Chapter: 82. NJAL'S SONS SAIL ABROAD

Now it must be told how Njal's sons, Grim and Helgi, left Iceland
the same summer that Thrain and his fellows went away; and in the
ship with them were Olaf Kettle's son of Elda, and Bard the
Black.  They got so strong a wind from the north that they were
driven south into the main; and so thick a mist came over them
that they could not tell whither they were driving, and they were
out a long while.  At last they came to where was a great ground
sea, and thought then they must be near land.  So then Njal's
sons asked Bard if he could tell at all to what land they were
likely to be nearest.

"Many lands there are," said he, "which we might hit with the
weather we have had -- the Orkneys, or Scotland, or Ireland."

Two nights after, they saw land on both boards, and a great
surf running up in the firth.  They cast anchor outside the
breakers, and the wind began to fall; and next morning it was
calm.  Then they see thirteen ships coming out to them.

Then Bard spoke and said, "What counsel shall we take now, for
these men are going to make an onslaught on us?"

So they took counsel whether they should defend themselves or
yield, but before they could make up their minds, the Vikings
were upon them.  Then each side asked the other their names, and
what their leaders were called.  So the leaders of the chapmen
told their names, and asked back who led that host.  One called
himself Gritgard, and the other Snowcolf, sons of Moldan of
Duncansby in Scotland, kinsmen of Malcolm the Scot king.

"And now," says Gritgard, "we have laid down two choices, one
that ye go on shore, and we will take your goods; the other is,
that we fall on you and slay every man that we can catch."

"The will of the chapmen," answers Helgi, "is to defend
themselves."

But the chapmen called out, "Wretch that thou art to speak thus!
What defence can we make?  Lading is less than life."

But Grim, he fell upon a plan to shout out to the Vikings, and
would not let them hear the bad choice of the chapmen.

Then Bard and Olaf said, "Think ye not that these Icelanders will
make game of you sluggards; take rather your weapons and guard
your goods."

So they all seized their weapons, and bound themselves, one with
another, never to give up so long as they had strength to fight.




83. OF KARI SOLMUND'S SON

Then the Vikings shot at them and the fight began, and the
chapmen guard themselves well.  Snowcolf sprang aboard and at
Olaf, and thrust his spear through his body, but Grim thrust at
Snowcolf with his spear, and so stoutly, that he fell overboard.
Then Helgi turned to meet Grim, and they two drove down all the
Vikings as they tried to board, and Njal's sons were ever where
there was most need.  Then the Vikings called out to the chapmen
and bade them give up, but they said they would never yield.
Just then some one looked seaward, and there they see ships
coming from the south round the Ness, and they were not fewer
than ten, and they row hard and steer thitherwards.  Along their
sides were shield on shield, but on that ship that came first
stood a man by the mast, who was clad in a silken kirtle, and had
a gilded helm, and his hair was both fair and thick; that man had
a spear inlaid with gold in his hand.

He asked, "Who have here such an uneven game?"

Helgi tells his name, and said that against them are Gritgard and
Snowcolf.

"But who are your captains?" he asks.

Helgi answered, "Bard the Black, who lives, but the other, who
is dead and gone, was called Olaf."

"Are ye men from Iceland?" says he.

"Sure enough we are," Helgi answers.

He asked whose sons they were, and they told him, then he knew
them and said, "Well known names have ye all, father and sons
both."

"Who art thou?" asks Helgi.

"My name is Kari, and I am Solmund's son."

"Whence comest thou?" says Helgi.

"From the Southern Isles."

"Then thou art welcome," says Helgi, "if thou wilt give us a
little help."

"I'll give ye all the help ye need," says Kari; "but what do
ye ask?"

"To fall on them," says Helgi.

Kari says that so it shall be.  So they pulled up to them, and
then the battle began the second time; but when they had fought a
little while, Kari springs up on Snowcolf's ship; he turns to
meet him and smites at him with his sword.  Kari leaps nimbly
backwards over a beam that lay athwart the ship, and Snowcolf
smote the beam so that both edges of the sword were hidden.  Then
Kari smites at him, and the sword fell on his shoulder, and the
stroke was so mighty that he cleft in twain shoulder, arm, and
all, and Snowcolf got his death there and then.  Gritgard hurled
a spear at Kari, but Kari saw it and sprang up aloft, and the
spear missed him.  Just then Helgi and Grim came up both to meet
Kari, and Helgi springs on Gritgard and thrusts his spear through
him, and that was his death blow; after that they went round the
whole ship on both boards, and then men begged for mercy.  So
they gave them all peace, but took all their goods.  After that
they ran all the ships out under the islands.




84. OF EARL SIGURD

Sigurd was the name of an earl who ruled over the Orkneys; he was
the son of Hlodver, the son of Thorfinn the skullsplitter, the
son of Turf-Einar, the son of Rognvald, Earl of Moeren, the son
of Eystein the Noisy.  Kari was one of Earl Sigurd's body-guard,
and had just been gathering scatts in the Southern Isles from
Earl Gilli.  Now Kari asks them to go to Hrossey (1), and said
the earl would take to them well.  They agreed to that, and went
with Kari and came to Hrossey.  Kari led them to see the earl,
and said what men they were.

"How came they," says the earl, "to fall upon thee?"

"I found them," says Kari, "in Scotland's firths, and they were
fighting with the sons of Earl Moldan, and held their own so well
that they threw themselves about between the bulwarks, from side
to side, and were always there where the trial was greatest, and
now I ask you to give them quarters among your body-guard."

"It shall be as thou choosest," says the earl, "thou hast already
taken them so much by the hand."

Then they were there with the earl that winter, and were worthily
treated, but Helgi was silent as the winter wore on.  The earl
could not tell what was at the bottom of that, and asked why he
was so silent, and what was on his mind.  "Thinkest thou it not
good to be here?"

"Good, methinks, it is here," he says.

"Then what art thou thinking about?" asks the earl.

"Hast thou any realm to guard in Scotland?" asks Helgi.

"So we think," says the earl, "but what makes thee think about
that, or what is the matter with it?"

"The Scots," says Helgi, "must have taken your steward's life,
and stopped all the messengers, that none should cross the
Pentland Firth."

"Hast thou the second sight?" said the earl.

"That has been little proved," answers Helgi.

"Well," says the earl, "I will increase thy honour if this be so,
otherwise thou shalt smart for it."

"Nay," says Kari, "Helgi is not that kind of man, and like enough
his words are sooth, for his father has the second sight."

After that the earl sent men south to Straumey (2) to Arnljot,
his steward there, and after that Arnljot sent them across the
Pentland Firth, and they spied out and learnt that Earl Hundi and
Earl Melsnati had taken the life of Havard in Thraswick, Earl
Sigurd's brother-in-law.  So Arnljot sent word to Earl Sigurd to
come south with a great host and drive those earls out of his
realm, and as soon as the earl heard that, he gathered together a
mighty host from all the isles.


ENDNOTES:

(1)  The mainland of Orkney, now Pomona.
(2)  Now Stroma, in the Pentland Firth.




85. THE BATTLE WITH THE EARLS

After that the earl set out south with his host, and Kari went
with him, and Njal's sons too.  They came south to Caithness.
The earl had these realms in Scotland, Ross and Moray,
Sutherland, and the Dales.  There came to meet them men from
those realms, and said that the earls were a short way off with a
great host.  Then Earl Sigurd turns his host thither, and the
name of that place is Duncansness above which they met, and it
came to a great battle between them.  Now the Scots had let some
of their host go free from the main battle, and these took the
earl's men in flank, and many men fell there till Njal's sons
turned against the foe, and fought with them and put them to
flight; but still it was a hard fight, and then Njal's sons
turned back to the front by the earl's standard, and fought well.
Now Kari turns to meet Earl Melsnati, and Melsnati hurled a spear
at him, but Kari caught the spear and threw it back and through
the earl.  Then Earl Hundi fled, but they chased the fleers until
they learnt that Malcolm was gathering a host at Duncansby.  Then
the earl took counsel with his men, and it seemed to all the best
plan to turn back, and not to fight with such a mighty land
force; so they turned back.  But when the earl came to Staumey
they shared the battle-spoil.  After that he went north to
Hrossey, and Njal's sons and Kari followed him.  Then the earl
made a great feast, and at that feast he gave Kari a good sword,
and a spear inlaid with gold; but he gave Helgi a gold ring and a
mantle, and Grim a shield and sword.  After that he took Helgi
and Grim into his body-guard, and thanked them for their good
help.  They were with the earl that winter and the summer after,
till Kari went sea-roving; then they went with him, and harried
far and wide that summer, and everywhere won the victory.  They
fought against Godred, King of Man, and conquered him; and after
that they fared back, and had gotten much goods.  Next winter
they were still with the earl, and when the spring came Njal's
sons asked leave to go to Norway.  The earl said they should go
or not as they pleased, and he gave them a good ship and smart
men.  As for Kari, he said he must come that summer to Norway
with Earl Hacon's scatts, and then they would meet; and so it
fell out that they gave each other their word to meet.  After
that Njal's sons put out to sea and sailed for Norway, and made
the land north near Drontheim.




86. HRAPP'S VOYAGE FROM ICELAND

There was a man named Kolbein, and his surname was Arnljot's son;
he was a man from Drontheim; he sailed out to Iceland that same
summer in which Kolskegg and Njal's sons went abroad.  He was
that winter east in Broaddale; but the spring after, he made his
ship ready for sea in Gautawick; and when men were almost "boun,"
a man rowed up to them in a boat, and made the boat fast to the
ship, and afterwards he went on board the ship to see Kolbein.

Kolbein asked that man for his name.

"My name is Hrapp," says he.

"What wilt thou with me?" says Kolbein.

"I wish to ask thee to put me across the Iceland main."

"Whose son art thou?" asks Kolbein.

"I am a son of Aurgunleid, the son of Geirolf the Fighter."

"What need lies on thee," asked Kolbein, "to drive thee abroad?"

"I have slain a man," says Hrapp.

"What manslaughter was that," says Kolbein, "and what men have
the blood-feud?"

"The men of Weaponfirth," says Hrapp, "but the man I slew was
Aurlyg, the son of Aurlyg, the son of Roger the White."

"I guess this," says Kolbein, "that he will have the worst of it
who bears thee abroad."

"I am the friend of my friend," said Hrapp, "but when ill is done
to me I repay it.  Nor am I short of money to lay down for my
passage."

Then Kolbein took Hrapp on board, and a little while after a fair
breeze sprung up, and they sailed away on the sea.

Hrapp ran short of food at sea and then he sate him down at the
mess of those who were nearest to him.  They sprang up with ill
words, and so it was that they came to blows, and Hrapp, in a
trice, has two men under him.

Then Kolbein was told, and he bade Hrapp to come and share his
mess, and he accepted that.

Now they come off the sea, and lie outside off Agdirness.

Then Kolbein asked where that money was which he had offered to
pay for his fare?

"It is out in Iceland," answers Hrapp.

"Thou wilt beguile more men than me, I fear," says Kolbein; "but
now I will forgive thee all the fare."

Hrapp bade him have thanks for that.  "But what counsel dost thou
give as to what I ought to do?"

"That first of all," he says, "that thou goest from the ship as
soon as ever thou canst, for all Easterlings will bear thee bad
witness; but there is yet another bit of good counsel which I
will give thee, and that is, never to cheat thy master."

Then Hrapp went on shore with his weapons, and he had a great axe
with an iron-bound haft in his hand.

He fares on and on till he comes to Gudbrand of the Dale.  He was
the greatest friend of Earl Hacon.  They two had a shrine between
them, and it was never opened but when the earl came thither.
That was the second greatest shrine in Norway, but the other was
at Hlada.

Thrand was the name of Gudbrand's son, but his daughter's name
was Gudruna.

Hrapp went in before Gudbrand, and hailed him well.

He asked whence he came and what was his name.  Hrapp told him
about himself, and how he had sailed abroad from Iceland.

After that he asks Gudbrand to take him into his household as a
guest.

"It does not seem," said Gudbrand, "to look on thee, as thou wert
a man to bring good luck."

"Methinks, then," says Hrapp, "that all I have heard about thee
has been great lies; for it is said that thou takest every one
into thy house that asks thee; and that no man is thy match for
goodness and kindness, far or near; but now I shall have to speak
against that saying, if thou dost not take me in."

"Well, thou shalt stay here," said Gudbrand.

"To what seat wilt thou shew me?" says Hrapp.

"To one on the lower bench, over against my high seat."

Then Hrapp went and took his seat.  He was able to tell of many
things, and so it was at first that Gudbrand and many thought it
sport to listen to him; but still it came about that most men
thought him too much given to mocking, and the end of it was that
he took to talking alone with Gudruna, so that many said that he
meant to beguile her.

But when Gudbrand was aware of that, he scolded her much for
daring to talk alone with him, and bade her beware of speaking
aught to him if the whole household did not hear it.  She gave
her word to be good at first, but still it was soon the old story
over again as to their talk.  Then Gudbrand got Asvard, his
overseer, to go about with her, out of doors and in, and to be
with her wherever she went.  One day it happened that she begged
for leave to go into the nutwood for a pastime, and Asvard went
along with her.  Hrapp goes to seek for them and found them, and
took her by the hand, and led her away alone.

Then Asvard went to look for her, and found them both together
stretched on the grass in a thicket.

He rushes at them, axe in air, and smote at Hrapp's leg, but
Hrapp gave himself a sudden turn, and he missed him.  Hrapp
springs on his feet as quick as he can, and caught up his axe.
Then Asvard wished to turn and get away, but Hrapp hewed asunder
his back-bone.

Then Gudruna said, "Now hast thou done that deed which will
hinder thy stay any longer with my father; but still there is
something behind which he will like still less, for I go with
child."

"He shall not learn this from others," says Hrapp, "but I will go
home and tell him both these tidings."

"Then," she says, "thou wilt not come away with thy life."

"I will run the risk of that," he says.

After that he sees her back to the other women, but he went home.
Gudbrand sat in his high seat, and there were few men in the
room.

Hrapp went in before him, and bore his axe high.

"Why is thine axe bloody?" asks Gudbrand.

"I made it so by doing a piece of work on thy overseer Asvard's
back," says Hrapp.

"That can be no good work," says Gudbrand; "thou must have slain
him."

"So it is, be sure," says Hrapp.

"What did ye fall out about?" asks Gudbrand.

"Oh!" says Hrapp, "what you would think small cause enough.  He
wanted to hew off my leg."

"What hadst thou done first?" asked Gudbrand.

"What he had no right to meddle with," says Hrapp.

"Still thou wilt tell me what it was."

"Well!" said Hrapp, "if thou must know, I lay by thy daughter's
side, and he thought that bad."

"Up men!" cried Gudbrand, "and take him.  He shall be slain out
of hand."

"Very little good wilt thou let me reap of my son-in-lawship,"
says Hrapp, "but thou hast not so many men at thy back as to do
that speedily."

Up they rose, but he sprang out of doors.  They run after him,
but he got away to the wood, and they could not lay hold of him.

Then Gudbrand gathers people, and lets the wood be searched; but
they find him not, for the wood was great and thick.

Hrapp fares through the wood till he came to a clearing; there he
found a house, and saw a man outside cleaving wood.

He asked that man for his name, and he said his name was Tofi.

Tofi asked him for his name in turn, and Hrapp told him his true
name.

Hrapp asked why the householder had set up his abode so far from
other men?

"For that here," he says, "I think I am less likely to have
brawls with other men."

"It is strange how we beat about the bush in our talk," says
Hrapp, "but I will first tell thee who I am.  I have been with
Gudbrand of the Dale, but I ran away thence because I slew his
overseer; but now I know that we are both of us bad men; for thou
wouldst not have come hither away from other men unless thou wert
some man's outlaw.  And now I give thee two choices, either that
I will tell where thou art, or that we two have between us, share
and share alike, all that is here."

"This is even as thou sayest," said the householder; "I seized
and carried off this woman who is here with me, and many men have
sought for me."

Then he led Hrapp in with him; there was a small house there, but
well built.

The master of the house told his mistress that he had taken Hrapp
into his company.

"Most men will get ill luck from this man," she says; "but thou
wilt have thy way."

So Hrapp was there after that.  He was a great wanderer, and was
never at home.  He still brings about meetings with Gudruna; her
father and brother, Thrand and Gudbrand, lay in wait for him, but
they could never get nigh him, and so all that year passed away.

Gudbrand sent and told Earl Hacon what trouble he had had with
Hrapp, and the earl let him be made an outlaw, and laid a price
upon his head.  He said, too, that he would go himself to look
after him; but that passed off, and the earl thought it easy
enough for them to catch him when he went about so unwarily.




87. THRAIN TOOK TO HRAPP

That same summer Njal's sons fared to Norway from the Orkneys, as
was before written, and they were there at the fair during the
summer.  Then Thrain Sigfus' son busked his ship for Iceland, and
was all but "boun."  At that time Earl Hacon went to a feast at
Gudbrand's house.  That night Killing-Hrapp came to the shrine of
Earl Hacon and Gudbrand, and he went inside the house, and there
he saw Thorgerda Shrinebride sitting, and she was as tall as a
fullgrown man.  She had a great gold ring on her arm, and a
wimple on her head; he strips her of her wimple, and takes the
gold ring from off her.  Then he sees Thor's car, and takes from
him a second gold ring; a third he took from Irpa; and then
dragged them all out, and spoiled them of all their gear.

After that he laid fire to the shrine, and burnt it down, and
then he goes away just as it began to dawn.  He walks across a
ploughed field, and there six men sprang up with weapons, and
fall upon him at once; but he made a stout defence, and the end
of the business was that he slays three men, but wounds Thrand to
the death, and drives two to the woods, so that they could bear
no news to the earl.  He then went up to Thrand and said, "It is
now in my power to slay thee if I will, but I will not do that;
and now I will set more store by the ties that are between us
than ye have shown to me."

Now Hrapp means to turn back to the wood, but now he sees that
men have come between him and the wood, so he dares not venture
to turn thither, but lays him down in a thicket, and so lies
there a while.

Earl Hacon and Gudbrand went that morning early to the shrine and
found it burnt down; but the three gods were outside, stripped of
all their bravery.

Then Gudbrand began to speak, and said, "Much might is given to
our gods, when here they have walked of themselves out of the
fire!"

"The gods can have naught to do with it," says the earl; "a man
must have burnt the shrine, and borne the gods out; but the gods
do not avenge everything on the spot.  That man who has done this
will no doubt be driven away out of Valhalla, and never come in
thither."

Just then up ran four of the earl's men, and told them ill
tidings for they said they had found three men slain in the
field, and Thrand wounded to the death.

"Who can have done this?" says the earl.

"Killing-Hrapp," they say.

"Then he must have burnt down the shrine," says the earl.

They said they thought he was like enough to have done it.

"And where may he be now?" says the earl.

They said that Thrand had told them that he had lain down in a
thicket.

The earl goes thither to look for him, but Hrapp was off and
away.  Then the earl set his men to search for him, but still
they could not find him.  So the earl was in the hue and cry
himself, but first he bade them rest a while.

Then the earl went aside by himself, away from other men, and
bade that no man should follow him, and so he stays a while.  He
fell down on both his knees, and held his hands before his eyes;
after that he went back to them, and then he said to them, "Come
with me."

So they went along with him.  He turns short away from the path
on which they had walked before, and they came to a dell.  There
up sprang Hrapp before them, and there it was that he had hidden
himself at first.

The earl urges on his men to run after him, but Hrapp was so
swift-footed that they never came near him.  Hrapp made for
Hlada.  There both Thrain and Njal's sons lay "boun" for sea at
the same time.  Hrapp runs to where Njal's sons are.

"Help me, like good men and true," he said, "for the earl will
slay me."

Helgi looked at him, and said, "Thou lookest like an unlucky man,
and the man who will not take thee in will have the best of it."

"Would that the worst might befall you from me," says Hrapp.

"I am the man," says Helgi, "to avenge me on thee for this as
time rolls on."

Then Hrapp turned to Thrain Sigfus' son, and bade him shelter
him.

"What hast thou on thy hand?" says Thrain.

"I have burnt a shrine under the earl's eyes, and slain some men,
and now he will be here speedily, for he has joined in the hue
and cry himself."

"It hardly beseems me to do this," says Thrain, "when the earl
has done me so much good."

Then he shewed Thrain the precious things which he had borne out
of the shrine, and offered to give him the goods, but Thrain said
he could not take them unless he gave him other goods of the same
worth for them.

"Then," said Hrapp, "here will I take my stand, and here shall
I be slain before thine eyes, and then thou wilt have to abide by
every man's blame."

Then they see the earl and his band of men coming, and then
Thrain took Hrapp under his safeguard, and let them shove off the
boat, and put out to his ship.

Then Thrain said, "Now this will be thy best hiding place, to
knock out the bottoms of two casks, and then thou shalt get into
them."

So it was done, and he got into the casks, and then they were
lashed together, and lowered overboard.

Then comes the earl with his band to Njal's sons, and asked if
Hrapp had come there.

They said that he had come.

The earl asked whither he had gone thence?

They said they had not kept eyes on him, and could not say.

"He," said the earl, "should have great honour from me who would
tell me where Hrapp was."

Then Grim said softly to Helgi, "Why should we not say, What know
I whether Thrain will repay us with any good?"

"We should not tell a whit more for that," says Helgi, "when his
life lies at stake."

"May be," said Grim, "the earl will turn his vengeance on us,
for he is so wroth that some one will have to fall before him."

"That must not move us," says Helgi, "but still we will pull our
ship out, and so away to sea as soon as ever we get a wind."

So they rowed out under an isle that lay there, and wait there
for a fair breeze.

The earl went about among the sailors, and tried them all, but
they, one and all, denied that they knew aught of Hrapp.

Then the earl said, "Now we will go to Thrain, my brother in
arms, and he will give Hrapp up, if he knows anything of him."

After that they took a long-ship and went off to the merchant
ship.

Thrain sees the earl coming, and stands up and greets him kindly.
The earl took his greeting well and spoke thus, -- "We are
seeking for a man whose name is Hrapp, and he is an Icelander.
He has done us all kind of ill; and now we will ask you to be
good enough to give him up, or to tell us where he is."

"Ye know, lord," said Thrain, "that I slew your outlaw, and
then put my life in peril, and for that I had of you great
honour."

"More honour shalt thou now have," says the earl.

Now Thrain thought within himself, and could not make up his mind
how the earl would take it, so he denies that Hrapp is here, and
bade the earl to look for him.  He spent little time on that, and
went on land alone, away from other men, and was then very wroth,
so that no man dared to speak to him.

"Shew me to Njal's sons," said the earl, "and I will force them
to tell me the truth."

Then he was told that they had put out of the harbour.

"Then there is no help for it," says the earl, "but still there
were two water-casks alongside of Thrain's ship, and in them a
man may well have been hid, and if Thrain has hidden him, there
he must be; and now we will go a second time to see Thrain."

Thrain sees that the earl means to put off again and said,
"However wroth the earl was last time, now he will be half as
wroth again, and now the life of every man on board the ship lies
at stake."

They all gave their words to hide the matter, for they were all
sore afraid.  Then they took some sacks out of the lading, and
put Hrapp down into the hold in their stead, and other sacks that
were light were laid over him.

Now comes the earl, just as they were done stowing Hrapp away.
Thrain greeted the earl well.  The earl was rather slow to return
it, and they saw that the earl was very wroth.

Then said the earl to Thrain, "Give thou up Hrapp, for I am quite
sure that thou hast hidden him."

"Where shall I have hidden him, Lord?" says Thrain.

"That thou knowest best," says the earl; "but if I must guess,
then I think that thou hiddest him in the water-casks a while
ago."

"Well!" says Thrain, "I would rather not be taken for a liar, far
sooner would I that ye should search the ship."

Then the earl went on board the ship and hunted and hunted, but
found him not.

"Dost thou speak me free now?" says Thrain.

"Far from it," says the earl, "and yet I cannot tell why we
cannot find him, but methinks I see through it all when I come on
shore, but when I come here, I can see nothing."

With that he made them row him ashore.  He was so wroth that
there was no speaking to him.  His son Sweyn was there with him,
and he said, "A strange turn of mind this to let guiltless men
smart for one's wrath!"

Then the earl went away alone aside from other men, and after
that he went back to them at once, and said, "Let us row out to
them again," and they did so.

"Where can he have been hidden?" says Sweyn.

"There's not much good in knowing that," says the earl, "for now
he will be away thence; two sacks lay there by the rest of the
lading, and Hrapp must have come into the lading in their place."

Then Thrain began to speak, and said, "They are running off the
ship again, and they must mean to pay us another visit.  Now we
will take him out of the lading, and stow other things in his
stead, but let the sacks still lie loose."  They did so, and then
Thrain spoke: "Now let us fold Hrapp in the sail."

It was then brailed up to the yard, and they did so.

Then the earl comes to Thrain and his men, and he was very wroth,
and said, "Wilt thou now give up the man, Thrain?" and he is
worse now than before.

"I would have given him up long ago," answers Thrain, "if he had
been in my keeping, or where can he have been?"

"In the lading," says the earl.

"Then why did ye not seek him there?" says Thrain.

"That never came into our mind," says the earl.

After that they sought him over all the ship, and found him not.

"Will you now hold me free?" says Thrain.

"Surely not," says the earl, "for I know that thou hast hidden
away the man, though I find him not; but I would rather that thou
shouldst be a dastard to me than I to thee," says the earl, and
then they went on shore.

"Now," says the earl, "I seem to see that Thrain has hidden away
Hrapp in the sail."

Just then, up sprung a fair breeze, and Thrain and his men sailed
out to sea.  He then spoke these words which have long been held
in mind since --

     "Let us make the Vulture fly,
     Nothing now gars Thrain flinch."

But when the earl heard of Thrain's words, then he said, "'Tis
not my want of foresight which caused this, but rather their
ill-fellowship, which will drag them both to death."

Thrain was a short time out on the sea, and so came to Iceland,
and fared home to his house.  Hrapp went along with Thrain, and
was with him that year; but the spring after, Thrain got him a
homestead at Hrappstede, and he dwelt there; but yet he spent
most of his time at Gritwater.  He was thought to spoil
everything there, and some men even said that he was too good
friends with Hallgerda, and that he led her astray, but some
spoke against that.

Thrain gave the Vulture to his kinsman, Mord the Reckless; that
Mord slew Oddi Haldor's son, east in Gautawick by Berufirth.

All Thrain's kinsmen looked on him as a chief.




88. EARL HACON FIGHTS WITH NJAL'S SONS.

Now we must take up the story, and say how, when Earl Hacon
missed Thrain, he spoke to Sweyn his son, and said, "Let us take
four long-ships, and let us fare against Njal's sons and slay
them, for they must have known all about it with Thrain."

"'Tis not good counsel," says Sweyn, "to throw the blame on
guiltless men, but to let him escape who is guilty."

"I shall have my way in this," says the earl.

Now they hold on after Njal's sons, and seek for them, and find
them under an island.

Grim first saw the earl's ships and said to Helgi, "Here are war
ships sailing up, and I see that here is the earl, and he can
mean to offer us no peace."

"It is said," said Helgi, "that he is the boldest man who holds
his own against all comers, and so we will defend ourselves."

They all bade him take the course he thought best, and then they
took to their arms.

Now the earl comes up and called out to them, and bade them give
themselves up.

Helgi said that they would defend themselves so long as they
could.

Then the earl offered peace and quarter to all who would neither
defend themselves nor Helgi; but Helgi was so much beloved that
all said they would rather die with him.

Then the earl and his men fall on them, but they defended
themselves well, and Njal's sons were ever where there was most
need.  The earl often offered peace, but they all made the same
answer, and said they would never yield.

Then Aslak of Longisle pressed them hard and came on board their
ship thrice.  Then Grim said, "Thou pressest on hard, and 'twere
well that thou gettest what thou seekest;" and with that he
snatched up a spear and hurled it at him, and hit him under the
chin, and Aslak got his death wound there and then.

A little after, Helgi slew Egil the earl's banner-bearer.

Then Sweyn, Earl Hacon's son, fell on them, and made men hem them
in and bear them down with shields, and so they were taken
captive.

The earl was for letting them all be slain at once, but Sweyn
said that should not be, and said too that it was night.

Then the earl said, "Well, then, slay them to-morrow, but bind
them fast to-night."

"So, I ween, it must be," says Sweyn; "but never yet have I met
brisker men than these, and I call it the greatest manscathe to
take their lives."

"They have slain two of our briskest men," said the earl, "and
for that they shall be slain."

"Because they were brisker men themselves," says Sweyn; "but
still in this it must be done as thou willest."

So they were bound and fettered.

After that the earl fell asleep; but when all men slept, Grim
spoke to Helgi, and said, "Away would I get if I could."

"Let us try some trick then," says Helgi.

Grim sees that there lies an axe edge up, so Grim crawled
thither, and gets the bowstring which bound him cut asunder
against the axe, but still he got great wounds on his arms.

Then he set Helgi loose, and after that they crawled over the
ship's side, and got on shore, so that neither Hacon nor his men
were ware of them.  Then they broke off their fetters, and walked
away to the other side of the island.  By that time it began to
dawn.  There they found a ship, and knew that there was come Kari
Solmund's son.  They went at once to meet him, and told him of
their wrongs and hardships, and showed him their wounds, and said
the earl would be then asleep.

"Ill is it," said Kari, "that ye should suffer such wrongs for
wicked men; but what now would be most to your minds?"

"To fall on the earl," they say, "and slay him."

"This will not be fated," says Kari; "but still ye do not lack
heart, but we will first know whether he is there now."

After that they fared thither, and then the earl was up and away.

Then Kari sailed in to Hlada to meet the earl, and brought him
the Orkney scatts, so the earl said, "Hast thou taken Njal's sons
into thy keeping?"

"So it is, sure enough," says Kari.

"Wilt thou hand Njal's sons over to me?" asks the earl.

"No, I will not," said Kari.

"Wilt thou swear this," says the earl, "that thou wilt not fall
on me with Njal's sons?"

Then Eric, the earl's son, spoke and said, "Such things ought
not to be asked.  Kari has always been our friend, and things
should not have gone as they have, had I been by.  Njal's sons
should have been set free from all blame, but they should have
had chastisement who had wrought for it.  Methinks now it would
be more seemly to give Njal's sons good gifts for the hardships
and wrongs which have been put upon them, and the wounds they
have got."

"So it ought to be, sure enough," says the earl, "but I know not
whether they will take an atonement."

Then the earl said that Kari should try the feeling of Njal's
sons as to an atonement.

After that Kari spoke to Helgi, and asked whether he would take
any amends from the earl or not.

"I will take them," said Helgi, "from his son Eric, but I will
have nothing to do with the earl."

Then Kari told Eric their answer.

"So it shall be." says Eric.  "He shall take the amends from me
if he thinks it better; and tell them this too, that I bid them
to my house, and my father shall do them no harm."

This bidding they took, and went to Eric's house, and were with
him till Kari was ready to sail west across the sea to meet Earl
Sigurd.

Then Eric made a feast for Kari, and gave him gifts, and Njal's
sons gifts too.  After that Kari fared west across the sea, and
met Earl Sigurd, and he greeted them very well, and they were
with the earl that winter.

But when the spring came, Kari asked Njal's sons to go on warfare
with him, but Grim said they would only do so if he would fare
with them afterwards out to Iceland.  Kari gave his word to do
that, and then they fared with him a-searoving.  They harried
south about Anglesea and all the Southern isles.  Thence they
held on to Cantyre, and landed there, and fought with the
landsmen, and got thence much goods, and so fared to their ships.
Thence they fared south to Wales, and harried there.  Then
they held on for Alan, and there they met Godred, and fought with
him, and got the victory, and slew Dungal the king's son.  There
they took great spoil.  Thence they held on north to Coll, and
found Earl Gilli there, and he greeted them well and there they
stayed with him a while.  The earl fared with them to the Orkneys
to meet Earl Sigurd, but next spring Earl Sigurd gave away his
sister Nereida to Earl Gilli, and then he fared back to the
Southern isles.




89. NJAL'S SONS AND KARI COME OUT TO ICELAND

That summer Kari and Njal's sons busked them for Iceland, and
when they were "all-boun" they went to see the earl.  The earl
gave them good gifts, and they parted with great friendship.

Now they put to sea and have a short passage, and they got a fine
fair breeze, and made the land at Eyrar.  Then they got them
horses and ride from the ship to Bergthorsknoll, but when they
came home all men were glad to see them.  They flitted home their
goods and laid up the ship, and Kari was there that winter with
Njal.

But the spring after, Kari asked for Njal's daughter, Helga, to
wife, and Helgi and Grim backed his suit; and so the end of it
was that she was betrothed to Kari and the day for the wedding-
feast was fixed, and the feast was held half a month before
mid-summer, and they were that winter with Njal.

Then Kari bought him land at Dyrholms, east away by Mydale, and
set up a farm there; they put in there a grieve and housekeeper
to see after the farm, but they themselves were ever with Njal.




90. THE QUARREL OF NJAL'S SONS WITH THRAIN SIGFUS' SON

Hrapp owned a farm at Hrappstede, but for all that he was always
at Gritwater, and he was thought to spoil everything there.
Thrain was good to him.

Once on a time it happened that Kettle of the Mark was at
Bergthorsknoll; then Njal's sons told him of their wrongs and
hardships, and said they had much to lay at Thrain Sigfus son's
door, whenever they chose to speak about it.

Njal said it would be best that Kettle should talk with his
brother Thrain about it, and he gave his word to do so.

So they gave Kettle breathing-time to talk to Thrain.

A little after they spoke of the matter again to Kettle, but he
said that he would repeat few of the words that had passed
between them, "For it was pretty plain that Thrain thought I set
too great store on being your brother-in-law."

Then they dropped talking about it, and thought they saw that
things looked ugly, and so they asked their father for his
counsel as to what was to be done, but they told him they would
not let things rest as they then stood.

"Such things," said Njal, "are not so strange.  It will be
thought that they are slain without a cause, if they are slain
now, and my counsel is, that as many men as may be should be
brought to talk with them about these things, and thus as many as
we can find may be ear-witnesses if they answer ill as to these
things.  Then Kari shall talk about them too, for he is just the
man with the right turn of mind for this; then the dislike
between you will grow and grow, for they will heap bad words on
bad words when men bring the matter forward, for they are foolish
men.  It may also well be that it may be said that my sons are
slow to take up a quarrel, but ye shall bear that for the sake of
gaining time, for there are two sides to everything that is done,
and ye can always pick a quarrel; but still ye shall let so much
of your purpose out, as to say that if any wrong be put upon you
that ye do mean something.  But if ye had taken counsel from me
at first, then these things should never have been spoken about
at all, and then ye would have gotten no disgrace from them; but
now ye have the greatest risk of it, and so it will go on ever
growing and growing with your disgrace, that ye will never get
rid of it until ye bring yourselves into a strait, and have to
fight your way out with weapons; but in that there is a long and
weary night in which ye will have to grope your way."

After that they ceased speaking about it; but the matter became
the daily talk of many men.

One day it happened that those brothers spoke to Kari and bade
him go to Gritwater.  Kari said he thought he might go
elsewhither on a better journey, but still he would go if that
were Njal's counsel.  So after that Kari fares to meet Thrain,
and then they talk over the matter, and they did not each look at
it in the same way.

Kari comes home, and Njal's sons ask how things had gone between
Thrain and him.  Kari said he would rather not repeat the words
that had passed, "But," he went on, "it is to be looked for that
the like words will be spoken when ye yourselves can hear them."

Thrain had fifteen house-carles trained to arms in his house, and
eight of them rode with him whithersoever he went.  Thrain was
very fond of show and dress, and always rode in a blue cloak, and
had on a gilded helm, and the spear -- the earl's gift -- in his
hand, and a fair shield, and a sword at his belt.  Along with him
always went Gunnar Lambi's son, and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Grani
Gunnar of Lithend's son.  But nearest of all to him went Killing-
Hrapp.  Lodinn was the name of his serving-man, he too went with
Thrain when he journeyed; Tjorvi was the name of Lodinn's
brother, and he too was one of Thrain's band.  The worst of all,
in their words against Njal's sons, were Hrapp and Grani; and it
was mostly their doing that no atonement was offered to them.

Njal's sons often spoke to Kari that he should ride with them;
and it came to that at last, for he said it would be well that
they heard Thrain's answer.

Then they busked them, four of Njal's sons, and Kari the fifth,
and so they fare to Gritwater.

There was a wide porch in the homestead there, so that many men
might stand in it side by side.  There was a woman out of doors,
and she saw their coming, and told Thrain of it; he bade them to
go out into the porch, and take their arms, and they did so.

Thrain stood in mid-door, but Killing-Hrapp and Grani Gunnar's
son stood on either hand of him; then next stood Gunnar Lambi's
son, then Lodinn and Tjorvi, then Lambi Sigurd's son; then each
of the others took his place right and left; for the house-carles
were all at home.

Skarphedinn and his men walk up from below, and he went first,
then Kari, then Hauskuld, then Grim, then Helgi.  But when they
had come up to the door, then not a word of welcome passed the
lips of those who stood before them.

"May we all be welcome here?" said Skarphedinn.

Hallgerda stood in the porch, and had been talking low to Hrapp,
then she spoke out loud: "None of those who are here will say
that ye are welcome."

Then Skarphedinn sang a song:

     "Prop of sea-waves' fire (1), thy fretting
     Cannot cast a weight on us,
     Warriors wight; yes, wolf and eagle
     Willingly I feed to-day;
     Carline thrust into the ingle,
     Or a tramping whore, art thou;
     Lord of skates that skim the sea-belt (2),
     Odin's mocking cup (3) I mix"

"Thy words," said Skarphedinn, "will not be worth much, for thou
art either a hag, only fit to sit in the ingle, or a harlot."

"These words of thine thou shalt pay for," she says, "ere thou
farest home."

"Thee am I come to see, Thrain," said Helgi, "and to know if thou
wilt make me any amends for those wrongs and hardships which
befell me for thy sake in Norway."

"I never knew," said Thrain, "that ye two brothers were wont to
measure your manhood by money; or, how long shall such a claim
for amends stand over?"

"Many will say," says Helgi, "that thou oughtest to offer us
atonement, since thy life was at stake."

Then Hrapp said, "'Twas just luck that swayed the balance, when
he got stripes who ought to bear them; and she dragged you under
disgrace and hardships, but us away from them."

"Little good luck was there in that," says Helgi, "to break faith
with the earl, and to take to thee instead."

"Thinkest thou not that thou hast some amends to seek from me,"
says Hrapp.  "I will atone thee in a way that, methinks, were
fitting."

"The only dealings we shall have," says Helgi, "will be those
which will not stand thee in good stead."

"Don't bandy words with Hrapp," said Skarphedinn, "but give him a
red skin for a grey." (4)

"Hold thy tongue, Skarphedinn," said Hrapp, "or I will not spare
to bring my axe on thy head."

"'Twill be proved soon enough, I dare say," says Skarphedinn,
"which of us is to scatter gravel over the other's head."

"Away with you home, ye `Dungbeardlings!'" says Hallgerda, "and
so we will call you always from this day forth; but your father
we will call `the Beardless Carle.'"

They did not fare home before all who were there had made
themselves guilty of uttering those words, save Thrain; he
forbade men to utter them.

Then Njal's sons went away, and fared till they came home, then
they told their father.

"Did ye call any men to witness of those words?" says Njal.

"We called none," says Skarphedinn; "we do not mean to follow
that suit up except on the battle-field."

"No one will now think," says Bergthora, "that ye have the heart
to lift your weapons."

"Spare thy tongue, mistress!" says Kari, "in egging on thy sons,
for they will be quite eager enough."

After that they all talk long in secret, Njal and his sons, and
Kari Solmund's son, their brother-in-law.


ENDNOTES:

(1)  "Prop of sea-waves' fire," a periphrasis for woman that
     bears gold on her arm.
(2)  "Skates that skim." etc.. a periphrasis for ships.
(3)  "Odin's mocking cup," mocking songs.
(4)  An allusion to the Beast Epic, where the cunning fox laughs
     at the flayed condition of his stupid foes, the wolf and
     bear.  We should say, "Don't stop to speak with him, but
     rather beat him black and blue."




91. THRAIN SIGFUS' SON'S SLAYING

Now there was great talk about this quarrel of theirs, and all
seemed to know that it would not settle down peacefully.

Runolf, the son of Wolf Aurpriest, east in the Dale, was a great
friend of Thrain's, and had asked Thrain to come and see him, and
it was settled that he should come east when about three weeks or
a month were wanting to winter.

Thrain bade Hrapp, and Grani, and Gunnar Lambi's son, and Lambi
Sigurd's son, and Lodinn, and Tjorvi, eight of them in all, to go
on this journey with him.  Hallgerda and Thorgerda were to go
too.  At the same time Thrain gave it out that he meant to stay
in the Mark with his brother Kettle, and said how many nights he
meant to be away from home.

They all of them had full arms.  So they rode east across
Markfleet, and found there some gangrel women, and they begged
them to put them across the Fleet west on their horses, and they
did so.

Then they rode into the Dale, and had a hearty welcome; there
Kettle of the Mark met them, and there they sate two nights.

Both Runolf and Kettle besought Thrain that he would make up his
quarrel with Njal's sons; but he said he would never pay any
money, and answered crossly, for he said he thought himself quite
a match for Njal's sons wherever they met.

"So it may be," says Runolf; "but so far as I can see, no man has
been their match since Gunnar of Lithend died and it is likelier
that ye will both drag one another down to death."

Thrain said that was not to be dreaded.

Then Thrain fared up into the Mark, and was there two nights
more; after that he rode down into the Dale, and was sent away
from both houses with fitting gifts.

Now the Markfleet was then flowing between sheets of ice on both
sides, and there were tongues of ice bridging it across every
here and there.

Thrain said that he meant to ride home that evening, but Runolf
said that he ought not to ride home; he said, too, that it would
be more wary not to fare back as he had said he would before he
left home.

"That is fear, and I will none of it," answers Thrain.

Now those gangrel women whom they had put across the Fleet came
to Bergthorsknoll, and Bergthora asked whence they came, but they
answered, "Away east under Eyjafell."

"Then, who put you across Markfleet?" said Bergthora.

"Those," said they, "who were the most boastful and bravest clad
of men."

"Who?" asked Bergthora.

"Thrain Sigfus' son," said they, "and his company, but we thought
it best to tell thee that they were so full-tongued towards this
house, against thy husband and his sons."

"Listeners do not often hear good of themselves," says Bergthora.
After that they went their way, and Bergthora gave them gifts on
their going, and asked them when Thrain might be coming home.

They said that he would be from home four or five nights.

After that Bergthora told her sons and her son-in-law Kari, and
they talked long and low about the matter.

But that same morning when Thrain and his men rode from the east,
Njal woke up early and heard how Skarphedinn's axe came against
the panel.

Then Njal rises up, and goes out, and sees that his sons are all
there with their weapons, and Kari, his son-in-law too.
Skarphedinn was foremost.  He was in a blue cape, and had a
targe, and his axe aloft on his shoulder.  Next to him went
Helgi; he was in a red kirtle, had a helm on his head, and a red
shield, on which a hart was marked.  Next to him went Kari; he
had on a silken jerkin, a gilded helm and shield, and on it was
drawn a lion.  They were all in bright holiday clothes.

Njal called out to Skarphedinn, "Whither art thou going,
kinsman?"

"On a sheep hunt," he said.

"So it was once before," said Njal, "but then ye hunted men."

Skarphedinn laughed at that, and said, "Hear ye what the old man
says?  He is not without his doubts."

"When was it that thou spokest thus before," asks Kari.

"When I slew Sigmund the White," says Skarphedinn, "Gunnar of
Lithend's kinsman."

"For what?" asks Kari.

"He had slain Thord Freedmanson, my foster-father."

Njal went home, but they fared up into the Redslips, and bided
there; thence they could see the others as soon as ever they rode
from the east out of the Dale.

There was sunshine that day and bright weather.

Now Thrain and his men ride down out of the Dale along the river
bank.

Lambi Sigurd's son said, "Shields gleam away yonder in the
Redslips when the sun shines on them, and there must be some men
lying in wait there."

"Then," says Thrain, "we will turn our way lower down the Fleet,
and then they will come to meet us if they have any business with
us."

So they turn down the Fleet.  "Now they have caught sight of us,"
said Skarphedinn, "for lo! they turn their path elsewhither, and
now we have no other choice than to run down and meet them."

"Many men," said Kari, "would rather not lie in wait if the
balance of force were not more on their side than it is on ours;
they are eight, but we are five."

Now they turn down along the Fleet, and see a tongue of ice
bridging the stream lower down and mean to cross there.

Thrain and his men take their stand upon the ice away from the
tongue, and Thrain said, "What can these men want?  They are
five, and we are eight."

"I guess," said Lambi Sigurd's son, "that they would still run
the risk though more men stood against them."

Thrain throws off his cloak, and takes off his helm.

Now it happened to Skarphedinn, as they ran down along the Fleet,
that his shoe-string snapped asunder, and he stayed behind.

"Why so slow, Skarphedinn?" quoth Grim.

"I am tying my shoe," he says.

"Let us get on ahead," says Kari; "methinks he will not be slower
than we."

So they turn off to the tongue, and run as fast as they can.
Skarphedinn sprang up as soon as he was ready, and had lifted his
axe, "the ogress of war," aloft, and runs right down to the
Fleet.  But the Fleet was so deep that there was no fording it
for a long way up or down.

A great sheet of ice had been thrown up by the flood on the other
side of the Fleet as smooth and slippery as glass, and there
Thrain and his men stood in the midst of the sheet.

Skarphedinn takes a spring into the air, and leaps over the
stream between the icebanks, and does not check his course, but
rushes still onwards with a slide.  The sheet of ice was very
slippery, and so he went as fast as a bird flies.  Thrain was
just about to put his helm on his head; and now Skarphedinn bore
down on them, and hews at Thrain with his axe, "the ogress of
war," and smote him on the head, and clove him down to the teeth,
so that his jaw-teeth fell out on the ice.  This feat was done
with such a quick sleight that no one could get a blow at him; he
glided away from them at once at full speed.  Tjorvi, indeed,
threw his shield before him on the ice, but he leapt over it, and
still kept his feet, and slid quite to the end of the sheet of
ice.

There Kari and his brothers came to meet him.

"This was done like a man," says Kari.

"Your share is still left," says Skarphedinn, and sang a song:

     "To the strife of swords not slower,
     After all, I came than you,
     For with ready stroke the sturdy
     Squanderer of wealth I felled;
     But since Grim's and Helgi's sea-stag (1)
     Norway's Earl erst took and stripped,
     Now 'tis time for sea-fire bearers (2)
     Such dishonour to avenge."

And this other song he sang:

     "Swiftly down I dashed my weapon,
     Gashing giant, byrnie-breacher (3),
     She, the noisy ogre's namesake (4),
     Soon with flesh the ravens glutted;
     Now your words to Hrapp remember,
     On broad ice now rouse the storm,
     With dull crash war's eager ogress
     Battle's earliest note hath sung."

"That befits us well, and we will do it well," says Helgi.

Then they turn up towards them.  Both Grim and Helgi see where
Hrapp is, and they turned on him at once.  Hrapp hews at Grim
there and then with his axe; Helgi sees this and cuts at Hrapp's
arm, and cut it off, and down fell the axe.

"In this," says Hrapp, "thou hast done a most needful work, for
this hand hath wrought harm and death to many a man."

"And so here an end shall be put to it," says Grim; and with
that he ran him through with a spear, and then Hrapp fell down
dead.

Tjorvi turns against Kari and hurls a spear at him.  Kari leapt
up in the air, and the spear flew below his feet.  Then Kari
rushes at him, and hews at him on the breast with his sword, and
the blow passed at once into his chest, and he got his death
there and then.

Then Skarphedinn seizes both Gunnar Lambi's son, and Grani
Gunnar's son, and said, "Here have I caught two whelps!  but what
shall we do with them?

"It is in thy power," says Helgi, "to slay both or either of
them, if you wish them dead."

"I cannot find it in my heart to do both -- help Hogni and slay
his brother," says Skarphedinn.

"Then the day will once come," says Helgi, "when thou wilt wish
that thou hadst slain him, for never will he be true to thee, nor
will any one of the others who are now here."

"I shall not fear them," answers Skarphedinn.

After that they gave peace to Grani Gunnar's son, and Gunnar
Lambi's son, and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Lodinn.

After that they went down to the Fleet where Skarphedinn had
leapt over it, and Kari and the others measured the length of the
leap with their spear-shafts, and it was twelve ells (5).

Then they turned homewards, and Njal asked what tidings.  They
told him all just as it had happened, and Njal said, "These are
great tidings, and it is more likely that hence will come the
death of one of my sons, if not more evil."

Gunnar Lambi's son bore the body of Thrain with him to Gritwater,
and he was laid in a cairn there.


ENDNOTES:

(1)  "Sea-stag," periphrasis for ship.
(2)  "Sea-fire bearers," the bearers of gold, men, that is, Helgi
     and Grim.
(3)  "Byrnie-breacher," piercer of coats of mail.
(4)  "Noisy ogre's namesake," an allusion to the name of Skarp
     hedinn's axe, "the ogress of war."
(5)  Twelve ells, about twenty-four feet (the Norse ell being
     something more than two feet), a good jump, but not beyond
     the power of man.  Comp.  "Orkn. Saga", ch. 113, new ed.,
     vol. i., 457, where Earl Harold leaps nine ells over a dike.




92. KETTLE TAKES HAUSKULD AS HIS FOSTER-SON

Kettle of the Mark had to wife Thorgerda Njal's daughter, but he
was Thrain's brother, and he thought he was come into a strait,
so he rode to Njal's house, and asked whether he were willing to
atone in any way for Thrain's slaying?

"I will atone for it handsomely," answered Njal; "and my wish is
that thou shouldst look after the matter with thy brothers who
have to take the price of the atonement, that they may be ready
to join in it."

Kettle said he would do so with all his heart, and Kettle rode
home first; a little after, he summoned all his brothers to
Lithend, and then he had a talk with them; and Hogni was on his
side all through the talk; and so it came about that men were
chosen to utter the award; and a meeting was agreed on, and the
fair price of a man was awarded for Thrain's slaying, and they
all had a share in the blood-money who had a lawful right to it.
After that pledges of peace and good faith were agreed to, and
they were settled in the most sure and binding way.

Njal paid down all the money out of hand well and bravely; and so
things were quiet for a while.

One day Njal rode up into the Mark, and he and Kettle talked
together the whole day; Njal rode home at even, and no man knew
of what they had taken counsel.

A little after Kettle fares to Gritwater, and he said to
Thorgerda, "Long have I loved my brother Thrain much, and now I
will shew it, for I will ask Hauskuld Thrain's son to be my
foster-child."

"Thou shalt have thy choice of this," she says; "and thou shalt
give this lad all the help in thy power when he is grown up, and
avenge him if he is slain with weapons, and bestow money on him
for his wife's dower; and besides, thou shalt swear to do all
this."

Now Hauskuld fares home with Kettle, and is with him some time.




93.  NJAL TAKES HAUSKULD TO FOSTER

Once on a time Njal rides up into the Mark, and he had a hearty
welcome.  He was there that night, and in the evening Njal called
out to the lad Hauskuld, and he went up to him at once.

Njal had a ring of gold on his hand, and showed it to the lad.
He took hold of the gold, and looked at it, and put it on his
finger.

"Wilt thou take the gold as a gift?" said Njal.

"That I will," said the lad.

"Knowest thou," says Njal, "what brought thy father to his
death?"

"I know," answers the lad, "that Skarphedinn slew him; but we
need not keep that in mind, when an atonement has been made for
it, and a full price paid for him."

"Better answered than asked," said Njal; "and thou wilt live to
be a good man and true," he adds.

"Methinks thy forecasting," says Hauskuld, "is worth having, for
I know that thou art foresighted and unlying."

"Now will I offer to foster thee," said Njal, "if thou wilt take
the offer."

He said he would be willing to take both that honour and any
other good offer which he might make.  So the end of the matter
was, that Hauskuld fared home with Njal as his foster-son.

He suffered no harm to come nigh the lad, and loved him much.
Njal's sons took him about with them, and did him honour in every
way.  And so things go on till Hauskuld is full grown.  He was
both tall and strong; the fairest of men to look on, and well
haired; blithe of speech, bountiful, well behaved; as well
trained to arms as the best; fairspoken to all men, and much
beloved.

Njal's sons and Hauskuld were never apart, either in word or
deed.




94. OF FLOSI THORD'S SON

There was a man named Flosi, he was the son of Thord Freyspriest
(1).  Flosi had to wife Steinvora, daughter of Hall of the Side.
She was base born, and her mother's name was Solvora, daughter of
Herjolf the White.  Flosi dwelt at Swinefell, and was a mighty
chief.  He was tall of stature, and strong, withal, the most
forward and boldest of men.  His brother's name was Starkad (2);
he was not by the same mother as Flosi.

The other brothers of Flosi were Thorgeir and Stein, Kolbein and
Egil.  Hildigunna was the name of the daughter of Starkad Flosi's
brother.  She was a proud, high-spirited maiden, and one of the
fairest of women.  She was so skilful with her hands, that few
women were equally skilful.  She was the grimmest and hardest-
hearted of all women; but still a woman of open hand and heart
when any fitting call was made upon her.


ENDNOTES:

(1)  Thord was the son of Auzur, the son of Asbjorn Eyjangr the
     son of Bjorn, the son of Helgi, the son of Bjorn the
     Roughfooted, the son of Grim, the Lord of Sogn.  The mother
     of Flosi was Ingunna, daughter of Thorir of Espihole, the
     son of Hamond Hellskin, the son of Hjor, the son of Half,
     who ruled over the men of Half, the son of Hjorfeif, the
     lover of women.  The mother of Thorir was Ingunna, daughter
     of Helgi the Lean, who took the land round Eyjafirth, as the
     first settler.
(2)  The mother of Starkad was Thraslauga, daughter of Thorstein
     titling the son of Gerleif; but the mother of Thraslauga was
     Aud; she was a daughter of Eyvind Karf, one of the first
     settlers, and sister of Modolf the Wise.

 82 - Thrain heads to Norway and is summoned by the king, Earl Hakon. Thrain says he is a close kinsman of Gunnar, and the earl lets him live there for the winter. A viking named Kol sets up an attack on Hallvard; though he surrenders, they set his hall on fire anyway, killing him in the worst imaginable way. The earl places a price on Kol's head and declares him an outlaw. Thrain offers to help, but his son Eirik reminds him that he's been "uneven in carrying out" and this is the most difficult one he will ever take on. They head out with Gunnar Lambason and Lambi Sigurdarson. They find Kol in Denmark wearing a golden helmet. Kol kills many of Thrain's men, but after he smashes Thrain's shield, Thrain knocks out his sword with a stone and cuts off his leg. In the end, Thrain keeps Kol's head and throws the body in the sea. The earl gives Thrain a ship, the Griffin, which they take to visit the Swedish king with the earl. 83 - Grim and Helgi Njalsson get caught in many gales and thick fog on their trip and wind up on some foreign land. A massive fleet of viking ships comes toward them one morning; before they can make up their minds as to what to do, they are confronted with a choice: give up their property and live, or die in battle. They choose to defend themselves. Helgi shouts to obscure the grumblings of his merchant crew. 84 - The uneven battle begins. Another fleet arrives and asks Helgi who the contenders are in this fight. The captain's name is Kari and he is from the Hebrides; his fleet joins in on the merchants' side. Kari heroically kills the leading viking, Snaekolf, by pushing a boom across the ship at him; then, when his sword was stuck in the boom, Kari slices his arm off. He then narrowly avoids being impaled by a spear. The rest of the vikings beg for peace, and it is given to them. The Njalssons take much booty. 85 - Kari Solmundarson is a follower of Sigurd, the earl of Orkney, and the Njalssons decide to take their crew there. They find out that they had fought in the Scottish firths. Helgi becomes silent for the winter, and the earl inquires about this. Helgi says that the Scots have invaded and killed a man in charge on the coast. The earl is incredulous that Helgi has second sight--the ability to see the future--but he is urged to believe it, since Njal also has second sigh. 86 - The earl goes with the Njalssons to the coast to protect it against the intruders. Kari catches a spear thrown at him by Earl Melsnati and sends it right back through him. They fight intensely, but they turn back once they find out that a larger army is being built as a reinforcement unit. Later that year, the Njalssons go on several successful raids with Kari. They decide to leave for Norway in the spring with the earl's permission. He gives them his blessing and a ship. Kari says he will be coming later that summer with tribute money for Earl Hakon. They agree to meet at that time. 87 - A man named Kolbein is approached by Hrapp, killer of Olvir's son, to board his ship. When Kolbein takes him on the ship, Hrapp reveals that he has left his money back in Iceland and must pay him back later. Kolbein advises Hrapp to never betray the lord when he gets off in Norway. He comes to Gudbrand, a host of many men with a good reputation. When Gudbrand finds out that Hrapp has been aiming to seduce his daughter, Gudrun, he sends one of his servants to follow her everywhere she goes. This ends poorly when Hrapp and Gudrun are found lying together in some bushes: the servant tries to kill Hrapp, but instead winds up dead himself. Gudrun tells Hrapp she is pregnant. Hrapp confesses to Gudbrand what he has done, but does so in a mischievous and proud way. Gudbrand has him chased out of the hall. Hrapp runs into the forest until he finds a small abode owned by a man named Tofi. He wisely assesses that Tofi would not be living so far from other men if he did not have reason to be a recluse. Hrapp stays with the man and manages to continue seeing Gudrun. Earl Hakon sets a price on Hrapp's head. 88 - The Njalssons go to Norway to trade. Hrapp enters a private temple jointly owned by Gudbrand and Earl Hakon, and he takes many valuable items from it. He is ambushed outside the templel he manages to kill three of the attackers, and he chases the others into the forest so they cannot tell the earl. He decides not to kill Thrand, although he has given him a mortal wound already. The earl discovers the ravaged temple and sends another crew out to find Hrapp. They are unsuccessful, but they finally realize that Hrapp is right in front of them, hiding the whole time. He runs off swiftly and finds the Njalssons about to set sail. They reject him. He approaches Thrain further down the shore instead. He offers him the treasures he has stolen, so Thrain accepts him. The earl approaches the Njalssons; after heated discussion, they decide not to tell him about Hrapp's whereabouts because it is none of their business to get Thrain in trouble. When they approach Thrain, he recalls killing an outlaw for the earl and denies that Hrapp is aboard. The earl is discontented and asks to see the Njalssons again to force the truth out of them, but they've already left. The earl then spots two barrels which must be hiding Hrapp by Thrain's ship. The earl searches Thrain's ship, knowing for a fact that Hrapp is aboard, but he cannot find him because he has been moved in between sacks and out of the barrel. The earl leaves, but soon comes back again, very angry. Everybody thinks the earl has gone mad at this point, thinking Thrain is innocent. They search the ship again. They've moved Hrapp to the sail; the earl does not realize this until they've left. He predicts that Thrain and Hrapp's friendship will lead to both of their deaths. When Hrapp and Thrain get back to Iceland, Thrain gives him a piece of land and Hrapp begins to seduce Hallgerd. 89 - Earl Hakon says he wants to attack the Njalssons although his son advises against it since they were innocent in the matter with Hrapp. They intercept the Njalssons' ship, and the earl offers safe passage to any of those who will abandon Helgi Njalsson. Nobody takes him upon this offer. The Njalssons kill Egil and a persistent fighter named Aslak, but they are finally captured. Hakon's son, Svein, recommends they execute them tomorrow. At night, Helgi and Grim plot to escape by cutting their ropes with a loose axe. Helgi cuts his arm badly, but they escape. At dawn, they see Kari's ship coming, and they tell him of their situation. He appreciates their side of things but says that the earl cannot be killed. The earl awakes and approaches Kari, asking if he intended to attack his ship. The earl's other son, Eirik, says this is an unfair question, and that they should instead ask forgiveness from the Njalssons and go on their way. They accept this settlement from Eirik, but not from the earl. Eirik offers to house them and they also accept. Next, Kari and the Njalssons head to Earl Sigurd's, where they go on raids fighting alongside and against many earls and kings. 90 - Kari and the Njalssons return to Iceland, and Kari asks to marry Njal's daughter, Helga. This wish is granted. 91 - Ketil of Mork tells Njal about the Njalssons' shameful treatment in Norway, and Njal recommends that Ketil talk to his brother, Thrain. However, Thrain does not accept Ketil's reprimands. Njal recommends that Kari reprimand them, knowing that it may end in strong tension. Kari finally goes to Thrain and it does not go well. He is unwilling to repeat what Thrain has said to him, just as Ketil was unwilling earlier. Thrain likes to ride out in a black cloak and gilded helmet, a "great one for show" . Thrain's gang of men includes Grani Gunnarsson and Lambi Sigurdarson, as well as Killer-Hrapp. Grojta is where Hrapp spends most of his time, so finally the Njalssons come there with Kari. Hallgerd stands on the porch and says that they are not welcome. The Njalssons argue with Thrain that he owes his life to their actions, but he is belligerent--as is Hrapp. Hallgerd dismisses the 'Dung-beardlings', as he and the rest of his men call them. They tell Njal, who asks about witnesses, but the Njalssons do not want to settle in court. 92 - Thrain and his men leave to visit his brother Ketil at Mork. There, Runolf and Ketil try to convince him to make peace with the Njalssons, warning that lives will be lost otherwise. Thrain does not care. Bergthora meets some women who were helped by the Sigfussons across a river, and they complain about how aggressively the men talked about the Njalssons. Bergthora transmits the knowledge of the Sigfussons' whereabouts to Kari in secret. That night, Njal hears Skarphedin's axe hit the wall outside, and he goes to see what is the matter. All the Njalssons and Kari are dressed in full armor. Skarphedin says they are going to look for sheep. Naturally, Njal recognizes this excuse from the last time they snuck out. The men wait on a hill for them, but they are seen. Thrain cannot determine the identities of these men, however, and is confused by their presence. As the Njalssons run down toward the river, Skarphedin's shoestring snaps and he must fall back. When they get to the river, they see Thrain and his men on the other side. Skarphedin leaps over it, seeing that it is too deep to ford. Before Thrain can put on his helmet, Skarphedin drives his axe down onto his head and "the molars fell out on the ice" . Hrapp attacks Grim and Helgi, but they disable him right away, cutting off his arm. Hrapp pleads with them saying that revenge has been taken, for it was his cut-off arm that had killed and wounded so many. Grim thrusts his spear into Hrapp to kill him. They spare Grani Gunnarsson because his brother Hogni is on their side. 93 - Since Ketil of Mork is Thrain's brother but also married to Njal's daughter Thorgerd, he is in a difficult position. He asks Njal for a settlement, which is given on the condition that Ketil convince his other brothers to agree to the settlement. In the saga's words: "After that a state of peace was declared and secured as well as possible" . Ketil offers to foster Hoskuld, Thrain's son. Thorgerd agrees to this on the condition of absolute loyalty to the boy if anything should happen. 94 - Njal comes to Mork and gives Hoskuld, Jr. a golden ring as a gift. He offers to foster-father the boy as well, and he takes him back to his home where he grows up with the Njalssons. Hoskuld grows up to be big, strong, handsome, even-tempered, and well-liked by everybody.

