down in the fire beneath them that this song +was sung: + + "Deep, I ween, ye Ogre offspring + Devilish brood of giant birth, + Would ye groan with gloomy visage + Had the fight gone to my mind; + But my very soul it gladdens + That my friends I who now boast high, + Wrought not this foul deed, their glory, + Save with footsteps filled with gore." + +"Can Skarphedinn, think ye, have sung this song dead or alive?" +said Grani Gunnar's son. + +"I will go into no guesses about that," says Flosi. + +"We will look for Skarphedinn," says Grani, "and the other men +who have been here burnt inside the house." + +"That shall not be," says Flosi, "it is just like such foolish +men as thou art, now that men will be gathering force all over +the country; and when they do come, I trow the very same man who +now lingers will be so scared that he will not know which way to +run; and now my counsel is that we all ride away as quickly as +ever we can." + +Then Flosi went hastily to his horse and all his men. + +Then Flosi said to Geirmund, "Is Ingialld, thinkest thou, at home +at the Springs?" + +Geirmund said he thought he must be at home. + +"There now is a man," says Flosi, "who has broken his oath with +us and all good faith." + +Then Flosi said to the sons of Sigfus, "What course will ye now +take with Ingialld; will ye forgive him, or shall we now fall on +him and slay him?" + +They all answered that they would rather fall on him and slay +him. + +Then Flosi jumped on his horse, and all the others, and they rode +away. Flosi rode first, and shaped his course for Rangriver, and +up along the river bank. + +Then he saw a man riding down on the other bank of the river and +he knew that there was Ingialld of the Springs. Flosi calls out +to him. Ingialld halted and turned down to the river bank; and +Flosi said to him, "Thou hast broken faith with us, and hast +forfeited life and goods. Here now are the sons of Sigfus, who +are eager to slay thee; but methinks thou hast fallen into a +strait, and I will give thee thy life if thou will hand over to +me the right to make my own award." + +"I will sooner ride to meet Kari," said Ingialld, "than grant +thee the right to utter thine own award, and my answer to the +sons of Sigfus is this, that I shall be no whit more afraid of +them than they are of me." + +"Bide thou there," says Flosi, "if thou art not a coward, for I +will send thee a gift." + +"I will bide of a surety," says Ingialld. + +Thorstein Kolbein's son, Flosi's brother's son, rode up by his +side and had a spear in his hand, he was one of the bravest of +men, and the most worthy of those who were with Flosi. + +Flosi snatched the spear from him, and launched it at Ingialld, +and it fell on his left side, and passed through the shield just +below the handle, and clove it all asunder, but the spear passed +on into his thigh just above the knee-pan, and so on into the +saddle-tree, and there stood fast. + +Then Flosi said to Ingialld, "Did it touch thee? + +"It touched me sure enough," says Ingialld, "but I call this a +scratch and not a wound." + +Then Ingialld plucked the spear out of the wound, and said to +Flosi, "Now bide thou, if thou art not a milksop." + +Then he launched the spear back over the river. Flosi sees that +the spear is coming straight for his middle, and then he backs +his horse out of the way, but the spear flew in front of Flosi's +horse, and missed him, but it struck Thorstein's middle, and down +he fell at once dead off his horse. + +Now Ingialld runs for the wood, and they could not get at him. + +Then Flosi said to his men, "Now have we gotten manscathe, and +now we may know, when such things befall us, into what a luckless +state we have got. Now it is my counsel that we ride up to +Threecorner Ridge; thence we shall be able to see where men ride +all over the country, for by this time they will have gathered +together a great band, and they will think that we have ridden +east to Fleetlithe from Threecorner Ridge; and thence they will +think that we are riding north up on the fell, and so east to our +own country, and thither the greater part of the folk will ride +after us; but some will ride the coast road east to +Selialandsmull, and yet they will think there is less hope of +finding us thitherward, but I will now take counsel for all of +us, and my plan is to ride up into Threecorner-fell, and bide +there till three suns have risen and set in heaven." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Son of Gollnir," Njal, who was the son of Thorgeir Gelling + or Gollnir. +(2) "My friends," ironically of course. + + + +130. OF KARI SOLMUND'S SON + +Now it is to be told of Kari Solmund's son that he fared away +from that hollow in which he had rested himself until he met +Bard, and those words passed between them which Geirmund had +told. + +Thence Kari rode to Mord, and told him the tidings, and he was +greatly grieved. + +Kari said there were other things more befitting a man than to +weep for them dead, and bade him rather gather folk and come to +Holtford. + +After that he rode into Thurso-dale to Hjallti Skeggi's son, and +as he went along Thurso water, he sees a man riding fast behind +him. Kari waited for the man, and knows that he was Ingialld of +the Springs. He sees that he is very bloody about the thigh; and +Kari asked Ingialld who had wounded him, and he told him. + +"Where met ye two?" says Kari. + +"By Rangwater side," says Ingialld, "and he threw a spear over +at me." + +"Didst thou aught for it?" asks Kari. + +"I threw the spear back," says Ingialld, "and they said that it +met a man, and he was dead at once." + +"Knowest thou not," said Kari, "who the man was?" + +"Methought he was like Thorstein Flosi's brother's son," says +Ingialld. + +"Good luck go with thy hand," says Kari. + +After that they rode both together to see Hjallti Skeggi's son, +and told him the tidings. He took these deeds ill, and said +there was the greatest need to ride after them and slay them all. + +After that he gathered men and roused the whole country; now he +and Kari and Ingialld ride with this band to meet Mord Valgard's +son, and they found him at Holtford, and Mord was there waiting +for them with a very great company. Then they parted the hue and +cry; some fared the straight road by the east coast to +Selialandsmull, but some went up to Fleetlithe, and other-some +the higher road thence to Threecorner Ridge, and so down into +Godaland. Thence they rode north to Sand. Some too rode as far +as Fishwaters, and there turned back. Some the coast road east +to Holt, and told Thorgeir the tidings, and asked whether they +had not ridden by there. + +"This is how it is," said Thorgeir, "though I am not a mighty +chief, yet Flosi would take other counsel than to ride under my +eyes, when he has slain Njal, my father's brother, and my +cousins; and there is nothing left for any of you but e'en to +turn back again, for ye should have hunted longer nearer home; +but tell this to Kari, that he must ride hither to me and be here +with me if he will; but though he will not come hither east, +still I will look after his farm at Dyrholms if he will, but tell +him too that I will stand by him and ride with him to the +Althing. And he shall also know this, that we brothers are the +next of kin to follow up the feud, and we mean so to take up the +suit, that outlawry shall follow and after that revenge, man for +man, if we can bring it about; but I do not go with you now, +because I know naught will come of it, and they will now be as +wary as they can of themselves." + +Now they ride back, and all met at Hof and talked there among +themselves, and said that they had gotten disgrace since they had +not found them. Alord said that was not so. Then many men were +eager that they should fare to Fleetlithe, and pull down the +homesteads of all those who had been at those deeds, but still +they listened for Mord's utterance. + +"That," he said, "would be the greatest folly." They asked why +he said that. + +"Because," he said, "if their houses stand, they will be sure to +visit them to see their wives; and then, as time rolls on, we may +hunt them down there; and now ye shall none of you doubt that I +will be true to thee Kari, and to all of you, and in all counsel, +for I have to answer for myself." + +Hjallti bade him do as he said. Then Hjallti bade Kari to come +and stay with him, he said he would ride thither first. They +told him what Thorgeir had offered him, and he said he would make +use of that offer afterwards, but said his heart told him it +would be well if there were many such. + +After that the whole band broke up. + +Flosi and his men saw all these tidings from where they were on +the fell; and Flosi said, "Now we will take our horses and ride +away, for now it will be some good." + +The sons of Sigfus asked whether it would be worth while to get +to their homes and tell the news. + +"It must be Mord's meaning," says Flosi, "that ye will visit your +wives; and my guess is, that his plan is to let your houses stand +unsacked; but my plan is that not a man shall part from the +other, but all ride east with me." + +So every man took that counsel, and then they all rode east and +north of the Jokul, and so on till they came to Swinefell. + +Flosi sent at once men out to get in stores, so that nothing +might fall short. + +Folsi never spoke about the deed, but no fear was found in him, +and he was at home the whole winter till Yule was over. + + + +131. NJAL'S AND BERGTHORA'S BONES FOUND + +Kari bade Hjallti to go and search for Njal's bones, "For all +will believe in what thou sayest and thinkest about them." + +Hjallti said he would be most willing to bear Njal's bones to +church; so they rode thence fifteen men. They rode east over +Thurso-water, and called on men there to come with them till they +had one hundred men, reckoning Njal's neighbours. + +They came to Bergthorsknoll at mid-day. + +Hjallti asked Kari under what part of the house Njal might be +lying, but Kari showed them to the spot, and there was a great +heap of ashes to dig away. There they found the hide underneath, +and it was as though it were shrivelled with the fire. They +raised up the hide, and lo! they were unburnt under it. All +praised God for that, and thought it was a great token. + +Then the boy was taken up who had lain between them, and of him a +finger was burnt off which he had stretched out from under the +hide. + +Njal was home out, and so was Bergthora, and then all men went to +see their bodies. + +Then Hjallti said, "What like look to you these bodies?" + +They answered, "We will wait for thy utterance." + +Then Hjallti said, "I shall speak what I say with all freedom of +speech. The body of Bergthora looks as it was likely she would +look, and still fair; but Njal's body and visage seem to me so +bright that I have never seen any dead man's body so bright as +this." + +They all said they thought so too. + +Then they sought for Skarphedinn, and the men of the household +showed them to the spot where Flosi and his men heard the song +sung, and there the roof had fallen down by the gable, and there +Hjallti said that they should look. Then they did so, and found +Skarphedinn's body there, and he had stood up hard by the gable- +wall, and his legs were burnt off him right up to the knees, but +all the rest of him was unburnt. He had bitten through his under +lip, his eyes were wide open and not swollen nor starting out of +his head; he had driven his axe into the gable-wall so hard that +it had gone in up to the middle of the blade, and that was why it +was not softened. + +After that the axe was broken out of the wall, and Hjallti took +up the axe, and said, "This is a rare weapon, and few would be +able to wield it." + +"I see a man," said Kari, "who shall bear the axe." + +"Who is that?" says Hjallti. + +"Thorgeir Craggeir," says Kari, "he whom I now think to be the +greatest man in all their family." + +Then Skarphedinn was stripped of his clothes, for they were +unburnt, he had laid his hands in a cross, and the right hand +uppermost. They found marks on him; one between his shoulders +and the other on his chest, and both were branded in the shape of +a cross, and men thought that he must have burnt them in himself. + +All men said that they thought that it was better to be near +Skarphedinn dead than they weened, for no man was afraid of him. + +They sought for the bones of Grim, and found them in the midst +of the hall. They found, too, there, right over against him +under the side wall, Thord Freedmanson; but in the weaving-room +they found Saevuna the carline, and three men more. In all they +found there the bones of nine souls. Now they carried the bodies +to the church, and then Hjallti rode home and Kari with him. A +swelling came on Ingialld's leg, and then he fared to Hjallti, +and was healed there, but still he limped ever afterwards. + +Kari rode to Tongue to Asgrim Ellidagrim's son. By that time +Thorhalla was come home, and she had already told the tidings. +Asgrim took Kari by both hands, and bade him be there all that +year. Kari said so it should be. + +Asgrim asked besides all the folk who had been in the house at +Bergthorsknoll to stay with him. Kari said that was well +offered, and said he would take it on their behalf. + +Then all the folk were flitted thither. + +Thorhall Asgrim's son was so startled when he was told that his +foster-father Njal was dead, and that he had been burnt in his +house, that he swelled all over, and a stream of blood burst out +of both his ears, and could not be staunched, and he fell into a +swoon, and then it was staunched. + +After that he stood up, and said he had behaved like a coward, +"But I would that I might be able to avenge this which has +befallen me on some of those who burnt him." + +But when others said that no one would think this a shame to him, +he said he could not stop the mouths of the people from talking +about it. + +Asgrim asked Kari what trust and help he thought he might look +for from those east of the rivers. Kari said that Mord Valgard's +son, and Hjallti Skeggi's son, would yield him all the help they +could, and so, too, would Thorgeir Craggeir and all those +brothers. + +Asgrim said that was great strength. + +"What strength shall we have from thee?" says Kari. + +"All that I can give," says Asgrim, "and I will lay down my life +on it." + +"So do," says Kari. + +"I have also," says Asgrim, "brought Gizur the White into the +suit, and have asked his advice how we shall set about it." + +"What advice did he give?" asks Kari. + +"He counselled," answers Asgrim, "`that we should hold us quite +still till spring, but then ride east and set the suit on foot +against Flosi for the manslaughter of Helgi, and summon the +neighbours from their homes, and give due notice at the Thing of +the suits for the burning, and summon the same neighbours there +too on the inquest before the court. I asked Gizur who should +plead the suit for manslaughter, but he said that Mord should +plead it whether he liked it or not, and now,' he went on, `it +shall fall most heavily on him that up to this time all the suits +he has undertaken have had the worst ending. Kari shall also be +wroth whenever he meets Mord, and so, if he be made to fear on +one side, and has to look to me on the other, then he will +undertake the duty.'" + +Then Kari said, "We will follow thy counsel as long as we can, +and thou shalt lead us." + +It is to be told of Kari that he could not sleep of nights. +Asgrim woke up one night and heard that Kari was awake, and +Asgrim said, "Is it that thou canst not sleep at night?" + +Then Kari sang this song: + + "Bender of the bow of battle, + Sleep will not my eyelids seal, + Still my murdered messmates' bidding + Haunts my mind the livelong night; + Since the men their brands abusing + Burned last autumn guileless Njal, + Burned him house and home together, + Mindful am I of my hurt." + +Kari spoke of no men so often as of Njal and Skarphedinn, and +Bergthora and Helgi. He never abused his foes, and never +threatened them. + + + +132. FLOSI'S DREAM + +One night it so happened that Flosi struggled much in his sleep. +Glum Hildir's son woke him up, and then Flosi said, "Call me +Kettle of the Mark." + +Kettle came thither, and Flosi said, "I will tell thee my dream." + +"I am ready to hear it," says Kettle. + +"I dreamt," says Flosi, "that methought I stood below Loom-nip, +and went out and looked up to the Nip, and all at once it opened, +and a man came out of the Nip, and he was clad in goatskins, and +had an iron staff in his hand. He called, as he walked, on many +of my men, some sooner and some later, and named them by name. +First he called Grim the Red my kinsman, and Ami Kol's son. Then +methought something strange followed, methought he called Eyjolf +Bolverk's son, and Ljot son of Hall of the Side, and some six men +more. Then he held his peace awhile. After that he called five +men of our band, and among them were the sons of Sigfus, thy +brothers; then he called other six men, and among them were +Lambi, and Modolf, and Glum. Then he called three men. Last of +all he called Gunnar Lambi's son, and Kol Tborstein's son. After +that he came up to me; I asked him `What news?' He said he had +tidings enough to tell. Then I asked him for his name, but he +called himself Irongrim. I asked him whither he was going; he +said he had to fare to the Althing. `What shalt thou do there?' +I said. `First I shall challenge the inquest,' he answers, `and +then the courts, then clear the field for fighters.' After that +he sang this song: + + "Soon a man death's snake-strokes dealing + High shall lift his head on earth, + Here amid the dust low rolling + Battered brainpans men shall see; + Now upon the hills in hurly + Buds the blue steel's harvest bright; + Soon the bloody dew of battle + Thigh-deep through the ranks shall rise." + +"Then he shouted with such a mighty shout that methought +everything near shook, and dashed down his staff, and there was a +mighty crash. Then he went back into the fell, but fear clung to +me; and now I wish thee to tell me what thou thinkest this dream +is." + +"It is my foreboding," says Kettle, "that all those who were +called must be `fey.' It seems to me good counsel that we tell +this dream to no man just now." + +Flosi said so it should be. Now the winter passes away till Yule +was over. Then Flosi said to his men, "Now I mean that we should +fare from home, for methinks we shall not be able to have an idle +peace. Now we shall fare to pray for help, and now that will +come true which I told you, that we should have to bow the knee +to many ere this quarrel were ended." + + + +133. OF FLOSI'S JOURNEY AND HIS ASKING FOR HELP + +After that they busked them from home all together. Flosi was in +long-hose because he meant to go on foot, and then he knew that +it would seem less hard to the others to walk. + +Then they fared from home to Knappvale, but the evening after to +Broadwater, and then to Calffell, thence by Bjornness to +Hornfirth, thence to Staffell in Lon, and then to Thvattwater to +Hall of the Side. + +Flosi had to wife Steinvora, his daughter. + +Hall gave them a very hearty welcome, and Flosi said to Hall, "I +will ask thee, father-in-law, that thou wouldst ride to the Thing +with me with all thy Thingmen." + +"Now," answered Hall, "it has turned out as the saw says, `but a +short while is hand fain of blow'; and yet it is one and the same +man in thy band who now hangs his head, and who then goaded thee +on to the worst of deeds when it was still undone. But my help I +am bound to lend thee in all such places as I may." + +"What counsel dost thou give me," said Flosi, "in the strait in +which I now am." + +"Thou shalt fare," said Hall, "north, right up to Weaponfirth, +and ask all the chiefs for aid, and thou wilt yet need it all +before the Thing is over." + +Flosi stayed there three nights, and rested him, and fared thence +east to Geitahellna, and so to Berufirth; there they were the +night. Thence they fared east to Broaddale in Haydale. There +Hallbjorn the Strong dwelt. He had to wife Oddny the sister of +Saurli Broddhelgi's son, and Flosi had a hearty welcome there. + +Hallbjorn asked how far north among the firths Flosi meant to go. +He said he meant to go as far as Weaponfirth. Then Flosi took a +purse of money from his belt, and said he would give it to +Hallbjorn. He took the money, but yet said he had no claim on +Flosi for gifts, "But still I would be glad to know in what thou +wilt that I repay thee." + +"I have no need of money," says Flosi, "but I wish thou wouldst +ride to the Thing with me, and stand by me in my quarrel, but +still I have no ties or kinship to tell towards thee." + +"I will grant thee that," said Hallbjorn, "to ride to the Thing +with thee, and to stand by thee in thy quarrel as I would by my +brother." + +Flosi thanked him, and Hallbjorn asked much about the burning, +but they told him all about it at length. + +Thence Flosi fared to Broaddale's heath, and so to Hrafnkelstede, +there dwelt Hrafnkell, the son of Thorir, the son of Hrafnkell +Raum. Flosi had a hearty welcome there, and sought for help and +a promise to ride to the Thing from Hrafnkell, but he stood out a +long while, though the end of it was that he gave his word that +his son Thorir should ride with all their Thingmen, and yield him +such help as the other priests of the same district. + +Flosi thanked him and fared away to Bersastede. There Holmstein +son of Bersi the Wise dwelt, and he gave Flosi a very hearty +welcome. Flosi begged him for help. Holmstein said he had been +long in his debt for help. + +Thence they fared to Waltheofstede -- there Saurli Broddhelgi's +son, Bjarni's brother, dwelt. He had to wife Thordisa, a +daughter of Gudmund the Powerful, of Modruvale. They had a +hearty welcome there. But next morning Flosi raised the question +with Saurli that he should ride to the Althing with him, and bid +him money for it. + +"I cannot tell about that," says Saurli, "so long as I do not +know on which side my father-in-law Gudmund the Powerful stands, +for I mean to stand by him on whichever side he stands." + +"Oh!" said Flosi, "I see by thy answer that a woman rules in this +house." + +Then Flosi stood up and bade his men take their upper clothing +and weapons, and then they fared away, and got no help there. So +they fared below Lagarfleet and over the heath to Njardwick; +there two brothers dwelt, Thorkel the Allwise, and Thorwalld his +brother; they were sons of Kettle, the son of Thidrandi the Wise, +the son of Kettle Rumble, son of Thorir Thidrandi. The mother of +Thorkel the Allwise and Thorwalld was Yngvillda, daughter of +Thorkel the Wise. Flosi got a hearty welcome there, he told +those brothers plainly of his errand, and asked for their help; +but they put him off until he gave three marks of silver to each +of them for their aid; then they agreed to stand by Flosi. + +Their mother Yngvillda was by when they gave their words to ride +to the Althing, and wept. Thorkel asked why she wept; and she +answered, "I dreamt that thy brother Thorwalld was clad in a red +kirtle, and methought it was so tight as though it were sewn on +him; methought too that he wore red hose on his legs and feet, +and bad shoethongs were twisted round them; methought it ill to +see when I knew he was so uncomfortable, but I could do naught +for him." + +They laughed and told her she had lost her wits, and said her +babble should not stand in the way of their ride to the Thing. + +Flosi thanked them kindly, and fared thence to Weaponfirth and +came to Hof. There dwelt Bjarni Broddhelgi's son (1). Bjarni +took Flosi by both hands, and Flosi bade Bjarni money for his +help. + +"Never," said Bjarni, "have I sold my manhood or help for bribes, +but now that thou art in need of help, I will do thee a good turn +for friendship's sake, and ride to the Thing with thee, and stand +by thee as I would by my brother." + +"Then thou hast thrown a great load of debt on my hands," said +Flosi, "but still I looked for as much from thee." + +Thence Flosi and his men fared to Crosswick. Thorkell Geitis' +son was a great friend of his. Flosi told him his errand, and +Thorkel said it was but his duty to stand by him in every way in +his power, and not to part from his quarrel. Thorkel gave Flosi +good gifts at parting. + +Thence they fared north to Weaponfirth and up into the Fleetdale +country, and turned in as guests at Holmstein's, the son of Bersi +the Wise. Flosi told him that all had backed him in his need and +business well, save Saurli Broddhelgi's son. Holmstein said the +reason of that was that he was not a man of strife. Holmstein +gave Flosi good gifts. + +Flosi fared up Fleetdale, and thence south on the fell across +Oxenlaya and down Swinehorndale, and so out by Alftafirth to the +west, and did not stop till he came to Thvattwater to his father- +in-law Hall's house. There he stayed half a month, and his men +with him and rested him. + +Flosi asked Hall what counsel he would now give him, and what he +should do next, and whether he should change his plans. + +"My counsel," said Hall, "is this, that thou goest home to thy +house, and the sons of Sigfus with thee, but that they send men +to set their homesteads in order. But first of all fare home, +and when ye ride to the Thing, ride all together, and do not +scatter your band. Then let the sons of Sigfus go to see their +wives on the way. I too will ride to the Thing, and Ljot my son +with all our Thing-men, and stand by thee with such force as I +can gather to me." + +Flosi thanked him, and Hall gave him good gifts at parting. + +Then Flosi went away from Thvattwater, and nothing is to be told +of his journey till he comes home to Swinefell. There he stayed +at home the rest of the winter, and all the summer right up to +the Thing. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Broddhelgi was the son of Thorgil, the son of Thorstein the + White, the son of Oliver, the son of Eyvalld, the son of + Oxen-Thorir. The mother of Bjarni was Halla, the daughter + of Lyting. The mother of Broddhelgi was Asvora, the + daughter of Thorir, the son of Porridge-Atli, the son of + Thorir Thidrandi. Bjarni Broddhelgi's son had to wife + Rannveiga the daughter of Thorgeir, the son of Eric of + Gooddale, the son of Geirmund, the son of Hroald, the son of + Eric Frizzelbeard. + + + +134. OF THORHALL AND KARI + +Thorhall Asgrim's son, and Kari Solmund's son, rode one day to +Mossfell to see Gizur the White; he took them with both hands, +and there they were at his house a very long while. Once it +happened as they and Gizur talked of Njal's burning, that Gizur +said it was very great luck that Kari had got away. Then a song +came into Kari's mouth. + + "I who whetted helmet-hewer (1), + I who oft have burnished brand, + From the fray went all unwilling + When Njal's rooftree crackling roared; + Out I leapt when bands of spearmen + Lighted there a blaze of flame! + Listen men unto my moaning, + Mark the telling of my grief." + +Then Gizur said, "It must be forgiven thee that thou art mindful, +and so we will talk no more about it just now." + +Kari says that he will ride home; and Gizur said, "I will now +make a clean breast of my counsel to thee. Thou shalt not ride +home, but still thou shalt ride away, and east under Eyjafell, to +see Thorgeir Craggeir, and Thorleif Crow. They shall ride from +the east with thee. They are the next of kin in the suit, and +with them shall ride Thorgrim the Big, their brother. Ye shall +ride to Mord Valgard's son's house, and tell him this message +from me, that he shall take up the suit for manslaughter for +Helgi Njal's son against Flosi. But if he utters any words +against this, then shalt thou make thy self most wrathful, and +make believe as though thou wouldst let thy axe fall on his head; +and in the second place, thou shalt assure him of my wrath if he +shows any ill will. Along with that shalt thou say, that I will +send and fetch away my daughter Thorkatla, and make her come home +to me; but that he will not abide, for he loves her as the very +eyes in his head." + +Kari thanked him for his counsel. Kari spoke nothing of help to +him, for he thought he would show himself his good friend in this +as in other things. + +Thence Kari rode east over the rivers, and so to Fleetlithe, and +east across Markfleet, and so on to Selialandsmull. So they ride +east to Holt. + +Thorgeir welcomed them with the greatest kindliness. He told +them of Flosi's journey, and how great help he had got in the +east firths. + +Kari said it was no wonder that he, who had to answer for so +much, should ask for help for himself. + +Then Thorgeir said, "The better things go for them, the worse it +shall be for them; we will only follow them up so much the +harder." + +Kari told Thorgeir of Gizur's advice. After that they ride from +the east to Rangrivervale to Mord Valgard's son's house. He gave +them a hearty welcome. Kari told him the message of Gizur his +father-in-law. He was slow to take the duty on him, and said it +was harder to go to law with Flosi than with any other ten men. + +"Thou behavest now as he (1) thought," said Kari; "for thou art a +bad bargain in every way; thou art both a coward and heartless, +but the end of this shall be as is fitting, that Thorkatla shall +fare home to her father." + +She busked her at once, and said she had long been "boun" to part +from Mord. Then he changed his mood and his words quickly, and +begged off their wrath, and took the suit upon him at once. + +"Now," said Kari, "thou has taken the suit upon thee, see that +thou pleadest it without fear, for thy life lies on it." + +Mord said he would lay his whole heart on it to do this well and +manfully. + +After that Mord summoned to him nine neighbours, they were all +near neighbours to the spot where the deed was done. Then Mord +took Thorgeir by the hand and named two witnesses to bear +witness, "That Thorgeir Thorir's son hands me over a suit for +manslaughter against Flosi Thord's son, to plead it for the +slaying of Helgi Njal's son, with all those proofs which have to +follow the suit. Thou handest over to me this suit to plead and +to settle, and to enjoy all rights in it, as though I were the +rightful next of kin. Thou handest it over to me by law, and I +take it from thee by law." + +A second time Mord named his witnesses, "To bear witness," said +he, "that I give notice of an assault laid down by law against +Flosi Thord's son, for that he dealt Helgi Njal's son a brain, or +a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death wound; and from +which Helgi got his death. I give notice of this before five +witnesses" -- here he named them all by name -- "I give this +lawful notice. I give notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir's +son has handed over to me." + +Again he named witnesses "To bear witness that I give notice of a +brain, or a body, or a marrow wound against Flosi Thord's son, +for that wound which proved a death wound, but Helgi got his +death therefrom on such and such a spot, when Flosi Thord's son +first rushed on Helgi Njal's son with an assault laid down by +law. I give notice of this before five neighbours" -- then he +named them all by name -- "I give this lawful notice. I give +notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son has handed over to +me." + +Then Mord named his witnesses again "To bear witness," said he, +"that I summon these nine neighbours who dwell nearest the spot" +-- here he named them all by name -- "to ride to the Althing, and +to sit on the inquest to find whether Flosi Thord's son rushed +with an assault laid down by law on Helgi Njal's son, on that +spot where Flosi Thord's son dealt Helgi Njal's son a brain, or a +body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death wound, and from +which Helgi got his death. I call on you to utter all those +words which ye are bound to find by law, and which I shall call +on you to utter before the court, and which belong to this suit; +I call upon you by a lawful summons -- I call on you so that ye +may yourselves hear -- I call on you in the suit which Thorgeir +Thorir's son has handed over to me." + +Again Mord named his witnesses "To bear witness, that I summon +these nine neighbours who dwell nearest to the spot to ride to +the Althing, and to sit on an inquest to find whether Flosi +Thord's son wounded Helgi Njal's son with a brain, or body, or +marrow wound, which proved a death wound, and from which Helgi +got his death, on that spot where Flosi Thord's son first rushed +on Helgi Njal's son with an assault laid down by law. I call on +you to utter all those words which ye are bound to find by law, +and which I shall call on you to utter before the court, and +which belong to this suit. I call upon you by a lawful summons +-- I call on you so that ye may yourselves hear -- I call on you +in the suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son has handed over to me." + +Then Mord said, "Now is the suit set on foot as ye asked, and +now I will pray thee, Thorgeir Craggeir, to come to me when thou +ridest to the Thing, and then let us both ride together, each +with our band, and keep as close as we can together, for my band +shall be ready by the very beginning of the Thing, and I will be +true to you in all things." + +They showed themselves well pleased at that, and this was fast +bound by oaths, that no man should sunder himself from another +till Kari willed it, and that each of them should lay down his +life for the other's life. Now they parted with friendship, and +settled to meet again at the Thing. + +Now Thorgeir rides back east, but Kari rides west over the rivers +till he came to Tongue, to Asgrim's house. He welcomed them +wonderfully well, and Kari told Asgrim all Gizur the White's +plan, and of the setting on foot of the suit. + +"I looked for as much from him," says Asgrim, "that he would +behave well, and now he has shown it." + +Then Asgrim went on, "What heardest thou from the east of Flosi?" + +"He went east all the way to Weaponfirth," answers Kari, "and +nearly all the chiefs have promised to ride with him to the +Althing, and to help him. They look, too, for help from the +Reykdalesmen, and the men of Lightwater, and the Axefirthers." + +Then they talked much about it, and so the time passes away up to +the Althing. + +Thorhall Asgrim's son took such a hurt in his leg that the foot +above the ankle was as big and swollen as a woman's thigh, and he +could not walk save with a staff. He was a man tall in growth, +and strong and powerful, dark of hue in hair and skin, measured +and guarded in his speech, and yet hot and hasty tempered. He +was the third greatest lawyer in all Iceland. + +Now the time comes that men should ride from home to the Thing, +Asgrim said to Kari, "Thou shalt ride at the very beginning gf +the Thing, and fit up our booths, and my son Thorhall with thee. +Thou wilt treat him best and kindest, as he is footlame, but we +shall stand in the greatest need of him at this Thing. With you +two, twenty men more shall ride." + +After that they made ready for their journey, and then they rode +to the Thing, and set up their booths, and fitted them out well. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Helmet-hewer," sword. +(2) Gizur. + + + +135. OF FLOSI AND THE BURNERS + +Flosi rode from the east and those hundred and twenty men who had +been at the burning with him. They rode till they came to +Fleetlithe. Then the sons of Sigfus looked after their +homesteads and tarried there that day, but at even they rode west +over Thurso-water, and slept there that night. But next morning +early they saddled their horses and rode off on their way. + +Then Flosi said to his men, "Now will we ride to Tongue to Asgrim +to breakfast, and trample down his pride a little." + +They said that were well done. They rode till they had a short +way to Tongue. Asgrim stood out of doors, and some men with him. +They see the band as soon as ever they could do so from the +house. Then Asgrim's men said, "There must be Thorgeir +Craggeir." + +"Not he," said Asgrim. "I think so all the more because these +men fare with laughter and wantonness; but such kinsmen of Njal +as Thorgeir is would not smile before some vengeance is taken for +the burning, and I will make another guess, and maybe ye will +think that unlikely. My meaning is that it must be Flosi and the +burners with him, and they must mean to humble us with insults, +and we will now go indoors all of us." + +Now they do so, and Asgrim made them sweep the house and put up +the hangings, and set the boards and put meat on them. He made +them place stools along each bench, all down the room. + +Flosi rode into the "town," and bade men alight from their horses +and go in. They did so, and Flosi and his men went into the +hall. Asgrim sate on the cross-bench on the dais. Flosi looked +at the benches and saw that all was made ready that men needed to +have. Asgrim gave them no greeting, but said to Flosi, "The +boards are set, so that meat may be free to those that need it." + +Flosi sat down to the board, and all his men; but they laid their +arms up against the wainscot. They sat on the stools who found +no room on the benches; but four men stood with weapons just +before where Flosi sat while they ate. + +Asgrim kept his peace during the meat, but was as red to look on +as blood. + +But when they were full, some women cleared away the boards, +while others brought in water to wash their hands. Flosi was in +no greater hurry than if he had been at home. There lay a +pole-axe in the corner of the dais. Asgrim caught it up with +both hands, and ran up to the rail at the edge of the dais, and +made a blow at Flosi's head. Glum Hilldir's son happened to see +what he was about to do, and sprang up at once, and got hold of +the axe above Asgrim's hands, and turned the edge at once on +Asgrim; for Glum was very strong. Then many more men ran up and +seized Asgrim, but Flosi said that no man was to do Asgrim any +harm, "For we put him to too hard a trial, and he only did what +he ought, and showed in that that he had a big heart." + +Then Flosi said to Asgrim, "Here, now, we shall part safe and +sound, and meet at the Thing, and there begin our quarrel over +again." + +"So it will be," says Asgrim; "and I would wish that, ere this +Thing be over, ye should have to take in some of your sails." + +Flosi answered him never a word, and then they went out, and +mounted their horses, and rode away. They rode till they came to +Laugarwater, and were there that night; but next morning they +rode on to Baitvale, and baited their horses there, and there +many bands rode to meet them. There was Hall of the Side, and +all the Eastfirthers. Flosi gretted them well, and told them of +his journeys and dealings with Asgrim. Many praised him for +that, and said such things were bravely done. + +Then Hall said, "I look on this in another way than ye do, for +methinks it was a foolish prank -- they were sure to bear in mind +their griefs, even though they were not reminded of them anew; +but those men who try others so heavily must look for all evil." + +It was seen from Hall's way that he thought this deed far too +strong. They rode thence all together, till they came to the +Upper Field, and there they set their men in array, and rode down +on the Thing. + +Flosi had made them fit out Byrgir's booth ere be rode to the +Thing; but the Eastfirthers rode to their own booths. + + + +136. OF THORGEIR CRAGGEIR + +Thorgeir Craggier rode from the east with much people. His +brothers were with him, Thorleif Crow and Thorgrim the Big. They +came to Hof, to Mord Valgard's son's house, and bided there till +he was ready. Mord had gathered every man who could bear arms, +and they could see nothing about him but that he was most +steadfast in everything, and now they rode until they came west +across the rivers. Then they waited for Hjallti Skeggi's son. +He came after they had waited a short while, and they greeted him +well, and rode afterwards all together till they came to Reykia +in Bishop's tongue, and bided there for Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, +and he came to meet them there. Then they rode west across +Bridgewater. Then Asgrim told them all that had passed between +him and Flosi; and Thorgeir said, "I would that we might try +their bravery ere the Thing closes." + +They rode until they came to Baitvale. There Gizur the White +came to meet them with a very great company, and they fell to +talking together. Then they rode to the Upper Field, and drew up +all their men in array there, and so rode to the Thing. + +Flosi and his men all took to their arms, and it was within an +ace that they would fall to blows. But Asgrim and his friends +and their followers would have no hand in it, and rode to their +booths; and now all was quiet that day, so that they had naught +to do with one another. Thither were come chiefs from all the +Quarters of the land; there had never been such a crowded Thing +before, that men could call to mind. + + + +137. OF EYJOLF BOLVERK'S SON + +There was a man named Eyjolf. He was the son of Bolverk, the son +of Eyjolf the Guileful, of Otterdale (1). Eyjolf was a man of +great rank, and best skilled in law of all men, so that some said +he was the third best lawyer in Iceland. He was the fairest in +face of all men, tall and strong, and there was the making of a +great chief in him. He was greedy of money, like the rest of his +kinsfolk. + +One day Flosi went to the booth of Bjarni Broddhelgi's son. +Bjarni took him by both hands, and sat Flosi down by his side. +They talked about many things, and at last Flosi said to Bjarni, +"What counsel shall we now take?" + +"I think," answered Bjarni, "that it is now hard to say what to +do, but the wisest thing seems to me to go round and ask for +help, since they are drawing strength together against you. I +will also ask thee, Flosi, whether there be any very good lawyer +in your band; for now there are but two courses left; one to ask +if they will take an atonement, and that is not a bad choice, but +the other is to defend the suit at law, if there be any defence +to it, though that will seem to be a bold course; and this is why +I think this last ought to be chosen, because ye have hitherto +fared high and mightily, and it is unseemly now to take a lower +course." + +"As to thy asking about lawyers said Flosi, "I will answer thee +at once that there is no such man in our band; nor do I know +where to look for one except it be Thorkel Geitir's son, thy +kinsman." + +"We must not reckon on him," said Bjarni, "for though he knows +something of law, he is far too wary, and no man need hope to +have him as his shield; but he will back thee as well as any man +who backs thee best, for he has a stout heart; besides, I must +tell thee that it will be that man's bane who undertakes the +defence in this suit for the burning, but I have no mind that +this should befall my kinsmen Thorkel, so ye must turn your eyes +elsewhither." + +Flosi said he knew nothing about who were the best lawyers. + +"There is a man named Eyjolf," said Bjarni; "he is Bolverk's son, +and he is the best lawyer in the Westfirther's Quarter; but you +will need to give him much money if you are to bring him into the +suit, but still we must not stop at that. We must also go with +our arms to all law business, and be most wary of ourselves, but +not meddle with them before we are forced to fight for our lives. +And now I will go with thee, and set out at once on our begging +for help, for now methinks the peace will be kept but a little +while longer." + +After that they go out of the booth, and to the booths of the +Axefirthers. Then Bjarni talks with Lyting and Bleing, and Hroi +Arnstein's son, and he got speedily whatever he asked of them. +Then they fared to see Kol, the son of Killing-Skuti, and Eyvind +Thorkel's son, the son of Askel the Priest, and asked them for +their help; but they stood out a long while, but the end of it +was that they took three marks of silver for it, and so went into +the suit with them. + +Then they went to the booths of the men of Lightwater, and stayed +there some time. Flosi begged the men of Lightwater for help, +but they were stubborn and hard to win over, and then Flosi said, +with much wrath, "Ye are ill-behaved! Ye are grasping and +wrongful at home in your own country, and ye will not help men at +the Thing, though they need it. No doubt you will be held up to +reproach at the Thing, and very great blame will be laid on you +if ye bear not in mind that scorn and those biting words which +Skarphedinn hurled at you men of Lightwater." + +But on the other hand, Flosi dealt secretly with them, and bade +them money for their help, and so coaxed them over with fair +words, until it came about that they promised him their aid, and +then became so steadfast that they said they would fight for +Flosi, if need were. + +Then Bjarni said to Flosi, "Well done! Well done! Thou art a +mighty chief, and a bold outspoken man, and reckest little what +thou savest to men." + +After that they fared away west across the river, and so to the +Hladbooth. They saw many men outside before the booth. There +was one man who had a scarlet cloak over his shoulders, and a +gold band round his head, and an axe studded with silver in his +hand. + +"This is just right," said Bjarni, "here now is the man I spoke +of, Eyjolf Bolverk's son, if thou wilt see him, Flosi." + +Then they went to meet Eyjolf, and hailed him. Eyjolf knew +Bjarni at once, and greeted him well. Bjarni took Eyjolf by the +hand, and led him up into the "Great Rift." Flosi's and Bjarni's +men followed after, and Eyjolf's men went also with him. They +bade them stay upon the lower brink of the Rift, and look about +them, but Flosi, and Bjarni, and Eyjolf went on till they came to +where the path leads down from the upper brink of the Rift. + +Flosi said it was a good spot to sit down there, for they could +see around them far and wide. Then they sat them down there. +They were four of them together, and no more. + +Then Bjarni spoke to Eyjolf, and said "Thee, friend, have we come +to see, for we much need thy help in every way." + +"Now," said Eyjolf, "there is good choice of men here at the +Thing, and ye will not find it hard to fall on those who will be +a much greater strength to you than I can be." + +"Not so," said Bjarni, "thou hast many things which show that +there is no greater man than thou at the Thing; first of all, +that thou art so well-born, as all those men are who are sprung +from Ragnar Hairybreeks; thy forefathers, too, have always stood +first in great suits, both here at the Thing and at home in their +own country, and they have always had the best of it; we think, +therefore, it is likely that thou wilt be lucky in winning suits, +like thy kinsfolk." + +"Thou speakest well, Bjarni," said Evjolf; "but I think that I +have small share in all this that thou savest." + +Then Flosi said, "There is no need beating about the bush as to +what we have in mind. We wish to ask for thy help, Eyjolf, and +that thou wilt stand by us in our suits, and go to the court with +us, and undertake the defence, if there be any, and plead it for +us, and stand by us in all things that may happen at this Thing." + +Eyjolf jumped up in wrath, and said that no man had any right to +think that he could make a catspaw of him, or drag him on if he +had no mind to go himself. + +"I see, too, now," he says, "what has led you to utter all those +fair words with which ye began to speak to me." + +Then Hallbjorn the Strong caught hold of him and sate him down by +his side, between him and Bjarni, and said, "No tree falls at the +first stroke, friend, but sit here awhile by us." Then Flosi +drew a gold ring off his arm. + +"This ring will I give thee, Eyjolf, for thy help and friendship, +and so show thee that I will not befool thee. It will be best +for thee to take the ring, for there is no man here at the Thing +to whom I have ever given such a gift." + +The ring was such a good one, and so well made, that it was worth +twelve hundred yards of russet stuff. + +Hallbjorn drew the ring on Eyjolf's arm; and Eyjolf said, "It is +now most fitting that I should take the ring, since thou behavest +so handsomely; and now thou mayest make up thy mind that I will +undertake the defence, and do all things needful." + +"Now," said Bjarni, "ye behave handsomely on both sides, and here +are men well fitted to be witnesses, since I and Hallbjorn are +here, that thou hast undertaken the suit." + +Then Eyjolf arose, and Flosi too, and they took one another by +the hand; and so Eyjolf undertook the whole defence of the suit +off Flosi's hands, and so, too, if any suit arose out of the +defence, for it often happens that what is a defence in one suit, +is a plaintiff's plea in another. So he took upon him all the +proofs and proceedings which belonged to those suits, whether +they were to be pleaded before the Quarter Court or the Fifth +Court. Flosi handed them over in lawful form, and Eyjolf took +them in lawful form, and then he said to Flosi and Bjarni, "Now I +have undertaken this defence just as ye asked, but my wish it is +that ye should still keep it secret at first; but if the matter +comes into the Fifth Court, then be most careful not to say that +ye have given goods for my help." + +Then Flosi went home to his booth, and Bjarni with him, but +Eyjolf went to the booth of Snorri the Priest, and sate down by +him, and they talked much together. + +Snorri the Priest caught hold of Eyjolf's arm, and turned up the +sleeve, and sees that he had a great ring of gold on his arm. +Then Snorri the Priest said, "Pray, was this ring bought or +given?" + +Eyjolf was put out about it, and had never a word to say. Then +Snorri said, "I see plainly that thou must have taken it as a +gift, and may this ring not be thy death!" + +Eyjolf jumped up and went away, and would not speak about it; and +Snorri said, as Eyjolf arose, "It is very likely that thou wilt +know what kind of gift thou hast taken by the time this Thing is +ended." + +Then Eyjolf went to his booth. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Eyjolf the Guileful was the son of Thord Gellir, the son of + Oleif Feilan. The mother of Eyjolf the Guileful was Rodny, + the daughter of Skeggi of Midfirth. + + + +138. OF ASGRIM, AND GIZUR, AND KARI + +Now Asgrim Ellidagrim's son talks to Gizur the White, and Kari +Solmund's son, and to Hjallti Skeggi's son, Mord Valgard's son, +and Thorgeir Craggeir, and says, "There is no need to have any +secrets here, for only those men are by who know all our counsel. +Now I will ask you if ye know anything of their plans, for if you +do, it seems to me that we must take fresh counsel about our own +plans." + +"Snorri the Priest," answers Gizur the White, "sent a man to me, +and bade him tell me that Flosi had gotten great help from the +Northlanders; but that Eyjolf Bolverk's son, his kinsman, had had +a gold ring given him by some one, and made a secret of it, and +Snorri said it was his meaning that Eyjolf Bolverk's son must be +meant to defend the suit at law, and that the ring must have been +given him for that." + +They were all agreed that it must be so. Then Gizur spoke to +them, "Now has Mord Valgard's son, my son-in-law, undertaken a +suit, which all must think most hard, to prosecute Flosi; and now +my wish is that ye share the other suits amongst you, for now it +will soon be time to give notice of the suits at the Hill of +Laws. We shall need also to ask for more help." + +Asgrim said so it should be, "but we will beg thee to go round +with us when we ask for help." Gizur said he would be ready to +do that. + +After that Gizur picked out all the wisest men of their company +to go with him as his backers. There was Hjallti Skeggi's son, +and Asgrim, and Kari, and Thorgeir Craggeir. + +Then Gizur the White said, "Now will we first go to the booth of +Skapti Thorod's son," and they do so. Gizur the White went +first, then Hjallti, then Kari, then Asgrim, then Thorgeir +Craggeir, and then his brothers. + +They went into the booth. Skapti sat on the cross bench on the +dais, and when he saw Gizur the White he rose up to meet him, and +greeted him and all of them well, and bade Gizur to sit down by +him, and he does so. Then Gizur said to Asgrim, "Now shalt thou +first raise the question of help with Skapti, but I will throw in +what I think good." + +"We are come hither," said Asgrim, "for this sake, Skapti, to +seek help and aid at thy hand." + +"I was thought to be hard to win the last time," said Skapti, +"when I would not take the burden of your trouble on me." + +"It is quite another matter now," said Gizur. "Now the feud is +for master Njal and mistress Bergthora, who were burnt in their +own house without a cause, and for Njal's three sons, and many +other worthy men, and thou wilt surely never be willing to yield +no help to men, or to stand by thy kinsmen and connections." + +"It was in my mind," answers Skapti, "when Skarphedinn told me +that I had myself borne tar on my own head, and cut up a sod of +turf and crept under it, and when he said that I had been so +afraid that Thorolf Lopt's son of Eyrar bore me abroad in his +ship among his meal-sacks, and so carried me to Iceland, that I +would never share in the blood feud for his death." + +"Now there is no need to bear such things in mind," said Gizur +the White, "for he is dead who said that, and thou wilt surely +grant me this, though thou wouldst not do it for other men's +sake." + +"This quarrel," says Skapti, "is no business of thine, except +thou choosest to be entangled in it along with them." + +Then Gizur was very wrath, and said, "Thou art unlike thy father, +though he was thought not to be quite cleanhanded; yet was he +ever helpful to men when they needed him most." + +"We are unlike in temper," said Skapti. "Ye two, Asgrim and +thou, think that ye have had the lead in mighty deeds; thou, +Gizur the White, because thou overcamest Gunnar of Lithend; but +Asgrim, for that he slew Gauk, his foster-brother." + +"Few," said Asgrim, "bring forward the better if they know the +worse, but many would say that I slew not Gauk ere I was driven +to it. There is some excuse for thee for not helping us, but +none for heaping reproaches on us; and I only wish before this +Thing is out that thou mayest get from this suit the greatest +disgrace, and that there may be none to make thy shame good." + +Then Gizur and his men stood up all of them, and went out, and so +on to the booth of Snorri the Priest. + +Snorri sat on the cross-bench in his booth; they went into the +booth, and he knew the men at once, and stood up to meet them, +and bade them all welcome, and made room for them to sit by him. + +After that, they asked one another the news of the day. + +Then Asgrim spoke to Snorri, and said, "For that am I and my +kinsman Gizur come hither, to ask thee for thy help." + +"Thou speakest of what thou mayest always be forgiven for asking, +for help in the blood-feud after such connections as thou hadst. +We, too, got many wholesome counsels from Njal, though few now +bear that in mind; but as yet I know not of what ye think ye +stand most in need." + +"We stand most in need," answers Asgrim, "of brisk lads and good +weapons, if we fight them here at the Thing." + +"True it is," said Snorri, "that much lies on that, and it is +likeliest that ye will press them home with daring, and that they +will defend themselves so in like wise, and neither of you will +allow the others' right. Then ye will not bear with them and +fall on them, and that will be the only way left; for then they +will seek to pay you off with shame for manscathe, and with +dishonour for loss of kin." + +It was easy to see that he goaded them on in everything. + +Then Gizur the White said "Thou speakest well, Snorri, and thou +behavest ever most like a chief when most lies at stake." + +"I wish to know," said Asgrim, "in what way thou wilt stand by +us if things turn out as thou sayest." + +"I will show thee those marks of friendship," said Snorri, "on +which all your honour will hang, but I will not go with you to +the court. But if ye fight here on the Thing, do not fall on +them at all unless ye are all most steadfast and dauntless, for +you have great champions against you. But if ye are overmatched, +ye must let yourselves be driven hither towards us, for I shall +then have drawn up my men in array hereabouts, and shall be ready +to stand by you. But if it falls out otherwise, and they give +way before you, my meaning is that they will try to run for a +stronghold in the "Great Rift." But if they come thither, then +ye will never get the better of them. Now I will take that on my +hands, to draw up my men there, and guard the pass to the +stronghold, but we will not follow them whether they turn north +or south along the river. And when you have slain out of their +band about as many as I think ye will be able to pay blood-fines +for, and yet keep your priesthoods and abodes, then I will run up +with all my men and part you. Then ye shall promise to do as I +bid you, and stop the battle, if I on my part do what I have now +promised." + +Gizur thanked him kindly, and said that what he had said was just +what they all needed, and then they all went out. + +"Whither shall we go now?" said Gizur. + +"To the Nortlanders' booth," said Asgrim. + +Then they fared thither. + + + +139. OF ASGRIM AND GUDMUND + +And when they came into the booth then they saw where Gudmund the +Powerful sate and talked with Einar Conal's son, his foster- +child; he was a wise man. + +Then they come before him, and Gudmund welcomed them very +heartily, and made them clear the booth for them, that they might +all be able to sit down. + +Then they asked what tidings, and Asgrim said, "There is no need +to mutter what I have to say. We wish, Gudmund, to ask for thy +steadfast help." + +"Have ye seen any other chiefs before?" said Gudmund. + +They said they had been to see Skapti Thorod's son and Snorri the +Priest, and told him quietly how they had fared with each of +them. + +Then Gudmund said, "Last time I behaved badly and meanly to you. +Then I was stubborn, but now ye shall drive your bargain with me +all the more quickly because I was more stubborn then, and now I +will go myself with you to the court with all my Thing-men, and +stand by you in all such things as I can, and fight for you +though this be needed, and lay down my life for your lives. I +will also pay Skapti out in this way, that Thorstein Gape-mouth +his son shall be in the battle on our side, for he will not dare +to do aught else than I will, since he has Jodisa my daughter to +wife, and then Skapti will try to part us." + +They thanked him, and talked with him long and low afterwards, so +that no other men could hear. + +Then Gudmund bade them not to go before the knees of any other +chiefs, for he said that would be little-hearted. + +"We will now run the risk with the force that we have. Ye must +go with your weapons to all law-business, but not fight as things +stand." + +Then they went all of them home to their booths, and all this was +at first with few men's knowledge. + +So now the Thing goes on. + + + +140. OF THE DECLARATIONS OF THE SUITS + +It was one day that men went to the Hill of Laws, and the chiefs +were so placed that Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and Gizur the White, +and Gudmund the Powerful, and Snorri the Priest, were on the +upper hand by the Hill of Laws; but the Eastfirthers stood down +below. + +Mord Valgard's son stood next to Gizur his father-in-law, he was +of all men the readiest-tongued. + +Gizur told him that he ought to give notice of the suit for +manslaughter, and bade him speak up, so that all might hear him +well. + +Then Mord took witness and said, "I take witness to this that I +give notice of an assault laid down by law against Flosi Thord's +son, for that be rushed at Helgi Njal's son and dealt him a +brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death-wound, +and from which Helgi got his death. I say that in this suit he +ought to be made a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to +be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need. I say +that all his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the men +of the Quarter, who have a right by law to take his forfeited +goods. I give notice of this suit for manslaughter in the +Quarter Court into which this suit ought by law to come. I give +notice of this lawful notice; I give notice in the hearing of all +men on the Hill of Laws; I give notice of this suit to be pleaded +this summer, and of full outlawry against Flosi Thord's son; I +give notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son has handed over +to me." + +Then a great shout was uttered at the Hill of Laws, that Mord +spoke well and boldly. + +Then Mord began to speak a second time. + +"I take you to witness to this," says he, "that I give notice +of a suit against Flosi Thord's son. I give notice for that he +wounded Helgi Njal's son with a brain, or a body, or a marrow +wound, which proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his +death on that spot where Flosi Thord's son had first rushed on +Helgi Njal's son with an assault laid down by law. I say that +thou, Flosi, ought to be made in this suit a guilty man, an +outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or +harboured in any need. I say that all thy goods are forfeited, +half to me and half to the men of the Quarter, who have a right +by law to take the goods which have been forfeited by thee. I +give notice of this suit in the Quarter Court into which it ought +by law to come; I give notice of this lawful notice; I give +notice of it in the hearing of all men on the Hill of Laws; I +give notice of this suit to be pleaded this summer, and of full +outlawry against Flosi Thord's son. I give notice of the suit +which Thorgeir Thorir's son hath handed over to me." + +After that Mord sat him down. + +Flosi listened carefully, but said never a word the while. + +Then Thorgeir Craggeir stood up and took witness, and said, "I +take witness to this, that I give notice of a suit against Glum +Hilldir's son, in that he took firing and lit it, and bore it to +the house at Bergthorsknoll, when they were burned inside it, to +wit, Njal Thorgeir's son, and Bergthora Skarphedinn's daughter, +and all those other men who were burned inside it there and then. +I say that in this suit he ought to be made a guilty man, an +outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or +harboured in any need. I say that all his goods are forfeited. +half to me, and half to the men of the Quarter, who have a right +by law to take his forfeited goods; I give notice of this suit in +the Quarter Court, into which it ought by law to come. I give +notice in the hearing of all men on the Hill of Laws. I give +notice of this suit to be pleaded this summer, and of full +outlawry against Glum Hilldir's son." + +Kari Solmund's son declared his suits against Kol Thorstein's +son, and Gunnar Lambi's son, and Grani Gunnar's son, and it was +the common talk of men that he spoke wondrous well. + +Thorleif Crow declared his suit against all the sons of Sigfus, +but Thorgrim the Big, his brother, against Modolf Kettle's son, +and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Hroar Hamond's son, brother of +Leidolf the Strong. + +Asgrim Ellidagrim's son declared his suit against Leidolf and +Thorstein Geirleif's son, Arni Kol's son, and Grim the Red. + +And they all spoke well. + +After that other men gave notice of their suits, and it was far +on in the day that it went on so. + +Then men fared home to their booths. + +Eyjolf Bolverk's son went to his booth with Flosi, they passed +east around the booth and Flosi said to Eyjolf. + +"See'st thou any defence in these suits." + +"None," says Eyjolf. + +"What counsel is now to be taken?" says Flosi. + +"I will give thee a piece of advice," said Eyjolf. "Now thou +shalt hand over thy priesthood to thy brother Thorgeir, but +declare that thou hast joined the Thing of Askel the Priest the +son of Thorkettle, north away in Reykiardale; but if they do not +know this, then may be that this will harm them, for they will be +sure to plead their suit in the Eastfirthers' court, but they +ought to plead it in the Northlanders' court, and they will +overlook that, and it is a Fifth Court matter against them if +they plead their suit in another court than that in which they +ought, and then we will take that suit up, but not until we have +no other choice left." + +"May be," said Flosi, "that we shall get the worth of the ring." + +"I don't know that," says Eyjolf; "but I will stand by thee at +law, so that men shall say that there never was a better defence. +Now, we must send for Askel, but Thorgeir shall come to thee at +once, and a man with him." + +A little while after Thorgeir came, and then he took on him +Flosi's leadership and priesthood. + +By that time Askel was come thither too, and then Flosi declared +that he had joined his Thing, and this was with no man's +knowledge save theirs. + +Now all is quite till the day when the courts were to go out to +try suits. + + + +141. NOW MEN GO TO THE COURTS + +Now the time passes away till the courts were to go out to try +suits. Both sides then made them ready to go thither, and armed +them. Each side put war-tokens on their helmets. + +Then Thorhall Asgrim's son said, "Walk hastily in nothing father +mine, and do everything as lawfully and rightly as ye can, but if +ye fall into any strait let me know as quickly as ye can, and +then I will give you counsel." + +Asgrim and the others looked at him, and his face was as though +it were all blood, but great teardrops gushed out of his eyes. +He bade them bring him his spear, that had been a gift to him +from Skarphedinn, and it was the greatest treasure. + +Asgrim said as they went away, "Our kinsman Thorhall was not easy +in his mind as we left him behind in the booth, and I know not +what he will be at." + +Then Asgrim said again, "Now we will go to Mord Valgard's son, +and think of nought else but the suit, for there is more sport in +Flosi than in very many other men." + +Then Asgrim sent a man to Gizur the White, and Hjallti Skeggi's +son, and Gudmund the Powerful. Now they all came together, and +went straight to the court of Eastfirthers. They went to the +court from the south, but Flosi and all the Eastfirthers with him +went to it from the north. There were also the men of Reykdale +and the Axefirthers with Flosi. There, too, was Eyjolf Bolverk's +son. Flosi looked at Eyjolf, and said, "All now goes fairly, and +may be that it will not be far off from thy guess." + +"Keep thy peace about it," says Eyjolf, "and then we shall be +sure to gain our point." + +Now Mord took witness, and bade all those men who had suits of +outlawry before the court to cast lots who should first plead or +declare his suit, and who next, and who last; he bade them by a +lawful bidding before the court, so that the judges heard it. +Then lots were cast as to the declarations, and he, Mord, drew +the lot to declare his suit first. + +Now Mord Valgard's son took witness the second time, and said, "I +take witness to this, that I except all mistakes in words in my +pleading, whether they be too many or wrongly spoken, and I claim +the right to amend all my words until I have put them into proper +lawful shape. I take witness to myself of this." + +Again Mord said, "I take witness to this, that I bid Flosi +Thord's son, or any other man who has undertaken the defence made +over to him by Flosi, to listen for him to my oath, and to my +declaration of my suit, and to all the proofs and proceedings +which I am about to bring forward against him; I bid him by a +lawful bidding before the court, so that the judges may hear it +across the court." + +Again Mord Valgard's son said, "I take witness to this, that I +take an oath on the book, a lawful oath, and I say it before God, +that I will so plead this suit in the most truthful, and most +just and most lawful way, so far as I know; and that I will bring +forward all my proofs in due form, and utter them faithfully so +long as I am in this suit." + +After that he spoke in these words, "I have called Thorodd as my +first witness, and Thorbjorn as my second; I have called them to +bear witness that I gave notice of an assault laid down by law +against Flosi Thord's son, on that spot where he, Flosi Thord's +son, rushed with an assault laid down by law on Helgi Njal's son, +when Flosi Thord's son wounded Helgi Njal's son with a brain, or +a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death-wound, and from +which Helgi got his death. I said that he ought to be made in +this suit a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to be +forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need; I said that +all his goods were forfeited half to me and half to the men of +the Quarter who have the right by law to take the goods which he +has forfeited; I gave notice of the suit in the quarter Court +into which the suit ought by law to come; I gave notice of that +lawful notice; I gave notice in the hearing of all men at the +Hill of Laws; I gave notice of this suit to be pleaded now this +summer, and of full outlawry against Flosi Thord's son. I gave +notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son had handed over to +me; and I had all these words in my notice which I have now used +in this declaration of my suit. I now declare this suit of +outlawry in this shape before the court of the Eastfirthers over +the head of John, as I uttered it when I gave notice of it." + +Then Mord spoke again, "I have called Thorodd as my first +witness, and Thorbjorn as my second. I have called them to bear +witness that I gave notice of a suit against Flosi Thord's son +for that he wounded Helgi Njal's son with a brain or a body, or a +marrow wound, which proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi +got his death. I said that he ought to be made in this suit a +guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to +be helped or harboured in any need; I said that all his goods +were forfeited, half to me and half to the men of the Quarter who +have the right by law to take the goods which he has forfeited; I +gave notice of the suit in the Quarter Court into which the suit +ought by law to come; I gave notice of that lawful notice; I gave +notice in the hearing of all men at the Hill of Laws; I gave +notice of this suit to be pleaded now this summer, and of full +outlawry against Flosi Thord's son. I gave notice of a suit +which Thorgeir Thorir's son had handed over to me; and I had all +these words in my notice which I have now used in this +declaration of my suit. I now declare this suit of outlawry in +this shape before the court of the Eastfirthers over the head of +John, as I uttered it when I gave notice of it." + +Then Mord's witnesses to the notice came before the court, and +spake so that one uttered their witness, but both confirmed it by +their common consent in this form, "I bear witness that Mord +called Thorodd as his first witness, and me as his second, and my +name is Thorbjorn" -- then he named his father's name -- "Mord +called us two as his witnesses that he gave notice of an assault +laid down by law against Flosi Thord's son when he rushed on +Helgi Njal's son, in that spot where Flosi Thord's son dealt +Helgi Njal's son a brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, that +proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his death. He +said that Flosi ought to be made in this suit a guilty man, an +outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or +harboured by any man; he said that all his goods were forfeited, +half to himself and half to the men of the Quarter who have the +right by law to take the goods which he had forfeited; he gave +notice of the suit in the Quarter Court into which the suit ought +by law to come; he gave notice of that lawful notice; he gave +notice in the hearing of all men at the Hill of Laws; he gave +notice of this suit to be pleaded now this summer, and of full +outlawry against Flosi Thord's son. He gave notice of a suit +which Thorgeir Thorir's son had handed over to him. He used all +those words in his notice which he used in the declaration of his +suit, and which we have used in bearing witness; we have now +borne our witness rightly and lawfully, and we are agreed in +bearing it; we bear this witness in this shape before the +Eastfirthers' Court over the head of John, as Mord uttered it +when he gave his notice." + +A second time they bore their witness of the notice before the +court, and put the wounds first and the assault last, and used +all the same words as before, and bore their witness in this +shape before the Eastfirthers' Court just as Mord uttered them +when he gave his notice. + +Then Mord's witnesses to the handing over of the suit went before +the court, and one uttered their witness, and both confirmed it +by common consent, and spoke in these words, "That those two, +Mord Valgard's son and Thorgeir Thorir's son, took them to +witness that Thorgeir Thorir's son handed over a suit for +manslaughter to Mord Valgard's son against Flosi Thord's son for +the slaying of Helgi Njal's son; he handed over to him then this +suit, with all the proofs and proceedings which belonged to the +suit, he handed it over to him to plead and to settle, and to +make use of all rights as though he were the rightful next of +kin: Thorgeir handed it over lawfully, and Mord took it lawfully. + +They bore witness of the handing over of the suit in this shape +before the Eastfirther's Court over the head of John, just as +Mord or Thorgeir had called them as witnesses to prove. + +They made all these witnesses swear on oath ere they bore +witness, and the judges too. + +Again Mord Valgard's son took witness. "I take witness to this," +said he, "that I bid those nine neighbours whom I summoned when I +laid this suit against Flosi Thord's son, to take their seats +west on the river-bank, and I call on the defendant to challenge +this request, I call on him by a lawful bidding before the court +so that the judges may hear." + +Again Mord took witness. "I take witness to this, that I bid +Flosi Thord's son, or that other man who has the defence handed +over to him, to challenge the inquest which I have caused to, +take their seats west on the river-bank. I bid thee by a lawful +bidding before the court so that the judges may hear." + +Again Mord took witness. "I take witness to this, that now are +all the first steps and proofs brought forward which belong to +the suit. Summons to bear my oath, oath taken, suit declared, +witness borne to the notice, witness home to the handing over of +the suit, the neighbours on the inquest bidden to take their +seats, and the defendant bidden to challenge the inquest. I take +this witness to these steps and proofs which are now brought +forward, and also to this that I shall not be thought to have +left the suit though I go away from the court to look up proofs, +or on other business." + +Now Flosi and his men went thither where the neighbours on the +inquest sate. + +Then Flosi said to his men, "The sons of Sigfus must know best +whether these are the rightful neighbours to the spot who are +here summoned." + +Kettle of the Mark answered, "Here is that neighbour who held +Mord at the font when he was baptized, but another is his second +cousin by kinship. + +Then they reckoned up his kinship, and proved it with an oath. + +Then Eyjolf took witness that the inquest should do nothing till +it was challenged. + +A second time Eyjolf took witness, "I take witness to this," said +he, "that I challenge both these men out of the inquest, and set +them aside" -- here he named them by name, and their fathers as +well -- "for this sake, that one of them is Mord's second cousin +by kinship, but the other for gossipry (2), for which sake it is +lawful to challenge a neighbour on the inquest; ye two are for a +lawful reason incapable of uttering a finding, for now a lawful +challenge has overtaken you, therefore I challenge and set you +aside by the rightful custom of pleading at the Althing, and by +the law of the land; I challenge you in the cause which Flosi +Thord's son has handed over to me." + +Now all the people spoke out, and said that Mord's suit had come +to naught, and all were agreed in this that the defence was +better than the prosecution. + +Then Asgrim said to Mord, "The day is not yet their own, though +they think now that they have gained a great step; but now some +one shall go to see Thorhall my son, and know what advice he +gives us." + +Then a trusty messenger was sent to Thorhall, and told him as +plainly as he could how far the suit had gone, and how Flosi and +his men thought they had brought the finding of the inquest to a +dead lock. + +"I will so make it out," says Thorhall, "that this shall not +cause you to lose the suit; and tell them not to believe it, +though quirks and quibbles be brought against them, for that +wiseacre Eyjolf has now overlooked something. But now thou shalt +go back as quickly as thou canst, and say that Mord Valgard's son +must go before the court, and take witness that their challenge +has come to naught," and then he told him step by step how they +must proceed. + +The messenger came and told them Thorhall's advice. + +Then Mord Valgard's son went to the court and took witness. "I +take witness to this," said he, "that I make Eyjolf's challenge +void and of none effect; and my ground is, that he challenged +them not for their kinship to the true plaintiff, the next of +kin, but for their kinship to him who pleaded the suit; I take +this witness to myself, and to all those to whom this witness +will be of use." + +After that he brought that witness before the court. + +Now he went whither the neighbours sate on the inquest, and bade +those to sit down again who had risen up, and said they were +rightly called on to share in the finding of the inquest. + +Then all said that Thorhall had done great things, and all +thought the prosecution better than the defence. + +Then Flosi said to Eyjolf, "Thinkest thou that this is good law?" + +"I think so, surely," he says, "and beyond a doubt we overlooked +this; but still we will have another trial of strength with +them." + +Then Eyjolf took witness. "I take witness to this," said he, +"that I challenge these two men out of the inquest" -- here he +named them both -- "for that sake that they are lodgers, but not +householders; I do not allow you two to sit on the inquest, for +now a lawful challenge has overtaken you; I challenge you both +and set you aside out of the inquest, by the rightful custom of +the Althing and by the law of the land." + +Now Eyjolf said he was much mistaken if that could be shaken; and +then all said that the defence was better than the prosecution. + +Now all men praised Eyjolf, and said there was never a man who +could cope with him in lawcraft. + +Mord Valgard's son and Asgrim Ellidagrim's son now sent a man to +Thorhall to tell him how things stood; but when Thorhall heard +that, he asked what goods they owned, or if they were paupers? + +The messenger said that one gained his livelihood by keeping +milch-kine, and "he has both cows and ewes at his abode; but the +other has a third of the land which he and the freeholder farm, +and finds his own food: and they have one hearth between them, he +and the man who lets the land, and one shepherd." + +Then Thorhall said, "They will fare now as before, for they must +have made a mistake, and I will soon upset their challenge and +this though Eyjolf had used such big words that it was law." + +Now Thorhall told the messenger plainly, step by step, how they +must proceed; and the messenger came back and told Mord and +Asgrim all the counsel that Thorhall had given. + +Then Mord went to the court and took witness. "I take witness to +this, that I bring to naught Eyjolf Bolverk's son's challenges +for that he has challenged those men out of the inquest who have +a lawful right to be there; every man has a right to sit on an +inquest of neighbours, who owns three hundreds in land or more, +though he may have no dairystock; and he too has the same right +who lives by dairystock worth the same sum, though he leases no +land." + +Then he brought this witness before the court, and then he went +whither the neighbours on the inquest were, and bade them sit +down, and said they were rightfully among the inquest. + +Then there was a great shout and cry and then all men said that +Flosi's and Eyjolf's cause was much shaken, and now men were of +one mind as to this, that the prosecution was better than the +defence. + +Then Flosi said to Eyjolf, "Can this be law?" + +Eyjolf said be had not wisdom enough to know that for a surety, +and then they sent a man to Skapti, the Speaker of the Law, to +ask whether it were good law, and he sent them back word that it +was surely good law, though few knew it. + +Then this was told to Flosi, and Eyjolf Bolverk's son asked the +sons of Sigfus as to the other neighbours who were summoned +thither. + +They said there were four of them who were wrongly summoned; "for +those sit now at home who were nearer neighbours to the spot." + +Then Eyjolf took witness that he challenged all those four men +out of the inquest, and that he did it with lawful form of +challenge. After that he said to the neighbours, "Ye are bound +to render lawful justice to both sides, and now ye shall go +before the court when ye are called, and take witness that ye +find that bar to uttering your finding; that ye are but five +summoned to utter your finding, but that ye ought to be nine;. +and now Thorhall may prove and carry his point in every suit, if +he can cure this flaw in this suit." + +And now it was plain in everything that Flosi and Eyjolf were +very boastful; and there was a great cry that now the suit for +the burning was quashed, and that again the defence was better +than the prosecution. + +Then Asgrim spoke to Mord, "They know not yet of what to boast +ere we have seen my son Thorhall. Njal told me that he had so +taught Thorhall law, that he would turn out the best lawyer in +Iceland whenever it were put to the proof." + +Then a man was sent to Thorhall to tell him how things stood, and +of Flosi's and Eyjolf's boasting, and the cry of the people that +the suit for the burning was quashed in Mord's hands. + +"It will be well for them," says Thorhall, "if they get not +disgrace from this. Thou shalt go and tell Mord to take witness +and swear an oath, that the greater part of the inquest is +rightly summoned, and then he shall bring that witness before the +court, and then he may set the prosecution on its feet again; but +he will have to pay a fine of three marks for every man that he +has wrongly summoned; but he may not be prosecuted for that at +this Thing; and now thou shalt go back." + +He does so, and told Mord and Asgrim all, word for word, that +Thorhall had said. + +Then Mord went to the court, and took witness, and swore an oath +that the greater part of the inquest was rightly summoned, and +said then that he had set the prosecution on its feet again, and +then he went on, "And so our foes shall have honour from +something else than from this, that we have here taken a great +false step." + +Then there was a great roar that Mord handled the suit well; but +it was said that Flosi and his men betook them only to quibbling +and wrong. + +Flosi asked Eyjolf if this could be good law, but he said he +could not surely tell, but said the Lawman must settle this +knotty point. + +Then Thorkel Geiti's son went on their behalf to tell the Lawman +how things stood, and asked whether this were good law that Mord +had said. + +"More men are great lawyers now," says Skapti, "than I thought. +I must tell thee, then, that this is such good law in all points, +that there is not a word to say against it; but still I thought +that I alone would know this, now that Njal was dead, for he was +the only man I ever knew who knew it." + +Then Thorkell went back to Flosi and Eyjolf, and said that this +was good law. + +Then Mord Valgard's son went to the court and took witness. "I +take witness to this," he said, "that I bid those neighbours on +the inquest in the suit which I set on foot against Flosi Thord's +son now to utter their finding, and to find it either against him +or for him; I bid them by a lawful bidding before the court, so +that the judges may hear it across the court." + +Then the neighbours on Mord's inquest went to the court, and one +uttered their finding, but all confirmed it by their consent; and +they spoke thus, word for word, "Mord Valgard's son summoned nine +of us thanes on this inquest, but here we stand five of us, but +four have been challenged and set aside, and now witness has been +home as to the absence of the four who ought to have uttered this +finding along with us, and now we are bound by law to utter our +finding. We were summoned to bear this witness, whether Flosi +Thord's son rushed with an assault laid down by law on Helgi +Njal's son, on that spot where Flosi Thord's son wounded Helgi +Njal's son with a brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, which +proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his death. He +summoned us to utter all those words which it was lawful for us +to utter, and which he should call on us to answer before the +court, and which belong to this suit; he summoned us, so that we +heard what he said; he summoned us in a suit which Thorgeir +Thorir's son had handed over to him, and now we have all sworn an +oath, and found our lawful finding, and are all agreed, and we +utter our finding against Flosi, and we say that he is truly +guilty in this suit. We nine men on this inquest of neighbours +so shapen, utter this our finding before the Eastfirthers' Court +over the head of John, as Mord summoned us to do; but this is the +finding of all of us." + +Again a second time they uttered their finding against Flosi, and +uttered it first about the wounds, and last about the assault, +but all their other words they uttered just as they had before +uttered their finding against Flosi, and brought him in truly +guilty in the suit. + +Then Mord Valgard's son went before the court, and took witness +that those neighbours whom he had summoned in the suit which he +had set on foot against Flosi Thord's son had now uttered their +finding, and brought him in truly guilty in the suit; he took +witness to this for his own part, or for those who might wish to +make use of this witness. + +Again a second time Mord took witness and said, "I take witness +to this that I call on Flosi, or that man who has to undertake +the lawful defence which he has handed over to him, to begin his +defence to this suit which I have set on foot against him, for +now all the steps and proofs have been brought forward which +belong by law to this suit; all witness home, the finding of the +inquest uttered and brought in, witness taken to the finding, and +to all the steps which have gone before; but if any such thing +arises in their lawful defence which I need to turn into a suit +against them, then I claim the right to set that suit on foot +against them. I bid this my lawful bidding before the court, so +that the judges may hear." + +"It gladdens me now, Eyjolf," said Flosi, "in my heart to think +what a wry face they will make, and how their pates will tingle +when thou bringest forward our defence." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) John for a man, and Gudruna for a woman, were standing names + in the Formularies of the Icelandic code, answering to the + "M or N" in our Liturgy, or to those famous fictions of + English law, "John Doe and Richard Roe." +(2) "Gossipry," that is, because they were gossips, "God's sib", + relations by baptism. + + + +142. OF EYJOLF BOLVERK'S SON + +Then Eyjolf Bolverk's son went before the court, and took witness +to this, "I take witness that this is a lawful defence in this +cause, that ye have pleaded the suit in the Eastfirthers' Court, +when ye ought to have pleaded it in the Northlanders' Court; for +Flosi has declared himself one of the Thingmen of Askel the +Priest and here now are those two witnesses who were by, and who +will bear witness that Flosi handed over his priesthood to his +brother Thorgeir, but afterwards declared himself one of Askel +the Priest's Thingmen. I take witness to this for my own part, +and for those who may need to make use of it." + +Again Eyjolf took witness, "I take witness," he said, "to this, +that I bid Mord who pleads this suit, or the next of kin, to +listen to my oath, and to my declaration of the defence which I +am about to bring forward; I bid him by a lawful bidding before +the court, so that the judges may hear me." + +Again Eyjolf took witness, "I take witness to this, that I swear +an oath on the book, a lawful oath, and say it before God, that I +will so defend this cause, in the most truthful, and most just, +and most lawful way, so far as I know, and so fulfil all lawful +duties which belong to me at this Thing." + +Then Eyjolf said, "These two men I take to witness that I bring +forward this lawful defence that this suit was pleaded in another +Quarter Court, than that in which it ought to have been pleaded; +and I say that for this sake their suit has come to naught; I +utter this defence in this shape before the Eastfirthers' Court." + +After that he let all the witness be brought forward which +belonged to the defence, and then he took witness to all the +steps in the defence to prove that they had all been duly taken. + +After that Eyjolf again took witness and said, "I take witness to +this, that I forbid the judges, by a lawful protest before the +priest, to utter judgment in the suit of Mord and his friends, +for now a lawful defence has been brought before the court. I +forbid you by a protest made before a priest; by a full, fair, +and binding protest; as I have a right to forbid you by the +common custom of the Althing, and by the law of the land." + +After that be called on the judges to pronounce for the defence. + +Then Asgrim and his friends brought on the other suits for the +burning, and those suits took their course. + + + +143. THE COUNSEL OF THORHALL ASGRIM'S SON + +Now Asgrim and his friends sent a man to Thorhall, and let him be +told in what a strait they had come. + +"Too far off was I now," answers Thorhall, "for this cause might +still not have taken this turn if I had been by. I now see their +course that they must mean to summon you to the Fifth Court for +contempt of the Thing. They must also mean to divide the +Eastfirthers Court in the suit for the burning, so that no +judgment may be given, for now they behave so as to show that +they will stay at no ill. Now shaft thou go back to them as +quickly as thou canst, and say that Mord must summon them both, +both Flosi and Eyjolf, for having brought money into the Fifth +Court, and make it a case of lesser outlawry. Then he shall +summon them with a second summons for that they have brought +forward that witness which had nothing to do with their cause, +and so were guilty of contempt of the Thing; and tell them that I +say this, that if two suits for lesser outlawry hang over one and +the same man, that he shall be adjudged a thorough outlaw at +once. And for this ye must set your suits on foot first, that +then ye will first go to trial and judgment." + +Now the messenger went his way back and told Mord and Asgrim. + +After that they went to the Hill of Laws, and Mord Valgard's son +took witness. "I take witness to this that I summon Flosi +Thord's son, for that he gave money for his help here at the +Thing to Eyjolf Bolverk's son. I say that he ought on this +charge to be made a guilty outlaw, for this sake alone to be +forwarded or to be allowed the right of frithstow (1), if his +fine and bail are brought forward at the execution levied on his +house and goods, but else to become a thorough outlaw. I say all +his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the men of the +Quarter who have the right by law to take his goods after he has +been outlawed. I summon this cause before the Fifth Court, +whither the cause ought to come by law; I summon it to be pleaded +now and to full outlawry. I summon with a lawful summons. I +summon in the hearing of all men at the Hill of Laws." + +With a like summons he summoned Eyjolf Bolverk's son, for that he +had taken and received the money, and he summoned him for that +sake to the Fifth Court. + +Again a second time he summoned Flosi and Eyjolf, for that sake +that they had brought forward that witness at the Thing which had +nothing lawfully to do with the cause of the parties, and had so +been guilty of contempt of the Thing; and he laid the penalty for +that at lesser outlawry. + +Then they went away to the Court of Laws, there the Fifth Court +was then set. + +Now when Mord and Asgrim had gone away, then the judges in the +Eastfirthers' Court could not agree how they should give +judgment, for some of them wished to give judgment for Flosi, but +some for Mord and Asgrim. Then Flosi and Eyjolf tried to divide +the court, and there they stayed, and lost time over that while +the summoning at the Hill of Laws going on. A little while after +Flosi and Eyjolf were told that they had been summoned at the +Hill of Laws into the Fifth Court, each of them with two summons. +Then Eyjolf said, "In an evil hour have we loitered here while +they have been before us in quickness of summoning. Now hath +come out Thorhall's cunning, and no man is his match in wit. Now +they have the first right to plead their cause before the court, +and that was everything for them; but still we will go to the +Hill of Laws, and set our suit on foot against them, though that +will now stand us in little stead." + +Then they fared to the Hill of Laws, and Eyjolf summoned them for +contempt of the Thing. + +After that they went to the Fifth Court. + +Now we must say that when Mord and Asgrim came to the Fifth +Court, Mord took witness and bade them listen to his oath and the +declaration of his suit, and to all those proofs and steps which +he meant to bring forward against Flosi and Eyjolf. He bade them +by a lawful bidding before the court, so that the judges could +hear him across the court. + +In the Fifth Court vouchers had to follow the oaths of the +parties, and they had to take an oath after them. + +Mord took witness. "I take witness," he said, "to this, that I +take a Fifth Court oath. I pray God so to help me in this light +and in the next, as I shall plead this suit as I know to be most +truthful, and just, and lawful. I believe with all my heart that +Flosi is truly guilty in this suit, if I may bring forward my +proofs; and I have not brought money into this court in this +suit, and I will not bring it. I have not taken money, and I +will not take it, neither for a lawful nor for an unlawful end." + +The men who were Mord's vouchers then went two of them before the +court, and took witness to this -- "We take witness that we take +an oath on the book, a lawful oath; we pray God so to help us two +in this light and in the next, as we lay it on our honour that we +believe with all our hearts that Mord will so plead this suit as +he knows to be most truthful, and most just, and most lawful, and +that he hath not brought money into this court in this suit to +help himself, and that he will not offer it, and that he hath not +taken money, nor will he take it, either for a lawful or unlawful +end." + +Mord had summoned nine neighbours who lived next to the +Thingfield on the inquest in the suit, and then Mord took +witness, and declared those four suits which he had set on foot +against Flosi and Eyjolf; and Mord used all those words in his +declaration that he had used in his summons. He declared his +suits for outlawry in the same shape before the Fifth Court as he +had uttered them when he summoned the defendants. + +Mord took witness, and bade those nine neighbours on the inquest +to take their seats west on the river bank. + +Mord took witness again, and bade Flosi and Eyjolf to challenge +the inquest. + +They went up to challenge the inquest, and looked narrowly at +them, but could get none of them set aside; then they went away +as things stood, and were very ill pleased with their case. + +Then Mord took witness, and bade those nine neighbours whom he +had before called on the inquest, to utter their finding, and to +bring it in either for or against Flosi. + +Then the neighbours on Mord's inquest came before the court, and +one uttered the finding, but all the rest confirmed it by their +consent. They had all taken the Fifth Court oath, and they +brought in Flosi as truly guilty in the suit, and brought in +their finding against him. They brought it in such a shape +before the Fifth Court over the head of the same man over whose +head Mord had already declared his suit. After that they brought +in all those findings which they were bound to bring in all the +other suits, and all was done in lawful form. + +Eyjolf Bolverk's son and Flosi watched to find a flaw in the +proceedings, but could get nothing done. + +Then Mord Valgard's son took witness. "I take witness," said he, +"to this, that these nine neighbours whom I called on these suits +which I have had hanging over the heads of Flosi Thord's son, and +Eyjolf Bolverk's son, have now uttered their finding, and have +brought them in truly guilty in these suits." + +He took this witness for his own part. + +Again Mord took witness. "I take witness," he said, "to this, +that I bid Flosi Thord's son, or that other man who has taken his +lawful defence in hand, now to begin their defence; for now all +the steps and proofs have been brought forward in the suit, +summons to listen to oaths, oaths taken, suit declared, witness +taken to the summons, neighbours called on to take their seats on +the inquest, defendant called on to challenge the inquest, +finding uttered, witness taken to the finding." + +He took this witness to all the steps that had been taken in the +suit. + +Then that man stood up over whose head the suit had been declared +and pleaded, and summed up the case. He summed up first how Mord +had bade them listen to his oath, and to his declaration of the +suit, and to all the steps and proofs in it; then he summed up +next how Mord took his oath and his vouchers theirs; then he +summed up how Mord pleaded his suit, and used the very words in +his summing up that Mord had before used in declaring and +pleading his suit, and which he had used in his summons, and he +said that the suit came before the Fifth Court in the same shape +as it was when he uttered it at the summoning. Then he summed up +that men had borne witness to the summoning, and repeated all +those words that Mord had used in his summons, and which they had +used in bearing their witness, "and which I now," he said, "have +used in my summing up, and they bore their witness in the same +shape before the Fifth Court as he uttered them at the +summoning." After that he summed up that Mord bade the +neighbours on the inquest to take their seats, then he told next +of all how he bade Flosi to challenge the inquest, or that man +who had undertaken this lawful defence for him; then he told how +the neighbours went to the court, and uttered their finding, and +brought in Flosi truly guilty in the suit, and how they brought +in the finding of an inquest of nine men in that shape before the +Fifth Court. Then he summed up how Mord took witness to all the +steps in the suit, and how he had bidden the defendant to begin +his defence. + +After that Mord Valgard's son took witness. "I take witness," he +said, "to this, that I forbid Flosi Thord's son, or that other +man who has undertaken the lawful defence for him, to set up his +defence; for now are all the steps taken which belong to the +suit, when the case has been summed up and the proofs repeated." + +After that the foreman added these words of Mord to his summing +up. + +Then Mord took witness, and prayed the judges to give judgment in +this suit. + +Then Gizur the White said, "Thou wilt have to do more yet, Mord, +for four twelves can have no right to pass judgment." + +Now Flosi said to Eyjolf, "What counsel is to be taken now?" + +Then Eyjolf said, "Now we must make the best of a bad business; +but still we will bide our time, for now I guess that they will +make a false step in their suit, for Mord prayed for judgment at +once in the suit, but they ought to call and set aside six men +out of the court, and after that they ought to offer us to call +and set aside six other men, but we will not do that, for then +they ought to call and set aside those six men, and they will +perhaps overlook that; then all their case has come to naught if +they do not do that, for three twelves have to judge in every +cause." + +"Thou art a wise man, Eyjolf," said Flosi, "so that few can come +nigh thee." + +Mord Valgard's son took witness. "I take witness," he said "to +this, that I call and set aside these six men out of the court" +-- and named them all by name -- "I do not allow you to sit in +the court; I call you out and set you aside by the rightful +custom of the Althing, and the law of the land." + +After that he offered Eyjolf and Flosi, before witnesses, to call +out by name and set aside other six men, but Flosi and Eyjolf +would not call them out. + +Then Mord made them pass judgment in the cause; but when the +judgment was given, Eyjolf took witness, and said that all their +judgment had come to naught, and also everything else that had +been done, and his ground was that three twelves and one half had +judged, when three only ought to have given judgment. + +"And now we will follow up our suits before the Fifth Court," +said Eyjolf, "and make them outlaws." + +Then Gizur the White said to Mord Valgard's son, "Thou hast made +a very great mistake in taking such a false step, and this is +great ill-luck; but what counsel shall we now take, kinsman +Asgrim?" says Gizur. + +Then Asgrim said, "Now we will send a man to my son Thorhall, +and know what counsel he will give us." + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) An old English law term for asylum or sanctuary. + + + +144. BATTLE AT THE ALTHING + +Now Snorri the Priest hears how the causes stood, and then he +begins to draw up his men in arry below "the Great Rift," between +it and Hadbooth, and laid down beforehand to his men how they +were to behave. + +Now the messenger comes to Thorhall Asgrim's son, and tells him +how things stood, and how Mord Valgard's son and his friends +would all be made outlaws, and the suits for manslaughter be +brought to naught. + +But when he heard that, he was so shocked at it that he could not +utter a word. He jumped up then from his bed, and clutched with +both hands his spear, Skarphedinn's gift, and drove it through +his foot; then flesh clung to the spear, and the eye of the boil +too, for he had cut it clean out of the foot, but a torrent of +blood and matter poured out, so that it fell in a stream along +the floor. Now he went out of the booth unhalting, and walked so +hard that the messenger could not keep up with him, and so he +goes until he came to the Fifth Court. There he met Grim the +Red, Flosi's kinsman, and as soon as ever they met, Thorhall +thrust at him with the spear, and smote him on the shield and +clove it in twain, but the spear passed right through him, so +that the point came out between his shoulders. Thorhall cast him +off his spear. + +Then Kari Solmund's son caught sight of that, and said to Asgrim, +"Here, now, is come Thorhall thy son, and has straightway slain +a man, and this is a great shame, if he alone shall have the +heart to avenge the burning." + +"That shall not be," says Asgrim, "but let us turn on them now." + +Then there was a mighty cry all over the host, and then they +shouted their war-cries. + +Flosi and his friends then turned against their foes, and both +sides egged on their men fast. + +Kari Solmund's son turned now thither where Ami Kol's son and +Hallbjorn the Strong were in front, and as soon as ever Hallbjorn +saw Kari, he made a blow at him, and aimed at his leg, but Kari +leapt up into the air, and Hallbjorn missed him. Kari turned on +Arni Kol's son and cut at him, and smote him on the shoulder, and +cut asunder the shoulder blade and collar-bone, and the blow went +right down into his breast, and Ami fell down dead at once to +earth. + +After that he hewed at Hallbjorn and caught him on the shield, +and the blow passed through the shield, and so down and cut off +his great toe. Holmstein hurled a spear at Kari, but he caught +it in the air, and sent it back, and it was a man's death in +Flosi's band. + +Thorgeir Craggeir came up to where Hallbjorn the Strong was +in front, and Thorgeir made such a spear-thrust at him with his +left hand that Hallbjorn fell before it, and had hard work to get +on his feet again, and turned away from the fight there and then. +Then Thorgeir met Thorwalld Kettle Rumble's son, and hewed at him +at once with the axe, "the ogress of war," which Skarphedinn had +owned. Thorwalld threw his shield before him, and Thorgeir hewed +the shield and cleft it from top to bottom, but the upper horn of +the axe made its way into his breast, and passed into his trunk, +and Thorwalld fell and was dead at once. + +Now it must be told how Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and Thorhall his +son, Hjallti Skeggi's son, and Gizur the White, made an onslaught +where Flosi and the sons of Sigfus and the other burners were; -- +then there was a very hard fight, and the end of it was that they +pressed on so hard, that Flosi and his men gave way before them. +Gudmund the Powerful, and Mord Valgard's son, and Thorgeir +Craggeir, made their onslaught where the Axefirthers and +Eastfirthers, and the men of Reykdale stood, and there too there +was a very hard fight. + +Kari Solmund's son came up where Bjarni Broddhelgi's son had the +lead. Kari caught up a spear and thrust at him, and the blow +fell on his shield. Bjarni slipped the shield on one side of +him, else it had gone straight through him. Then he cut at Kari +and aimed at his leg, but Kari drew back his leg and turned short +round on his heel, and Bjarni missed him. Kari cut at once at +him, and then a man ran forward and threw his shield before +Bjarni. Kari cleft the shield in twain, and the point of the +sword caught his thigh, and ripped up the whole leg down to the +ankle. That man fell there and then, and was ever after a +cripple so long as he lived. + +Then Kari clutched his spear with both hands, and turned on +Bjarni and thrust at him; he saw he had no other chance but to +throw himself down sidelong away from the blow, but as soon as +ever Bjarni found his feet, away he fell back out of the fight. + +Thorgeir Craggeir and Gizur the White fell on there where +Holmstein the son of Bersi the Wise, and Thorkel Geiti's son were +leaders, and the end of the struggle was, that Holmstein and +Thorkel gave way, and then arose a mighty hooting after them from +the men of Gudmund the Powerful. + +Thorwalld Tjorfi's son of Lightwater got a great wound, he was +shot in the forearm, and men thought that Halldor Gudmund the +Powerful's son had hurled the spear, but he bore that wound about +with him all his life long, and got no atonement for it. + +Now there was a mighty throng. But though we here tell of some +of the deeds that were done, still there are far many more of +which men have handed down no stories. + +Flosi had told them that they should make for the stronghold in +the Great Rift if they were worsted, "For there," said he, "they +will only be able to attack us on one side." But the band which +Hall of the Side and his son Ljot led, had fallen away out of the +fight before the onslaught of that father and son, Asgrim and +Thorhall. They turned down east of Axewater, and Hall said, +"This is a sad state of things when the whole host of men at the +Thing fight, and I would, kinsman Ljot, that we begged us help +even though that be brought against us by some men, and that we +part them. Thou shalt wait for me at the foot of the bridge, and +I will go to the booths and beg for help." + +"If I see," said Ljot, "that Flosi and his men need help from our +men, then I will at once run up and aid them." + +"Thou wilt do in that as thou pleasest," says Hall, "but I pray +thee to wait for me here." + +Now flight breaks out in Flosi's band, and they all fly west +across Axewater; but Asgrim and Gizur the White went after them +and all their host. Flosi and his men turned down between the +river and the Outwork booth. Snorri the Priest had drawn up his +men there in array, so thick that they could not pass that way, +and Snorri the Priest called out then to Flosi, "Why fare ye in +such haste, or who chase you?" + +"Thou askest not this," answered Flosi, "because thou dost not +know it already; but whose fault is it that we cannot get to the +stronghold in the Great Rift?" + +"It is not my fault," says Snorri, "but it is quite true that I +know whose fault it is, and I will tell thee if thou wilt; it is +the fault of Thorwalld Cropbeard and Kol." + +They were both then dead, but they had been the worst men in all +Flosi's band. + +Again Snorri said to his men, "Now do both, cut at them and +thrust at them, and drive them away hence, they will then hold +out but a short while here, if the others attack them from below; +but then ye shall not go after them, but let both sides shift for +themselves." + +The son of Skapti Thorod's son was Thorstein gapemouth, as was +written before, he was in the battle with Gudmund the Powerful, +his father-in-law, and as soon as Skapti knew that, he went to +the booth of Snorri the Priest, and meant to beg for help to part +them; but just before he had got as far as the door of Snorri's +booth, there the battle was hottest of all. Asgrim and his +friends, and his men were just coming up thither, and then +Thorhall said to his father Asgrim, "See there now is Skapti +Thorod's son, father." + +"I see him kinsman," said Asgrim, and then he shot a spear at +Skapti, and struck him just below where the calf was fattest, and +so through both his legs. Skapti fell at the blow, and could not +get up again, and the only counsel they could take who were by, +was to drag Skapti flat on his face into the booth of a turf- +cutter. + +Then Asgrim and his men came up so fast that Flosi and his men +gave way before them south along the river to the booths of the +men of Modruvale. There there was a man outside one booth whose +name was Solvi; he was boiling broth in a great kettle, and had +just then taken the meat out, and the broth was boiling as hotly +as it could. + +Solvi cast his eyes on the Eastfirthers as they fled, and they +were then just over against him, and then he said, "Can all these +cowards who fly here be Eastfirthers, and yet Thorkel Geiti's +son, he ran by as fast as any one of them, and very great lies +have been told about him when men say that he is all heart, but +now no one ran faster than he." + +Hallbjorn the Strong was near by then, and said, "Thou shalt not +have it to say that we are all cowards." + +And with that he caught hold of him, and lifted him up aloft, and +thrust him head down into the broth-kettle. Solvi died at once; +but then a rush was made at Hallbjorn himself, and he had to turn +and fly. + +Flosi threw a spear at Bruni Haflidi's son, and caught him at the +waist, and that was his bane; he was one of Gudmund the +Powerful's band. + +Thorstein Hlenni's son took the spear out of the wound, and +hurled it back at Flosi, and hit him on the leg, and he got a +great wound and fell; he rose up again at once. + +Then they passed on to the Waterfirthers' booth, and then Hall +and Ljot came from the east across the river, with all their +band; but just when they came to the lava, a spear was hurled out +of the band of Gudmund the Powerful, and it struck Ljot in the +middle, and he fell down dead at once; and it was never known +surely who had done that manslaughter. + +Flosi and his men turned up round the Waterfirther's booth, and +then Thorgeir Craggeir said to Kari Solmund's son, "Look, yonder +now is Eyjolf Bolverk's son, if thou hast a mind to pay him off +for the ring." + +"That I ween is not far from my mind," says Kari, and snatched a +spear from a man, and hurled it at Eyjolf, and it struck him in +the waist, and went through him, and Eyjolf then fell dead to +earth. + +Then there was a little lull in the battle, and then Snorri the +Priest came up with his band, and Skapti was there in his +company, and they ran in between them, and so they could not get +at one another to fight. + +Then Hall threw in his people with theirs, and was for parting +them there and then, and so a truce was set, and was to be kept +throughout the Thing, and then the bodies were laid out and borne +to the church, and the wounds of those men were bound up who were +hurt. + +The day after men went to the Hill of Laws. Then Han of the Side +stood up and asked for a hearing, and got it at once; and he +spoke thus, "Here there have been hard happenings in lawsuits +and loss of life at the Thing, and now I will show again that I +am little-hearted, for I will now ask Asgrim and the others who +take the lead in these suits, that they grant us an atonement on +even terms;" and so he goes on with many fair words. + +Kari Solmund's son said, "Though all others take an atonement in +their quarrels, yet will I take no atonement in my quarrel; for +ye will wish to weigh these manslayings against the burning, and +we cannot bear that." + +In the same way spoke Thorgeir Craggeir. + +Then Skapti Thorod's son stood up and said, "Better had it been +for thee, Kari, not to have run away from thy father-in-law and +thy brothers-in-law, than now to sneak out of this atonement." + +Then Kari sang these verses: + + "Warrior wight that weapon wieldest + Spare thy speering why we fled, + Oft for less falls hail of battle, + Forth we fled to wreak revenge; + Who was he, fainthearted foeman, + Who, when tongues of steel sung high, + Stole beneath the booth for shelter, + While his beard blushed red for shame? + + "Many fetters Skapti fettered + When the men, the Gods of fight, + From the fray fared all unwilling + Where the skald scarce held his shield; + Then the suttlers dragged the lawyer + Stout in scolding to their booth, + Laid him low amongst the riffraff, + How his heart then quaked for fear. + + "Men who skim the main on sea stag + Well in this ye showed your sense + Making game about the Burning, + Mocking Helgi, Grim, and Njal; + Now the moor round rocky Swinestye (1), + As men run and shake their shields, + With another grunt shall rattle + When this Thing is past and gone." + +Then there was great laughter. Snorri the Priest smiled and sang +this between his teeth, but so that many heard: + + "Skill hath Skapti us to tell + Whether Asgrim's shaft flew well; + Holmstein hurried swift to flight, + Thorstein turned him soon to fight." + +Now men burst out in great fits of laughter. + +Then Hall of the Side said, "All men know what a grief I have +suffered in the loss of my son Ljot; many will think that he +would be valued dearest of all those men who have fallen here; +but I will do this for the sake of an atonement -- I will put no +price on my son, and yet will come forward and grant both pledges +and peace to those who are my adversaries. I beg thee, Snorri +the Priest, and other of the best men, to bring this about, that +there may be an atonement between us." + +Now he sits him down, and a great hum in his favour followed, and +all praised his gentleness and goodwill. + +Then Snorri the Priest stood up and made a long and clever +speech, and begged Asgrim and the others who took the lead in the +quarrel to look towards an atonement. + +Then Asgrim said, "I made up my mind when Flosi made an inroad +on my house that I would never be atoned with him; but now Snorri +the Priest, I will take an atonement from him for thy word's sake +and other of our friends." + +In the same way spoke Thorleif Crow and Thorgrim the Big, that +they were willing to be atoned, and they urged in every way their +brother Thorgeir Craggeir to take an atonement also; but he hung +back, and says he would never part from Kari. + +Then Gizur the White said, "Now Flosi must see that he must make +his choice, whether he will be atoned on the understanding that +some will be out of the atonement." + +Flosi says he will take that atonement; "And methinks it is so +much the better," he says, "that I have fewer good men and true +against me." + +Then Gudmund the Powerful said, "I will offer to handsel peace +on my behalf for the slayings that have happened here at the +Thing, on the understanding that the suit for the burning is not +to fall to the ground." + +In the same way spoke Gizur the White and Hjallti Skeggi's son, +Asgrim Ellidagrim's son and Mord Valgard's son. + +In this way the atonement came about, and then hands were shaken +on it, and twelve men were to utter the award; and Snorri the +Priest was the chief man in the award, and others with him. Then +the manslaughters were set off the one against the other, and +those men who were over and above were paid for in fines. They +also made an award in the suit about the burning. + +Njal was to be atoned for with a triple fine, and Bergthora with +two. The slaying of Skarphedinn was to be set off against that +of Hauskuld the Whiteness Priest. Both Grim and Helgi were to be +paid for with double fines; and one full man-fine should be paid +for each of those who had been burnt in the house. + +No atonement was taken for the slaying of Thord Kari's son. + +It was also in the award that Flosi and all the burners should go +abroad into banishment, and none of them was to sail the same +summer unless he chose; but if he did not sail abroad by the time +that three winters were spent, then he and all the burners were +to become thorough outlaws. And it was also said that their +outlawry might be proclaimed either at the Harvest-Thing or +Spring-Thing, whichever men chose; and Flosi was to stay abroad +three winters. + +As for Gunnar Lambi's son, and Grani Gunnar's son, Glum Hilldir's +son, and Kol Thorstein's son, they were never to be allowed to +come back. + +Then Flosi was asked if he would wish to have a price put upon +his wound, but he said he would not take bribes for his hurt. + +Eyjolf Bolverk's son had no fine awarded for him, for his +unfairness and wrongfulness. + +And now this settlement and atonement was handselled and was well +kept afterwards. + +Asgrim and his friends gave Snorri the priest good gifts, and he +had great honour from these suits. + +Skapti got a fine for his hurt. + +Gizur the White, and Hjallti Skeggi's son, and Asgrim +Ellidagrim's son, asked Gudmund the Powerful to come and see them +at home. He accepted the bidding, and each of them gave him a +gold ring. + +Now Gudmund rides home north and had praise from every man for +the part he had taken in these quarrels. + +Thorgeir Craggeir asked Kari to go along with him, but yet first +of all they rode with Gudmund right up to the fells north. Kari +gave Gudmund a golden brooch, but Thorgeir gave him a silver +belt, and each was the greatest treasure. So they parted with +the utmost friendship, and Gudmund is out of this story. + +Kari and Thorgeir rode south from the fell, and down to the +Rapes (1), and so to Thurso-water. + +Flosi, and the burners along with him, rode east to Fleetlithe, +and he allowed the sons of Sigfus to settle their affairs at +home. Then Flosi heard that Thorgeir and Kari had ridden north +with Gudmund the Powerful, and so the burners thought that Kari +and his friend must mean to stay in the north country; and then +the sons of Sigfus asked leave to go east under Eyjafell to get +in their money, for they had money out on call at Headbrink. +Flosi gave them leave to do that, but still bade them be ware of +themselves, and be as short a time about it as they could. + +Then Flosi rode up by Godaland, and so north of Eyjafell Jokul, +and did not draw bridle before he came home east to Swinefell. + +Now it must be said that Hall of the Side had suffered his son to +fall without a fine, and did that for the sake of an atonement, +but then the whole host of men at the Thing agreed to pay a fine +for him, and the money so paid was not less than eight hundred in +silver, but that was four times the price of a man; but all the +others who had been with Flosi got no fines paid for their hurts, +and were very ill pleased at it. + +The sons of Sigfus stayed at home two nights, but the third day +they rode east to Raufarfell, and were there the night. They +were fifteen together, and had not the least fear for themselves. +They rode thence late, and meant to reach Headbrink about even. +They baited their horses in Carlinedale, and then a great slumber +came over them. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Swinestye," ironically for Swinefell, where Flosi lived. +(2) This is the English equivalent for the Icelandic Hrep, a + district. It still lingers in "the Rape of Bramber," and + other districts in Sussex and the southeast. + + + +145. OF KARI AND THORGEIR + +Those two, Kari Solmund's son and Thorgeir Craggeir, rode that +day east across Markfleet, and so on east to Selialandsmull. +They found there some women. The wives knew them, and said to +them, "Ye two are less wanton than the sons of Sigfus yonder, but +still ye fare unwarily." + +"Why do ye talk thus of the sons of Sigfus, or what do ye know +about them?" + +"They were last night," they said, "at Raufarfell, and meant to +get to Myrdale to-night, but still we thought they must have some +fear of you, for they asked when ye would be likely to come +home." + +Then Kari and Thorgeir went on their way and spurred their +horses. + +"What shall we lay down for ourselves to do now," said Thorgeir, +"or what is most to thy mind? Wilt thou that we ride on their +track?" + +"I will not hinder this," answers Kari, "nor will I say what +ought to be done, for it may often be that those live long who +are slain with words alone (1); but I well know what thou meanest +to take on thyself, thou must mean to take on thy hands eight +men, and after all that is less than it was when thou slewest +those seven in the sea-crags (2), and let thyself down by a rope +to get at them; but it is the way with all you kinsmen, that ye +always wish to be doing some famous feat, and now I can do no +less than stand by thee and have my share in the story. So now +we two alone will ride after them, for I see that thou hast so +made up thy mind." + +After that they rode east by the upper way, and did not pass by +Holt, for Thorgeir would not that any blame should be laid at his +brother's door for what might be done. + +Then they rode east to Myrdale, and there they met a man who had +turf-panniers on his horse. He began to speak thus, "Too few +men, messmate Thorgeir, hast thou now in thy company." + +"How is that?" says Thorgeir. + +"Why," said the other, "because the prey is now before thy hand. +The sons of Sigfus rode by a while ago, and mean to sleep the +whole day east in Carlinedale, for they mean to go no farther +to-night than to Headbrink." + +After that they rode on their way east on Arnstacks heath, and +there is nothing to be told of their journey before they came to +Carlinedale-water. + +The stream was high, and now they rode up along the river, for +they saw there horses with saddles. They rode now thitherward, +and saw that there were men asleep in a dell and their spears +were standing upright in the ground a little below them. They +took the spears from them, and threw them into the river. + +Then Thorgeir said, "Wilt thou that we wake them?" + +"Thou hast not asked this," answers Kari, "because thou hast not +already made up thy mind not to fall on sleeping men, and so to +slay a shameful manslaughter." + +After that they shouted to them, and then they all awoke and +grasped at their arms. + +They did not fall on them till they were armed. + +Thorgeir Craggeir runs thither where Thorkell Sigfus' son stood, +and just then a man ran behind his back, but before he could do +Thorgeir any hurt, Thorgeir lifted the axe, "the ogress of war," +with both hands, and dashed the hammer of the axe with a back- +blow into the head of him that stood behind him, so that his +skull was shattered to small bits. + +"Slain is this one," said Thorgeir; and down the man fell at +once, and was dead. + +But when he dashed the axe forward, he smote Thorkell on the +shoulder, and hewed it off, arm and all. + +Against Kari came Mord Sigfus' son, and Sigmund Sigfus' son, and +Lambi Sigurd's son; the last ran behind Kari's back, and thrust +at him with a spear; Kari caught sight of him, and leapt up as +the blow fell, and stretched his legs far apart, and so the blow +spent itself on the ground, but Kari jumped down on the spear- +shaft, and snapped it in sunder. He had a spear in one hand, and +a sword in the other, but no shield. He thrust with the right +hand at Sigmund Sigfus' son, and smote him on his breast, and the +spear came out between his shoulders, and down he fell and was +dead at once, With his left hand he made a cut at Mord, and smote +him on the hip, and cut it asunder, and his backbone too; he fell +flat on his face, and was dead at once. + +After that he turned sharp round on his heel like a whipping-top, +and made at Lambi Sigurd's son, but he took the only way to save +himself, and that was by running away as hard as he could. + +Now Thorgeir turns against Leidolf the Strong, and each hewed at +the other at the same moment, and Leidolf's blow was so great +that it shore off that part of the shield on which it fell. + +Thorgeir had hewn with "the ogress of war," holding it with both +hands, and the lower horn fell on the shield and clove it in +twain, but the upper caught the collarbone and cut it in two and +tore on down into the breast and trunk. Kari came up just then, +and cut off Leidolf's leg at mid-thigh, and then Leidolf fell and +died at once. + +Kettle of the Mark said, "We will now run for our horses, for we +cannot hold our own here, for the overbearing strength of these +men." + +Then they ran for their horses, and leapt on their backs; and +Thorgeir said, "Wilt thou that we chase them? If so, we shall +yet slay some of them." + +"He rides last," says Kari, "whom I would not wish to slay, and +that is Kettle of the Mark, for we have two sisters to wife; and +besides, he has behaved best of all of them as yet in our +quarrels." + +Then they got on their horses, and rode till they came home to +Holt. Then Thorgeir made his brothers fare away east to Skoga, +for they had another farm there, and because Thorgeir would not +that his brothers should be called truce-breakers. + +Then Thorgeir kept many men there about him, so that there were +never fewer than thirty fighting men there. + +Then there was great joy there, and men thought Thorgeir had +grown much greater, and pushed himself on; both he and Kari too. +Men long kept in mind this hunting of theirs, how they rode upon +fifteen men and slew those five, but put those ten to flight who +got away. + +Now it is to be told of Kettle, that they rode as they best might +till they came home to Swinefell, and told how bad their journey +had been. + +Flosi said it was only what was to be looked for; "And this is a +warning that ye should never do the like again." + +Flosi was the merriest of men, and the best of hosts, and it is +so said that he had most of the chieftain in him of all the men +of his time. + +He was at home that summer, and the winter too. + +But that winter, after Yule, Hall of the Side came from the east, +and Kol his son. Flosi was glad at his coming, and they often +talked about the matter of the burning. Flosi said they had +already paid a great fine, and Hall said it was pretty much what +he had guessed would come of Flosi's and his friends' quarrel. +Then he asked him what counsel he thought best to be taken, and +Hall answers, "The counsel is, that thou beest atoned with +Thorgeir if there be a choice, and yet he will be hard to bring +to take any atonement." + +"Thinkest thou that the manslaughters will then be brought to an +end?" asks Flosi. + +"I do not think so," says Hall; "but you will have to do with +fewer foes if Kari be left alone; but if thou art not atoned with +Thorgeir, then that will be thy bane." + +"What atonement shall we offer him?" asks Flosi. + +"You will all think that atonement hard," says Hall, "which he +will take, for he will not hear of an atonement unless he be not +called on to pay any fine for what he has just done, but he will +have fines for Njal and his sons, so far as his third share +goes." + +"That is a hard atonement," says Flosi. + +"For thee at least," says Hall, "that atonement is not hard, for +thou hast not the blood-feud after the sons of Sigfus; their +brothers have the blood-feud, and Hammond the Halt after his son; +but thou shalt now get an atonement from Thorgeir, for I will now +ride to his house with thee, and Thorgeir will in anywise receive +me well: but no man of those who are in this quarrel will dare to +sit in his house on Fleetlithe if they are out of the atonement, +for that will be their bane; and, indeed, with Thorgeir's turn of +mind, it is only what must be looked for." + +Now the sons of Sigfus were sent for, and they brought this +business before them; and the end of their speech was, on the +persuasion of Hall, that they all thought what he said right, and +were ready to be atoned. + +Grani Gunnar's son and Gunnar Lambi's son, said, "It will be in +our power, if Kari be left alone behind, to take care that he be +not less afraid of us than we of him." + +"Easier said than done," says Hall, "and ye will find it a dear +bargain to deal with him. Ye will have to pay a heavy fine +before you have done with him." + +After that they ceased speaking about it. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "With words alone." The English proverb, "Threatened men + live long." +(2) "Sea crags." Hence Thorgeir got his surname "Craggeir." + + + +146. THE AWARD OF ATONEMENT WITH THORGEIR CRAGGEIR + +Hall of the Side and his son Kol, seven of them in all, rode west +over Loomnip's Sand, and so west over Amstacksheath, and did not +draw bridle till they came into Myrdale. There they asked +whether Thorgeir would be at home at Holt, and they were told +that they would find him at home. + +The men asked whither Hall meant to go. + +"Thither to Holt," he said. + +They said they were sure he went on a good errand. + +He stayed there some while and baited their horses, and after +that they mounted their horses and rode to Solheim about even, +and they were there that night, but the day after they rode to +Holt. + +Thorgeir was out of doors, and Kari too, and their men, for they +had seen Hall's coming. He rode in a blue cape, and had a little +axe studded with silver in his hand; but when they came into the +"town," Thorgeir went to meet him, and helped him off his horse, +and both he and Kari kissed him and led him in between them into +the sittingroom, and sate him down in the high seat on the dais, +and they asked him tidings about many things. + +He was there that night. Next morning Hall raised the question +of the atonement with Thorgeir, and told him what terms they +offered him; and he spoke about them with many fair and kindly +words. + +"It may be well known to thee," answers Thorgeir, "that I said I +would take no atonement from the burners." + +"That was quite another matter then," says Hall; "ye were then +wroth with fight, and, besides, ye have done great deeds in the +way of manslaying since." + +"I daresay ye think so," says Thorgeir, "but what atonement do ye +offer to Kari?" + +"A fitting atonement shall be offered him," says Hall, "if he +will take it." + +Then Kari said, "I pray this of thee, Thorgeir, that thou wilt be +atoned, for thy lot cannot be better than good." + +"Methinks," says Thorgeir, "it is ill done to take in atonement, +and sunder myself from thee, unless thou takest the same +atonement as I" + +"I will not take any atonement," says Kari, "but yet I say that +we have avenged the burning; but my son, I say, is still +unavenged, and I mean to take that on myself alone, and see what +I can get done." + +But Thorgeir would take no atonement before Kari said that he +would take it ill if he were not atoned. Then Thorgeir +handselled a truce to Flosi and his men, as a step to a meeting +for atonement; but Hall did the same on behalf of Flosi and the +sons of Sigfus. + +But ere they parted, Thorgeir gave Hall a gold ring and a scarlet +cloak, but Kari gave him a silver brooch, and there were hung to +it four crosses of gold. Hall thanked them kindly for their +gifts, and rode away with the greatest honour. He did not draw +bridle till he came to Swinefell, and Flosi gave him a hearty +welcome. Hall told Flosi all about his errand and the talk he +had with Thorgeir, and also that Thorgeir would not take the +atonement till Kari told him he would quarrel with him if he did +not take it; but that Kari would take no atonement. + +"There are few men like Kari," said Flosi, "and I would that my +mind were shapen altogether like his." + +Hall and Kol stayed there some while, and afterwards they rode +west at the time agreed on to the meeting for atonement, and met +at Headbrink, as had been settled between them. + +Then Thorgeir came to meet them from the west, and then they +talked over their atonement, and all went off as Hall had said. + +Before the atonement, Thorgeir said that Kari should still have +the right to be at his house all the same if he chose. + +"And neither side shall do the others any harm at my house; and I +will not have the trouble of gathering in the fines from each of +the burners; but my will is that Flosi alone shall be answerable +for them to me, but he must get them in from his followers. My +will also is that all that award which was made at the Thing +about the burning shall be kept and held to; and my will also is, +Flosi, that thou payest me up my third share in unclipped coin." + +Flosi went quickly into all these terms. + +Thorgeir neither gave up the banishment nor the outlawry. + +Now Flosi and Hall rode home east, and then Hall said to Flosi, +"Keep this atonement well, son-in-law, both as to going abroad +and the pilgrimage to Rome (1), and the fines, and then thou wilt +be thought a brave man, though thou hast stumbled into this +misdeed, if thou fulfillest handsomely all that belongs to it." + +Flosi said it should be so. + +Now Hall rode home east, but Flosi rode home to Swinefell, and +was at home afterwards. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Pilgrimage to Rome." This condition had not been mentioned + before. + + + +147. KARI COMES TO BJORN'S HOUSE IN THE MARK + +Thorgeir Craggeir rode home from the peace meeting, and Kari +asked whether the atonement had come about. Thorgeir said that +they now fully atoned. + +Then Kari took his horse and was for riding away. + +"Thou hast no need to ride away," says Thorgeir, "for it was laid +down in our atonement that thou shouldst be here as before if +thou chosest." + +"It shall not be so, cousin, for as soon as ever I slay a man +they will be sure to say that thou wert in the plot with me, and +I will not have that! But I wish this, that thou wouldst let me +hand over in trust to thee my goods, and the estates of me and my +wife Helga Njal's daughter, and my three daughters, and then they +will not be seized by those adversaries of mine." + +Thorgeir agreed to what Kari wished to ask of him, and then +Thorgeir had Kari's goods handed over to him in trust. + +After that Kari rode away. He had two horses and his weapons and +outer clothing, and some ready money in gold and silver. + +Now Kari rode west by Selialandsmull and up along Markfleet, and +so on up into Thorsmark. There there are three farms all called +"Mark." At the midmost farm dwelt that man whose name was Bjorn, +and his surname was Bjorn the White; he was the son of Kadal, the +son of Bjalfi. Bjalfi had been the freedman of Asgerda, the +mother of Njal and Holt-Thorir; Bjorn had to wife Valgerda, she +was the daughter of Thorbrand, the son of Asbrand. Her mother's +name was Gudlauga, she was a sister of Hamond, the father of +Gunnar of Lithend; she was given away to Bjorn for his money's +sake, and she did not love him much, but yet they had children +together, and they had enough and to spare in the house. + +Bjorn was a man who was always boasting and praising himself, but +his housewife thought that bad. He was sharpsighted and swift of +foot. + +Thither Kari turned in as a guest, and they took him by both +hands, and he was there that night. But the next morning Kari +said to Bjom, "I wish thou wouldst take me in, for I should think +myself well housed here with thee. I would too that thou +shouldst be with me in my journeyings, as thou art a +sharpsighted, swiftfooted man, and besides I think thou wouldst +be dauntless in an onslaught." + +"I can't blame myself," says Bjorn, "for wanting either sharp +sight, or dash, or any other bravery; but no doubt thou camest +hither because all thy other earths are stopped. Still at thy +prayer, Kari, I will not look on thee as an everyday man; I will +surely help thee in all that thou askest." + +"The trolls take thy boasting and bragging," said his housewife, +"and thou shouldst not utter such stuff and silliness to any one +than thyself. As for me, I will willingly give Kari meat and +other good things, which I know will be useful to him; but on +Bjom's hardihood, Kari, thou shalt not trust, for I am afraid +that thou wilt find it quite otherwise than he says." + +"Often hast thou thrown blame upon me," said Bjorn, "but for all +that I put so much faith in myself that though I am put to the +trial I will never give way to any man; and the best proof of it +is this, that few try a tussle with me because none dare to do +so." + +Kari was there some while in hiding, and few men knew of it. + +Now men think that Kari must have ridden to the north country to +see Gudmund the Powerful, for Kari made Bjorn tell his neighbours +that he had met Kari on the beaten track, and that he rode thence +up into Godaland, and so north to Goose-sand, and then north to +Gudmund the Powerful at Modruvale. + +So that story was spread over all the country. + + + +148. OF FLOSI AND THE BURNERS + +Now Flosi spoke to the burners, his companions, "It will no +longer serve our turn to sit still, for now we shall have to +think of our going abroad and of our fines, and of fulfilling our +atonement as bravely as we can, and let us take a passage +wherever it seems most likely to get one." + +They bade him see to all that. Then Flosi said, "We will ride +east to Hornfirth; for there that ship is laid up, which is owned +by Eyjolf Nosy, a man from Drontheim, but he wants to take to him +a wife here, and he will not get the match made unless he settles +himself down here. We will buy the ship of him, for we shall +have many men and little freight. The ship is big and will take +us all." + +Then they ceased talking of it. + +But a little after they rode east, and did not stop before they +came east to Bjornness in Homfirth, and there they found Eyjolf, +for he had been there as a guest that winter. + +There Flosi and his men had a hearty welcome, and they were there +the night. Next morning Flosi dealt with the captain for the +ship, but he said he would not be hard to sell the ship if he +could get what he wanted for her. Flosi asked him in what coin +he wished to be paid for her; the Easterling says he wanted land +for her near where he then was. + +Then Eyjolf told Flosi all about his dealings with his host, and +Flosi says he will pull an oar with him, so that his marriage +bargain might be struck, and buy the ship of him afterwards. The +Easterling was glad at that. Flosi offered him land at +Borgarhaven, and now the Easterling holds on with his suit to his +host when Flosi was by, and Flosi threw in a helping word, so +that the bargain was brought about between them. + +Flosi made over the land at Borgarhaven to the Easterling, but +shook hands on the bargain for the ship. He got also from the +Easterling twenty hundreds in wares, and that was also in their +bargain for the land. + +Now Flosi rode back home. He was so beloved by his men that +their wares stood free to him to take either on loan or gift, +just as he chose. + +He rode home to Swinefell, and was at home a while. + +Then Flosi sent Kol Thorstein's son and Gunnar Lambi's son east +to Hornfirth. They were to be there by the ship, and to fit her +out, and set up booths, and sack the wares, and get all things +together that were needful. + +Now we must tell of the sons of Sigfus how they say to Flosi that +they will ride west to Fleetlithe to set their houses in order, +and get wares thence, and such other things as they needed. +"Kari is not there now to be guarded against," they say, "if he +is in the north country as is said." + +"I know not," answers Flosi, "as to such stories, whether there +be any truth in what is said of Kari's journeyings; methinks, we +have often been wrong in believing things which are nearer to +learn than this. My counsel is that ye go many of you together, +and part as little as ye can, and be as wary of yourselves as ye +may. Thou, too, Kettle of the Mark shalt bear in mind that dream +which I told thee, and which thou prayedst me to hide; for many +are those in thy company who were then called." + +"All must come to pass as to man's life," said Kettle, "as it is +foredoomed; but good go with thee for thy warning." + +Now they spoke no more about it. + +After that the sons of Sigfus busked them and those men with them +who were meant to go with them. They were eight in all, and then +they rode away, and ere they went they kissed Flosi, and he bade +them farewell, and said he and some of those who rode away would +not see each other more. But they would not let themselves be +hindered. They rode now on their way, and Flosi said that they +should take his wares in Middleland, and carry them east, and do +the same in Landsbreach and Woodcombe. + +After that they rode to Skaptartongue, and so on the fell, and +north of Eyjafell Jokul, and down into Godaland, and so down into +the woods in Thorsmark. + +Bjorn of the Mark caught sight of them coming, and went at once +to meet them. + +Then they greeted each other well, and the sons of Sigfus asked +after Kari Solmund's son. + +"I met Kari," said Bjorn, "and that is now very long since; he +rode hence north on Goose-sand, and meant to go to Gudmund the +Powerful, and methought if he were here now, he would stand in +awe of you, for he seemed to be left all alone." + +Grani Gunnar's son said, "He shall stand more in awe of us yet +before we have done with him, and he shall learn that as soon as +ever he comes within spearthrow of us; but as for us, we do not +fear him at all, now that he is all alone." + +Kettle of the Mark bade them be still, and bring out no big +words. + +Bjorn asked when they would be coming back. + +"We shall stay near a week in Fleetlithe," said they, and so they +told him when they should be riding back on the fell. + +With that they parted. + +Now the sons of Sigfus rode to their homes, and their households +were glad to see them. They were there near a week. + +Now Bjorn comes home and sees Kari, and told him all about the +doings of the sons of Sigfus, and their purpose. + +Kari said he had shown in this great faithfulness to him, and +Bjorn said, "I should have thought there was more risk of any +other man's failing in that than of me if I had pledged my help +or care to any one." + +"Ah," said his mistress, "but you may still be bad and yet not be +so bad as to be a traitor to thy master." + +Kari stayed there six nights after that. + + + +149. OF KARI AND BJORN + +Now Kari talks to Bjorn and says, "We shall ride east across the +fell and down into Skaptartongue, and fare stealthily over +Flosi's country, for I have it in my mind to get myself carried +abroad east in Alftafirth." + +"This is a very riskful journey," said Bjorn, "and few would have +the heart to take it save thou and I." + +"If thou backest Kari ill," said his housewife, "know this, that +thou shalt never come afterwards into my bed, and my kinsmen +shall share our goods between us." + +"It is likelier, mistress," said he, "that thou wilt have to look +out for something else than this if thou hast a mind to part from +me: for I will bear my own witness to myself what a champion and +daredevil I am when weapons clash." + +Now they rode that day east on the fell to the north of the +Jokul, but never on the highway, and so down into Skaptartongue, +and above all the homesteads to Skaptarwater, and led their +horses into a dell, but they themselves were on the look-out, and +had so placed themselves that they could not be seen. + +Then Kari said to Bjorn, "What shall we do now if they ride down +upon us here from the fell?" + +"Are there not but two things to be done," said Bjorn; "one to +ride away from them north under the crags, and so let them ride +by us, or to wait and see if any of them lag behind, and then to +fall on them." + +They talked much about this, and one while Bjorn was for flying +as fast as he could in every word he spoke, and at another for +staying and fighting it out with them, and Kari thought this the +greatest sport. + +The sons of Sigfus rode from their homes the same day that they +had named to Bjorn. They came to the Mark and knocked at the +door there, and wanted to see Bjorn; but his mistress went to the +door and greeted them. They asked at once for Bjorn, and she +said he had ridden away down under Eyjafell, and so east under +Selialandsmull, and on east to Holt, "for he has some money to +call in thereabouts," she said. + +They believed this, for they knew that Bjorn had money out at +call there. + +After that they rode east on the fell, and did not stop before +they came to Skaptartongue, and so rode down along Skaptarwater, +and baited their horses just where Kari had thought they would. +Then they split their band. Kettle of the Mark rode east into +Middleland, and eight men with him, but the others laid them down +to sleep, and were not ware of aught until Kari and Bjorn came up +to them. A little ness ran out there into the river; into it +Kari went and took his stand, and bade Bjorn stand back to back +with him, and not to put himself too forward, "but give me all +the help thou canst." + +"Well," says Bjorn, "I never had it in my head that any man +should stand before me as a shield, but still as things are thou +must have thy way; but for all that, with my gift of wit and my +swiftness I may be of some use to thee, and not harmless to our +foes." + +Now they all rose up and ran at them, and Modolf Kettle's son was +quickest of them, and thrust at Kari with his spear. Kari had +his shield before him, and the blow fell on it, and the spear +stuck fast in the shield. Then Kari twists the shield so +smartly, that the spear snapped short off, and then he drew his +sword and smote at Modolf; but Modolf made a cut at him too, and +Kari's sword fell on Modolf's hilt, and glanced off it on to +Modolf's wrist, and took the arm off, and down it fell, and the +sword too. Then Kari's sword passed on into Modolf's side, and +between his ribs, and so Modolf fell down and was dead on the +spot. + +Grani Gunnar's son snatched up a spear and hurled it at Kari, but +Kari thrust down his shield so hard that the point stood fast in +the ground, but with his left hand he caught the spear in the +air, and hurled it back at Grani, and caught up his shield again +at once with his left hand. Grani had his shield before him, and +the spear came on the shield and passed right through it, and +into Grani's thigh just below the small guts, and through the +limb, and so on, pinning him to the ground, and he could not get +rid of the spear before his fellows drew him off it, and carried +him away on their shields, and laid him down in a dell. + +There was a man who ran up to Kari's side, and meant to cut off +his leg, but Bjorn cut off that man's arm, and sprang back again +behind Kari, and they could not do him any hurt. Kari made a +sweep at that same man with his sword, and cut him asunder at the +waist. + +Then Lambi Sigfus' son rushed at Kari, and hewed at him with his +sword. Kari caught the blow sideways on his shield, and the +sword would not bite; then Kari thrust at Lambi with his sword +just below the breast, so that the point came out between his +shoulders, and that was his deathblow. + +Then Thorstein Geirleif's son rushed at Kari, and thought to take +him in flank, but Kari caught sight of him, and swept at him with +his sword across the shoulders, so that the man was cleft asunder +at the chine. + +A little while after he gave Gunnar of Skal, a good man and true, +his deathblow. As for Bjorn, he had wounded three men who had +tried to give Kari wounds, and yet he was never so far forward +that he was in the least danger, nor was he wounded, nor was +either of those companions hurt in that fight, but all those that +got away were wounded. + +Then they ran for their horses, and galloped them off across +Skaptarwater as hard as they could, and they were so scared that +they stopped at no house, nor did they dare to stay and tell the +tidings anywhere. + +Kari and Bjorn hooted and shouted after them as they galloped +off. So they rode east to Woodcombe, and did not draw bridle +till they came to Swinefell. + +Flosi was not at home when they came thither, and that was why no +hue and cry was made thence after Kari. + +This journey of theirs was thought most shameful by all men. + +Kari rode to Skal, and gave notice of these manslayings as done +by his hand; there, too, he told them of the death of their +master and five others, and of Grani's wound, and said it would +be better to bear him to the house if he were to live. + +Bjorn said he could not bear to slay him, though he said he was +worthy of death; but those who answered him said they were sure +few had bitten the dust before him. But Bjorn told them he had +it now in his power to make as many of the Sidemen as he chose +bite the dust; to which they said it was a bad look out. + +Then Kari and Bjorn ride away from the house. + + + +150. MORE OF KARI AND BJORN + +Then Kari asked Bjorn, "What counsel shall we take now? Now I +will try what thy wit is worth." + +"Dost thou think now," answered Bjorn, "that much lies on our +being as wise as ever we can?" + +"Ay," said Kari, "I think so surely." + +"Then our counsel is soon taken," says Bjorn. "We will cheat +them all as though they were giants; and now we will make as +though we were riding north on the fell, but as soon as ever we +are out of sight behind the brae, we will turn down along +Skaptarwater, and hide us there where we think handiest, so long +as the hue and cry is hottest, if they ride after us." + +"So will we do," said Kari; "and this I had meant to do all +along." + +"And so you may put it to the proof," said Bjorn, "that I am no +more of an every-day body in wit than I am in bravery." + +Now Kari and his companion rode as they had purposed down along +Skaptarwater, till they came where a branch of the stream ran +away to the south-east; then they turned down along the middle +branch, and did not draw bridle till they came into Middleland, +and on that moor which is called Kringlemire; it has a stream of +lava all around it. + +Then Kari said to Bjorn that he must watch their horses, and keep +a good look-out; "But as for me," he says, "I am heavy with +sleep." + +So Bjorn watched the horses, but Kari lay him down, and slept but +a very short while ere Bjorn waked him up again, and he had +already led their horses together, and they were by their side. +Then Bjorn said to Kari, "Thou standest in much need of me +though! A man might easily have run away from thee if he had not +been as brave-hearted as I am; for now thy foes are riding upon +thee, and so thou must up and be doing." + +Then Kari went away under a jutting crag, and Bjorn said, "Where +shall I stand now?" + +"Well!" answers Kari, "now there are two choices before thee; one +is, that thou standest at my back and have my shield to cover +thyself with, if it can be of any use to thee; and the other is, +to get on thy horse and ride away as fast as thou canst." + +"Nay," says Bjorn, "I will not do that, and there are many things +against it; first of all, may be, if I ride away, some spiteful +tongues might begin to say that I ran away from thee for faint- +heartedness; and another thing is, that I well know what game +they will think there is in me, and so they will ride after me, +two or three of them, and then I should be of no use or help to +thee after all. No! I will rather stand by thee and keep them +off so long as it is fated." + +Then they had not long to wait ere horses with packsaddles were +driven by them over the moor, and with them went three men. + +Then Kari said, "These men see us not." + +"Then let us suffer them to ride on," said Bjorn. + +So those three rode on past them; but the six others then came +riding right up to them, and they all leapt off their horses +straightway in a body, and turned on Kari and his companion. + +First, Glum Hildir's son rushed at them, and thrust at Kari with +a spear; Kari turned short round on his heel, and Glum missed +him, and the blow fell against the rock. Bjorn sees that and +hewed at once the head off Glum's spear. Kari leant on one side +and smote at Glum with his sword, and the blow fell on his thigh, +and took off the limb high up in the thigh, and Glum died at +once. + +Then Vebrand and Asbrand the sons of Thorbrand ran up to Kari, +but Kari flew at Vebrand and thrust his sword through him, but +afterwards he hewed off both of Asbrand's feet from under him. + +In this bout both Kari and Bjorn were wounded. + +Then Kettle of the Mark rushed at Kari, and thrust at him with +his spear. Kari threw up his leg, and the spear stuck in the +ground, and Kari leapt on the spear-shaft, and snapped it in +sunder. + +Then Kari grasped Kettle in his arms, and Bjorn ran up just then, +and wanted to slay him, but Kari said, "Be still now. I will +give Kettle peace; for though it may be that Kettle's life is in +my power, still I will never slay him." + +Kettle answers never a word, but rode away after his companions, +and told those the tidings who did not know them already. + +They told also these tidings to the men of the Hundred, and they +gathered together at once a great force of armed men, and went +straightway up all the water-courses, and so far up on the fell +that they were three days in the chase; but after that they +turned back to their own homes, but Kettle and his companions +rode east to Swinefell, and told the tidings these. + +Flosi was little stirred at what had befallen them, but said, "No +one could tell whether things would stop there, for there is no +man like Kari of all that are now left in Iceland." + + + +151. OF KARI AND BJORN AND THORGEIR + +Now we must tell of Bjorn and Kari that they ride down on the +Sand, and lead their horses under the banks where the wild oats +grew, and cut the oats for them, that they might not die of +hunger. Kari made such a near guess, that he rode away thence at +the very time that they gave over seeking for him. He rode by +night up through the Hundred, and after that he took to the fell; +and so on all the same way as they had followed when they rode +east, and did not stop till they came at Midmark. + +Then Bjorn said to Kari, "Now shalt thou be my great friend +before my mistress, for she will never believe one word of what I +say; but everything lies on what you do, so now repay me for the +good following which I have yielded to thee." + +"So it shall be; never fear," says Kari. + +After that they ride up to the homestead, and then the mistress +asked them what tidings, and greeted them well. + +"Our troubles have rather grown greater, old lass!" + +She answered little, and laughed; and then the mistress went on +to ask, "How did Bjorn behave to thee, Kari?" + +"Bare is back," he answers, "without brother behind it, and Bjorn +behaved well to me. He wounded three men, and, besides, he is +wounded himself, and he stuck as close to me as he could in +everything." + +They were three nights there, and after that they rode to Holt to +Thorgeir, and told him alone these tidings, for those tidings had +not yet been heard there. + +Thorgeir thanked him, and it was quite plain that he was glad at +what he heard. He asked Kari what now was undone which he meant +to do. + +"I mean," answers Kari, "to kill Gunnar Lambi's son and Kol +Thorstein's son, if I can get a chance. Then we have slain +fifteen men, reckoning those five whom we two slew together. But +one boon I will now ask of thee." + +Thorgeir said he would grant him whatever he asked. + +"I wish, then, that thou wilt take under thy safeguard this man +whose name is Bjorn, and who has been in these slayings with me, +and that thou wilt change farms with him, and give him a farm +ready stocked here close by thee, and so hold thy hand over him +that no-vengeance may befall him; but all this will be an easy +matter for thee who art such a chief." + +"So it shall be," says Thorgeir. + +Then he gave Bjorn a ready-stocked farm at Asolfskal, but he took +the farm in the Mark into his own hands. Thorgeir flitted all +Bjorn's household stuff and goods to Asolfskal, and all his live +stock; and Thorgeir settled all Bjorn's quarrels for him, and he +was reconciled to them with a full atonement. So Bjorn was +thought to be much more of a man than he had been before. + +Then Kari rode away, and did not draw rein till he came west to +Tongue to Asgrim Ellidagrim's son. He gave Kari a most hearty +welcome, and Kari told him of all the tidings that had happened +in these slayings. + +Asgrim was well pleased at them, and asked what Kari meant to do +next. + +"I mean," said Kari, "to fare abroad after them, and so dog their +footsteps and slay them, if I can get at them." + +Asgrim said there was no man like him for bravery and hardihood. + +He was there some nights, and after that he rode to Gizur the +White, and he took him by both hands. Kari stayed there somme +while, and then he told Gizur that he wished to ride down to +Eyrar. + +Gizur gave Kari a good sword at parting. + +Now he rode down to Eyrar, and took him a passage with Kolbein +the Black; he was an Orkneyman and an old friend of Kari, and he +was the most forward and brisk of men. + +He took Kari by both hands, and said that one fate should befall +both of them. + + + +152. FLOSI GOES ABROAD + +Now Flosi rides east to Hornfirth, and most of the men in his +Thing followed him, and bore his wares east, as well as all his +stores and baggage which he had to take with him. + +After that they busked them for their voyage, and fitted out +their ship. + +Now Flosi stayed by the ship until they were "boun." But as soon +as ever they got a fair wind they put out to sea. They had it +long passage and hard weather. + +Then they quite lost their reckoning, and sailed on and on, and +all at once three great waves broke over their ship, one after +the other. Then Flosi said they must be near some land, and that +this was a ground-swell. A great mist was on them, but the wind +rose so that a great gale overtook them, and they scarce knew +where they were before they were dashed on shore at dead of +night, and the men were saved, but the ship was dashed all to +pieces, and they could not save their goods. + +Then they had to look for shelter and warmth for themselves, and +the day after they went up on a height. The weather was then +good. + +Flosi asked if any man knew this land, and there were two men of +their crew who had fared thither before, and said they were quite +sure they knew it, and, say they, "We are come to Hrossey in the +Orkneys." + +"Then we might have made a better landing," said Flosi, "for Grim +and Helgi, Njal's sons, whom I slew, were both of them of Earl +Sigurd Hlodver's son's bodyguard." + +Then they sought for a hiding-place and spread moss over +themselves, and so lay for a while, but not for long, ere Flosi +spoke and said, "We will not lie here any longer until the +landsmen are ware of us." + +Then they arose, and took counsel, and then Flosi said to his +men, "We will go all of us and give ourselves up to the earl; for +there is naught else to do, and the earl has our lives at his +pleasure if he chooses to seek for them." + +Then they all went away thence, and Flosi said that they must +tell no man any tidings of their voyage, or what manner of men +they were, before he told them to the earl. + +Then they walked on until they met men who showed them to the +town, and then they went in before the earl, and Flosi and all +the others hailed him. + +The earl asked what men they might be, and Flosi told his name, +and said out of what part of Iceland he was. + +The earl had already heard of the burning, and so be knew the men +at once, and then the earl asked Flosi, "What hast thou to tell +me about Helgi Njal's son, my henchman." + +"This," said Flosi, "that I hewed off his head." + +"Take them all," said the earl. + +Then that was done, and just then in came Thorstein, son of Hall +of the Side. Flosi had to wife Steinvora, Thorstein's sister. +Thorstein was one of Earl Sigurd's bodyguard, but when be saw +Flosi seized and held, he went in before the earl, and offered +for Flosi all the goods he had. + +The earl was very wroth a long time, but at last the end of it +was, by the prayer of good men and true, joined to those of +Thorstein, for he was well backed by friends, and many threw in +their word with his, that the earl took an atonement from them, +and gave Flosi and all the rest of them peace. The earl held to +that custom of mighty men that Flosi took that place in his +service which Helgi Njal's son had filled. + +So Flosi was made Earl Sigurd's henchman, and he soon won his way +to great love with the earl. + + + +153. KARI GOES ABROAD + +Those messmates Kari and Kolbein the Black put out to sea from +Eyrar half a month later than Flosi and his companions from +Hornfirth. + +They got a fine fair wind, and were but a short time out. The +first land they made was the Fair Isle, it lies between Shetland +and the Orkneys. There that man whose name was David the White +took Kari into his house, and he told him all that he had heard +for certain about the doings of the burners. He was one of +Kari's greatest friends, and Kari stayed with him for the winter. + +There they heard tidings from the west out of the Orkneys of all +that was done there. + +Earl Sigurd bade to his feast at Yule Earl Gilli, his brother- +in-law, out of the Southern isles; he had to wife Swanlauga, Earl +Sigurd's sister; and then, too, came to see Earl Sigurd that king +from Ireland whose name was Sigtrygg. He was a son of Olaf +Rattle, but his mother's name was Kormlada; she was the fairest +of all women, and best gifted in everything that was not in her +own power, but it was the talk of men that she did all things ill +over which she had any power. + +Brian was the name of the king who first had her to wife, but +they were then parted. He was the best-natured of all kings. He +had his seat in Connaught, in Ireland; his brother's name was +Wolf the Quarrelsome, the greatest champion and warrior; Brian's +foster-child's name was Kerthialfad. He was the son of King +Kylfi, who had many wars with King Brian, and fled away out of +the land before him, and became a hermit; but when King Brian +went south on a pilgrimage, then he met King Kylfi, and then they +were atoned, and King Brian took his son Kerthialfad to him, and +loved him more than his own sons. He was then full grown when +these things happened, and was the boldest of all men. + +Duncan was the name of the first of King Brian's sons; the second +was Margad; the third, Takt, whom we call Tann, he was the +youngest of them; but the elder sons of King Brian were full +grown, and the briskest of men. + +Kormlada was not the mother of King Brian's children, and so grim +was she against King Brian after their parting, that she would +gladly have him dead. + +King Brian thrice forgave all his outlaws the same fault, but if +they misbehaved themselves oftener, then he let them be judged by +the law; and from this one may mark what a king he must have +been. + +Kormlada egged on her son Sigtrygg very much to kill King Brian, +and she now sent him to Earl Sigurd to beg for help. + +King Sigtrygg came before Yule to the Orkneys, and there, too, +came Earl Gilli, as was written before. + +The men were so placed that King Sigtrygg sat in a high seat in +the middle, but on either side of the king sat one of the earls. +The men of King Sigtrygg and Earl Gilli sate on the inner side +away from him, but on the outer side away from Earl Sigurd, sate +Flosi and Thorstein, son of Hall of the Side, and the whole hall +was full. + +Now King Sigtrygg and Earl Gilli wished to hear of these tidings +which had happened at the burning, and so, also, what had +befallen since. + +Then Gunnar Lambi's son was got to tell the tale, and a stool was +set for him to sit upon. + + + +154. GUNNAR LAMBI'S SON'S SLAYING + +Just at that very time Kari and Kolbein and David the White came +to Hrossey unawares to all men. They went straightway up on +land, but a few men watched their ship. + +Kari and his fellows went straight to the earl's homestead, and +came to the hall about drinking time. + +It so happened that just then Gunnar was telling the story of the +burning, but they were listening to him meanwhile outside. This +was on Yule-day itself. + +Now King Sigtrygg asked, "How did Skarphedinn bear the burning?" + +"Well at first for a long time," said Gunnar, "but still the end +of it was that he wept." And so he went on giving an unfair +leaning in his story, but every now and then he laughed out loud. + +Kari could not stand this, and then he ran in with his sword +drawn, and sang this song: + + "Men of might, in battle eager, + Boast of burning Njal's abode, + Have the Princes heard how sturdy + Seahorse racers sought revenge? + Hath not since, on foemen holding + High the shield's broad orb aloft, + All that wrong been fully wroken? + Raw flesh ravens got to tear." + +So he ran in up the hall, and smote Gunnar Lambi's son on the +neck with such a sharp blow, that his head spun off on to the +board before the king and the earls, and the board was all one +gore of blood, and the earl's clothing too. + +Earl Sigurd knew the man that had done the deed, and called out, +"Seize Kari and kill him." + +Kari had been one of Earl Sigurd's bodyguard, and he was of all +men most beloved by his friends; and no man stood up a whit more +for the earl's speech. + +"Many would say, Lord," said Kari, "that I have done this deed on +your behalf, to avenge your henchman." + +Then Flosi said, "Kari hath not done this without a cause; he is +in no atonement with us, and he only did what he had a right to +do." + +So Kari walked away, and there was no hue and cry after him. +Kari fared to his ship, and his fellows with him. The weather +was then good, and they sailed off at once south to Caithness, +and went on shore at Thraswick to the house of a worthy man whose +name was Skeggi, and with him they stayed a very long while. + +Those behind in the Orkneys cleansed the board, and bore out the +dead man. + +The earl was told that they had set sail south for Scotland, and +King Sigtrygg said, "This was a mighty bold fellow, who dealt his +stroke so stoutly, and never thought twice about it!" + +Then Earl Sigurd answered, "There is no man like Kari for dash +and daring." + +Now Flosi undertook to tell the story of the burning, and he was +fair to all; and therefore what he said was believed. + +Then King Sigtrygg stirred in his business with Earl Sigurd, and +bade him go to the war with him against King Brian. + +The earl was long steadfast, but the end of it was that he let +the king have his way, but said he must have his mother's hand +for his help, and be king in Ireland, if they slew Brian. But +all his men besought Earl Sigurd not to go into the war, but it +was all no good. + +So they parted on the understanding that Earl Sigurd gave his +word to go; but King Sigtrygg promised him his mother and the +kingdom. + +It was so settled that Earl Sigurd was to come with all his host +to Dublin by Palm Sunday. + +Then King Sigtrygg fared south to Ireland, and told his mother +Kormlada that the earl had undertaken to come, and also what he +had pledged himself to grant him. + +She showed herself well pleased at that, but said they must +gather greater force still. + +Sigtrygg asked whence this was to be looked for? + +She said there were two vikings lying off the west of Man; and +that they had thirty ships, and, she went on, "They are men of +such hardihood that nothing can withstand them. The one's name +is Ospak, and the other's Brodir. Thou shalt fare to find them, +and spare nothing to get them into thy quarrel, whatever price +they ask." + +Now King Sigtrygg fares and seeks the vikings, and found them +lying outside off Man; King Sigtrygg brings forward his errand at +once, but Brodir shrank from helping him until he, King Sigtrygg, +promised him the kingdom and his mother, and they were to keep +this such a secret that Earl Sigurd should know nothing about it; +Brodir too was to come to Dublin on Palm Sunday. + +So King Sigtrygg fared home to his mother, and told her how +things stood. + +After that those brothers, Ospak and Brodir, talked together, and +then Brodir told Ospak all that he and Sigtrygg had spoken of, +and bade him fare to battle with him against King Brian, and said +he set much store on his going. + +But Ospak said he would not fight against so good a king. + +Then they were both wroth, and sundered their band at once. +Ospak had ten ships and Brodir twenty. + +Ospak was a heathen, and the wisest of all men. He laid his +ships inside in a sound, but Brodir lay outside him. + +Brodir had been a Christian man and a mass-deacon by +consecration, but he had thrown off his faith and become God's +dastard, and now worshipped heathen fiends, and he was of all men +most skilled in sorcery. He had that coat of mail on which no +steel would bite. He was both tall and strong, and had such long +locks that he tucked them under his belt. His hair was black. + + + +155. OF SIGNS AND WONDERS + +It so happened one night that a great din passed over Brodir and +his men, so that they all woke, and sprang up and put on their +clothes. + +Along with that came a shower of boiling blood. + +Then they covered themselves with their shields, but for all that +many were scalded. + +This wonder lasted all till day, and a man had died on board +every ship. + +Then they slept during the day, but the second night there was +again a din, and again they all sprang up. Then swords leapt out +of their sheaths, and axes and spears flew about in the air and +fought. + +The weapons pressed them so hard that they had to shield +themselves, but still many were wounded, and again a man died out +of every ship. + +This wonder lasted all till day. + +Then they slept again the day after. + +But the third night there was a din of the same kind, and then +ravens flew at them, and it seemed to them as though their beaks +and claws were of iron. + +The ravens pressed them so hard that they had to keep them off +with their swords, and covered themselves with their shields, and +so this went on again till day, and then another man had died in +every ship. + +Then they went to sleep first of all, but when Brodir woke up, he +drew his breath painfully, and bade them put off the boat. +"For," he said, "I will go to see Ospak." + +Then he got into the boat and some men with him, but when he +found Ospak he told him of the wonders which had befallen them, +and bade him say what he thought they bodcd. + +Ospak would not tell him before he pledged him peace, and Brodir +promised him peace, but Ospak still shrank from telling him till +night fell. + +Then Ospak spoke and said, "When blood rained on you, therefore +shall ye shed many men's blood, both of your own and others. But +when ye heard a great din, then ye must have been shown the crack +of doom, and ye shall all die speedily. But when weapons fought +against you, that must forebode a battle; but when ravens pressed +you, that marks the devils which ye put faith in, and who will +drag you all down to the pains of hell." + +Then Brodir was so wroth that he could answer never a word, but +he went at once to his men, and made them lay his ships in a line +across the sound, and moor them by bearing their cables on shore +at either end of the line, and meant to slay them all next +morning. + +Ospak saw all their plan, and then he vowed to take the true +faith, and to go to King Brian, and follow him till his death- +day. + +Then he took that counsel to lay his ships in a line, and punt +them along the shore with poles, and cut the cables of Brodir's +ships. Then the ships of Brodir's men began to fall aboard of +one another when they were all fast asleep; and so Ospak and his +men got out of the firth, and so west to Ireland, and came to +Connaught. + +Then Ospak told King Brian all that he had learnt, and took +baptism, and gave himself over into the king's hand. + +After that King Brian made them gather force over all his realm, +and the whole host was to come to Dublin in the week before Palm +Sunday. + + + +156. BRIAN'S BATTLE + +Earl Sigurd Hlodver's son busked him from the Orkneys, and Flosi +offered to go with him. + +The earl would not have that, since he had his pilgrimage to +fulfil. + +Flosi offered fifteen men of his band to go on the voyage, and +the earl accepted them, but Flosi fared with Earl Gilli to the +Southern isles. + +Thorstein, the son of Hall of the Side, went along with Earl +Sigurd, and Hrafn the Red, and Erling of Straumey. + +He would not that Hareck should go, but said he would be sure to +be the first to tell him the tidings of his voyage. + +The earl came with all his host on Palm Sunday to Dublin, and +there too was come Brodir with all his host. + +Brodir tried by sorcery how the fight would go, but the answer +ran thus, that if the fight were on Good-Friday King Brian would +fall but win the day; but if they fought before, they would all +fall who were against him. + +Then Brodir said that they must not fight before the Friday. + +On the fifth day of the week a man rode up to Kormlada and her +company on an apple-grey horse, and in his hand he held a +halberd; he talked long with them. + +King Brian came with all his host to the Burg, and on the Friday +the host fared out of the Burg, and both armies were drawn up in +array. + +Brodir was on one wing of the battle, but King Sigtrygg on the +other. + +Earl Sigurd was in the mid battle. + +Now it must be told of King Brian that he would not fight on the +fast-day, and so a shieldburg (1) was thrown round him, and his +host was drawn up in array in front of it. + +Wolf the Quarrelsome was on that wing of the battle against which +Brodir stood; but on the other wing, where Sigtrygg stood against +them, were Ospak and his sons. + +But in mid battle was Kerthialfad, and before him the banners +were home. + +Now the wings fall on one another, and there was a very hard +fight. Brodir went through the host of the foe, and felled all +the foremost that stood there, but no steel would bite on his +mail. + +Wolf the Quarrelsome turned then to meet him, and thrust at him +thrice so hard that Brodir fell before him at each thrust, and +was well-nigh not getting on his feet again; but as soon as ever +he found his feet, he fled away into the wood at once. + +Earl Sigurd had a hard battle against Kerthialfad, and +Kerthialfad came on so fast that he laid low all who were in the +front rank, and he broke the array of Earl Sigurd right up to his +banner, and slew the banner-bearer. + +Then he got another man to bear the banner, and there was again a +hard fight. + +Kerthialfad smote this man too his death blow at once, and so on +one after the other all who stood near him. + +Then Earl Sigurd called on Thorstein the son of Hall of the Side, +to bear the banner, and Thorstein was just about to lift the +banner, but then Asmund the White said, "Don't bear the banner! +For all they who bear it get their death." + +"Hrafn the Red!" called out Earl Sigurd, "bear thou the banner." + +"Bear thine own devil thyself," answered Hrafn. + +Then the earl said, "`Tis fittest that the beggar should bear the +bag;'" and with that he took the banner from the staff and put it +under his cloak. + +A little after Asmund the White was slain, and then the earl was +pierced through with a spear. + +Ospak had gone through all the battle on his wing, he had been +sore wounded, and lost both his sons ere King Sigtrygg fled +before him. + +Then flight broke out throughout all the host. + +Thorstein Hall of the Side's son stood still while all the others +fled, and tied his shoe-string. Then Kerthialfad asked why he +ran not as the others. + +"Because," said Thorstein, "I can't get home to-night, since I +am at home out in Iceland." + +Kerthialfad gave him peace. + +Hrafn the Red was chased out into a certain river; he thought he +saw there the pains of hell down below him, and he thought the +devils wanted to drag him to them. + +Then Hrafn said, "Thy dog (2), Apostle Peter! hath run twice to +Rome, and he would run the third time if thou gavest him leave." + +Then the devils let him loose, and Hrafn got across the river. + +Now Brodir saw that King Brian's men were chasing the fleers, and +that there were few men by the shieldburg. + +Then he rushed out of the wood, and broke through the shieldburg, +and hewed at the king. + +The lad Takt threw his arm in the way, and the stroke took it off +and the king's head too, but the king's blood came on the lad's +stump, and the stump was healed by it on the spot. + +Then Brodir called out with a loud voice, "Now let man tell man +that Brodir felled Brian." + +Then men ran after those who were chasing the fleers, and they +were told that King Brian had fallen, and then they turned back +straightway, both Wolf the Quarrelsome and Kerthialfad. + +Then they threw a ring round Brodir and his men, and threw +branches of trees upon them, and so Brodir was taken alive. + +Wolf the Quarrelsome cut open his belly, and led him round and +round the trunk of a tree, and so wound all his entrails out of +him, and he did not die before they were all drawn out of him. + +Brodir's men were slain to a man. + +After that they took King Brian's body and laid it out. The +king's head had grown fast to the trunk. + +Fifteen men of the burners fell in Brian's battle, and there, +too, fell Halldor the son of Gudmund the Powerful, and Erling +of Straumey. + +On Good-Friday that event happened in Caithness that a man whose +name was Daurrud went out. He saw folk riding twelve together to +a bower, and there they were all lost to his sight. He went to +that bower and looked in through a window slit that was in it, +and saw that there were women inside, and they had set up a loom. +Men's heads were the weights, but men's entrails were the warp +and weft, a sword was the shuttle, and the reels were arrows. + +They sang these songs, and he learnt them by heart: + +THE WOOF OF WAR. + + "See! warp is stretched + For warriors' fall, + Lo! weft in loom + 'Tis wet with blood; + Now fight foreboding, + 'Neath friends' swift fingers, + Our grey woof waxeth + With war's alarms, + Our warp bloodred, + Our weft corseblue. + + "This woof is y-woven + With entrails of men, + This warp is hardweighted + With heads of the slain, + Spears blood-besprinkled + For spindles we use, + Our loom ironbound, + And arrows our reels; + With swords for our shuttles + This war-woof we work; + So weave we, weird sisters, + Our warwinning woof. + + "Now Warwinner walketh + To weave in her turn, + Now Swordswinger steppeth, + Now Swiftstroke, now Storm; + When they speed the shuttle + How spearheads shall flash! + Shields crash, and helmgnawer (3) + On harness bite hard! + + "Wind we, wind swiftly + Our warwinning woof + Woof erst for king youthful + Foredoomed as his own, + Forth now we will ride, + Then through the ranks rushing + Be busy where friends + Blows blithe give and take. + + "Wind we, wind swiftly + Our warwinning woof, + After that let us steadfastly + Stand by the brave king; + Then men shall mark mournful + Their shields red with gore, + How Swordstroke and Spearthrust + Stood stout by the prince. + + "Wind we, wind swiftly + Our warwinning woof. + When sword-bearing rovers + To banners rush on, + Mind, maidens, we spare not + One life in the fray! + We corse-choosing sisters + Have charge of the slain. + + "Now new-coming nations + That island shall rule, + Who on outlying headlands + Abode ere the fight; + I say that King mighty + To death now is done, + Now low before spearpoint + That Earl bows his head. + + "Soon over all Ersemen + Sharp sorrow shall fall, + That woe to those warriors + Shall wane nevermore; + Our woof now is woven. + Now battlefield waste, + O'er land and o'er water + War tidings shall leap. + + "Now surely 'tis gruesome + To gaze all around. + When bloodred through heaven + Drives cloudrack o'er head; + Air soon shall be deep hued + With dying men's blood + When this our spaedom + Comes speedy to pass. + + "So cheerily chant we + Charms for the young king, + Come maidens lift loudly + His warwinning lay; + Let him who now listens + Learn well with his ears + And gladden brave swordsmen + With bursts of war's song. + + "Now mount we our horses, + Now bare we our brands, + Now haste we hard, maidens, + Hence far, far, away." + +Then they plucked down the Woof and tore it asunder, and each +kept what she had hold of. + +Now Daurrud goes away from the Slit, and home; but they got on +their steeds and rode six to the south, and the other six to the +north. + +A like event befell Brand Gneisti's son in the Faroe Isles. + +At Swinefell, in Iceland, blood came on the priest's stole on +Good-Friday, so that he had to put it off. + +At Thvattwater the priest thought he saw on Good-Friday a long +deep of the sea hard by the altar, and there he saw many awful +sights, and it was long ere he could sing the prayers. + +This event happened in the Orkneys, that Hareck thought he saw +Earl Sigurd, and some men with him. Then Hareck took his horse +and rode to meet the earl. Men saw that they met and rode under +a brae, but they were never seen again, and not a scrap was ever +found of Hareck. + +Earl Gilli in the Southern isles dreamed that a man came to him +and said his name was Hostfinn, and told him he was come from +Ireland. + +The earl thought he asked him for tidings thence, and then he +sang this song: + + "I have been where warriors wrestled, + High in Erin sang the sword, + Boss to boss met many bucklers, + Steel rung sharp on rattling helm; + I can tell of all their struggle; + Sigurd fell in flight of spears; + Brian fell, but kept his kingdom + Ere he lost one drop of blood." + +Those two, Flosi and the earl, talked much of this dream. A week +after, Hrafn the Red came thither, and told them all the tidings +of Brian's battle, the fall of the king, and of Earl Sigurd, and +Brodir, and all the Vikings. + +"What," said Flosi, "hast thou to tell me of my men? + +"They all fell there," says Hrafn, "but thy brother-in-law +Thorstein took peace from Kerthialfad, and is now with him." + +Flosi told the earl that he would now go away, "For we have our +pilgrimage south to fulfil." + +The earl bade him go as he wished, and gave him a ship and all +else that he needed, and much silver. + +Then they sailed to Wales, and stayed there a while. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "Shieldburg," that is, a ring of men holding their shields + locked together. +(2) "Thy dog," etc. Meaning that he would go a third time on a + pilgrimage to Rome if St. Peter helped him out of this + strait. +(3) "Helmgnawer," the sword that bites helmets. + + + +157. THE SLAYING OF KOL THORSTEIN'S SON + +Kari Solmund's son told master Skeggi that he wished he would get +him a ship. So master Skeggi gave Kari a longship, fully trimmed +and manned, and on board it went Kari, and David the White, and +Kolbein the Black. + +Now Kari and his fellows sailed south through Scotland's firths, +and there they found men from the Southern isles. They told Kari +the tidings from Ireland, and also that Flosi was gone to Wales, +and his men with him. + +But when Kari heard that, he told his messmates that he would +hold on south to Wales, to fall in with Flosi and his band. So +he bade them then to part from his company, if they liked it +better, and said that he would not wish to beguile any man into +mischief, because he thought he had not yet had revenge enough on +Flosi and his band. + +All chose to go with him; and then he sails south to Wales, and +there they lay in hiding in a creek out of the way. + +That morning Kol Thorstein's son went into the town to buy +silver. He of all the burners had used the bitterest words. Kol +had talked much with a mighty dame, and he had so knocked the +nail on the head, that it was all but fixed that he was to have +her, and settle down there. + +That same morning Kari went also into the town. He came where +Kol was telling the silver. + +Kari knew him at once, and ran at him with his drawn sword and +smote him on the neck; but he still went on telling the silver, +and his head counted "ten" just as it spun off his body. + +Then Kari said, "Go and tell this to Flosi, that Kari Solmund's +son hath slain Kol Thorstein's son. I give notice of this +slaying as done by my hand." + +Then Kari went to his ship, and told his shipmates of the +manslaughter. + +Then they sailed north to Beruwick, and laid up their ship, and +fared up into Whitherne in Scotland, and were with Earl Malcolm +that year. + +But when Flosi heard of Kol's slaying, he laid out his body, and +bestowed much money on his burial. + +Flosi never uttered any wrathful words against Kari. + +Thence Flosi fared south across the sea and began his pilgrimage, +and went on south, and did not stop till he came to Rome. There +he got so great honour that he took absolution from the Pope +himself, and for that he gave a great sum of money. + +Then he fared back again by the east road, and stayed long in +towns, and went in before mighty men, and had from them great +honour. + +He was in Norway the winter after, and was with Earl Eric till he +was ready to sail, and the earl gave him much meal, and many +other men behaved handsomely to him. + +Now he sailed out to Iceland, and ran into Hornfirth, and thence +fared home to Swinefell. He had then fulfilled all the terms of +his atonement, both in fines and foreign travel. + + + +158. OF FLOSI AND KARI + +Now it is to be told of Kari that the summer after he went down +to his ship and sailed south across the sea, and began his +pilgrimage in Normandy, and so went south and got absolution and +fared back by the western way, and took his ship again in +Normandy, and sailed in her north across the sea to Dover in +England. + +Thence he sailed west, round Wales, and so north, through +Scotland's firths, and did not stay his course till he came to +Thraswick in Caithness, to master Skeggi's house. + +There he gave over the ship of burden to Kolbein and David, and +Kolbein sailed in that ship to Norway, but David stayed behind in +the Fair Isle. + +Kari was that winter in Caithness. In this winter his housewife +died out in Iceland. + +The next summer Kari busked him for Iceland. Skeggi gave him a +ship of burden, and there were eighteen of them on board her. + +They were rather late "boun," but still they put to sea, and had +a long passage, but at last they made Ingolf's Head. There their +ship was dashed all to pieces, but the men's lives were saved. +Then, too, a gale of wind came on them. + +Now they ask Kari what counsel was to be taken; but he said their +best plan was to go to Swinefell and put Flosi's manhood to the +proof. + +So they went right up to Swinefell in the storm. Flosi was in +the sitting-room. He knew Kari as soon as ever he came into the +room, and sprang up to meet him, and kissed him, and sate him +down in the high seat by his side. + +Flosi asked Kari to be there that winter, and Kari took his +offer. Then they were atoned with a full atonement. + +Then Flosi gave away his brother's daughter Hildigunna, whom +Hauskuld the priest of Whiteness had had to wife to Kari, and +they dwelt first of all at Broadwater. + +Men say that the end of Flosi's life was, that he fared abroad, +when he had grown old, to seek for timber to build him a hall; +and he was in Norway that winter, but the next summer he was late +"boun"; and men told him that his ship was not seaworthy. + +Flosi said she was quite good enough for an old and deathdoomed +man, and bore his goods on shipboard and put out to sea. But of +that ship no tidings were ever heard. + +These were the children of Kari Solmund's son and Helga Njal's +daughter -- Thorgerda and Ragneida, Valgerda, and Thord who was +burnt in Njal's house. But the children of Hildigunna and Kari, +were these, Starkad, and Thord, and Flosi. + +The son of Burning-Flosi was Kolbein, who has been the most +famous man of any of that stock. + +And here we end the STORY of BURNT NJAL. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Njal's Saga by Unknown Icelanders + diff --git a/old/njals10.zip b/old/njals10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..00abf2d --- /dev/null +++ b/old/njals10.zip |