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The Story of Burnt Njal: The Great Icelandic Tribune, Jurist, and Counsellor

by Sir George Webbe Dasent · English · Gutenberg #597 · 698,646 chars · public domain (US)

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Title: The Story of Burnt Njal: The Great Icelandic Tribune, Jurist, and Counsellor

Author: Sir George Webbe Dasent


        
Release date: November 11, 2004 [eBook #597]
                Most recently updated: January 1, 2021

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/597

Credits: E-text produced, edited, and prepared by Douglas B. Killings. Document scanning provided by David Reid and John Servilio


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF BURNT NJAL: THE GREAT ICELANDIC TRIBUNE, JURIST, AND COUNSELLOR ***


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

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