Burnt Njal --- chap. 71-80 by Icelandic Saga Lyrics

CHAPTER LXXI.

THE SLAYING OF THORGEIR OTKELL'S SON.


That token happened as Gunnar and his brother rode up towards Rangriver,
that much blood burst out on the bill.

Kolskegg asked what that might mean.

Gunnar says,
"If such tokens took place in other lands,
it was called 'wound-drops,'
and Master Oliver told me also that this
only happened before great fights".

So they rode on till they saw men sitting by the river on the other
side, and they had tethered their horses.

Gunnar said, "Now we have an ambush".
Kolskegg answered, "Long have they been faithless; but what is best to
be done now?"

"We will gallop up alongside them to the ford," says Gunnar, "and there
make ready for them."

The others saw that and turned at once towards them.

Gunnar strings his bow, and takes his arrows and throws them on the
ground before him, and shoots as soon as ever they come within shot; by
that Gunnar wounded many men, but some he slew.

Then Thorgeir Otkell's son spoke and said, "This is no use; let us make
for him as hard as we can".

They did so, and first went Aunund the fair, Thorgeir's kinsman. Gunnar
hurled the bill at him, and it fell on his shield and clove it in twain,
but the bill rushed through Aunund. Augmund Shockhead rushed at Gunnar
behind his back. Kolskegg saw that and cut off at once both Augmund's
legs from under him, and hurled him out into Rangriver, and he was
drowned there and then.

Then a hard battle arose; Gunnar cut with one hand and thrust with the
other. Kolskegg slew some men and wounded many.

Thorgeir's Starkad's son called out to his namesake, "It looks very
little as though thou hadst a father to avenge".
"True it is," he answers, "that I do not make much way, but yet thou
hast not followed in my footsteps; still I will not bear thy
reproaches."

With that he rushes at Gunnar in great wrath, and thrust his spear
through his shield, and so on through his arm.

Gunnar gave the shield such a sharp twist that the spearhead broke short
off at the socket. Gunnar sees that another man was come within reach of
his sword, and he smites at him and deals him his death-blow. After
that, he clutches his bill with both hands; just then Thorgeir Otkell's
son had come near him with a drawn sword, and Gunnar turns on him in
great wrath, and drives the bill through him, and lifts him up aloft,
and casts him out into Rangriver, and he drifts down towards the ford,
and stuck fast there on a stone; and the name of that ford has since
been Thorgeir's ford.

Then Thorgeir Starkad's son said, "Let us fly now; no victory will be
fated to us this time".

So they all turned and fled from the field.

"Let us follow them up now," says Kolskegg, "and take thou thy bow and
arrows, and thou wilt come within bow-shot of Thorgeir Starkad's son."

Then Gunnar sang a song.
Reaver of rich river-treasure,
Plundered will our purses be,
Though to-day we wound no other
Warriors wight in play of spears;
Aye, if I for all these sailors
Lowly lying, fines must pay--
This is why I hold my hand,
Hearken, brother dear, to me.

"Our purses will be emptied," says Gunnar, "by the time that these are
atoned for who now lie here dead."

"Thou wilt never lack money," says Kolskegg; "but Thorgier will never
leave off before he compasses thy death."

Gunnar sung another song.

Lord of water-skates[26] that skim
Sea-king's fields, more good as he,
Shedding wounds' red stream, must stand
In my way ere I shall wince.
I, the golden armlets' warder,
Snakelike twined around my wrist,
Ne'er shall shun a foeman's faulchion
Flashing bright in din of fight.

"He, and a few more as good as he," says Gunnar, "must stand in my path
ere I am afraid of them."

After that they ride home and tell the tidings.

Hallgerda was well pleased to hear them, and praised the deed much.

Rannveig said, "May be the deed is good; but somehow," she says, "I feel
too downcast about it to think that good can come of it".




CHAPTER LXXII.

OF THE SUITS FOR MANSLAUGHTER AT THE THING.


These tidings were spread far and wide, and Thorgeir's death was a great
grief to many a man. Gizur the white and his men rode to the spot and
gave notice of the manslaughter, and called the neighbours on the
inquest to the Thing. Then they rode home west.

Njal and Gunnar met and talked about the battle. Then Njal said to
Gunnar--

"Now be ware of thyself! Now hast thou slain twice in the same stock;
and so now take heed to thy behaviour, and think that it is as much as
thy life is worth, if thou dost not hold to the settlement that is
made."

"Nor do I mean to break it in any way," says Gunnar, "but still I shall
need thy help at the Thing."

"I will hold to my faithfulness to thee," said Njal, "till my death
day."

Then Gunnar rides home. Now the Thing draws near; and each side gather a
great company; and it is a matter of much talk at the Thing how these
suits will end.

Those two, Gizur the white, and Geir the priest, talked with each other
as to who should give notice of the suit of manslaughter after Thorgeir,
and the end of it was that Gizur took the suit on his hand, and gave
notice of it at the Hill of Laws, and spoke in these words:--

"I gave notice of a suit for assault laid down by law against Gunnar
Hamond's son; for that he rushed with an onslaught laid down by law on
Thorgeir Otkell's son, and wounded him with a body wound, which proved a
death wound, so that Thorgeir got his death.

"I say on this charge he ought to become a convicted outlaw, not to be
fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need.

"I say that his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the men of
the Quarter, whose right it is by law to seize the goods of outlaws.

"I give notice of this charge in the Quarter Court, into which this suit
ought by law to come.

"I give this lawful notice in the hearing of all men at the Hill of
Laws.

"I give notice now of this suit, and of full forfeiture and outlawry
against Gunnar Hamond's son."

A second time Gizur took witness, and gave notice of a suit against
Gunnar Hamond's son, for that he had wounded Thorgeir Otkell's son with
a body wound which was a death wound, and from which Thorgeir got his
death, on such and such a spot when Gunnar first sprang on Thorgeir with
an onslaught, laid down by law.

After that he gave notice of this declaration as he had done of the
first. Then he asked in what Quarter Court the suit lay, and in what
house in the district the defendant dwelt.

When that was over men left the Hill of Laws, and all said that he spoke
well.

Gunnar kept himself well in hand and said little or nothing.

Now the Thing wears away till the day when the courts were to be set.

Then Gunnar stood looking south by the court of the men of Rangriver,
and his men with him.

Gizur stood looking north, and calls his witnesses, and bade Gunnar to
listen to his oath, and to his declaration of the suit, and to all the
steps and proofs which he meant to bring forward. After that he took his
oath, and then he brought forward the suit in the same shape before the
court, as he had given notice of it before. Then he made them bring
forward witness of the notice, then he bade the neighbours on the
inquest to take their seats, and called upon Gunnar to challenge the
inquest.




CHAPTER LXXIII.

OF THE ATONEMENT.


Then Njal spoke and said--

"Now I can no longer sit still and take no part. Let us go to where the
neighbours sit on the inquest."

They went thither and challenged four neighbours out of the inquest, but
they called on the five that were left to answer the following question
in Gunnar's favour "whether those namesakes had gone out with that mind
to the place of meeting to do Gunnar a mischief if they could?"

But all bore witness at once that so it was.

Then Njal called this a lawful defence to the suit, and said he would
bring forward proof of it unless they gave over the suit to arbitration.

Then many chiefs joined in praying for an atonement, and so it was
brought about that twelve men should utter an award in the matter.

Then either side went and handselled this settlement to the other.
Afterwards the award was made, and the sum to be paid settled, and it
was all to be paid down then and there at the Thing.

But besides, Gunnar was to go abroad and Kolskegg with him, and they
were to be away three winters; but if Gunnar did not go abroad when he
had a chance of a passage, then he was to be slain by the kinsmen of
those whom he had killed.

Gunnar made no sign, as though he thought the terms of atonement were
not good. He asked Njal for that money which he had handed over to him
to keep. Njal had laid the money out at interest and paid it down all at
once, and it just came to what Gunnar had to pay for himself.

Now they ride home. Gunnar and Njal rode both together from the Thing,
and then Njal said to Gunnar--

"Take good care, messmate, that thou keepest to this atonement, and bear
in mind what we have spoken about; for though thy former journey abroad
brought thee to great honour, this will be a far greater honour to thee.
Thou wilt come back with great glory, and live to be an old man, and no
man here will then tread on thy heel; but if thou dost not fare away,
and so breakest thy atonement, then thou wilt be slain here in the land,
and that is ill knowing for those who are thy friends."

Gunnar said he had no mind to break the atonement, and he rides home and
told them of the settlement.

Rannveig said it was well that he fared abroad, for then they must find
some one else to quarrel.




CHAPTER LXXIV.

KOLSKEGG GOES ABROAD.


Thrain Sigfus' son said to his wife that he meant to fare abroad that
summer. She said that was well. So he took his passage with Hogni the
white.

Gunnar took his passage with Arnfin of the Bay; and Kolskegg was to go
with him.

Grim And Helgi, Njal's sons, asked their father's leave to go abroad
too, and Njal said--

"This foreign voyage ye will find hard work, so hard that it will be
doubtful whether ye keep your lives; but still ye two will get some
honour and glory, but it is not unlikely that a quarrel will arise out
of your journey when ye come back."

Still they kept on asking their father to let them go, and the end of it
was that he bade them go if they chose.

Then they got them a passage with Bard the black, and Olaf Kettle's son
of Elda; and it is the talk of the whole country that all the better men
in that district were leaving it.

By this time Gunnar's sons, Hogni and Grani, were grown up; they were
men of very different turn of mind. Grani had much of his mother's
temper, but Hogni was kind and good.

Gunnar made men bear down the wares of his brother and himself to the
ship, and when all Gunnar's baggage had come down, and the ship was all
but "boun," then Gunnar rides to Bergthorsknoll, and to other homesteads
to see men, and thanked them all for the help they had given him.

The day after he gets ready early for his journey to the ship, and told
all his people that he would ride away for good and all, and men took
that much to heart, but still they said that they looked to his coming
back afterwards.

Gunnar threw his arms round each of the household when he was "boun,"
and every one of them went out of doors with him; he leans on the butt
of his spear and leaps into the saddle, and he and Kolskegg ride away.

They ride down along Markfleet, and just then Gunnar's horse tripped and
threw him off. He turned with his face up towards the Lithe and the
homestead at Lithend, and said--

"Fair is the Lithe; so fair that it has never seemed to me so fair; the
corn fields are white to harvest, and the home mead is mown; and now I
will ride back home, and not fare abroad at all."

"Do not this joy to thy foes," says Kolskegg, "by breaking thy atonement,
for no man could think thou wouldst do thus, and thou mayst be sure that
all will happen as Njal has said."

"I will not go away any whither," says Gunnar, "and so I would thou
shouldest do too."

"That shall not be," says Kolskegg; "I will never do a base thing in
this, nor in anything else which is left to my good faith; and this is
that one thing that could tear us asunder; but tell this to my kinsmen
and to my mother, that I never mean to see Iceland again, for I shall
soon learn that thou art dead, brother, and then there will be nothing
left to bring me back."

So they parted there and then. Gunnar rides home to Lithend, but
Kolskegg rides to the ship, and goes abroad.

Hallgerda was glad to see Gunnar when he came home, but his mother said
little or nothing.

Now Gunnar sits at home that fall and winter, and had not many men with
him.

Now the winter leaves the farmyard. Olaf the peacock asked Gunnar and
Hallgerda to come and stay with him; but as for the farm, to put it into
the hands of his mother and his son Hogni.

Gunnar thought that a good thing at first, and agreed to it, but when it
came to the point he would not do it.

But at the Thing next summer, Gizur the white, and Geir the priest, gave
notice of Gunnar's outlawry at the Hill of Laws; and before the Thing
broke up Gizur summoned all Gunnar's foes to meet in the "Great
Rift".[27] He summoned Starkad under the Threecorner, and Thorgeir his
son; Mord and Valgard the guileful; Geir the priest and Hjalti Skeggi's
son; Thorbrand and Asbrand, Thorleik's sons; Eyjulf, and Aunund his son,
Aunund of Witchwood and Thorgrim the Easterling of Sandgil.

Then Gizur spoke and said, "I will make you all this offer, that we go
out against Gunnar this summer and slay him".

"I gave my word to Gunnar," said Hjalti, "here at the Thing, when he
showed himself most willing to yield to my prayer, that I would never be
in any attack upon him; and so it shall be."

Then Hjalti went away, but those who were left behind made up their
minds to make an onslaught on Gunnar, and shook hands on the bargain,
and laid a fine on any one that left the undertaking.

Mord was to keep watch and spy out when there was the best chance of
falling on him, and they were forty men in this league, and they thought
it would be a light thing for them to hunt down Gunnar, now that
Kolskegg was away, and Thrain and many other of Gunnar's friends.

Men ride from the Thing, and Njal went to see Gunnar, and told him of
his outlawry, and how an onslaught was planned against him.

"Me thinks thou art the best of friends," says Gunnar; "thou makest me
aware of what is meant."

"Now," says Njal, "I would that Skarphedinn should come to thy house,
and my son Hauskuld; they will lay down their lives for thy life."

"I will not," says Gunnar, "that thy sons should be slain for my sake,
and thou hast a right to look for other things from me."

"All thy care will come to nothing," says Njal; "quarrels will turn
thitherward where my sons are as soon as thou art dead and gone."

"That is not unlikely," says Gunnar, "but still it would mislike me that
they fell into them for me; but this one thing I will ask of thee, that
ye see after my son Hogni, but I say naught of Grani, for he does not
behave himself much after my mind."

Njal rode home, and gave his word to do that.

It is said that Gunnar rode to all meetings of men, and to all lawful
Things, and his foes never dared to fall on him.

And so some time went on that he went about as a free and guiltless
man.




CHAPTER LXXV.

THE RIDING TO LITHEND.


Next autumn Mord Valgard's son, sent word that Gunnar would be all alone
at home, but all his people would be down in the isles to make an end of
their haymaking. Then Gizur the white and Geir the priest rode east over
the rivers as soon as ever they heard that, and so east across the sands
to Hof. Then they sent word to Starkad under the Threecorner, and there
they all met who were to fall on Gunnar, and took counsel how they might
best bring it about.

Mord said that they could not come on Gunnar unawares, unless they
seized the farmer who dwelt at the next homestead, whose name was
Thorkell, and made him go against his will with them to lay hands on the
hound Sam, and unless he went before them to the homestead to do this.

Then they set out east for Lithend, but sent to fetch Thorkell. They
seized him and bound him, and gave him two choices--one that they would
slay him, or else he must lay hands on the hound; but he chooses rather
to save his life, and went with them.

There was a beaten sunk road, between fences, above the farm yard at
Lithend, and there they halted with their band. Master Thorkell went up
to the homestead, and the tyke lay on the top of the house, and he
entices the dog away with him into a deep hollow in the path. Just then
the hound sees that there are men before them, and he leaps on Thorkell
and tears his belly open.

Aunund of Witchwood smote the hound on the head with his axe, so that
the blade sunk into the brain. The hound gave such a great howl that
they thought it passing strange, and he fell down dead.




CHAPTER LXXVI.

GUNNAR'S SLAYING.


Gunnar woke up in his hall and said--

"Thou hast been sorely treated, Sam, my fosterling, and this warning is
so meant that our two deaths will not be far apart."

Gunnar's hall was made all of wood, and roofed with beams above, and
there were window-slits under the beams that carried the roof, and they
were fitted with shutters.

Gunnar slept in a loft above the hall, and so did Hallgerda and his
mother.

Now when they were come near to the house they knew not whether Gunnar
were at home, and bade that some one would go straight up to the house
and see if he could find out. But the rest sat them down on the ground.

Thorgrim the Easterling went and began to climb up on the hall; Gunnar
sees that a red kirtle passed before the windowslit, and thrusts out the
bill, and smote him on the middle. Thorgrim's feet slipped from under
him, and he dropped his shield, and down he toppled from the roof.

Then he goes to Gizur and his band as they sat on the ground.

Gizur looked at him and said--

"Well, is Gunnar at home?"

"Find that out for yourselves," said Thorgrim; "but this I am sure of,
that his bill is at home," and with that he fell down dead.

Then they made for the buildings. Gunnar shot out arrows at them, and
made a stout defence, and they could get nothing done. Then some of them
got into the out-houses and tried to attack him thence, but Gunnar found
them out with his arrows there also, and still they could get nothing
done.

So it went on for while, then they took a rest, and made a second
onslaught. Gunnar still shot out at them, and they could do nothing, and
fell off the second time. Then Gizur the white said-

"Let us press on harder; nothing comes of our onslaught."

Then they made a third bout of it, and were long at it, and then they
fell off again.

Gunnar said, "There lies on arrow outside on the wall, and it is one of
their shafts; I will shoot at them with it, and it will be a shame to
them if they get a hurt from their own weapons".

His mother said, "Do not so, my son; nor rouse them again when they have
already fallen off from the attack".

But Gunnar caught up the arrow and shot it after them, and struck Eylif
Aunund's son, and he got a great wound; he was standing all by himself,
and they knew not that he was wounded.

"Out came an arm yonder," says Gizur, "and there was a gold ring on it,
and took an arrow from the roof and they would not look outside for
shafts if there were enough in doors; and now ye shall make a fresh
onslaught."

"Let us burn him house and all," said Mord.

"That shall never be," says Gizur, "though I knew that my life lay on
it; but it is easy for thee to find out some plan, such a cunning man as
thou art said to be."

Some ropes lay there on the ground, and they were often used to
strengthen the roof. Then Mord said--"Let us take the ropes and throw
one end over the end of the carrying beams, but let us fasten the other
end to these rocks and twist them tight with levers, and so pull the
roof off the hall."

So they took the ropes and all lent a hand to carry this out, and before
Gunnar was aware of it, they had pulled the whole roof off the hall.

Then Gunnar still shoots with his bow so that they could never come nigh
him. Then Mord said again that they must burn the house over Gunnar's
head. But Gizur said--

"I know not why thou wilt speak of that which no one else wishes, and
that shall never be."

Just then Thorbrand Thorleik's son sprang up on the roof, and cuts
asunder Gunnar's bowstring. Gunnar clutches the bill with both hands,
and turns on him quickly and drives it through him, and hurls him down
on the ground.

Then up sprung Asbrand his brother. Gunnar thrusts at him with the bill,
and he threw his shield before the blow, but the bill passed clean
through the shield and broke both his arms, and down he fell from the
wall.

Gunnar had already wounded eight men and slain those twain.[28] By that
time Gunnar had got two wounds, and all men said that he never once
winced either at wounds or death.

Then Gunnar said to Hallgerda, "Give me two locks of thy hair, and ye
two, my mother and thou, twist them together into a bowstring for me."

"Does aught lie on it?" she says.

"My life lies on it," he said; "for they will never come to close
quarters with me if I can keep them off with my bow."

"Well!" she says, "now I will call to thy mind that slap on the face
which thou gavest me; and I care never a whit whether thou holdest out a
long while or a short."

Then Gunnar sang a song--

Each who hurls the gory javelin
Hath some honour of his own,
Now my helpmeet wimple-hooded
Hurries all my fame to earth.
No one owner of a war-ship
Often asks for little things,
Woman, fond of Frodi's flour,[29]
Wends her hand as she is wont.

"Every one has something to boast of," says Gunnar, "and I will ask thee
no more for this."

"Thou behavest ill," said Rannveig, "and this shame shall long be had in
mind."

Gunnar made a stout and bold defence, and now wounds other eight men
with such sore wounds that many lay at death's door. Gunnar keeps them
all off until he fell worn out with toil. Then they wounded him with
many and great wounds, but still he got away out of their hands, and
held his own against them a while longer, but at last it came about that
they slew him.

Of this defence of his, Thorkell the Skald of Göta-Elf sang in the
verses which follow--

We have heard how south in Iceland
Gunnar guarded well himself,
Boldly battle's thunder wielding,
Fiercest Iceman on the wave;
Hero of the golden collar,
Sixteen with the sword he wounded;
In the shock that Odin loveth,
Two before him lasted death.

But this is what Thormod Olaf's son sang--

None that scattered sea's bright sunbeams,[30]
Won more glorious fame than Gunnar,
So runs fame of old in Iceland,
Fitting fame of heathen men;
Lord of fight when helms were crashing,
Lives of foeman twain he took,
Wielding bitter steel he sorely
Wounded twelve, and four besides.

Then Gizur spoke and said: "We have now laid low to earth a mighty
chief, and hard work has it been, and the fame of this defence of his
shall last as long as men live in this land".

After that he went to see Rannveig and said, "Wilt thou grant us earth
here for two of our men who are dead, that they may lie in a cairn
here?"

"All the more willingly for two," she says, "because I wish with all my
heart I had to grant it to all of you."

"It must be forgiven thee," he says, "to speak thus, for thou hast had a
great loss."

Then he gave orders that no man should spoil or rob anything there.

After that they went away.

Then Thorgeir Starkad's son said, "We may not be in our house at home
for the sons of Sigfus, unless thou Gizur or thou Geir be here south
some little while".

"This shall be so," says Gizur, and they cast lots, and the lot fell on
Geir to stay behind.

After that he came to the Point, and set up his house there; he had a
son whose name was Hroald; he was base born, and his mother's name was
Biartey; he boasted that he had given Gunnar his death-blow. Hroald was
at the Point with his father.

Thorgeir Starkad's son boasted of another wound which he had given to
Gunnar.

Gizur sat at home at Mossfell. Gunnar's slaying was heard of, and ill
spoken of throughout the whole country, and his death was a great grief
to many a man.




CHAPTER LXXVII.

GUNNAR SINGS A SONG DEAD.


Njal could ill brook Gunnar's death, nor could the sons of Sigfus brook
it either.

They asked whether Njal thought they had any right to give notice of a
suit of manslaughter for Gunnar, or to set the suit on foot.

He said that could not be done, as the man had been outlawed; but said
it would be better worth trying to do something to wound their glory,
by slaying some men in vengeance after him.

They cast a cairn over Gunnar, and made him sit upright in the cairn.
Rannveig would not hear of his bill being buried in the cairn, but said
he alone should have it as his own, who was ready to avenge Gunnar. So
no one took the bill.

She was so hard on Hallgerda, that she was on the point of killing her;
and she said that she had been the cause of her son's slaying.

Then Hallgerda fled away to Gritwater, and her son Grani with her, and
they shared the goods between them; Hogni was to have the land at
Lithend and the homestead on it, but Grani was to have the land let out
on lease.

Now this token happened at Lithend, that the neat-herd and the
serving-maid were driving cattle by Gunnar's cairn. They thought that he
was merry, and that he was singing inside the cairn. They went home and
told Rannveig, Gunnar's mother, of this token, but she bade them go and
tell Njal.

Then they went over to Bergthorsknoll and told Njal, but he made them
tell it three times over.

After that, he had a long talk all alone with Skarphedinn; and
Skarphedinn took his weapons and goes with them to Lithend.

Rannveig and Hogni gave him a hearty welcome, and were very glad to see
him. Rannveig asked him to stay there some time, and he said he would.

He and Hogni were always together, at home and abroad. Hogni was a
brisk, brave man, well-bred and well-trained in mind and body, but
distrustful and slow to believe what he was told, and that was why they
dared not tell him of the token.

Now those two, Skarphedinn and Hogni, were out of doors one evening by
Gunnar's cairn on the south side. The moon and stars were shining clear
and bright, but every now and then the clouds drove over them. Then all
at once they thought they saw the cairn standing open, and lo! Gunnar
had turned himself in the cairn and looked at the moon. They thought
they saw four lights burning in the cairn, and none of them threw a
shadow. They saw that Gunnar was merry, and he wore a joyful face. He
sang a song, and so loud, that it might have been heard though they had
been farther off.

He that lavished rings in largesse,
When the fight's red rain-drops fell,
Bright of face, with heart-strings hardy,
Hogni's father met his fate;
Then his brow with helmet shrouding,
Bearing battle-shield, he spake,
"I will die the prop of battle,
Sooner die than yield an inch.
Yes, sooner die than yield an inch".

After that the cairn was shut up again.

"Wouldst thou believe these tokens if Njal or I told them to thee?" says
Skarphedinn.

"I would believe them," he says, "if Njal told them, for it is said he
never lies."

"Such tokens as these mean much," says Skarphedinn, "when he shows
himself to us, he who would sooner die than yield to his foes; and see
how he has taught us what we ought to do."

"I shall be able to bring nothing to pass," says Hogni, "unless thou
wilt stand by me."

"Now," says Skarphedinn, "will I bear in mind how Gunnar behaved after
the slaying of your kinsman Sigmund; now I will yield you such help as I
may. My father gave his word to Gunnar to do that whenever thou or thy
mother had need of it."

After that they go home to Lithend.




CHAPTER LXXVIII.

GUNNAR OF LITHEND AVENGED.


"Now we shall set off at once," says Skarphedinn, "this very night; for
if they learn that I am here, they will be more wary of themselves."

"I will fulfil thy counsel," says Hogni.

After that they took their weapons when all men were in their beds.
Hogni takes down the bill, and it gave a sharp ringing sound.

Rannveig sprang up in great wrath and said--

"Who touches the bill, when I forbade every one to lay hand on it?"

"I mean," says Hogni, "to bring it to my father, that he may bear it
with him to Valhalla, and have it with him when the warriors meet."

"Rather shalt thou now bear it," she answered, "and avenge thy father;
for the bill has spoken of one man's death or more."

Then Hogni went out, and told Skarphedinn all the words that his
grandmother had spoken.

After that they fare to the Point, and two ravens flew along with them
all the way. They came to the Point while it was still night. Then they
drove the flock before them up to the house, and then Hroald and Tjorfi
ran out and drove the flock up the hollow path, and had their weapons
with them.

Skarphedinn sprang up and said, "Thou needest not to stand and think if
it be really as it seems. Men are here."

Then Skarphedinn smites Tjorfi his death-blow. Hroald had a spear in his
hand, and Hogni rushes at him; Hroald thrusts at him, but Hogni hewed
asunder the spear-shaft with his bill, and drives the bill through him.

After that they left them there dead, and turn away thence under the
Threecorner.

Skarphedinn jumps up on the house and plucks the grass, and those who
were inside the house thought it was cattle that had come on the roof.
Starkad and Thorgeir took their weapons and upper clothing, and went out
and round about the fence of the yard. But when Starkad sees Skarphedinn
he was afraid, and wanted to turn back.

Skarphedinn cut him down by the fence. Then Hogni comes against Thorgeir
and slays him with the bill.

Thence they went to Hof, and Mord was outside in the field, and begged
for mercy, and offered them full atonement.

Skarphedinn told Mord the slaying of those four men, and sang a song.

Four who wielded warlike weapons
We have slain, all men of worth,
Them at once, gold-greedy fellow,
Thou shalt follow on the spot;
Let us press this pinch-purse so,
Pouring fear into his heart;
Wretch! reach out to Gunnar's son
Right to settle all disputes.

"And the like journey," says Skarphedinn, "shalt thou also fare, or hand
over to Hogni the right to make his own award, if he will take these
terms."

Hogni said his mind had been made up not to come to any terms with the
slayers of his father; but still at last he took the right to make his
own award from Mord.




CHAPTER LXXIX.

HOGNI TAKES AN ATONEMENT FOR GUNNAR'S DEATH.


Njal took a share in bringing those who had the blood-feud after Starkad
and Thorgeir to take an atonement, and a district meeting was called
together, and men were chosen to make the award, and every matter was
taken into account, even the attack on Gunnar, though he was an outlaw;
but such a fine as was awarded, all that Mord paid; for they did not
close their award against him before the other matter was already
settled, and then they set off one award against the other.

Then they were all set at one again, but at the Thing there was great
talk, and the end of it was, that Geir the priest and Hogni were set at
one again, and that atonement they held to ever afterwards.

Geir the priest dwelt in the Lithe till his death-day, and he is out of
the story.

Njal asked as a wife for Hogni Alfeida the daughter of Weatherlid the
Skald, and she was given away to him. Their son was Ari, who sailed for
Shetland, and took him a wife there; from him is come Einar the
Shetlander, one of the briskest and boldest of men.

Hogni kept up his friendship with Njal, and he is now out of the story.




CHAPTER LXXX.

OF KOLSKEGG: HOW HE WAS BAPTISED.


Now it is to be told of Kolskegg how he comes to Norway, and is in the
Bay east that winter. But the summer after he fares east to Denmark, and
bound himself to Sweyn Forkbeard the Dane-king, and there he had great
honour.

One night he dreamt that a man came to him; he was bright and
glistening, and he thought he woke him up. He spoke, and said to him--

"Stand up and come with me."

"What wilt thou with me?" he asks.

"I will get thee a bride, and thou shalt be my knight."

He thought he said yea to that, and after that he woke up.

Then he went to a wizard and told him the dream, but he read it so that
he should fare to southern lands and become God's knight.

Kolskegg was baptised in Denmark, but still he could not rest there, but
fared east to Russia, and was there one winter. Then he fared thence out
to Micklegarth,[31] and there took service with the Emperor. The last
that was heard of him was, that he wedded a wife there, and was captain
over the Varangians, and stayed there till his death-day; and he, too,
is out of this story.