Chapter: 124. OF PORTENTS

At Reykium on Skeid dwelt one Runolf Thorstein's son.  His son's
name was Hildiglum.  He went out on the night of the Lord's day,
when nine weeks were still to winter; he heard a great crash, so
that he thought both heaven and earth shook.  Then he looked into
the west "airt," and he thought he saw thereabouts a ring of
fiery hue, and within the ring a man on a grey horse.  He passed
quickly by him, and rode hard.  He had a flaming firebrand in his
hand, and he rode so close to him that he could see him plainly.
He was as black as pitch, and he sung this song with a mighty
voice:

     "Here I ride swift steed,
     His Bank flecked with rime,
     Rain from his mane drips,
     Horse mighty for harm;
     Flames flare at each end,
     Gall glows in the midst,
     So fares it with Flosi's redes
     As this flaming brand flies;
     And so fares it with Flosi's redes
     As this flaming brand flies."

Then he thought he hurled the firebrand east towards the fells
before him, and such a blaze of fire leapt up to meet it that he
could not see the fells for the blaze.  It seemed as though that
man rode east among the flames and vanished there.

After that he went to his bed, and was senseless a long time,
but at last he came to himself.  He bore in mind all that had
happened, and told his father, but he bade him tell it to Hjallti
Skeggi's son.  So he went and told Hjallti, but he said he had
seen "`the Wolf's ride,' and that comes ever before great
tidings."




125. FLOSI'S JOURNEY FROM HOME

Flosi busked him from the east when two months were still to
winter, and summoned to him all his men who had promised him help
and company.  Each of them had two horses and good weapons, and
they all came to Swinefell, and were there that night.

Flosi made them say prayers betimes on the Lord's day, and
afterwards they sate down to meat.  He spoke to his household,
and told them what work each was to do while he was away.  After
that he went to his horses.

Flosi and his men rode first west on the Sand (1).  Flosi bade
them not to ride too hard at first; but said they would do well
enough at that pace, and he bade all to wait for the others if
any of them had need to stop.  They rode west to Woodcombe, and
came to Kirkby.  Flosi there bade all men to come into the
church, and pray to God, and men did so.

After that they mounted their horses, and rode on the fell, and
so to Fishwaters, and rode a little to the west of the lakes, and
so struck down west on to the Sand (2).  Then they left Eyjafell
Jokul on their left hand, and so came down into Godaland, and so
on to Markfleet, and came about nones (3) on the second day of
the week to Threecorner ridge, and waited till mid-even.  Then
all had came thither save Ingialld of the Springs.

The sons of Sigfus spoke much ill of him, but Flosi bade them not
blame Ingialld when he was not by, "But we will pay him for this
hereafter."


ENDNOTES:

(1)  "Sand," Skeidara sand.
(2)  "Sand," Maelifell's sand.
(3)  "Nones," the well-known canonical hour of the day, the ninth
     hour from six a.m., that is, about three o'clock when one of
     the church services took place.




126. OF PORTENTS AT BERGTHORSKNOLL

Now we must take up the story, and turn to Bergthorsknoll, and
say that Grim and Helgi go to Holar.  They had children out at
foster there, and they told their mother that they should not
come home that evening.  They were in Holar all the day, and
there came some poor women and said they had come from far.
Those brothers asked them for tidings, and they said they had no
tidings to tell, "But still we might tell you one bit of news."

They asked what that might be, and bade them not hide it.  They
said so it should be.

"We came down out of Fleetlithe, and we saw all the sons of
Sigfus riding fully armed -- they made for Threecorner ridge, and
were fifteen in company.  We saw too Grani Gunnar's son and
Gunnar Lambi's son, and they were five in all.  They took the
same road, and one may say now that the whole country-side is
faring and flitting about."

"Then," said Helgi Njal's son, "Flosi must have come from the
east, and they must have all gone to meet him, and we two, Grim,
should be where Skarphedinn is."

Grim said so it ought to be, and they fared home.

That same evening Bergthora spoke to her household, and said,
"Now shall ye choose your meat to-night, so that each may have
what he likes best; for this evening is the last that I shall set
meat before my household."

"That shall not be," they said.

"It will be though," she says, "and I could tell you much more
if I would, but this shall be a token, that Grim and Helgi will
be home ere men have eaten their full to-night; and if this turns
out so, then the rest that I say will happen too."

After that she set meat on the board, and Njal said "Wondrously
now it seems to me.  Methinks I see all round the room, and it
seems as though the gable wall were thrown down, but the whole
board and the meat on it is one gore of blood."

All thought this strange but Skarphedinn, he bade men not be
downcast, nor to utter other unseemly sounds, so that men might
make a story out of them.

"For it befits us surely more than other men to bear us well, and
it is only what is looked for from us."

Grim and Helgi came home ere the board was cleared, and men were
much struck at that.  Njal asked why they had returned so quickly
but they told what they had heard.

Njal bade no man go to sleep, but to be ware of themselves.




127. THE ONSLAUGHT (1) ON BERGTHORSKNOLL

Now Flosi speaks to his men, "Now we will ride to Bergthorsknoll,
and come thither before supper-time."

They do so.  There was a dell in the knoll, and they rode
thither, and tethered their horses there, and stayed there till
the evening was far spent.

Then Flosi said, "Now we will go straight up to the house, and
keep close, and walk slow, and see what counsel they will take."

Njal stood out of doors, and his sons, and Kari and all the
serving-men, and they stood in array to meet them in the yard,
and they were near thirty of them.

Flosi halted and said, "Now we shall see what counsel they take,
for it seems to me, if they stand out of doors to meet us, as
though we should never get the mastery over them."

"Then is our journey bad," says Grani Gunnar's son, "if we are
not to dare to fall on them."

"Nor shall that be," says Flosi; "for we will fall on them though
they stand out of doors; but we shall pay that penalty, that many
will not go away to tell which side won the day."

Njal said to his men, "See ye now what a great band of men they
have."

"They have both a great and well-knit band," says Skarphedinn;
"but this is why they make a halt now, because they think it will
be a hard struggle to master us."

"That cannot be why they halt," says Njal; "and my will is that
our men go indoors, for they had hard work to master Gunnar of
Lithend, though he was alone to meet them; but here is a strong
house as there was there, and they will be slow to come to close
quarters."

"This is not to be settled in that wise," says Skarphedinn, "for
those chiefs fell on Gunnar's house, who were so nobleminded,
that they would rather turn back than burn him, house and all;
but these will fall on us at once with fire, if they cannot get
at us in any other way, for they will leave no stone unturned to
get the better of us; and no doubt they think, as is not
unlikely, that it will be their deaths if we escape out of their
hands.  Besides, I am unwilling to let myself be stifled indoors
like a fox in his earth."

"Now," said Njal, "as often it happens, my sons, ye set my
counsel at naught, and show me no honour, but when ye were
younger ye did not so, and then your plans were better
furthered."

"Let us do," said Helgi, "as our father wills; that will be best
for us."

"I am not so sure of that," says Skarphedinn, "for now he is
`fey'; but still I may well humour my father in this, by being
burnt indoors along with him, for I am not afraid of my death."

Then he said to Kari, "Let us stand by one another well, brother-
in-law, so that neither parts from the other."

"That I have made up my mind to do," says Kari; "but if it should
be otherwise doomed, -- well!  then it must be as it must be, and
I shall not be able to fight against it."

"Avenge us, and we will avenge thee," says Skarphedinn, "if we
live after thee."

Kari said so it should be.

Then they all went in, and stood in array at the door.

"Now are they all `fey,'" said Flosi, "since they have gone
indoors, and we will go right up to them as quickly as we can,
and throng as close as we can before the door, and give heed that
none of them, neither Kari nor Njal's sons, get away; for that
were our bane."

So Flosi and his men came up to the house, and set men
to watch round the house, if there were any secret doors in it.
But Flosi went up to the front of the house with his men.

Then Hroald Auzur's son ran up to where Skarphedinn stood, and
thrust at him.  Skarphedinn hewed the spearhead off the shaft as
he held it, and made another stroke at him, and the axe fell on
the top of the shield, and dashed back the whole shield on
Hroald's body, but the upper horn of the axe caught him on the
brow, and he fell at full length on his back, and was dead at
once.

"Little chance had that one with thee, Skarphedinn," said Kari,
"and thou art our boldest."

"I'm not so sure of that," says Skarphedinn, and he drew up his
lips and smiled.

Kari, and Grim, and Helgi, threw out many spears, and wounded
many men; but Flosi and his men could do nothing.

At last Flosi said, "We have already gotten great manscathe in
our men; many are wounded, and he slain whom we would choose last
of all.  It is now clear that we shall never master them with
weapons; many now there be who are not so forward in fight as
they boasted, and yet they were those who goaded us on most.  I
say this most to Grani Gunnar's son, and Gunnar Lambi's son, who
were the least willing to spare their foes.  But still we shall
have to take to some other plan for ourselves, and now there are
but two choices left, and neither of them good.  One is to turn
away, and that is our death; the other, to set fire to the house,
and burn them inside it; and that is a deed which we shall have
to answer for heavily before God, since we are Christian men
ourselves; but still we must take to that counsel."


ENDNOTES:

(1)  The Icelandic word is "heimsokn," a term which still lingers
     in the grave offence known in Scottish law as "hamesucken."




128. NJAL'S BURNING

Now they took fire, and made a great pile before the doors.  Then
Skarphedinn said, "What, lads!  are ye lighting a fire, or are ye
taking to cooking?"

"So it shall be," answered Grani Gunnar's son; "and thou shalt
not need to be better done."

"Thou repayest me," said Skarphedinn, "as one may look for from
the man that thou art.  I avenged thy father, and thou settest
most store by that duty which is farthest from thee."

Then the women threw whey on the fire, and quenched it as fast as
they lit it.  Some, too, brought water, or slops.

Then Kol Thorstein's son said to Flosi, "A plan comes into my
mind; I have seen a loft over the hall among the crosstrees, and
we will put the fire in there, and light it with the vetch-stack
that stands just above the house."

Then they took the vetch-stack and set fire to it, and they who
were inside were not aware of it till the whole hall was a-blaze
over their heads.

Then Flosi and his men made a great pile before each of the
doors, and then the women folk who were inside began to weep and
to wail.

Njal spoke to them and said, "Keep up your hearts, nor utter
shrieks, for this is but a passing storm, and it will be long
before ye have another such; and put your faith in God, and
believe that he is so merciful that he will not let us burn both
in this world and the next."

Such words of comfort had he for them all, and others still more
strong.

Now the whole house began to blaze.  Then Njal went to the door
and said, "Is Flosi so near that he can hear my voice."

Flosi said that he could hear it.

"Wilt thou," said Njal, "take an atonement from my sons, or allow
any men to go out."

"I will not," answers Flosi, "take any atonement from thy sons,
and now our dealings shall come to an end once for all, and I
will not stir from this spot till they are all dead; but I will
allow the women and children and house-carles to go out."

Then Njal went into the house, and said to the fold, "Now all
those must go out to whom leave is given, and so go thou out
Thorhalla Asgrim's daughter, and all the people also with thee
who may."

Then Thorhalla said, "This is another parting between me and
Helgi than I thought of a while ago; but still I will egg on my
father and brothers to avenge this manscathe which is wrought
here."

"Go, and good go with thee," said Njal, "for thou art a brave
woman."

After that she went out and much folk with her.

Then Astrid of Deepback said to Helgi Njal's son, "Come thou out
with me, and I will throw a woman's cloak over thee, and tie thy
head with a kerchief."

He spoke against it at first, but at last he did so at the prayer
of others.

So Astrid wrapped the kerchief round Helgi's head, but Thorhilda,
Skarphedinn's wife, threw the cloak over him, and he went out
between them, and then Thorgerda Njal's daughter, and Helga her
sister, and many other folk went out too.

But when Helgi came out Flosi said, "That is a tall woman and
broad across the shoulders that went yonder, take her and hold
her."

But when Helgi heard that, he cast away the cloak.  He had got
his sword under his arm, and hewed at a man, and the blow fell on
his shield and cut off the point of it, and the man's leg as
well.  Then Flosi came up and hewed at Helgi's neck, and took off
his head at a stroke.

Then Flosi went to the door and called out to Njal, and said he
would speak with him and Bergthora.

Now Njal does so, and Flosi said, "I will offer thee, master
Njal, leave to go out, for it is unworthy that thou shouldst burn
indoors."

"I will not go out," said Njal, "for I am an old man, and little
fitted to avenge my sons, but I will not live in shame."

Then Flosi said to Bergthora, "Come thou out, housewife, for I
will for no sake burn thee indoors."

"I was given away to Njal young," said Bergthora, "and I have
promised him this, that we would both share the same fate."

After that they both went back into the house.

"What counsel shall we now take," said Bergthora.

"We will go to our bed," says Njal, "and lay us down; I have long
been eager for rest."

Then she said to the boy Thord, Kari's son, "Thee will I take
out, and thou shalt not burn in here."

"Thou hast promised me this, grandmother," says the boy, "that we
should never part so long as I wished to be with thee; but
methinks it is much better to die with thee and Njal than to live
after you."

Then she bore the boy to her bed, and Njal spoke to his steward
and said, "Now thou shalt see where we lay us down, and how I
lay us out, for I mean not to stir an inch hence, whether reek or
burning smart me, and so thou wilt be able to guess where to look
for our bones,"

He said he would do so.

There had been an ox slaughtered and the hide lay there.  Njal
told the steward to spread the hide over them, and he did so.

So there they lay down both of them in their bed, and put the boy
between them.  Then they signed themselves and the boy with the
cross, and gave over their souls into God's hand, and that was
the last word that men heard them utter.

Then the steward took the hide and spread it over them, and went
out afterwards.  Kettle of the Mark caught hold of him, and
dragged him out, he asked carefully after his father-in-law Njal,
but the steward told him the whole truth.  Then Kettle said,
"Great grief hath been sent on us, when we have had to share such
ill-luck together."

Skarphedinn saw how his father laid him down, and how he laid
himself out, and then he said, "Our father goes early to bed, and
that is what was to be looked for, for he is an old man."

Then Skarphedinn, and Kari, and Grim, caught the brands as fast
as they dropped down, and hurled them out at them, and so it went
on awhile.  Then they hurled spears in at them, but they caught
them all as they flew, and sent them back again.

Then Flosi bade them cease shooting, "for all feats of arms will
go hard with us when we deal with them; ye may well wait till the
fire overcomes them."

So they do that, and shoot no more.

Then the great beams out of the roof began to fall, and
Skarphedinn said, "Now must my father be dead, and I have neither
heard groan nor cough from him."

Then they went to the end of the hall, and there had fallen down
a cross-beam inside which was much burnt in the middle.

Kari spoke to Skarphedinn, and said, "Leap thou out here, and I
will help thee to do so, and I will leap out after thee, and then
we shall both get away if we set about it so, for hitherward
blows all the smoke."

"Thou shalt leap first," said Skarphedinn; "but I will leap
straightway on thy heels."

"That is not wise," says Kari, "for I can get out well enough
elsewhere, though it does not come about here."

"I will not do that," says Skarphedinn; "leap thou out first, but
I will leap after thee at once."

"It is bidden to every man," says Kari, "to seek to save his life
while he has a choice, and I will do so now; but still this
parting of ours will be in such wise that we shall never see one
another more; for if I leap out of the fire, I shall have no mind
to leap back into the fire to thee, and then each of us will have
to fare his own way."

"It joys me, brother-in-law," says Skarphedinn, "to think that if
thou gettest away thou wilt avenge me."

Then Kari took up a blazing bench in his hand, and runs up along
the cross-beam, then he hurls the bench out at the roof, and it
fell among those who were outside.

Then they ran away, and by that time all Kari's upper clothing
and his hair were a-blaze, then he threw himself down from the
roof, and so crept along with the smoke.

Then one man said who was nearest, "Was that a man that leapt out
at the roof?"

"Far from it," says another; "more likely it was Skarphedinn who
hurled a firebrand at us."

After that they had no more mistrust.

Kari ran till he came to a stream, and then he threw himself down
into it, and so quenched the fire on him.

After that he ran along under shelter of the smoke into a hollow,
and rested him there, and that has since been called Kari's
Hollow.




129. SKARPHEDINN'S DEATH

Now it is to be told of Skarphedinn that he runs out on the
cross-beam straight after Kari, but when he came to where the
beam was most burnt, then it broke down under him.  Skarphedinn
came down on his feet, and tried again the second time, and
climbs up the wall with a run, then down on him came the wall-
plate, and he toppled down again inside.

Then Skarphedinn said, "Now one can see what will come;" and then
he went along the side wall.  Gunnar Lambi's son leapt up on the
wall and sees Skarphedinn, he spoke thus, "Weepest thou now,
Skarphedinn?"

"Not so," says Skarphedinn; "but true it is that the smoke makes
one's eyes smart, but is it as it seems to me, dost thou laugh?"

"So it is surely," says Gunnar, "and I have never laughed since
thou slewest Thrain on Markfleet."

Then Skarphedinn said, "Here now is a keepsake for thee;" and
with that he took out of his purse the jaw-tooth which he had
hewn out of Thrain, and threw it at Gunnar, and struck him in the
eye, so that it started out and lay on his cheek.

Then Gunnar fell down from the roof.

Skarphedinn then went to his brother Grim, and they held one
another by the hand and trode the fire; but when they came to the
middle of the hall Grim fell down dead.

Then Skarphedinn went to the end of the house, and then there was
a great crash, and down fell the roof.  Skarphedinn was then shut
in between it and the gable, and so he could not stir a step
thence.

Flosi and his band stayed by the fire until it was broad
daylight; then came a man riding up to them.  Flosi asked him for
his name, but he said his name was Geirmund, and that he was a
kinsman of the sons of Sigfus.

"Ye have done a mighty deed," he says.

"Men," said Flosi, "will call it both a mighty deed and an ill
deed, but that can't be helped now."

"How many men have lost their lives here?" asks Geirmund.

"Here have died," says Flosi, "Njal and Bergthora and all their
sons, Thord Kari's son, Kari Solmund's son, but besides these we
cannot say for a surety, because we know not their names."

"Thou tellest him now dead," said Geirmund, "with whom we have
gossiped this morning."

"Who is that?" says Flosi.

"We two," says Geirmund, "I and my neighbour Bard, met Kari
Solmund's son, and Bard gave him his horse, and his hair and his
upper clothes were burned off him!"

"Had he any weapons?" asks Flosi.

"He had the sword `Life-luller,'" says Geirmund, "and one edge of
it was blue with fire, and Bard and I said that it must have
become soft, but he answered thus, that he would harden it in the
blood of the sons of Sigfus or the other Burners."

"What said he of Skarphedinn?" said Flosi.

"He said both he and Grim were alive," answers Geirmund, "when
they parted; but he said that now they must be dead."

"Thou hast told us a tale," said Flosi, "which bodes us no idle
peace, for that man hath now got away who comes next to Gunnar of
Lithend in all things; and now, ye sons of Sigfus, and ye other
burners, know this, that such a great blood feud, and hue and cry
will be made about this burning, that it will make many a man
headless, but some will lose all their goods.  Now I doubt much
whether any man of you, ye sons of Sigfus, will dare to stay in
his house; and that is not to be wondered at; and so I will bid
you all to come and stay with me in the east, and let us all
share one fate."

They thanked him for his offer, and said they would be glad to
take it.

Then Modolf Kettle's son, sang a song:

     "But one prop of Njal's house liveth,
     All the rest inside are burnt,
     All but one -- those bounteous spenders,
     Sigfus' stalwart sons wrought this;
     Son of Gollnir (1) now is glutted
     Vengeance for brave Hauskuld's death,
     Brisk flew fire through thy dwelling,
     Bright flames blazed above thy roof."

"We shall have to boast of something else than that Njal has been
burnt in his house," says Flosi, "for there is no glory in that."

Then he went up on the gable, and Glum Hilldir's son, and some
other men.  Then Glum said, "Is Skarphedinn dead, indeed?" But
the others said he must have been dead long ago.

The fire sometimes blazed up fitfully and sometimes burned low,
and then they heard down in the fire beneath them that this song
was sung:

     "Deep, I ween, ye Ogre offspring
     Devilish brood of giant birth,
     Would ye groan with gloomy visage
     Had the fight gone to my mind;
     But my very soul it gladdens
     That my friends (2) who now boast high,
     Wrought not this foul deed, their glory,
     Save with footsteps filled with gore."

"Can Skarphedinn, think ye, have sung this song dead or alive?"
said Grani Gunnar's son.

"I will go into no guesses about that," says Flosi.

"We will look for Skarphedinn," says Grani, "and the other men
who have been here burnt inside the house."

"That shall not be," says Flosi, "it is just like such foolish
men as thou art, now that men will be gathering force all over
the country; and when they do come, I trow the very same man who
now lingers will be so scared that he will not know which way to
run; and now my counsel is that we all ride away as quickly as
ever we can."

Then Flosi went hastily to his horse and all his men.

Then Flosi said to Geirmund, "Is Ingialld, thinkest thou, at home
at the Springs?"

Geirmund said he thought he must be at home.

"There now is a man," says Flosi, "who has broken his oath with
us and all good faith."

Then Flosi said to the sons of Sigfus, "What course will ye now
take with Ingialld; will ye forgive him, or shall we now fall on
him and slay him?"

They all answered that they would rather fall on him and slay
him.

Then Flosi jumped on his horse, and all the others, and they rode
away.  Flosi rode first, and shaped his course for Rangriver, and
up along the river bank.

Then he saw a man riding down on the other bank of the river and
he knew that there was Ingialld of the Springs.  Flosi calls out
to him.  Ingialld halted and turned down to the river bank; and
Flosi said to him, "Thou hast broken faith with us, and hast
forfeited life and goods.  Here now are the sons of Sigfus, who
are eager to slay thee; but methinks thou hast fallen into a
strait, and I will give thee thy life if thou will hand over to
me the right to make my own award."

"I will sooner ride to meet Kari," said Ingialld, "than grant
thee the right to utter thine own award, and my answer to the
sons of Sigfus is this, that I shall be no whit more afraid of
them than they are of me."

"Bide thou there," says Flosi, "if thou art not a coward, for I
will send thee a gift."

"I will bide of a surety," says Ingialld.

Thorstein Kolbein's son, Flosi's brother's son, rode up by his
side and had a spear in his hand, he was one of the bravest of
men, and the most worthy of those who were with Flosi.

Flosi snatched the spear from him, and launched it at Ingialld,
and it fell on his left side, and passed through the shield just
below the handle, and clove it all asunder, but the spear passed
on into his thigh just above the knee-pan, and so on into the
saddle-tree, and there stood fast.

Then Flosi said to Ingialld, "Did it touch thee?

"It touched me sure enough," says Ingialld, "but I call this a
scratch and not a wound."

Then Ingialld plucked the spear out of the wound, and said to
Flosi, "Now bide thou, if thou art not a milksop."

Then he launched the spear back over the river.  Flosi sees that
the spear is coming straight for his middle, and then he backs
his horse out of the way, but the spear flew in front of Flosi's
horse, and missed him, but it struck Thorstein's middle, and down
he fell at once dead off his horse.

Now Ingialld runs for the wood, and they could not get at him.

Then Flosi said to his men, "Now have we gotten manscathe, and
now we may know, when such things befall us, into what a luckless
state we have got.  Now it is my counsel that we ride up to
Threecorner Ridge; thence we shall be able to see where men ride
all over the country, for by this time they will have gathered
together a great band, and they will think that we have ridden
east to Fleetlithe from Threecorner Ridge; and thence they will
think that we are riding north up on the fell, and so east to our
own country, and thither the greater part of the folk will ride
after us; but some will ride the coast road east to
Selialandsmull, and yet they will think there is less hope of
finding us thitherward, but I will now take counsel for all of
us, and my plan is to ride up into Threecorner-fell, and bide
there till three suns have risen and set in heaven."


ENDNOTES:

(1)  "Son of Gollnir," Njal, who was the son of Thorgeir Gelling
     or Gollnir.
(2)  "My friends," ironically of course.




130. OF KARI SOLMUND'S SON

Now it is to be told of Kari Solmund's son that he fared away
from that hollow in which he had rested himself until he met
Bard, and those words passed between them which Geirmund had
told.

Thence Kari rode to Mord, and told him the tidings, and he was
greatly grieved.

Kari said there were other things more befitting a man than to
weep for them dead, and bade him rather gather folk and come to
Holtford.

After that he rode into Thurso-dale to Hjallti Skeggi's son, and
as he went along Thurso water, he sees a man riding fast behind
him.  Kari waited for the man, and knows that he was Ingialld of
the Springs.  He sees that he is very bloody about the thigh; and
Kari asked Ingialld who had wounded him, and he told him.

"Where met ye two?" says Kari.

"By Rangwater side," says Ingialld, "and he threw a spear over
at me."

"Didst thou aught for it?" asks Kari.

"I threw the spear back," says Ingialld, "and they said that it
met a man, and he was dead at once."

"Knowest thou not," said Kari, "who the man was?"

"Methought he was like Thorstein Flosi's brother's son," says
Ingialld.

"Good luck go with thy hand," says Kari.

After that they rode both together to see Hjallti Skeggi's son,
and told him the tidings.  He took these deeds ill, and said
there was the greatest need to ride after them and slay them all.

After that he gathered men and roused the whole country; now he
and Kari and Ingialld ride with this band to meet Mord Valgard's
son, and they found him at Holtford, and Mord was there waiting
for them with a very great company.  Then they parted the hue and
cry; some fared the straight road by the east coast to
Selialandsmull, but some went up to Fleetlithe, and other-some
the higher road thence to Threecorner Ridge, and so down into
Godaland.  Thence they rode north to Sand.  Some too rode as far
as Fishwaters, and there turned back.  Some the coast rode east
to Holt, and told Thorgeir the tidings, and asked whether they
had not ridden by there.

"This is how it is," said Thorgeir, "though I am not a mighty
chief, yet Flosi would take other counsel than to ride under my
eyes, when he has slain Njal, my father's brother, and my
cousins; and there is nothing left for any of you but e'en to
turn back again, for ye should have hunted longer nearer home;
but tell this to Kari, that he must ride hither to me and be here
with me if he will; but though he will not come hither east,
still I will look after his farm at Dyrholms if he will, but tell
him too that I will stand by him and ride with him to the
Althing.  And he shall also know this, that we brothers are the
next of kin to follow up the feud, and we mean so to take up the
suit, that outlawry shall follow and after that revenge, man for
man, if we can bring it about; but I do not go with you now,
because I know naught will come of it, and they will now be as
wary as they can of themselves."

Now they ride back, and all met at Hof and talked there among
themselves, and said that they had gotten disgrace since they had
not found them.  Alord said that was not so.  Then many men were
eager that they should fare to Fleetlithe, and pull down the
homesteads of all those who had been at those deeds, but still
they listened for Mord's utterance.

"That," he said, "would be the greatest folly."  They asked why
he said that.

"Because," he said, "if their houses stand, they will be sure to
visit them to see their wives; and then, as time rolls on, we may
hunt them down there; and now ye shall none of you doubt that I
will be true to thee Kari, and to all of you, and in all counsel,
for I have to answer for myself."

Hjallti bade him do as he said.  Then Hjallti bade Kari to come
and stay with him, he said he would ride thither first.  They
told him what Thorgeir had offered him, and he said he would make
use of that offer afterwards, but said his heart told him it
would be well if there were many such.

After that the whole band broke up.

Flosi and his men saw all these tidings from where they were on
the fell; and Flosi said, "Now we will take our horses and ride
away, for now it will be some good."

The sons of Sigfus asked whether it would be worth while to get
to their homes and tell the news.

"It must be Mord's meaning," says Flosi, "that ye will visit your
wives; and my guess is, that his plan is to let your houses stand
unsacked; but my plan is that not a man shall part from the
other, but all ride east with me."

So every man took that counsel, and then they all rode east and
north of the Jokul, and so on till they came to Swinefell.

Flosi sent at once men out to get in stores, so that nothing
might fall short.

Folsi never spoke about the deed, but no fear was found in him,
and he was at home the whole winter till Yule was over.




131. NJAL'S AND BERGTHORA'S BONES FOUND

Kari bade Hjallti to go and search for Njal's bones, "For all
will believe in what thou sayest and thinkest about them."

Hjallti said he would be most willing to bear Njal's bones to
church; so they rode thence fifteen men.  They rode east over
Thurso-water, and called on men there to come with them till they
had one hundred men, reckoning Njal's neighbours.

They came to Bergthorsknoll at mid-day.

Hjallti asked Kari under what part of the house Njal might be
lying, but Kari showed them to the spot, and there was a great
heap of ashes to dig away.  There they found the hide underneath,
and it was as though it were shrivelled with the fire.  They
raised up the hide, and lo! they were unburnt under it.  All
praised God for that, and thought it was a great token.

Then the boy was taken up who had lain between them, and of him a
finger was burnt off which he had stretched out from under the
hide.

Njal was borne out, and so was Bergthora, and then all men went to
see their bodies.

Then Hjallti said, "What like look to you these bodies?"

They answered, "We will wait for thy utterance."

Then Hjallti said, "I shall speak what I say with all freedom of
speech.  The body of Bergthora looks as it was likely she would
look, and still fair; but Njal's body and visage seem to me so
bright that I have never seen any dead man's body so bright as
this."

They all said they thought so too.

Then they sought for Skarphedinn, and the men of the household
showed them to the spot where Flosi and his men heard the song
sung, and there the roof had fallen down by the gable, and there
Hjallti said that they should look.  Then they did so, and found
Skarphedinn's body there, and he had stood up hard by the gable-
wall, and his legs were burnt off him right up to the knees, but
all the rest of him was unburnt.  He had bitten through his under
lip, his eyes were wide open and not swollen nor starting out of
his head; he had driven his axe into the gable-wall so hard that
it had gone in up to the middle of the blade, and that was why it
was not softened.

After that the axe was broken out of the wall, and Hjallti took
up the axe, and said, "This is a rare weapon, and few would be
able to wield it."

"I see a man," said Kari, "who shall bear the axe."

"Who is that?" says Hjallti.

"Thorgeir Craggeir," says Kari, "he whom I now think to be the
greatest man in all their family."

Then Skarphedinn was stripped of his clothes, for they were
unburnt, he had laid his hands in a cross, and the right hand
uppermost.  They found marks on him; one between his shoulders
and the other on his chest, and both were branded in the shape of
a cross, and men thought that he must have burnt them in himself.

All men said that they thought that it was better to be near
Skarphedinn dead than they weened, for no man was afraid of him.

They sought for the bones of Grim, and found them in the midst
of the hall.  They found, too, there, right over against him
under the side wall, Thord Freedmanson; but in the weaving-room
they found Saevuna the carline, and three men more.  In all they
found there the bones of nine souls.  Now they carried the bodies
to the church, and then Hjallti rode home and Kari with him.  A
swelling came on Ingialld's leg, and then he fared to Hjallti,
and was healed there, but still he limped ever afterwards.

Kari rode to Tongue to Asgrim Ellidagrim's son.  By that time
Thorhalla was come home, and she had already told the tidings.
Asgrim took Kari by both hands, and bade him be there all that
year.  Kari said so it should be.

Asgrim asked besides all the folk who had been in the house at
Bergthorsknoll to stay with him.  Kari said that was well
offered, and said he would take it on their behalf.

Then all the folk were flitted thither.

Thorhall Asgrim's son was so startled when he was told that his
foster-father Njal was dead, and that he had been burnt in his
house, that he swelled all over, and a stream of blood burst out
of both his ears, and could not be staunched, and he fell into a
swoon, and then it was staunched.

After that he stood up, and said he had behaved like a coward,
"But I would that I might be able to avenge this which has
befallen me on some of those who burnt him."

But when others said that no one would think this a shame to him,
he said he could not stop the mouths of the people from talking
about it.

Asgrim asked Kari what trust and help he thought he might look
for from those east of the rivers.  Kari said that Mord Valgard's
son, and Hjallti Skeggi's son, would yield him all the help they
could, and so, too, would Thorgeir Craggeir and all those
brothers.

Asgrim said that was great strength.

"What strength shall we have from thee?" says Kari.

"All that I can give," says Asgrim, "and I will lay down my life
on it."

"So do," says Kari.

"I have also," says Asgrim, "brought Gizur the White into the
suit, and have asked his advice how we shall set about it."

"What advice did he give?" asks Kari.

"He counselled," answers Asgrim, "`that we should hold us quite
still till spring, but then ride east and set the suit on foot
against Flosi for the manslaughter of Helgi, and summon the
neighbours from their homes, and give due notice at the Thing of
the suits for the burning, and summon the same neighbours there
too on the inquest before the court.  I asked Gizur who should
plead the suit for manslaughter, but he said that Mord should
plead it whether he liked it or not, 'and now,' he went on, `it
shall fall most heavily on him that up to this time all the suits
he has undertaken have had the worst ending.  Kari shall also be
wroth whenever he meets Mord, and so, if he be made to fear on
one side, and has to look to me on the other, then he will
undertake the duty.'"

Then Kari said, "We will follow thy counsel as long as we can,
and thou shalt lead us."

It is to be told of Kari that he could not sleep of nights.
Asgrim woke up one night and heard that Kari was awake, and
Asgrim said, "Is it that thou canst not sleep at night?"

Then Kari sang this song:

     "Bender of the bow of battle,
     Sleep will not my eyelids seal,
     Still my murdered messmates' bidding
     Haunts my mind the livelong night;
     Since the men their brands abusing
     Burned last autumn guileless Njal,
     Burned him house and home together,
     Mindful am I of my hurt."

Kari spoke of no men so often as of Njal and Skarphedinn, and
Bergthora and Helgi.  He never abused his foes, and never
threatened them.




132. FLOSI'S DREAM

One night it so happened that Flosi struggled much in his sleep.
Glum Hildir's son woke him up, and then Flosi said, "Call me
Kettle of the Mark."

Kettle came thither, and Flosi said, "I will tell thee my dream."

"I am ready to hear it," says Kettle.

"I dreamt," says Flosi, "that methought I stood below Loom-nip,
and went out and looked up to the Nip, and all at once it opened,
and a man came out of the Nip, and he was clad in goatskins, and
had an iron staff in his hand.  He called, as he walked, on many
of my men, some sooner and some later, and named them by name.
First he called Grim the Red my kinsman, and Arni Kol's son.  Then
methought something strange followed, methought he called Eyjolf
Bolverk's son, and Ljot son of Hall of the Side, and some six men
more.  Then he held his peace awhile.  After that he called five
men of our band, and among them were the sons of Sigfus, thy
brothers; then he called other six men, and among them were
Lambi, and Modolf, and Glum.  Then he called three men.  Last of
all he called Gunnar Lambi's son, and Kol Thorstein's son.  After
that he came up to me; I asked him `What news?'  He said he had
tidings enough to tell.  Then I asked him for his name, but he
called himself Irongrim.  I asked him whither he was going; he
said he had to fare to the Althing.  `What shalt thou do there?'
I said.  `First I shall challenge the inquest,' he answers, `and
then the courts, then clear the field for fighters.'  After that
he sang this song:

     "'Soon a man death's snake-strokes dealing
     High shall lift his head on earth,
     Here amid the dust low rolling
     Battered brainpans men shall see;
     Now upon the hills in hurly
     Buds the blue steel's harvest bright;
     Soon the bloody dew of battle
     Thigh-deep through the ranks shall rise.'

"Then he shouted with such a mighty shout that methought
everything near shook, and dashed down his staff, and there was a
mighty crash.  Then he went back into the fell, but fear clung to
me; and now I wish thee to tell me what thou thinkest this dream
is."

"It is my foreboding," says Kettle, "that all those who were
called must be `fey.'  It seems to me good counsel that we tell
this dream to no man just now."

Flosi said so it should be.  Now the winter passes away till Yule
was over.  Then Flosi said to his men, "Now I mean that we should
fare from home, for methinks we shall not be able to have an idle
peace.  Now we shall fare to pray for help, and now that will
come true which I told you, that we should have to bow the knee
to many ere this quarrel were ended."




133. OF FLOSI'S JOURNEY AND HIS ASKING FOR HELP

After that they busked them from home all together.  Flosi was in
long-hose because he meant to go on foot, and then he knew that
it would seem less hard to the others to walk.

Then they fared from home to Knappvale, but the evening after to
Broadwater, and then to Calffell, thence by Bjornness to
Hornfirth, thence to Staffell in Lon, and then to Thvattwater to
Hall of the Side.

Flosi had to wife Steinvora, his daughter.

Hall gave them a very hearty welcome, and Flosi said to Hall, "I
will ask thee, father-in-law, that thou wouldst ride to the Thing
with me with all thy Thingmen."

"Now," answered Hall, "it has turned out as the saw says, `but a
short while is hand fain of blow'; and yet it is one and the same
man in thy band who now hangs his head, and who then goaded thee
on to the worst of deeds when it was still undone.  But my help I
am bound to lend thee in all such places as I may."

"What counsel dost thou give me," said Flosi, "in the strait in
which I now am."

"Thou shalt fare," said Hall, "north, right up to Weaponfirth,
and ask all the chiefs for aid, and thou wilt yet need it all
before the Thing is over."

Flosi stayed there three nights, and rested him, and fared thence
east to Geitahellna, and so to Berufirth; there they were the
night.  Thence they fared east to Broaddale in Haydale.  There
Hallbjorn the Strong dwelt.  He had to wife Oddny the sister of
Saurli Broddhelgi's son, and Flosi had a hearty welcome there.

Hallbjorn asked how far north among the firths Flosi meant to go.
He said he meant to go as far as Weaponfirth.  Then Flosi took a
purse of money from his belt, and said he would give it to
Hallbjorn.  He took the money, but yet said he had no claim on
Flosi for gifts, "But still I would be glad to know in what thou
wilt that I repay thee."

"I have no need of money," says Flosi, "but I wish thou wouldst
ride to the Thing with me, and stand by me in my quarrel, but
still I have no ties or kinship to tell towards thee."

"I will grant thee that," said Hallbjorn, "to ride to the Thing
with thee, and to stand by thee in thy quarrel as I would by my
brother."

Flosi thanked him, and Hallbjorn asked much about the burning,
but they told him all about it at length.

Thence Flosi fared to Broaddale's heath, and so to Hrafnkelstede,
there dwelt Hrafnkell, the son of Thorir, the son of Hrafnkell
Raum.  Flosi had a hearty welcome there, and sought for help and
a promise to ride to the Thing from Hrafnkell, but he stood out a
long while, though the end of it was that he gave his word that
his son Thorir should ride with all their Thingmen, and yield him
such help as the other priests of the same district.

Flosi thanked him and fared away to Bersastede.  There Holmstein
son of Bersi the Wise dwelt, and he gave Flosi a very hearty
welcome.  Flosi begged him for help.  Holmstein said he had been
long in his debt for help.

Thence they fared to Waltheofstede -- there Saurli Broddhelgi's
son, Bjarni's brother, dwelt.  He had to wife Thordisa, a
daughter of Gudmund the Powerful, of Modruvale.  They had a
hearty welcome there.  But next morning Flosi raised the question
with Saurli that he should ride to the Althing with him, and bid
him money for it.

"I cannot tell about that," says Saurli, "so long as I do not
know on which side my father-in-law Gudmund the Powerful stands,
for I mean to stand by him on whichever side he stands."

"Oh!" said Flosi, "I see by thy answer that a woman rules in this
house."

Then Flosi stood up and bade his men take their upper clothing
and weapons, and then they fared away, and got no help there.  So
they fared below Lagarfleet and over the heath to Njardwick;
there two brothers dwelt, Thorkel the Allwise, and Thorwalld his
brother; they were sons of Kettle, the son of Thidrandi the Wise,
the son of Kettle Rumble, son of Thorir Thidrandi.  The mother of
Thorkel the Allwise and Thorwalld was Yngvillda, daughter of
Thorkel the Wise.  Flosi got a hearty welcome there, he told
those brothers plainly of his errand, and asked for their help;
but they put him off until he gave three marks of silver to each
of them for their aid; then they agreed to stand by Flosi.

Their mother Yngvillda was by when they gave their words to ride
to the Althing, and wept.  Thorkel asked why she wept; and she
answered, "I dreamt that thy brother Thorwalld was clad in a red
kirtle, and methought it was so tight as though it were sewn on
him; methought too that he wore red hose on his legs and feet,
and bad shoethongs were twisted round them; methought it ill to
see when I knew he was so uncomfortable, but I could do naught
for him."

They laughed and told her she had lost her wits, and said her
babble should not stand in the way of their ride to the Thing.

Flosi thanked them kindly, and fared thence to Weaponfirth and
came to Hof.  There dwelt Bjarni Broddhelgi's son (1).  Bjarni
took Flosi by both hands, and Flosi bade Bjarni money for his
help.

"Never," said Bjarni, "have I sold my manhood or help for bribes,
but now that thou art in need of help, I will do thee a good turn
for friendship's sake, and ride to the Thing with thee, and stand
by thee as I would by my brother."

"Then thou hast thrown a great load of debt on my hands," said
Flosi, "but still I looked for as much from thee."

Thence Flosi and his men fared to Crosswick.  Thorkell Geitis'
son was a great friend of his.  Flosi told him his errand, and
Thorkel said it was but his duty to stand by him in every way in
his power, and not to part from his quarrel.  Thorkel gave Flosi
good gifts at parting.

Thence they fared north to Weaponfirth and up into the Fleetdale
country, and turned in as guests at Holmstein's, the son of Bersi
the Wise.  Flosi told him that all had backed him in his need and
business well, save Saurli Broddhelgi's son.  Holmstein said the
reason of that was that he was not a man of strife.  Holmstein
gave Flosi good gifts.

Flosi fared up Fleetdale, and thence south on the fell across
Oxenlaya and down Swinehorndale, and so out by Alftafirth to the
west, and did not stop till he came to Thvattwater to his father-
in-law Hall's house.  There he stayed half a month, and his men
with him and rested him.

Flosi asked Hall what counsel he would now give him, and what he
should do next, and whether he should change his plans.

"My counsel," said Hall, "is this, that thou goest home to thy
house, and the sons of Sigfus with thee, but that they send men
to set their homesteads in order.  But first of all fare home,
and when ye ride to the Thing, ride all together, and do not
scatter your band.  Then let the sons of Sigfus go to see their
wives on the way.  I too will ride to the Thing, and Ljot my son
with all our Thing-men, and stand by thee with such force as I
can gather to me."

Flosi thanked him, and Hall gave him good gifts at parting.

Then Flosi went away from Thvattwater, and nothing is to be told
of his journey till he comes home to Swinefell.  There he stayed
at home the rest of the winter, and all the summer right up to
the Thing.


ENDNOTES:

(1)  Broddhelgi was the son of Thorgil, the son of Thorstein the
     White, the son of Oliver, the son of Eyvalld, the son of
     Oxen-Thorir.  The mother of Bjarni was Halla, the daughter
     of Lyting.  The mother of Broddhelgi was Asvora, the
     daughter of Thorir, the son of Porridge-Atli, the son of
     Thorir Thidrandi.  Bjarni Broddhelgi's son had to wife
     Rannveiga the daughter of Thorgeir, the son of Eric of
     Gooddale, the son of Geirmund, the son of Hroald, the son of
     Eric Frizzelbeard.




134. OF THORHALL AND KARI

Thorhall Asgrim's son, and Kari Solmund's son, rode one day to
Mossfell to see Gizur the White; he took them with both hands,
and there they were at his house a very long while.  Once it
happened as they and Gizur talked of Njal's burning, that Gizur
said it was very great luck that Kari had got away.  Then a song
came into Kari's mouth.

     "I who whetted helmet-hewer (1),
     I who oft have burnished brand,
     From the fray went all unwilling
     When Njal's rooftree crackling roared;
     Out I leapt when bands of spearmen
     Lighted there a blaze of flame!
     Listen men unto my moaning,
     Mark the telling of my grief."

Then Gizur said, "It must be forgiven thee that thou art mindful,
and so we will talk no more about it just now."

Kari says that he will ride home; and Gizur said, "I will now
make a clean breast of my counsel to thee.  Thou shalt not ride
home, but still thou shalt ride away, and east under Eyjafell, to
see Thorgeir Craggeir, and Thorleif Crow.  They shall ride from
the east with thee.  They are the next of kin in the suit, and
with them shall ride Thorgrim the Big, their brother.  Ye shall
ride to Mord Valgard's son's house, and tell him this message
from me, that he shall take up the suit for manslaughter for
Helgi Njal's son against Flosi.  But if he utters any words
against this, then shalt thou make thy self most wrathful, and
make believe as though thou wouldst let thy axe fall on his head;
and in the second place, thou shalt assure him of my wrath if he
shows any ill will.  Along with that shalt thou say, that I will
send and fetch away my daughter Thorkatla, and make her come home
to me; but that he will not abide, for he loves her as the very
eyes in his head."

Kari thanked him for his counsel.  Kari spoke nothing of help to
him, for he thought he would show himself his good friend in this
as in other things.

Thence Kari rode east over the rivers, and so to Fleetlithe, and
east across Markfleet, and so on to Selialandsmull.  So they ride
east to Holt.

Thorgeir welcomed them with the greatest kindliness.  He told
them of Flosi's journey, and how great help he had got in the
east firths.

Kari said it was no wonder that he, who had to answer for so
much, should ask for help for himself.

Then Thorgeir said, "The better things go for them, the worse it
shall be for them; we will only follow them up so much the
harder."

Kari told Thorgeir of Gizur's advice.  After that they ride from
the east to Rangrivervale to Mord Valgard's son's house.  He gave
them a hearty welcome.  Kari told him the message of Gizur his
father-in-law.  He was slow to take the duty on him, and said it
was harder to go to law with Flosi than with any other ten men.

"Thou behavest now as he (2) thought," said Kari; "for thou art a
bad bargain in every way; thou art both a coward and heartless,
but the end of this shall be as is fitting, that Thorkatla shall
fare home to her father."

She busked her at once, and said she had long been "boun" to part
from Mord.  Then he changed his mood and his words quickly, and
begged off their wrath, and took the suit upon him at once.

"Now," said Kari, "thou has taken the suit upon thee, see that
thou pleadest it without fear, for thy life lies on it."

Mord said he would lay his whole heart on it to do this well and
manfully.

After that Mord summoned to him nine neighbours, they were all
near neighbours to the spot where the deed was done.  Then Mord
took Thorgeir by the hand and named two witnesses to bear
witness, "That Thorgeir Thorir's son hands me over a suit for
manslaughter against Flosi Thord's son, to plead it for the
slaying of Helgi Njal's son, with all those proofs which have to
follow the suit.  Thou handest over to me this suit to plead and
to settle, and to enjoy all rights in it, as though I were the
rightful next of kin.  Thou handest it over to me by law, and I
take it from thee by law."

A second time Mord named his witnesses, "To bear witness," said
he, "that I give notice of an assault laid down by law against
Flosi Thord's son, for that he dealt Helgi Njal's son a brain, or
a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death wound; and from
which Helgi got his death.  I give notice of this before five
witnesses" -- here he named them all by name -- "I give this
lawful notice.  I give notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir's
son has handed over to me."

Again he named witnesses "To bear witness that I give notice of a
brain, or a body, or a marrow wound against Flosi Thord's son,
for that wound which proved a death wound, but Helgi got his
death therefrom on such and such a spot, when Flosi Thord's son
first rushed on Helgi Njal's son with an assault laid down by
law.  I give notice of this before five neighbours" -- then he
named them all by name -- "I give this lawful notice.  I give
notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son has handed over to
me."

Then Mord named his witnesses again "To bear witness," said he,
"that I summon these nine neighbours who dwell nearest the spot"
-- here he named them all by name -- "to ride to the Althing, and
to sit on the inquest to find whether Flosi Thord's son rushed
with an assault laid down by law on Helgi Njal's son, on that
spot where Flosi Thord's son dealt Helgi Njal's son a brain, or a
body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death wound, and from
which Helgi got his death.  I call on you to utter all those
words which ye are bound to find by law, and which I shall call
on you to utter before the court, and which belong to this suit;
I call upon you by a lawful summons -- I call on you so that ye
may yourselves hear -- I call on you in the suit which Thorgeir
Thorir's son has handed over to me."

Again Mord named his witnesses "To bear witness, that I summon
these nine neighbours who dwell nearest to the spot to ride to
the Althing, and to sit on an inquest to find whether Flosi
Thord's son wounded Helgi Njal's son with a brain, or body, or
marrow wound, which proved a death wound, and from which Helgi
got his death, on that spot where Flosi Thord's son first rushed
on Helgi Njal's son with an assault laid down by law.  I call on
you to utter all those words which ye are bound to find by law,
and which I shall call on you to utter before the court, and
which belong to this suit.  I call upon you by a lawful summons
-- I call on you so that ye may yourselves hear -- I call on you
in the suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son has handed over to me."

Then Mord said, "Now is the suit set on foot as ye asked, and
now I will pray thee, Thorgeir Craggeir, to come to me when thou
ridest to the Thing, and then let us both ride together, each
with our band, and keep as close as we can together, for my band
shall be ready by the very beginning of the Thing, and I will be
true to you in all things."

They showed themselves well pleased at that, and this was fast
bound by oaths, that no man should sunder himself from another
till Kari willed it, and that each of them should lay down his
life for the other's life.  Now they parted with friendship, and
settled to meet again at the Thing.

Now Thorgeir rides back east, but Kari rides west over the rivers
till he came to Tongue, to Asgrim's house.  He welcomed them
wonderfully well, and Kari told Asgrim all Gizur the White's
plan, and of the setting on foot of the suit.

"I looked for as much from him," says Asgrim, "that he would
behave well, and now he has shown it."

Then Asgrim went on, "What heardest thou from the east of Flosi?"

"He went east all the way to Weaponfirth," answers Kari, "and
nearly all the chiefs have promised to ride with him to the
Althing, and to help him.  They look, too, for help from the
Reykdalesmen, and the men of Lightwater, and the Axefirthers."

Then they talked much about it, and so the time passes away up to
the Althing.

Thorhall Asgrim's son took such a hurt in his leg that the foot
above the ankle was as big and swollen as a woman's thigh, and he
could not walk save with a staff.  He was a man tall in growth,
and strong and powerful, dark of hue in hair and skin, measured
and guarded in his speech, and yet hot and hasty tempered.  He
was the third greatest lawyer in all Iceland.

Now the time comes that men should ride from home to the Thing,
Asgrim said to Kari, "Thou shalt ride at the very beginning of
the Thing, and fit up our booths, and my son Thorhall with thee.
Thou wilt treat him best and kindest, as he is footlame, but we
shall stand in the greatest need of him at this Thing.  With you
two, twenty men more shall ride."

After that they made ready for their journey, and then they rode
to the Thing, and set up their booths, and fitted them out well.


ENDNOTES:

(1)  "Helmet-hewer," sword.
(2)  Gizur.




135. OF FLOSI AND THE BURNERS

Flosi rode from the east and those hundred and twenty men who had
been at the burning with him.  They rode till they came to
Fleetlithe.  Then the sons of Sigfus looked after their
homesteads and tarried there that day, but at even they rode west
over Thurso-water, and slept there that night.  But next morning
early they saddled their horses and rode off on their way.

Then Flosi said to his men, "Now will we ride to Tongue to Asgrim
to breakfast, and trample down his pride a little."

They said that were well done.  They rode till they had a short
way to Tongue.  Asgrim stood out of doors, and some men with him.
They see the band as soon as ever they could do so from the
house.  Then Asgrim's men said, "There must be Thorgeir
Craggeir."

"Not he," said Asgrim.  "I think so all the more because these
men fare with laughter and wantonness; but such kinsmen of Njal
as Thorgeir is would not smile before some vengeance is taken for
the burning, and I will make another guess, and maybe ye will
think that unlikely.  My meaning is that it must be Flosi and the
burners with him, and they must mean to humble us with insults,
and we will now go indoors all of us."

Now they do so, and Asgrim made them sweep the house and put up
the hangings, and set the boards and put meat on them.  He made
them place stools along each bench, all down the room.

Flosi rode into the "town," and bade men alight from their horses
and go in.  They did so, and Flosi and his men went into the
hall.  Asgrim sate on the cross-bench on the dais.  Flosi looked
at the benches and saw that all was made ready that men needed to
have.  Asgrim gave them no greeting, but said to Flosi, "The
boards are set, so that meat may be free to those that need it."

Flosi sat down to the board, and all his men; but they laid their
arms up against the wainscot.  They sat on the stools who found
no room on the benches; but four men stood with weapons just
before where Flosi sat while they ate.

Asgrim kept his peace during the meat, but was as red to look on
as blood.

But when they were full, some women cleared away the boards,
while others brought in water to wash their hands.  Flosi was in
no greater hurry than if he had been at home.  There lay a
pole-axe in the corner of the dais.  Asgrim caught it up with
both hands, and ran up to the rail at the edge of the dais, and
made a blow at Flosi's head.  Glum Hilldir's son happened to see
what he was about to do, and sprang up at once, and got hold of
the axe above Asgrim's hands, and turned the edge at once on
Asgrim; for Glum was very strong.  Then many more men ran up and
seized Asgrim, but Flosi said that no man was to do Asgrim any
harm, "For we put him to too hard a trial, and he only did what
he ought, and showed in that that he had a big heart."

Then Flosi said to Asgrim, "Here, now, we shall part safe and
sound, and meet at the Thing, and there begin our quarrel over
again."

"So it will be," says Asgrim; "and I would wish that, ere this
Thing be over, ye should have to take in some of your sails."

Flosi answered him never a word, and then they went out, and
mounted their horses, and rode away.  They rode till they came to
Laugarwater, and were there that night; but next morning they
rode on to Baitvale, and baited their horses there, and there
many bands rode to meet them.  There was Hall of the Side, and
all the Eastfirthers.  Flosi greeted them well, and told them of
his journeys and dealings with Asgrim.  Many praised him for
that, and said such things were bravely done.

Then Hall said, "I look on this in another way than ye do, for
methinks it was a foolish prank -- they were sure to bear in mind
their griefs, even though they were not reminded of them anew;
but those men who try others so heavily must look for all evil."

It was seen from Hall's way that he thought this deed far too
strong.  They rode thence all together, till they came to the
Upper Field, and there they set their men in array, and rode down
on the Thing.

Flosi had made them fit out Byrgir's booth ere be rode to the
Thing; but the Eastfirthers rode to their own booths.




136. OF THORGEIR CRAGGEIR

Thorgeir Craggeir rode from the east with much people.  His
brothers were with him, Thorleif Crow and Thorgrim the Big.  They
came to Hof, to Mord Valgard's son's house, and bided there till
he was ready.  Mord had gathered every man who could bear arms,
and they could see nothing about him but that he was most
steadfast in everything, and now they rode until they came west
across the rivers.  Then they waited for Hjallti Skeggi's son.
He came after they had waited a short while, and they greeted him
well, and rode afterwards all together till they came to Reykia
in Bishop's tongue, and bided there for Asgrim Ellidagrim's son,
and he came to meet them there.  Then they rode west across
Bridgewater.  Then Asgrim told them all that had passed between
him and Flosi; and Thorgeir said, "I would that we might try
their bravery ere the Thing closes."

They rode until they came to Baitvale.  There Gizur the White
came to meet them with a very great company, and they fell to
talking together.  Then they rode to the Upper Field, and drew up
all their men in array there, and so rode to the Thing.

Flosi and his men all took to their arms, and it was within an
ace that they would fall to blows.  But Asgrim and his friends
and their followers would have no hand in it, and rode to their
booths; and now all was quiet that day, so that they had naught
to do with one another.  Thither were come chiefs from all the
Quarters of the land; there had never been such a crowded Thing
before, that men could call to mind.




137. OF EYJOLF BOLVERK'S SON

There was a man named Eyjolf.  He was the son of Bolverk, the son
of Eyjolf the Guileful, of Otterdale (1).  Eyjolf was a man of
great rank, and best skilled in law of all men, so that some said
he was the third best lawyer in Iceland.  He was the fairest in
face of all men, tall and strong, and there was the making of a
great chief in him.  He was greedy of money, like the rest of his
kinsfolk.

One day Flosi went to the booth of Bjarni Broddhelgi's son.
Bjarni took him by both hands, and sat Flosi down by his side.
They talked about many things, and at last Flosi said to Bjarni,
"What counsel shall we now take?"

"I think," answered Bjarni, "that it is now hard to say what to
do, but the wisest thing seems to me to go round and ask for
help, since they are drawing strength together against you.  I
will also ask thee, Flosi, whether there be any very good lawyer
in your band; for now there are but two courses left; one to ask
if they will take an atonement, and that is not a bad choice, but
the other is to defend the suit at law, if there be any defence
to it, though that will seem to be a bold course; and this is why
I think this last ought to be chosen, because ye have hitherto
fared high and mightily, and it is unseemly now to take a lower
course."

"As to thy asking about lawyers," said Flosi, "I will answer thee
at once that there is no such man in our band; nor do I know
where to look for one except it be Thorkel Geitir's son, thy
kinsman."

"We must not reckon on him," said Bjarni, "for though he knows
something of law, he is far too wary, and no man need hope to
have him as his shield; but he will back thee as well as any man
who backs thee best, for he has a stout heart; besides, I must
tell thee that it will be that man's bane who undertakes the
defence in this suit for the burning, but I have no mind that
this should befall my kinsmen Thorkel, so ye must turn your eyes
elsewhither."

Flosi said he knew nothing about who were the best lawyers.

"There is a man named Eyjolf," said Bjarni; "he is Bolverk's son,
and he is the best lawyer in the Westfirther's Quarter; but you
will need to give him much money if you are to bring him into the
suit, but still we must not stop at that.  We must also go with
our arms to all law business, and be most wary of ourselves, but
not meddle with them before we are forced to fight for our lives.
And now I will go with thee, and set out at once on our begging
for help, for now methinks the peace will be kept but a little
while longer."

After that they go out of the booth, and to the booths of the
Axefirthers.  Then Bjarni talks with Lyting and Bleing, and Hroi
Arnstein's son, and he got speedily whatever he asked of them.
Then they fared to see Kol, the son of Killing-Skuti, and Eyvind
Thorkel's son, the son of Askel the Priest, and asked them for
their help; but they stood out a long while, but the end of it
was that they took three marks of silver for it, and so went into
the suit with them.

Then they went to the booths of the men of Lightwater, and stayed
there some time.  Flosi begged the men of Lightwater for help,
but they were stubborn and hard to win over, and then Flosi said,
with much wrath, "Ye are ill-behaved!  Ye are grasping and
wrongful at home in your own country, and ye will not help men at
the Thing, though they need it.  No doubt you will be held up to
reproach at the Thing, and very great blame will be laid on you
if ye bear not in mind that scorn and those biting words which
Skarphedinn hurled at you men of Lightwater."

But on the other hand, Flosi dealt secretly with them, and bade
them money for their help, and so coaxed them over with fair
words, until it came about that they promised him their aid, and
then became so steadfast that they said they would fight for
Flosi, if need were.

Then Bjarni said to Flosi, "Well done!  Well done!  Thou art a
mighty chief, and a bold outspoken man, and reckest little what
thou sayest to men."

After that they fared away west across the river, and so to the
Hladbooth.  They saw many men outside before the booth.  There
was one man who had a scarlet cloak over his shoulders, and a
gold band round his head, and an axe studded with silver in his
hand.

"This is just right," said Bjarni, "here now is the man I spoke
of, Eyjolf Bolverk's son, if thou wilt see him, Flosi."

Then they went to meet Eyjolf, and hailed him.  Eyjolf knew
Bjarni at once, and greeted him well.  Bjarni took Eyjolf by the
hand, and led him up into the "Great Rift."  Flosi's and Bjarni's
men followed after, and Eyjolf's men went also with him.  They
bade them stay upon the lower brink of the Rift, and look about
them, but Flosi, and Bjarni, and Eyjolf went on till they came to
where the path leads down from the upper brink of the Rift.

Flosi said it was a good spot to sit down there, for they could
see around them far and wide.  Then they sat them down there.
They were four of them together, and no more.

Then Bjarni spoke to Eyjolf, and said "Thee, friend, have we come
to see, for we much need thy help in every way."

"Now," said Eyjolf, "there is good choice of men here at the
Thing, and ye will not find it hard to fall on those who will be
a much greater strength to you than I can be."

"Not so," said Bjarni, "thou hast many things which show that
there is no greater man than thou at the Thing; first of all,
that thou art so well-born, as all those men are who are sprung
from Ragnar Hairybreeks; thy forefathers, too, have always stood
first in great suits, both here at the Thing and at home in their
own country, and they have always had the best of it; we think,
therefore, it is likely that thou wilt be lucky in winning suits,
like thy kinsfolk."

"Thou speakest well, Bjarni," said Eyjolf; "but I think that I
have small share in all this that thou sayest."

Then Flosi said, "There is no need beating about the bush as to
what we have in mind.  We wish to ask for thy help, Eyjolf, and
that thou wilt stand by us in our suits, and go to the court with
us, and undertake the defence, if there be any, and plead it for
us, and stand by us in all things that may happen at this Thing."

Eyjolf jumped up in wrath, and said that no man had any right to
think that he could make a catspaw of him, or drag him on if he
had no mind to go himself.

"I see, too, now," he says, "what has led you to utter all those
fair words with which ye began to speak to me."

Then Hallbjorn the Strong caught hold of him and sate him down by
his side, between him and Bjarni, and said, "No tree falls at the
first stroke, friend, but sit here awhile by us."  Then Flosi
drew a gold ring off his arm.

"This ring will I give thee, Eyjolf, for thy help and friendship,
and so show thee that I will not befool thee.  It will be best
for thee to take the ring, for there is no man here at the Thing
to whom I have ever given such a gift."

The ring was such a good one, and so well made, that it was worth
twelve hundred yards of russet stuff.

Hallbjorn drew the ring on Eyjolf's arm; and Eyjolf said, "It is
now most fitting that I should take the ring, since thou behavest
so handsomely; and now thou mayest make up thy mind that I will
undertake the defence, and do all things needful."

"Now," said Bjarni, "ye behave handsomely on both sides, and here
are men well fitted to be witnesses, since I and Hallbjorn are
here, that thou hast undertaken the suit."

Then Eyjolf arose, and Flosi too, and they took one another by
the hand; and so Eyjolf undertook the whole defence of the suit
off Flosi's hands, and so, too, if any suit arose out of the
defence, for it often happens that what is a defence in one suit,
is a plaintiff's plea in another.  So he took upon him all the
proofs and proceedings which belonged to those suits, whether
they were to be pleaded before the Quarter Court or the Fifth
Court.  Flosi handed them over in lawful form, and Eyjolf took
them in lawful form, and then he said to Flosi and Bjarni, "Now I
have undertaken this defence just as ye asked, but my wish it is
that ye should still keep it secret at first; but if the matter
comes into the Fifth Court, then be most careful not to say that
ye have given goods for my help."

Then Flosi went home to his booth, and Bjarni with him, but
Eyjolf went to the booth of Snorri the Priest, and sate down by
him, and they talked much together.

Snorri the Priest caught hold of Eyjolf's arm, and turned up the
sleeve, and sees that he had a great ring of gold on his arm.
Then Snorri the Priest said, "Pray, was this ring bought or
given?"

Eyjolf was put out about it, and had never a word to say.  Then
Snorri said, "I see plainly that thou must have taken it as a
gift, and may this ring not be thy death!"

Eyjolf jumped up and went away, and would not speak about it; and
Snorri said, as Eyjolf arose, "It is very likely that thou wilt
know what kind of gift thou hast taken by the time this Thing is
ended."

Then Eyjolf went to his booth.


ENDNOTES:

(1)  Eyjolf the Guileful was the son of Thord Gellir, the son of
     Oleif Feilan.  The mother of Eyjolf the Guileful was Rodny,
     the daughter of Skeggi of Midfirth.




138. OF ASGRIM, AND GIZUR, AND KARI

Now Asgrim Ellidagrim's son talks to Gizur the White, and Kari
Solmund's son, and to Hjallti Skeggi's son, Mord Valgard's son,
and Thorgeir Craggeir, and says, "There is no need to have any
secrets here, for only those men are by who know all our counsel.
Now I will ask you if ye know anything of their plans, for if you
do, it seems to me that we must take fresh counsel about our own
plans."

"Snorri the Priest," answers Gizur the White, "sent a man to me,
and bade him tell me that Flosi had gotten great help from the
Northlanders; but that Eyjolf Bolverk's son, his kinsman, had had
a gold ring given him by some one, and made a secret of it, and
Snorri said it was his meaning that Eyjolf Bolverk's son must be
meant to defend the suit at law, and that the ring must have been
given him for that."

They were all agreed that it must be so.  Then Gizur spoke to
them, "Now has Mord Valgard's son, my son-in-law, undertaken a
suit, which all must think most hard, to prosecute Flosi; and now
my wish is that ye share the other suits amongst you, for now it
will soon be time to give notice of the suits at the Hill of
Laws.  We shall need also to ask for more help."

Asgrim said so it should be, "but we will beg thee to go round
with us when we ask for help."  Gizur said he would be ready to
do that.

After that Gizur picked out all the wisest men of their company
to go with him as his backers.  There was Hjallti Skeggi's son,
and Asgrim, and Kari, and Thorgeir Craggeir.

Then Gizur the White said, "Now will we first go to the booth of
Skapti Thorod's son," and they do so.  Gizur the White went
first, then Hjallti, then Kari, then Asgrim, then Thorgeir
Craggeir, and then his brothers.

They went into the booth.  Skapti sat on the cross bench on the
dais, and when he saw Gizur the White he rose up to meet him, and
greeted him and all of them well, and bade Gizur to sit down by
him, and he does so.  Then Gizur said to Asgrim, "Now shalt thou
first raise the question of help with Skapti, but I will throw in
what I think good."

"We are come hither," said Asgrim, "for this sake, Skapti, to
seek help and aid at thy hand."

"I was thought to be hard to win the last time," said Skapti,
"when I would not take the burden of your trouble on me."

"It is quite another matter now," said Gizur.  "Now the feud is
for master Njal and mistress Bergthora, who were burnt in their
own house without a cause, and for Njal's three sons, and many
other worthy men, and thou wilt surely never be willing to yield
no help to men, or to stand by thy kinsmen and connections."

"It was in my mind," answers Skapti, "when Skarphedinn told me
that I had myself borne tar on my own head, and cut up a sod of
turf and crept under it, and when he said that I had been so
afraid that Thorolf Lopt's son of Eyrar bore me abroad in his
ship among his meal-sacks, and so carried me to Iceland, that I
would never share in the blood feud for his death."

"Now there is no need to bear such things in mind," said Gizur
the White, "for he is dead who said that, and thou wilt surely
grant me this, though thou wouldst not do it for other men's
sake."

"This quarrel," says Skapti, "is no business of thine, except
thou choosest to be entangled in it along with them."

Then Gizur was very wrath, and said, "Thou art unlike thy father,
though he was thought not to be quite cleanhanded; yet was he
ever helpful to men when they needed him most."

"We are unlike in temper," said Skapti.  "Ye two, Asgrim and
thou, think that ye have had the lead in mighty deeds; thou,
Gizur the White, because thou overcamest Gunnar of Lithend; but
Asgrim, for that he slew Gauk, his foster-brother."

"Few," said Asgrim, "bring forward the better if they know the
worse, but many would say that I slew not Gauk ere I was driven
to it.  There is some excuse for thee for not helping us, but
none for heaping reproaches on us; and I only wish before this
Thing is out that thou mayest get from this suit the greatest
disgrace, and that there may be none to make thy shame good."

Then Gizur and his men stood up all of them, and went out, and so
on to the booth of Snorri the Priest.

Snorri sat on the cross-bench in his booth; they went into the
booth, and he knew the men at once, and stood up to meet them,
and bade them all welcome, and made room for them to sit by him.

After that, they asked one another the news of the day.

Then Asgrim spoke to Snorri, and said, "For that am I and my
kinsman Gizur come hither, to ask thee for thy help."

"Thou speakest of what thou mayest always be forgiven for asking,
for help in the blood-feud after such connections as thou hadst.
We, too, got many wholesome counsels from Njal, though few now
bear that in mind; but as yet I know not of what ye think ye
stand most in need."

"We stand most in need," answers Asgrim, "of brisk lads and good
weapons, if we fight them here at the Thing."

"True it is," said Snorri, "that much lies on that, and it is
likeliest that ye will press them home with daring, and that they
will defend themselves so in like wise, and neither of you will
allow the others' right.  Then ye will not bear with them and
fall on them, and that will be the only way left; for then they
will seek to pay you off with shame for manscathe, and with
dishonour for loss of kin."

It was easy to see that he goaded them on in everything.

Then Gizur the White said "Thou speakest well, Snorri, and thou
behavest ever most like a chief when most lies at stake."

"I wish to know," said Asgrim, "in what way thou wilt stand by
us if things turn out as thou sayest."

"I will show thee those marks of friendship," said Snorri, "on
which all your honour will hang, but I will not go with you to
the court.  But if ye fight here on the Thing, do not fall on
them at all unless ye are all most steadfast and dauntless, for
you have great champions against you.  But if ye are overmatched,
ye must let yourselves be driven hither towards us, for I shall
then have drawn up my men in array hereabouts, and shall be ready
to stand by you.  But if it falls out otherwise, and they give
way before you, my meaning is that they will try to run for a
stronghold in the 'Great Rift.'  But if they come thither, then
ye will never get the better of them.  Now I will take that on my
hands, to draw up my men there, and guard the pass to the
stronghold, but we will not follow them whether they turn north
or south along the river.  And when you have slain out of their
band about as many as I think ye will be able to pay blood-fines
for, and yet keep your priesthoods and abodes, then I will run up
with all my men and part you.  Then ye shall promise to do as I
bid you, and stop the battle, if I on my part do what I have now
promised."

Gizur thanked him kindly, and said that what he had said was just
what they all needed, and then they all went out.

"Whither shall we go now?" said Gizur.

"To the Northlanders' booth," said Asgrim.

Then they fared thither.




139. OF ASGRIM AND GUDMUND

And when they came into the booth then they saw where Gudmund the
Powerful sate and talked with Einar Conal's son, his foster-
child; he was a wise man.

Then they come before him, and Gudmund welcomed them very
heartily, and made them clear the booth for them, that they might
all be able to sit down.

Then they asked what tidings, and Asgrim said, "There is no need
to mutter what I have to say.  We wish, Gudmund, to ask for thy
steadfast help."

"Have ye seen any other chiefs before?" said Gudmund.

They said they had been to see Skapti Thorod's son and Snorri the
Priest, and told him quietly how they had fared with each of
them.

Then Gudmund said, "Last time I behaved badly and meanly to you.
Then I was stubborn, but now ye shall drive your bargain with me
all the more quickly because I was more stubborn then, and now I
will go myself with you to the court with all my Thing-men, and
stand by you in all such things as I can, and fight for you
though this be needed, and lay down my life for your lives.  I
will also pay Skapti out in this way, that Thorstein Gape-mouth
his son shall be in the battle on our side, for he will not dare
to do aught else than I will, since he has Jodisa my daughter to
wife, and then Skapti will try to part us."

They thanked him, and talked with him long and low afterwards, so
that no other men could hear.

Then Gudmund bade them not to go before the knees of any other
chiefs, for he said that would be little-hearted.

"We will now run the risk with the force that we have.  Ye must
go with your weapons to all law-business, but not fight as things
stand."

Then they went all of them home to their booths, and all this was
at first with few men's knowledge.

So now the Thing goes on.




140. OF THE DECLARATIONS OF THE SUITS

It was one day that men went to the Hill of Laws, and the chiefs
were so placed that Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and Gizur the White,
and Gudmund the Powerful, and Snorri the Priest, were on the
upper hand by the Hill of Laws; but the Eastfirthers stood down
below.

Mord Valgard's son stood next to Gizur his father-in-law, he was
of all men the readiest-tongued.

Gizur told him that he ought to give notice of the suit for
manslaughter, and bade him speak up, so that all might hear him
well.

Then Mord took witness and said, "I take witness to this that I
give notice of an assault laid down by law against Flosi Thord's
son, for that he rushed at Helgi Njal's son and dealt him a
brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death-wound,
and from which Helgi got his death.  I say that in this suit he
ought to be made a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to
be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need.  I say
that all his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the men
of the Quarter, who have a right by law to take his forfeited
goods.  I give notice of this suit for manslaughter in the
Quarter Court into which this suit ought by law to come.  I give
notice of this lawful notice; I give notice in the hearing of all
men on the Hill of Laws; I give notice of this suit to be pleaded
this summer, and of full outlawry against Flosi Thord's son; I
give notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son has handed over
to me."

Then a great shout was uttered at the Hill of Laws, that Mord
spoke well and boldly.

Then Mord began to speak a second time.

"I take you to witness to this," says he, "that I give notice
of a suit against Flosi Thord's son.  I give notice for that he
wounded Helgi Njal's son with a brain, or a body, or a marrow
wound, which proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his
death on that spot where Flosi Thord's son had first rushed on
Helgi Njal's son with an assault laid down by law.  I say that
thou, Flosi, ought to be made in this suit a guilty man, an
outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or
harboured in any need.  I say that all thy goods are forfeited,
half to me and half to the men of the Quarter, who have a right
by law to take the goods which have been forfeited by thee.  I
give notice of this suit in the Quarter Court into which it ought
by law to come; I give notice of this lawful notice; I give
notice of it in the hearing of all men on the Hill of Laws; I
give notice of this suit to be pleaded this summer, and of full
outlawry against Flosi Thord's son.  I give notice of the suit
which Thorgeir Thorir's son hath handed over to me."

After that Mord sat him down.

Flosi listened carefully, but said never a word the while.

Then Thorgeir Craggeir stood up and took witness, and said, "I
take witness to this, that I give notice of a suit against Glum
Hilldir's son, in that he took firing and lit it, and bore it to
the house at Bergthorsknoll, when they were burned inside it, to
wit, Njal Thorgeir's son, and Bergthora Skarphedinn's daughter,
and all those other men who were burned inside it there and then.
I say that in this suit he ought to be made a guilty man, an
outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or
harboured in any need.  I say that all his goods are forfeited.
half to me, and half to the men of the Quarter, who have a right
by law to take his forfeited goods; I give notice of this suit in
the Quarter Court, into which it ought by law to come.  I give
notice in the hearing of all men on the Hill of Laws.  I give
notice of this suit to be pleaded this summer, and of full
outlawry against Glum Hilldir's son."

Kari Solmund's son declared his suits against Kol Thorstein's
son, and Gunnar Lambi's son, and Grani Gunnar's son, and it was
the common talk of men that he spoke wondrous well.

Thorleif Crow declared his suit against all the sons of Sigfus,
but Thorgrim the Big, his brother, against Modolf Kettle's son,
and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Hroar Hamond's son, brother of
Leidolf the Strong.

Asgrim Ellidagrim's son declared his suit against Leidolf and
Thorstein Geirleif's son, Arni Kol's son, and Grim the Red.

And they all spoke well.

After that other men gave notice of their suits, and it was far
on in the day that it went on so.

Then men fared home to their booths.

Eyjolf Bolverk's son went to his booth with Flosi, they passed
east around the booth and Flosi said to Eyjolf.

"See'st thou any defence in these suits."

"None," says Eyjolf.

"What counsel is now to be taken?" says Flosi.

"I will give thee a piece of advice," said Eyjolf.  "Now thou
shalt hand over thy priesthood to thy brother Thorgeir, but
declare that thou hast joined the Thing of Askel the Priest the
son of Thorkettle, north away in Reykiardale; but if they do not
know this, then may be that this will harm them, for they will be
sure to plead their suit in the Eastfirthers' court, but they
ought to plead it in the Northlanders' court, and they will
overlook that, and it is a Fifth Court matter against them if
they plead their suit in another court than that in which they
ought, and then we will take that suit up, but not until we have
no other choice left."

"May be," said Flosi, "that we shall get the worth of the ring."

"I don't know that," says Eyjolf; "but I will stand by thee at
law, so that men shall say that there never was a better defence.
Now, we must send for Askel, but Thorgeir shall come to thee at
once, and a man with him."

A little while after Thorgeir came, and then he took on him
Flosi's leadership and priesthood.

By that time Askel was come thither too, and then Flosi declared
that he had joined his Thing, and this was with no man's
knowledge save theirs.

Now all is quiet till the day when the courts were to go out to
try suits.




141. NOW MEN GO TO THE COURTS

Now the time passes away till the courts were to go out to try
suits.  Both sides then made them ready to go thither, and armed
them.  Each side put war-tokens on their helmets.

Then Thorhall Asgrim's son said, "Walk hastily in nothing father
mine, and do everything as lawfully and rightly as ye can, but if
ye fall into any strait let me know as quickly as ye can, and
then I will give you counsel."

Asgrim and the others looked at him, and his face was as though
it were all blood, but great teardrops gushed out of his eyes.
He bade them bring him his spear, that had been a gift to him
from Skarphedinn, and it was the greatest treasure.

Asgrim said as they went away, "Our kinsman Thorhall was not easy
in his mind as we left him behind in the booth, and I know not
what he will be at."

Then Asgrim said again, "Now we will go to Mord Valgard's son,
and think of nought else but the suit, for there is more sport in
Flosi than in very many other men."

Then Asgrim sent a man to Gizur the White, and Hjallti Skeggi's
son, and Gudmund the Powerful.  Now they all came together, and
went straight to the court of Eastfirthers.  They went to the
court from the south, but Flosi and all the Eastfirthers with him
went to it from the north.  There were also the men of Reykdale
and the Axefirthers with Flosi.  There, too, was Eyjolf Bolverk's
son.  Flosi looked at Eyjolf, and said, "All now goes fairly, and
may be that it will not be far off from thy guess."

"Keep thy peace about it," says Eyjolf, "and then we shall be
sure to gain our point."

Now Mord took witness, and bade all those men who had suits of
outlawry before the court to cast lots who should first plead or
declare his suit, and who next, and who last; he bade them by a
lawful bidding before the court, so that the judges heard it.
Then lots were cast as to the declarations, and he, Mord, drew
the lot to declare his suit first.

Now Mord Valgard's son took witness the second time, and said, "I
take witness to this, that I except all mistakes in words in my
pleading, whether they be too many or wrongly spoken, and I claim
the right to amend all my words until I have put them into proper
lawful shape.  I take witness to myself of this."

Again Mord said, "I take witness to this, that I bid Flosi
Thord's son, or any other man who has undertaken the defence made
over to him by Flosi, to listen for him to my oath, and to my
declaration of my suit, and to all the proofs and proceedings
which I am about to bring forward against him; I bid him by a
lawful bidding before the court, so that the judges may hear it
across the court."

Again Mord Valgard's son said, "I take witness to this, that I
take an oath on the book, a lawful oath, and I say it before God,
that I will so plead this suit in the most truthful, and most
just and most lawful way, so far as I know; and that I will bring
forward all my proofs in due form, and utter them faithfully so
long as I am in this suit."

After that he spoke in these words, "I have called Thorodd as my
first witness, and Thorbjorn as my second; I have called them to
bear witness that I gave notice of an assault laid down by law
against Flosi Thord's son, on that spot where he, Flosi Thord's
son, rushed with an assault laid down by law on Helgi Njal's son,
when Flosi Thord's son wounded Helgi Njal's son with a brain, or
a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death-wound, and from
which Helgi got his death.  I said that he ought to be made in
this suit a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to be
forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need; I said that
all his goods were forfeited half to me and half to the men of
the Quarter who have the right by law to take the goods which he
has forfeited; I gave notice of the suit in the quarter Court
into which the suit ought by law to come; I gave notice of that
lawful notice; I gave notice in the hearing of all men at the
Hill of Laws; I gave notice of this suit to be pleaded now this
summer, and of full outlawry against Flosi Thord's son.  I gave
notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son had handed over to
me; and I had all these words in my notice which I have now used
in this declaration of my suit.  I now declare this suit of
outlawry in this shape before the court of the Eastfirthers over
the head of John, as I uttered it when I gave notice of it."

Then Mord spoke again, "I have called Thorodd as my first
witness, and Thorbjorn as my second.  I have called them to bear
witness that I gave notice of a suit against Flosi Thord's son
for that he wounded Helgi Njal's son with a brain or a body, or a
marrow wound, which proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi
got his death.  I said that he ought to be made in this suit a
guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to
be helped or harboured in any need; I said that all his goods
were forfeited, half to me and half to the men of the Quarter who
have the right by law to take the goods which he has forfeited; I
gave notice of the suit in the Quarter Court into which the suit
ought by law to come; I gave notice of that lawful notice; I gave
notice in the hearing of all men at the Hill of Laws; I gave
notice of this suit to be pleaded now this summer, and of full
outlawry against Flosi Thord's son.  I gave notice of a suit
which Thorgeir Thorir's son had handed over to me; and I had all
these words in my notice which I have now used in this
declaration of my suit.  I now declare this suit of outlawry in
this shape before the court of the Eastfirthers over the head of
John, as I uttered it when I gave notice of it."

Then Mord's witnesses to the notice came before the court, and
spake so that one uttered their witness, but both confirmed it by
their common consent in this form, "I bear witness that Mord
called Thorodd as his first witness, and me as his second, and my
name is Thorbjorn" -- then he named his father's name -- "Mord
called us two as his witnesses that he gave notice of an assault
laid down by law against Flosi Thord's son when he rushed on
Helgi Njal's son, in that spot where Flosi Thord's son dealt
Helgi Njal's son a brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, that
proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his death.  He
said that Flosi ought to be made in this suit a guilty man, an
outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or
harboured by any man; he said that all his goods were forfeited,
half to himself and half to the men of the Quarter who have the
right by law to take the goods which he had forfeited; he gave
notice of the suit in the Quarter Court into which the suit ought
by law to come; he gave notice of that lawful notice; he gave
notice in the hearing of all men at the Hill of Laws; he gave
notice of this suit to be pleaded now this summer, and of full
outlawry against Flosi Thord's son.  He gave notice of a suit
which Thorgeir Thorir's son had handed over to him.  He used all
those words in his notice which he used in the declaration of his
suit, and which we have used in bearing witness; we have now
borne our witness rightly and lawfully, and we are agreed in
bearing it; we bear this witness in this shape before the
Eastfirthers' Court over the head of John, as Mord uttered it
when he gave his notice."

A second time they bore their witness of the notice before the
court, and put the wounds first and the assault last, and used
all the same words as before, and bore their witness in this
shape before the Eastfirthers' Court just as Mord uttered them
when he gave his notice.

Then Mord's witnesses to the handing over of the suit went before
the court, and one uttered their witness, and both confirmed it
by common consent, and spoke in these words, "That those two,
Mord Valgard's son and Thorgeir Thorir's son, took them to
witness that Thorgeir Thorir's son handed over a suit for
manslaughter to Mord Valgard's son against Flosi Thord's son for
the slaying of Helgi Njal's son; he handed over to him then this
suit, with all the proofs and proceedings which belonged to the
suit, he handed it over to him to plead and to settle, and to
make use of all rights as though he were the rightful next of
kin: Thorgeir handed it over lawfully, and Mord took it lawfully."

They bore witness of the handing over of the suit in this shape
before the Eastfirther's Court over the head of John, just as
Mord or Thorgeir had called them as witnesses to prove.

They made all these witnesses swear on oath ere they bore
witness, and the judges too.

Again Mord Valgard's son took witness.  "I take witness to this,"
said he, "that I bid those nine neighbours whom I summoned when I
laid this suit against Flosi Thord's son, to take their seats
west on the river-bank, and I call on the defendant to challenge
this request, I call on him by a lawful bidding before the court
so that the judges may hear."

Again Mord took witness.  "I take witness to this, that I bid
Flosi Thord's son, or that other man who has the defence handed
over to him, to challenge the inquest which I have caused, to
take their seats west on the river-bank.  I bid thee by a lawful
bidding before the court so that the judges may hear."

Again Mord took witness.  "I take witness to this, that now are
all the first steps and proofs brought forward which belong to
the suit.  Summons to bear my oath, oath taken, suit declared,
witness borne to the notice, witness borne to the handing over of
the suit, the neighbours on the inquest bidden to take their
seats, and the defendant bidden to challenge the inquest.  I take
this witness to these steps and proofs which are now brought
forward, and also to this that I shall not be thought to have
left the suit though I go away from the court to look up proofs,
or on other business."

Now Flosi and his men went thither where the neighbours on the
inquest sate.

Then Flosi said to his men, "The sons of Sigfus must know best
whether these are the rightful neighbours to the spot who are
here summoned."

Kettle of the Mark answered, "Here is that neighbour who held
Mord at the font when he was baptized, but another is his second
cousin by kinship."

Then they reckoned up his kinship, and proved it with an oath.

Then Eyjolf took witness that the inquest should do nothing till
it was challenged.

A second time Eyjolf took witness, "I take witness to this," said
he, "that I challenge both these men out of the inquest, and set
them aside" -- here he named them by name, and their fathers as
well -- "for this sake, that one of them is Mord's second cousin
by kinship, but the other for gossipry (2), for which sake it is
lawful to challenge a neighbour on the inquest; ye two are for a
lawful reason incapable of uttering a finding, for now a lawful
challenge has overtaken you, therefore I challenge and set you
aside by the rightful custom of pleading at the Althing, and by
the law of the land; I challenge you in the cause which Flosi
Thord's son has handed over to me."

Now all the people spoke out, and said that Mord's suit had come
to naught, and all were agreed in this that the defence was
better than the prosecution.

Then Asgrim said to Mord, "The day is not yet their own, though
they think now that they have gained a great step; but now some
one shall go to see Thorhall my son, and know what advice he
gives us."

Then a trusty messenger was sent to Thorhall, and told him as
plainly as he could how far the suit had gone, and how Flosi and
his men thought they had brought the finding of the inquest to a
dead lock.

"I will so make it out," says Thorhall, "that this shall not
cause you to lose the suit; and tell them not to believe it,
though quirks and quibbles be brought against them, for that
wiseacre Eyjolf has now overlooked something.  But now thou shalt
go back as quickly as thou canst, and say that Mord Valgard's son
must go before the court, and take witness that their challenge
has come to naught," and then he told him step by step how they
must proceed.

The messenger came and told them Thorhall's advice.

Then Mord Valgard's son went to the court and took witness.  "I
take witness to this," said he, "that I make Eyjolf's challenge
void and of none effect; and my ground is, that he challenged
them not for their kinship to the true plaintiff, the next of
kin, but for their kinship to him who pleaded the suit; I take
this witness to myself, and to all those to whom this witness
will be of use."

After that he brought that witness before the court.

Now he went whither the neighbours sate on the inquest, and bade
those to sit down again who had risen up, and said they were
rightly called on to share in the finding of the inquest.

Then all said that Thorhall had done great things, and all
thought the prosecution better than the defence.

Then Flosi said to Eyjolf, "Thinkest thou that this is good law?"

"I think so, surely," he says, "and beyond a doubt we overlooked
this; but still we will have another trial of strength with
them."

Then Eyjolf took witness.  "I take witness to this," said he,
"that I challenge these two men out of the inquest" -- here he
named them both -- "for that sake that they are lodgers, but not
householders; I do not allow you two to sit on the inquest, for
now a lawful challenge has overtaken you; I challenge you both
and set you aside out of the inquest, by the rightful custom of
the Althing and by the law of the land."

Now Eyjolf said he was much mistaken if that could be shaken; and
then all said that the defence was better than the prosecution.

Now all men praised Eyjolf, and said there was never a man who
could cope with him in lawcraft.

Mord Valgard's son and Asgrim Ellidagrim's son now sent a man to
Thorhall to tell him how things stood; but when Thorhall heard
that, he asked what goods they owned, or if they were paupers?

The messenger said that one gained his livelihood by keeping
milch-kine, and "he has both cows and ewes at his abode; but the
other has a third of the land which he and the freeholder farm,
and finds his own food: and they have one hearth between them, he
and the man who lets the land, and one shepherd."

Then Thorhall said, "They will fare now as before, for they must
have made a mistake, and I will soon upset their challenge and
this though Eyjolf had used such big words that it was law."

Now Thorhall told the messenger plainly, step by step, how they
must proceed; and the messenger came back and told Mord and
Asgrim all the counsel that Thorhall had given.

Then Mord went to the court and took witness.  "I take witness to
this, that I bring to naught Eyjolf Bolverk's son's challenges
for that he has challenged those men out of the inquest who have
a lawful right to be there; every man has a right to sit on an
inquest of neighbours, who owns three hundreds in land or more,
though he may have no dairystock; and he too has the same right
who lives by dairystock worth the same sum, though he leases no
land."

Then he brought this witness before the court, and then he went
whither the neighbours on the inquest were, and bade them sit
down, and said they were rightfully among the inquest.

Then there was a great shout and cry and then all men said that
Flosi's and Eyjolf's cause was much shaken, and now men were of
one mind as to this, that the prosecution was better than the
defence.

Then Flosi said to Eyjolf, "Can this be law?"

Eyjolf said he had not wisdom enough to know that for a surety,
and then they sent a man to Skapti, the Speaker of the Law, to
ask whether it were good law, and he sent them back word that it
was surely good law, though few knew it.

Then this was told to Flosi, and Eyjolf Bolverk's son asked the
sons of Sigfus as to the other neighbours who were summoned
thither.

They said there were four of them who were wrongly summoned; "for
those sit now at home who were nearer neighbours to the spot."

Then Eyjolf took witness that he challenged all those four men
out of the inquest, and that he did it with lawful form of
challenge.  After that he said to the neighbours, "Ye are bound
to render lawful justice to both sides, and now ye shall go
before the court when ye are called, and take witness that ye
find that bar to uttering your finding; that ye are but five
summoned to utter your finding, but that ye ought to be nine;
and now Thorhall may prove and carry his point in every suit, if
he can cure this flaw in this suit."

And now it was plain in everything that Flosi and Eyjolf were
very boastful; and there was a great cry that now the suit for
the burning was quashed, and that again the defence was better
than the prosecution.

Then Asgrim spoke to Mord, "They know not yet of what to boast
ere we have seen my son Thorhall.  Njal told me that he had so
taught Thorhall law, that he would turn out the best lawyer in
Iceland whenever it were put to the proof."

Then a man was sent to Thorhall to tell him how things stood, and
of Flosi's and Eyjolf's boasting, and the cry of the people that
the suit for the burning was quashed in Mord's hands.

"It will be well for them," says Thorhall, "if they get not
disgrace from this.  Thou shalt go and tell Mord to take witness
and swear an oath, that the greater part of the inquest is
rightly summoned, and then he shall bring that witness before the
court, and then he may set the prosecution on its feet again; but
he will have to pay a fine of three marks for every man that he
has wrongly summoned; but he may not be prosecuted for that at
this Thing; and now thou shalt go back."

He does so, and told Mord and Asgrim all, word for word, that
Thorhall had said.

Then Mord went to the court, and took witness, and swore an oath
that the greater part of the inquest was rightly summoned, and
said then that he had set the prosecution on its feet again, and
then he went on, "And so our foes shall have honour from
something else than from this, that we have here taken a great
false step."

Then there was a great roar that Mord handled the suit well; but
it was said that Flosi and his men betook them only to quibbling
and wrong.

Flosi asked Eyjolf if this could be good law, but he said he
could not surely tell, but said the Lawman must settle this
knotty point.

Then Thorkel Geiti's son went on their behalf to tell the Lawman
how things stood, and asked whether this were good law that Mord
had said.

"More men are great lawyers now," says Skapti, "than I thought.
I must tell thee, then, that this is such good law in all points,
that there is not a word to say against it; but still I thought
that I alone would know this, now that Njal was dead, for he was
the only man I ever knew who knew it."

Then Thorkell went back to Flosi and Eyjolf, and said that this
was good law.

Then Mord Valgard's son went to the court and took witness.  "I
take witness to this," he said, "that I bid those neighbours on
the inquest in the suit which I set on foot against Flosi Thord's
son now to utter their finding, and to find it either against him
or for him; I bid them by a lawful bidding before the court, so
that the judges may hear it across the court."

Then the neighbours on Mord's inquest went to the court, and one
uttered their finding, but all confirmed it by their consent; and
they spoke thus, word for word, "Mord Valgard's son summoned nine
of us thanes on this inquest, but here we stand five of us, but
four have been challenged and set aside, and now witness has been
borne as to the absence of the four who ought to have uttered this
finding along with us, and now we are bound by law to utter our
finding.  We were summoned to bear this witness, whether Flosi
Thord's son rushed with an assault laid down by law on Helgi
Njal's son, on that spot where Flosi Thord's son wounded Helgi
Njal's son with a brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, which
proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his death.  He
summoned us to utter all those words which it was lawful for us
to utter, and which he should call on us to answer before the
court, and which belong to this suit; he summoned us, so that we
heard what he said; he summoned us in a suit which Thorgeir
Thorir's son had handed over to him, and now we have all sworn an
oath, and found our lawful finding, and are all agreed, and we
utter our finding against Flosi, and we say that he is truly
guilty in this suit.  We nine men on this inquest of neighbours
so shapen, utter this our finding before the Eastfirthers' Court
over the head of John, as Mord summoned us to do; but this is the
finding of all of us."

Again a second time they uttered their finding against Flosi, and
uttered it first about the wounds, and last about the assault,
but all their other words they uttered just as they had before
uttered their finding against Flosi, and brought him in truly
guilty in the suit.

Then Mord Valgard's son went before the court, and took witness
that those neighbours whom he had summoned in the suit which he
had set on foot against Flosi Thord's son had now uttered their
finding, and brought him in truly guilty in the suit; he took
witness to this for his own part, or for those who might wish to
make use of this witness.

Again a second time Mord took witness and said, "I take witness
to this that I call on Flosi, or that man who has to undertake
the lawful defence which he has handed over to him, to begin his
defence to this suit which I have set on foot against him, for
now all the steps and proofs have been brought forward which
belong by law to this suit; all witness borne, the finding of the
inquest uttered and brought in, witness taken to the finding, and
to all the steps which have gone before; but if any such thing
arises in their lawful defence which I need to turn into a suit
against them, then I claim the right to set that suit on foot
against them.  I bid this my lawful bidding before the court, so
that the judges may hear."

"It gladdens me now, Eyjolf," said Flosi, "in my heart to think
what a wry face they will make, and how their pates will tingle
when thou bringest forward our defence."


ENDNOTES:

(1)  John for a man, and Gudruna for a woman, were standing names
     in the Formularies of the Icelandic code, answering to the
     "M or N" in our Liturgy, or to those famous fictions of
     English law, "John Doe and Richard Roe."
(2)  "Gossipry," that is, because they were gossips, "God's sib",
     relations by baptism.




142. OF EYJOLF BOLVERK'S SON

Then Eyjolf Bolverk's son went before the court, and took witness
to this, "I take witness that this is a lawful defence in this
cause, that ye have pleaded the suit in the Eastfirthers' Court,
when ye ought to have pleaded it in the Northlanders' Court; for
Flosi has declared himself one of the Thingmen of Askel the
Priest and here now are those two witnesses who were by, and who
will bear witness that Flosi handed over his priesthood to his
brother Thorgeir, but afterwards declared himself one of Askel
the Priest's Thingmen.  I take witness to this for my own part,
and for those who may need to make use of it."

Again Eyjolf took witness, "I take witness," he said, "to this,
that I bid Mord who pleads this suit, or the next of kin, to
listen to my oath, and to my declaration of the defence which I
am about to bring forward; I bid him by a lawful bidding before
the court, so that the judges may hear me."

Again Eyjolf took witness, "I take witness to this, that I swear
an oath on the book, a lawful oath, and say it before God, that I
will so defend this cause, in the most truthful, and most just,
and most lawful way, so far as I know, and so fulfil all lawful
duties which belong to me at this Thing."

Then Eyjolf said, "These two men I take to witness that I bring
forward this lawful defence that this suit was pleaded in another
Quarter Court, than that in which it ought to have been pleaded;
and I say that for this sake their suit has come to naught; I
utter this defence in this shape before the Eastfirthers' Court."

After that he let all the witness be brought forward which
belonged to the defence, and then he took witness to all the
steps in the defence to prove that they had all been duly taken.

After that Eyjolf again took witness and said, "I take witness to
this, that I forbid the judges, by a lawful protest before the
priest, to utter judgment in the suit of Mord and his friends,
for now a lawful defence has been brought before the court.  I
forbid you by a protest made before a priest; by a full, fair,
and binding protest; as I have a right to forbid you by the
common custom of the Althing, and by the law of the land."

After that be called on the judges to pronounce for the defence.

Then Asgrim and his friends brought on the other suits for the
burning, and those suits took their course.




143. THE COUNSEL OF THORHALL ASGRIM'S SON

Now Asgrim and his friends sent a man to Thorhall, and let him be
told in what a strait they had come.

"Too far off was I now," answers Thorhall, "for this cause might
still not have taken this turn if I had been by.  I now see their
course that they must mean to summon you to the Fifth Court for
contempt of the Thing.  They must also mean to divide the
Eastfirthers Court in the suit for the burning, so that no
judgment may be given, for now they behave so as to show that
they will stay at no ill.  Now shalt thou go back to them as
quickly as thou canst, and say that Mord must summon them both,
both Flosi and Eyjolf, for having brought money into the Fifth
Court, and make it a case of lesser outlawry.  Then he shall
summon them with a second summons for that they have brought
forward that witness which had nothing to do with their cause,
and so were guilty of contempt of the Thing; and tell them that I
say this, that if two suits for lesser outlawry hang over one and
the same man, that he shall be adjudged a thorough outlaw at
once.  And for this ye must set your suits on foot first, that
then ye will first go to trial and judgment."

Now the messenger went his way back and told Mord and Asgrim.

After that they went to the Hill of Laws, and Mord Valgard's son
took witness.  "I take witness to this that I summon Flosi
Thord's son, for that he gave money for his help here at the
Thing to Eyjolf Bolverk's son.  I say that he ought on this
charge to be made a guilty outlaw, for this sake alone to be
forwarded or to be allowed the right of frithstow (1), if his
fine and bail are brought forward at the execution levied on his
house and goods, but else to become a thorough outlaw.  I say all
his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the men of the
Quarter who have the right by law to take his goods after he has
been outlawed.  I summon this cause before the Fifth Court,
whither the cause ought to come by law; I summon it to be pleaded
now and to full outlawry.  I summon with a lawful summons.  I
summon in the hearing of all men at the Hill of Laws."

With a like summons he summoned Eyjolf Bolverk's son, for that he
had taken and received the money, and he summoned him for that
sake to the Fifth Court.

Again a second time he summoned Flosi and Eyjolf, for that sake
that they had brought forward that witness at the Thing which had
nothing lawfully to do with the cause of the parties, and had so
been guilty of contempt of the Thing; and he laid the penalty for
that at lesser outlawry.

Then they went away to the Court of Laws, there the Fifth Court
was then set.

Now when Mord and Asgrim had gone away, then the judges in the
Eastfirthers' Court could not agree how they should give
judgment, for some of them wished to give judgment for Flosi, but
some for Mord and Asgrim.  Then Flosi and Eyjolf tried to divide
the court, and there they stayed, and lost time over that while
the summoning at the Hill of Laws going on.  A little while after
Flosi and Eyjolf were told that they had been summoned at the
Hill of Laws into the Fifth Court, each of them with two summons.
Then Eyjolf said, "In an evil hour have we loitered here while
they have been before us in quickness of summoning.  Now hath
come out Thorhall's cunning, and no man is his match in wit.  Now
they have the first right to plead their cause before the court,
and that was everything for them; but still we will go to the
Hill of Laws, and set our suit on foot against them, though that
will now stand us in little stead."

Then they fared to the Hill of Laws, and Eyjolf summoned them for
contempt of the Thing.

After that they went to the Fifth Court.

Now we must say that when Mord and Asgrim came to the Fifth
Court, Mord took witness and bade them listen to his oath and the
declaration of his suit, and to all those proofs and steps which
he meant to bring forward against Flosi and Eyjolf.  He bade them
by a lawful bidding before the court, so that the judges could
hear him across the court.

In the Fifth Court vouchers had to follow the oaths of the
parties, and they had to take an oath after them.

Mord took witness.  "I take witness," he said, "to this, that I
take a Fifth Court oath.  I pray God so to help me in this light
and in the next, as I shall plead this suit as I know to be most
truthful, and just, and lawful.  I believe with all my heart that
Flosi is truly guilty in this suit, if I may bring forward my
proofs; and I have not brought money into this court in this
suit, and I will not bring it.  I have not taken money, and I
will not take it, neither for a lawful nor for an unlawful end."

The men who were Mord's vouchers then went two of them before the
court, and took witness to this -- "We take witness that we take
an oath on the book, a lawful oath; we pray God so to help us two
in this light and in the next, as we lay it on our honour that we
believe with all our hearts that Mord will so plead this suit as
he knows to be most truthful, and most just, and most lawful, and
that he hath not brought money into this court in this suit to
help himself, and that he will not offer it, and that he hath not
taken money, nor will he take it, either for a lawful or unlawful
end."

Mord had summoned nine neighbours who lived next to the
Thingfield on the inquest in the suit, and then Mord took
witness, and declared those four suits which he had set on foot
against Flosi and Eyjolf; and Mord used all those words in his
declaration that he had used in his summons.  He declared his
suits for outlawry in the same shape before the Fifth Court as he
had uttered them when he summoned the defendants.

Mord took witness, and bade those nine neighbours on the inquest
to take their seats west on the river bank.

Mord took witness again, and bade Flosi and Eyjolf to challenge
the inquest.

They went up to challenge the inquest, and looked narrowly at
them, but could get none of them set aside; then they went away
as things stood, and were very ill pleased with their case.

Then Mord took witness, and bade those nine neighbours whom he
had before called on the inquest, to utter their finding, and to
bring it in either for or against Flosi.

Then the neighbours on Mord's inquest came before the court, and
one uttered the finding, but all the rest confirmed it by their
consent.  They had all taken the Fifth Court oath, and they
brought in Flosi as truly guilty in the suit, and brought in
their finding against him.  They brought it in such a shape
before the Fifth Court over the head of the same man over whose
head Mord had already declared his suit.  After that they brought
in all those findings which they were bound to bring in all the
other suits, and all was done in lawful form.

Eyjolf Bolverk's son and Flosi watched to find a flaw in the
proceedings, but could get nothing done.

Then Mord Valgard's son took witness.  "I take witness," said he,
"to this, that these nine neighbours whom I called on these suits
which I have had hanging over the heads of Flosi Thord's son, and
Eyjolf Bolverk's son, have now uttered their finding, and have
brought them in truly guilty in these suits."

He took this witness for his own part.

Again Mord took witness.  "I take witness," he said, "to this,
that I bid Flosi Thord's son, or that other man who has taken his
lawful defence in hand, now to begin their defence; for now all
the steps and proofs have been brought forward in the suit,
summons to listen to oaths, oaths taken, suit declared, witness
taken to the summons, neighbours called on to take their seats on
the inquest, defendant called on to challenge the inquest,
finding uttered, witness taken to the finding."

He took this witness to all the steps that had been taken in the
suit.

Then that man stood up over whose head the suit had been declared
and pleaded, and summed up the case.  He summed up first how Mord
had bade them listen to his oath, and to his declaration of the
suit, and to all the steps and proofs in it; then he summed up
next how Mord took his oath and his vouchers theirs; then he
summed up how Mord pleaded his suit, and used the very words in
his summing up that Mord had before used in declaring and
pleading his suit, and which he had used in his summons, and he
said that the suit came before the Fifth Court in the same shape
as it was when he uttered it at the summoning.  Then he summed up
that men had borne witness to the summoning, and repeated all
those words that Mord had used in his summons, and which they had
used in bearing their witness, "and which I now," he said, "have
used in my summing up, and they bore their witness in the same
shape before the Fifth Court as he uttered them at the
summoning."  After that he summed up that Mord bade the
neighbours on the inquest to take their seats, then he told next
of all how he bade Flosi to challenge the inquest, or that man
who had undertaken this lawful defence for him; then he told how
the neighbours went to the court, and uttered their finding, and
brought in Flosi truly guilty in the suit, and how they brought
in the finding of an inquest of nine men in that shape before the
Fifth Court.  Then he summed up how Mord took witness to all the
steps in the suit, and how he had bidden the defendant to begin
his defence.

After that Mord Valgard's son took witness.  "I take witness," he
said, "to this, that I forbid Flosi Thord's son, or that other
man who has undertaken the lawful defence for him, to set up his
defence; for now are all the steps taken which belong to the
suit, when the case has been summed up and the proofs repeated."

After that the foreman added these words of Mord to his summing
up.

Then Mord took witness, and prayed the judges to give judgment in
this suit.

Then Gizur the White said, "Thou wilt have to do more yet, Mord,
for four twelves can have no right to pass judgment."

Now Flosi said to Eyjolf, "What counsel is to be taken now?"

Then Eyjolf said, "Now we must make the best of a bad business;
but still we will bide our time, for now I guess that they will
make a false step in their suit, for Mord prayed for judgment at
once in the suit, but they ought to call and set aside six men
out of the court, and after that they ought to offer us to call
and set aside six other men, but we will not do that, for then
they ought to call and set aside those six men, and they will
perhaps overlook that; then all their case has come to naught if
they do not do that, for three twelves have to judge in every
cause."

"Thou art a wise man, Eyjolf," said Flosi, "so that few can come
nigh thee."

Mord Valgard's son took witness. "I take witness," he said "to
this, that I call and set aside these six men out of the court"
-- and named them all by name -- "I do not allow you to sit in
the court; I call you out and set you aside by the rightful
custom of the Althing, and the law of the land."

After that he offered Eyjolf and Flosi, before witnesses, to call
out by name and set aside other six men, but Flosi and Eyjolf
would not call them out.

Then Mord made them pass judgment in the cause; but when the
judgment was given, Eyjolf took witness, and said that all their
judgment had come to naught, and also everything else that had
been done, and his ground was that three twelves and one half had
judged, when three only ought to have given judgment.

"And now we will follow up our suits before the Fifth Court,"
said Eyjolf, "and make them outlaws."

Then Gizur the White said to Mord Valgard's son, "Thou hast made
a very great mistake in taking such a false step, and this is
great ill-luck; but what counsel shall we now take, kinsman
Asgrim?" says Gizur.

Then Asgrim said, "Now we will send a man to my son Thorhall,
and know what counsel he will give us."


ENDNOTES:

(1)  An old English law term for asylum or sanctuary.




144. BATTLE AT THE ALTHING

Now Snorri the Priest hears how the causes stood, and then he
begins to draw up his men in arry below "the Great Rift," between
it and Hadbooth, and laid down beforehand to his men how they
were to behave.

Now the messenger comes to Thorhall Asgrim's son, and tells him
how things stood, and how Mord Valgard's son and his friends
would all be made outlaws, and the suits for manslaughter be
brought to naught.

But when he heard that, he was so shocked at it that he could not
utter a word.  He jumped up then from his bed, and clutched with
both hands his spear, Skarphedinn's gift, and drove it through
his foot; then flesh clung to the spear, and the eye of the boil
too, for he had cut it clean out of the foot, but a torrent of
blood and matter poured out, so that it fell in a stream along
the floor.  Now he went out of the booth unhalting, and walked so
hard that the messenger could not keep up with him, and so he
goes until he came to the Fifth Court.  There he met Grim the
Red, Flosi's kinsman, and as soon as ever they met, Thorhall
thrust at him with the spear, and smote him on the shield and
clove it in twain, but the spear passed right through him, so
that the point came out between his shoulders.  Thorhall cast him
off his spear.

Then Kari Solmund's son caught sight of that, and said to Asgrim,
"Here, now, is come Thorhall thy son, and has straightway slain
a man, and this is a great shame, if he alone shall have the
heart to avenge the burning."

"That shall not be," says Asgrim, "but let us turn on them now."

Then there was a mighty cry all over the host, and then they
shouted their war-cries.

Flosi and his friends then turned against their foes, and both
sides egged on their men fast.

Kari Solmund's son turned now thither where Arni Kol's son and
Hallbjorn the Strong were in front, and as soon as ever Hallbjorn
saw Kari, he made a blow at him, and aimed at his leg, but Kari
leapt up into the air, and Hallbjorn missed him.  Kari turned on
Arni Kol's son and cut at him, and smote him on the shoulder, and
cut asunder the shoulder blade and collar-bone, and the blow went
right down into his breast, and Arni fell down dead at once to
earth.

After that he hewed at Hallbjorn and caught him on the shield,
and the blow passed through the shield, and so down and cut off
his great toe.  Holmstein hurled a spear at Kari, but he caught
it in the air, and sent it back, and it was a man's death in
Flosi's band.

Thorgeir Craggeir came up to where Hallbjorn the Strong was
in front, and Thorgeir made such a spear-thrust at him with his
left hand that Hallbjorn fell before it, and had hard work to get
on his feet again, and turned away from the fight there and then.
Then Thorgeir met Thorwalld Kettle Rumble's son, and hewed at him
at once with the axe, "the ogress of war," which Skarphedinn had
owned.  Thorwalld threw his shield before him, and Thorgeir hewed
the shield and cleft it from top to bottom, but the upper horn of
the axe made its way into his breast, and passed into his trunk,
and Thorwalld fell and was dead at once.

Now it must be told how Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and Thorhall his
son, Hjallti Skeggi's son, and Gizur the White, made an onslaught
where Flosi and the sons of Sigfus and the other burners were; --
then there was a very hard fight, and the end of it was that they
pressed on so hard, that Flosi and his men gave way before them.
Gudmund the Powerful, and Mord Valgard's son, and Thorgeir
Craggeir, made their onslaught where the Axefirthers and
Eastfirthers, and the men of Reykdale stood, and there too there
was a very hard fight.

Kari Solmund's son came up where Bjarni Broddhelgi's son had the
lead.  Kari caught up a spear and thrust at him, and the blow
fell on his shield.  Bjarni slipped the shield on one side of
him, else it had gone straight through him.  Then he cut at Kari
and aimed at his leg, but Kari drew back his leg and turned short
round on his heel, and Bjarni missed him.  Kari cut at once at
him, and then a man ran forward and threw his shield before
Bjarni.  Kari cleft the shield in twain, and the point of the
sword caught his thigh, and ripped up the whole leg down to the
ankle.  That man fell there and then, and was ever after a
cripple so long as he lived.

Then Kari clutched his spear with both hands, and turned on
Bjarni and thrust at him; he saw he had no other chance but to
throw himself down sidelong away from the blow, but as soon as
ever Bjarni found his feet, away he fell back out of the fight.

Thorgeir Craggeir and Gizur the White fell on there where
Holmstein the son of Bersi the Wise, and Thorkel Geiti's son were
leaders, and the end of the struggle was, that Holmstein and
Thorkel gave way, and then arose a mighty hooting after them from
the men of Gudmund the Powerful.

Thorwalld Tjorfi's son of Lightwater got a great wound, he was
shot in the forearm, and men thought that Halldor Gudmund the
Powerful's son had hurled the spear, but he bore that wound about
with him all his life long, and got no atonement for it.

Now there was a mighty throng.  But though we hear tell of some
of the deeds that were done, still there are far many more of
which men have handed down no stories.

Flosi had told them that they should make for the stronghold in
the Great Rift if they were worsted, "For there," said he, "they
will only be able to attack us on one side."  But the band which
Hall of the Side and his son Ljot led, had fallen away out of the
fight before the onslaught of that father and son, Asgrim and
Thorhall.  They turned down east of Axewater, and Hall said,
"This is a sad state of things when the whole host of men at the
Thing fight, and I would, kinsman Ljot, that we begged us help
even though that be brought against us by some men, and that we
part them.  Thou shalt wait for me at the foot of the bridge, and
I will go to the booths and beg for help."

"If I see," said Ljot, "that Flosi and his men need help from our
men, then I will at once run up and aid them."

"Thou wilt do in that as thou pleasest," says Hall, "but I pray
thee to wait for me here."

Now flight breaks out in Flosi's band, and they all fly west
across Axewater; but Asgrim and Gizur the White went after them
and all their host.  Flosi and his men turned down between the
river and the Outwork booth.  Snorri the Priest had drawn up his
men there in array, so thick that they could not pass that way,
and Snorri the Priest called out then to Flosi, "Why fare ye in
such haste, or who chase you?"

"Thou askest not this," answered Flosi, "because thou dost not
know it already; but whose fault is it that we cannot get to the
stronghold in the Great Rift?"

"It is not my fault," says Snorri, "but it is quite true that I
know whose fault it is, and I will tell thee if thou wilt; it is
the fault of Thorwalld Cropbeard and Kol."

They were both then dead, but they had been the worst men in all
Flosi's band.

Again Snorri said to his men, "Now do both, cut at them and
thrust at them, and drive them away hence, they will then hold
out but a short while here, if the others attack them from below;
but then ye shall not go after them, but let both sides shift for
themselves."

The son of Skapti Thorod's son was Thorstein Gapemouth, as was
written before, he was in the battle with Gudmund the Powerful,
his father-in-law, and as soon as Skapti knew that, he went to
the booth of Snorri the Priest, and meant to beg for help to part
them; but just before he had got as far as the door of Snorri's
booth, there the battle was hottest of all.  Asgrim and his
friends, and his men were just coming up thither, and then
Thorhall said to his father Asgrim, "See there now is Skapti
Thorod's son, father."

"I see him kinsman," said Asgrim, and then he shot a spear at
Skapti, and struck him just below where the calf was fattest, and
so through both his legs.  Skapti fell at the blow, and could not
get up again, and the only counsel they could take who were by,
was to drag Skapti flat on his face into the booth of a turf-
cutter.

Then Asgrim and his men came up so fast that Flosi and his men
gave way before them south along the river to the booths of the
men of Modruvale.  There there was a man outside one booth whose
name was Solvi; he was boiling broth in a great kettle, and had
just then taken the meat out, and the broth was boiling as hotly
as it could.

Solvi cast his eyes on the Eastfirthers as they fled, and they
were then just over against him, and then he said, "Can all these
cowards who fly here be Eastfirthers, and yet Thorkel Geiti's
son, he ran by as fast as any one of them, and very great lies
have been told about him when men say that he is all heart, but
now no one ran faster than he."

Hallbjorn the Strong was near by then, and said, "Thou shalt not
have it to say that we are all cowards."

And with that he caught hold of him, and lifted him up aloft, and
thrust him head down into the broth-kettle.  Solvi died at once;
but then a rush was made at Hallbjorn himself, and he had to turn
and fly.

Flosi threw a spear at Bruni Haflidi's son, and caught him at the
waist, and that was his bane; he was one of Gudmund the
Powerful's band.

Thorstein Hlenni's son took the spear out of the wound, and
hurled it back at Flosi, and hit him on the leg, and he got a
great wound and fell; he rose up again at once.

Then they passed on to the Waterfirthers' booth, and then Hall
and Ljot came from the east across the river, with all their
band; but just when they came to the lava, a spear was hurled out
of the band of Gudmund the Powerful, and it struck Ljot in the
middle, and he fell down dead at once; and it was never known
surely who had done that manslaughter.

Flosi and his men turned up round the Waterfirther's booth, and
then Thorgeir Craggeir said to Kari Solmund's son, "Look, yonder
now is Eyjolf Bolverk's son, if thou hast a mind to pay him off
for the ring."

"That I ween is not far from my mind," says Kari, and snatched a
spear from a man, and hurled it at Eyjolf, and it struck him in
the waist, and went through him, and Eyjolf then fell dead to
earth.

Then there was a little lull in the battle, and then Snorri the
Priest came up with his band, and Skapti was there in his
company, and they ran in between them, and so they could not get
at one another to fight.

Then Hall threw in his people with theirs, and was for parting
them there and then, and so a truce was set, and was to be kept
throughout the Thing, and then the bodies were laid out and borne
to the church, and the wounds of those men were bound up who were
hurt.

The day after men went to the Hill of Laws.  Then Hall of the Side
stood up and asked for a hearing, and got it at once; and he
spoke thus, "Here there have been hard happenings in lawsuits
and loss of life at the Thing, and now I will show again that I
am little-hearted, for I will now ask Asgrim and the others who
take the lead in these suits, that they grant us an atonement on
even terms;" and so he goes on with many fair words.

Kari Solmund's son said, "Though all others take an atonement in
their quarrels, yet will I take no atonement in my quarrel; for
ye will wish to weigh these manslayings against the burning, and
we cannot bear that."

In the same way spoke Thorgeir Craggeir.

Then Skapti Thorod's son stood up and said, "Better had it been
for thee, Kari, not to have run away from thy father-in-law and
thy brothers-in-law, than now to sneak out of this atonement."

Then Kari sang these verses:

     "Warrior wight that weapon wieldest
     Spare thy speering why we fled,
     Oft for less falls hail of battle,
     Forth we fled to wreak revenge;
     Who was he, fainthearted foeman,
     Who, when tongues of steel sung high,
     Stole beneath the booth for shelter,
     While his beard blushed red for shame?

     "Many fetters Skapti fettered
     When the men, the Gods of fight,
     From the fray fared all unwilling
     Where the skald scarce held his shield;
     Then the suttlers dragged the lawyer
     Stout in scolding to their booth,
     Laid him low amongst the riffraff,
     How his heart then quaked for fear.

     "Men who skim the main on sea stag
     Well in this ye showed your sense
     Making game about the Burning,
     Mocking Helgi, Grim, and Njal;
     Now the moor round rocky Swinestye (1),
     As men run and shake their shields,
     With another grunt shall rattle
     When this Thing is past and gone."

Then there was great laughter.  Snorri the Priest smiled and sang
this between his teeth, but so that many heard:

     "Skill hath Skapti us to tell
     Whether Asgrim's shaft flew well;
     Holmstein hurried swift to flight,
     Thorstein turned him soon to fight."

Now men burst out in great fits of laughter.

Then Hall of the Side said, "All men know what a grief I have
suffered in the loss of my son Ljot; many will think that he
would be valued dearest of all those men who have fallen here;
but I will do this for the sake of an atonement -- I will put no
price on my son, and yet will come forward and grant both pledges
and peace to those who are my adversaries.  I beg thee, Snorri
the Priest, and other of the best men, to bring this about, that
there may be an atonement between us."

Now he sits him down, and a great hum in his favour followed, and
all praised his gentleness and goodwill.

Then Snorri the Priest stood up and made a long and clever
speech, and begged Asgrim and the others who took the lead in the
quarrel to look towards an atonement.

Then Asgrim said, "I made up my mind when Flosi made an inroad
on my house that I would never be atoned with him; but now Snorri
the Priest, I will take an atonement from him for thy word's sake
and other of our friends."

In the same way spoke Thorleif Crow and Thorgrim the Big, that
they were willing to be atoned, and they urged in every way their
brother Thorgeir Craggeir to take an atonement also; but he hung
back, and says he would never part from Kari.

Then Gizur the White said, "Now Flosi must see that he must make
his choice, whether he will be atoned on the understanding that
some will be out of the atonement."

Flosi says he will take that atonement; "And methinks it is so
much the better," he says, "that I have fewer good men and true
against me."

Then Gudmund the Powerful said, "I will offer to handsel peace
on my behalf for the slayings that have happened here at the
Thing, on the understanding that the suit for the burning is not
to fall to the ground."

In the same way spoke Gizur the White and Hjallti Skeggi's son,
Asgrim Ellidagrim's son and Mord Valgard's son.

In this way the atonement came about, and then hands were shaken
on it, and twelve men were to utter the award; and Snorri the
Priest was the chief man in the award, and others with him.  Then
the manslaughters were set off the one against the other, and
those men who were over and above were paid for in fines.  They
also made an award in the suit about the burning.

Njal was to be atoned for with a triple fine, and Bergthora with
two.  The slaying of Skarphedinn was to be set off against that
of Hauskuld the Whiteness Priest.  Both Grim and Helgi were to be
paid for with double fines; and one full man-fine should be paid
for each of those who had been burnt in the house.

No atonement was taken for the slaying of Thord Kari's son.

It was also in the award that Flosi and all the burners should go
abroad into banishment, and none of them was to sail the same
summer unless he chose; but if he did not sail abroad by the time
that three winters were spent, then he and all the burners were
to become thorough outlaws.  And it was also said that their
outlawry might be proclaimed either at the Harvest-Thing or
Spring-Thing, whichever men chose; and Flosi was to stay abroad
three winters.

As for Gunnar Lambi's son, and Grani Gunnar's son, Glum Hilldir's
son, and Kol Thorstein's son, they were never to be allowed to
come back.

Then Flosi was asked if he would wish to have a price put upon
his wound, but he said he would not take bribes for his hurt.

Eyjolf Bolverk's son had no fine awarded for him, for his
unfairness and wrongfulness.

And now this settlement and atonement was handselled and was well
kept afterwards.

Asgrim and his friends gave Snorri the priest good gifts, and he
had great honour from these suits.

Skapti got a fine for his hurt.

Gizur the White, and Hjallti Skeggi's son, and Asgrim
Ellidagrim's son, asked Gudmund the Powerful to come and see them
at home.  He accepted the bidding, and each of them gave him a
gold ring.

Now Gudmund rides home north and had praise from every man for
the part he had taken in these quarrels.

Thorgeir Craggeir asked Kari to go along with him, but yet first
of all they rode with Gudmund right up to the fells north.  Kari
gave Gudmund a golden brooch, but Thorgeir gave him a silver
belt, and each was the greatest treasure.  So they parted with
the utmost friendship, and Gudmund is out of this story.

Kari and Thorgeir rode south from the fell, and down to the
Rapes (1), and so to Thurso-water.

Flosi, and the burners along with him, rode east to Fleetlithe,
and he allowed the sons of Sigfus to settle their affairs at
home.  Then Flosi heard that Thorgeir and Kari had ridden north
with Gudmund the Powerful, and so the burners thought that Kari
and his friend must mean to stay in the north country; and then
the sons of Sigfus asked leave to go east under Eyjafell to get
in their money, for they had money out on call at Headbrink.
Flosi gave them leave to do that, but still bade them be ware of
themselves, and be as short a time about it as they could.

Then Flosi rode up by Godaland, and so north of Eyjafell Jokul,
and did not draw bridle before he came home east to Swinefell.

Now it must be said that Hall of the Side had suffered his son to
fall without a fine, and did that for the sake of an atonement,
but then the whole host of men at the Thing agreed to pay a fine
for him, and the money so paid was not less than eight hundred in
silver, but that was four times the price of a man; but all the
others who had been with Flosi got no fines paid for their hurts,
and were very ill pleased at it.

The sons of Sigfus stayed at home two nights, but the third day
they rode east to Raufarfell, and were there the night.  They
were fifteen together, and had not the least fear for themselves.
They rode thence late, and meant to reach Headbrink about even.
They baited their horses in Carlinedale, and then a great slumber
came over them.


ENDNOTES:

(1)  "Swinestye," ironically for Swinefell, where Flosi lived.
(2)  This is the English equivalent for the Icelandic Hrep, a
     district.  It still lingers in "the Rape of Bramber," and
     other districts in Sussex and the southeast.




145. OF KARI AND THORGEIR

Those two, Kari Solmund's son and Thorgeir Craggeir, rode that
day east across Markfleet, and so on east to Selialandsmull.
They found there some women.  The wives knew them, and said to
them, "Ye two are less wanton than the sons of Sigfus yonder, but
still ye fare unwarily."

"Why do ye talk thus of the sons of Sigfus, or what do ye know
about them?"

"They were last night," they said, "at Raufarfell, and meant to
get to Myrdale to-night, but still we thought they must have some
fear of you, for they asked when ye would be likely to come
home."

Then Kari and Thorgeir went on their way and spurred their
horses.

"What shall we lay down for ourselves to do now," said Thorgeir,
"or what is most to thy mind?  Wilt thou that we ride on their
track?"

"I will not hinder this," answers Kari, "nor will I say what
ought to be done, for it may often be that those live long who
are slain with words alone (1); but I well know what thou meanest
to take on thyself, thou must mean to take on thy hands eight
men, and after all that is less than it was when thou slewest
those seven in the sea-crags (2), and let thyself down by a rope
to get at them; but it is the way with all you kinsmen, that ye
always wish to be doing some famous feat, and now I can do no
less than stand by thee and have my share in the story.  So now
we two alone will ride after them, for I see that thou hast so
made up thy mind."

After that they rode east by the upper way, and did not pass by
Holt, for Thorgeir would not that any blame should be laid at his
brother's door for what might be done.

Then they rode east to Myrdale, and there they met a man who had
turf-panniers on his horse.  He began to speak thus, "Too few
men, messmate Thorgeir, hast thou now in thy company."

"How is that?" says Thorgeir.

"Why," said the other, "because the prey is now before thy hand.
The sons of Sigfus rode by a while ago, and mean to sleep the
whole day east in Carlinedale, for they mean to go no farther
to-night than to Headbrink."

After that they rode on their way east on Arnstacks heath, and
there is nothing to be told of their journey before they came to
Carlinedale-water.

The stream was high, and now they rode up along the river, for
they saw there horses with saddles.  They rode now thitherward,
and saw that there were men asleep in a dell and their spears
were standing upright in the ground a little below them.  They
took the spears from them, and threw them into the river.

Then Thorgeir said, "Wilt thou that we wake them?"

"Thou hast not asked this," answers Kari, "because thou hast not
already made up thy mind not to fall on sleeping men, and so to
slay a shameful manslaughter."

After that they shouted to them, and then they all awoke and
grasped at their arms.

They did not fall on them till they were armed.

Thorgeir Craggeir runs thither where Thorkell Sigfus' son stood,
and just then a man ran behind his back, but before he could do
Thorgeir any hurt, Thorgeir lifted the axe, "the ogress of war,"
with both hands, and dashed the hammer of the axe with a back-
blow into the head of him that stood behind him, so that his
skull was shattered to small bits.

"Slain is this one," said Thorgeir; and down the man fell at
once, and was dead.

But when he dashed the axe forward, he smote Thorkell on the
shoulder, and hewed it off, arm and all.

Against Kari came Mord Sigfus' son, and Sigmund Sigfus' son, and
Lambi Sigurd's son; the last ran behind Kari's back, and thrust
at him with a spear; Kari caught sight of him, and leapt up as
the blow fell, and stretched his legs far apart, and so the blow
spent itself on the ground, but Kari jumped down on the spear-
shaft, and snapped it in sunder.  He had a spear in one hand, and
a sword in the other, but no shield.  He thrust with the right
hand at Sigmund Sigfus' son, and smote him on his breast, and the
spear came out between his shoulders, and down he fell and was
dead at once, With his left hand he made a cut at Mord, and smote
him on the hip, and cut it asunder, and his backbone too; he fell
flat on his face, and was dead at once.

After that he turned sharp round on his heel like a whipping-top,
and made at Lambi Sigurd's son, but he took the only way to save
himself, and that was by running away as hard as he could.

Now Thorgeir turns against Leidolf the Strong, and each hewed at
the other at the same moment, and Leidolf's blow was so great
that it shore off that part of the shield on which it fell.

Thorgeir had hewn with "the ogress of war," holding it with both
hands, and the lower horn fell on the shield and clove it in
twain, but the upper caught the collarbone and cut it in two and
tore on down into the breast and trunk.  Kari came up just then,
and cut off Leidolf's leg at mid-thigh, and then Leidolf fell and
died at once.

Kettle of the Mark said, "We will now run for our horses, for we
cannot hold our own here, for the overbearing strength of these
men."

Then they ran for their horses, and leapt on their backs; and
Thorgeir said, "Wilt thou that we chase them?  If so, we shall
yet slay some of them."

"He rides last," says Kari, "whom I would not wish to slay, and
that is Kettle of the Mark, for we have two sisters to wife; and
besides, he has behaved best of all of them as yet in our
quarrels."

Then they got on their horses, and rode till they came home to
Holt.  Then Thorgeir made his brothers fare away east to Skoga,
for they had another farm there, and because Thorgeir would not
that his brothers should be called truce-breakers.

Then Thorgeir kept many men there about him, so that there were
never fewer than thirty fighting men there.

Then there was great joy there, and men thought Thorgeir had
grown much greater, and pushed himself on; both he and Kari too.
Men long kept in mind this hunting of theirs, how they rode upon
fifteen men and slew those five, but put those ten to flight who
got away.

Now it is to be told of Kettle, that they rode as they best might
till they came home to Swinefell, and told how bad their journey
had been.

Flosi said it was only what was to be looked for; "And this is a
warning that ye should never do the like again."

Flosi was the merriest of men, and the best of hosts, and it is
so said that he had most of the chieftain in him of all the men
of his time.

He was at home that summer, and the winter too.

But that winter, after Yule, Hall of the Side came from the east,
and Kol his son.  Flosi was glad at his coming, and they often
talked about the matter of the burning.  Flosi said they had
already paid a great fine, and Hall said it was pretty much what
he had guessed would come of Flosi's and his friends' quarrel.
Then he asked him what counsel he thought best to be taken, and
Hall answers, "The counsel is, that thou beest atoned with
Thorgeir if there be a choice, and yet he will be hard to bring
to take any atonement."

"Thinkest thou that the manslaughters will then be brought to an
end?" asks Flosi.

"I do not think so," says Hall; "but you will have to do with
fewer foes if Kari be left alone; but if thou art not atoned with
Thorgeir, then that will be thy bane."

"What atonement shall we offer him?" asks Flosi.

"You will all think that atonement hard," says Hall, "which he
will take, for he will not hear of an atonement unless he be not
called on to pay any fine for what he has just done, but he will
have fines for Njal and his sons, so far as his third share
goes."

"That is a hard atonement," says Flosi.

"For thee at least," says Hall, "that atonement is not hard, for
thou hast not the blood-feud after the sons of Sigfus; their
brothers have the blood-feud, and Hammond the Halt after his son;
but thou shalt now get an atonement from Thorgeir, for I will now
ride to his house with thee, and Thorgeir will in anywise receive
me well: but no man of those who are in this quarrel will dare to
sit in his house on Fleetlithe if they are out of the atonement,
for that will be their bane; and, indeed, with Thorgeir's turn of
mind, it is only what must be looked for."

Now the sons of Sigfus were sent for, and they brought this
business before them; and the end of their speech was, on the
persuasion of Hall, that they all thought what he said right, and
were ready to be atoned.

Grani Gunnar's son and Gunnar Lambi's son, said, "It will be in
our power, if Kari be left alone behind, to take care that he be
not less afraid of us than we of him."

"Easier said than done," says Hall, "and ye will find it a dear
bargain to deal with him.  Ye will have to pay a heavy fine
before you have done with him."

After that they ceased speaking about it.


ENDNOTES:

(1)  "With words alone."  The English proverb, "Threatened men
     live long."
(2)  "Sea crags." Hence Thorgeir got his surname "Craggeir."

 124 - Flosi, the Sigfussons, Ingjald, and several other men make a pact to slay every last Njalsson or die trying. Those who drop out of the oath will thereby surrender both their lives and property. Flosi tells the men to meet him two days after the Lord's Day at a faraway ridge, which will require the men to ride through the nights. From there they plan to attack the Njalssons with "fire and iron" . On the way back from making this pact, Flosi avoids Hall of Sida, because he knows that Hall would disapprove of these harsh measures of revenge. Hrodny finds out about the pact and reprimands her brother Ingjald, whom Njal saved from outlawry three times. Hrodny shows him the bloody cap that Hoskuld Njalsson was wearing at his death, and Ingjald reluctantly agrees not to harm any of the Njalssons even if it costs him his life. Hrodny tells Njal to keep his guard up and his servants well-armed that summer. He is glad for Ingjald's decision, because his action against the Njalssons would have been "the worst sort of wrong" . An old woman at Bergthorshvol also has the gift of foresight; Skarphedin witnesses her cursing a pile of chickweed near the hall. He laughs first, but then finds out that the chickweed will be used to burn Njal and the rest of them inside the hall. Skarphedin refuses to remove it on the grounds that, if they are not burned by the chickweed, they will be burned by something else. 125 - A man named Hildiglum sees a man as "black as pitch" on a horse carrying a flaming torch. He announces a verse in a loud voice about the evil he brings, and calls Flosi's plan a flung torch. He then flings his own torch, obscuring the distant mountains with smoke. Hjalti Skeggjason explains that a witch-ride always occurs before great events. 126 - Flosi and the men come together and ride toward the ridge. Ingjald does not show up, but Flosi tells the men to hold off their condemnations. Along the way, they stop at a hall to pray. 127 - Grim and Helgi leave Bergthorshvol for the night, but see some women acting strangely and implore them for news. They have seen the Sigfussons riding in a large group. Grim and Helgi go home, knowing that they should be with Skarphedin. Bergthora prepares each person's favorite meal because she knows it will be the last one she serves. She says that if Grim and Helgi arrive back at the hall before they are finished eating, then her prediction will have been correct. Njal says he cannot see the food or hall: to him, the walls are gone, and he sees blood on the table instead of food. He asks that none of the family go to bed. 128 - Flosi and his men approach Bergthorshvol and see Njal and his sons outside. Flosi knows that if the men stay outside the hall, his side will lose many men. Njal says that his family should go inside because it is safe, but Skarphedin thinks these men dishonorable enough to burn their hall down. Njal thinks his sons are showing him no respect. The sons agree that Njal is wrong in this instance, but to honor their father, they will go inside and burn in the house with him. Flosi tells his men to form quickly around the doors to prevent the Njalssons from escaping. Immediately, Skarphedin kills a man by cutting into his face through the man's shield with his axe. Flosi admits that burning down the hall is "a great responsibility before God, for we're Christian men," but decides that they must do it. 129 - The Sigfussons build a fire in front of the doors and Skarphedin ridicules Grani, reminding him that he avenged Grani's father not long ago. The women are able to put out these initial fires with whey. The Sigfussons try again with the chickweed and are successful in setting the hall alight. Njal asks for God's mercy in not letting them burn twice: once now and once again in the afterlife. He shouts to Flosi, asking him if he'll make a settlement with his sons and he'll let the women, children, and servants out of the burning hall. Flosi agrees to the second inquiry but not the first. Helgi dresses as a woman and leaves as well. He is spotted by Flosi and get his head taken off after taking out another man's legs. Flosi begs Njal and Bergthora to come out, but they both refuse on honorable grounds. Bergthora tries to convince Kari's young son and her grandson, Thord, to find somebody to carry him outside, but he refuses on the grounds that Bergthora said they would never part. The three of them lie together on the bed. Njal asks a foreman to spread out an ox-hide over the three of them, and he has the, promise they will not move during the fire so their bodies can be easily found. Skarphedin attributes Njal's early retirement to his old age, not to his honor. Skarphedin and the Njalssons are fighting furiously, and Flosi recognizes that his men are still outmatched even with the fire. Skarphedin tells Kari to escape, to which he responds that they will never meet again if he does. Skarphedin says he would be happy to know that Kari would avenge their deaths. Kari crashes through the roof, setting his clothing and hair on fire and makes his escape to a stream in a hollow, which is now called Kari's Hollow. 130 - Skarphedin also tries to escape through this exit, but the walls crumble toward him and it's impossible to overcome. Gunnar Lambason comes over to the hole and announces that Skarphedin is crying. Skarphedin denies this, and asks Gunnar if he is laughing. Gunnar says that the last time he laughed was when Skarphedin killed Thrain. Skarphedin pulls one of Thrain's molars out from his satchel and throws it at Gunnar with deadly accuracy. He knocks Gunnar's eye out of its socket, sending Gunnar off the roof as well. Skarphedin and Grim try to stamp out the fire, but Grim falls dead during the task. Skarphedin puts it mostly out, but then a wall crashes down on him and he cannot budge. Flosi waits there all night with the Sigfussons and when a man rides by, Flosi tells him of all the deaths and that it was both a mighty and evil deed. The man says that he knows Kari to be alive, since he spoke with him that morning. Kari's blade had turned blue and it was said to have "lost its temper" . Flosi knows that the Sigfussons are no longer safe, and he has them come to stay at his place in the east. Modolf Ketilsson speaks a verse about Kari's imminent revenge. Flosi does not want his men bragging about the burning of Njal, though. A verse is heard coming from the burning hall, and they suspect that it is either Skarphedin or Skarphedin's ghost. The men remember that Ingjald has broken his oath, and head after him to kill him and take his property. Flosi sees him first and says that he is willing to spare him if he allows self-judgment. Ingjald agrees, saying that he is not afraid of the Sigfussons. Flosi rides back to the Sigfussons, grabs a spear from one of the men, and sends it through Ingjald's thigh. Ingjald calls it "a scratch, not a wound" . Ingjald tells Flosi to stand still if he is not a coward, then hurls the spear back. Flosi dodges it narrowly and it impales Thorstein in the waist, knocking him off his horse and killing him. Ingjald escapes the scene. Flosi has the men ride back to the ridge and wait there for three nights. 131 - Kari reports the burning of Njal to Mord, who grieves greatly. Kari tells him that they need to gather men at Holtsvad. They meet up with Hjalti and find Ingjald there. Mord Valgardsson has gathered many men at Holtsvad. The men split up in search of the Sigfussons and Flosi. They search the country too broadly and cannot track them down. Thorgeir says that he will pursue a sentence of outlawry and blood vengeance, but that, for the moment, they should stop their search and wait for the Althing. Some of the men want to seize the offenders' property, but Mord advises against it. Since his life depends on his loyalty to Kari, the men believe his judgment. The men disband. Flosi and the Sigfussons have been watching their whole discussion from afar in the mountains. They ride to Flosi's place in the east and wait until Christmas. 132 - Kari asks Hjalti to collect Njal's remains and bring them to the church. Under a great deal of ash, the ox-hide lies shriveled up from the fire. Njal, Bergthora, and the boy are unburned, save the boy's finger that stuck out from the ox-hide. The men remark that Njal's body is extraordinarily radiant for being dead. Skarphedin's legs are burned off and he had bitten into his lip, but the rest of his body is unburned. His axe still has its temper, so the men keep it for Thorgeir Skorar-Geir, whom Kari considers "the best man in that family now" . Skarphedin has crosses burned on his back and chest, which the men think was his own doing. Altogether, the men find eleven bodies, which they bring to the church. After this, Hjalti cures the infection in Ingjald's leg, but he limps for the rest of his life. When the news of Njal's burning is delivered to Thorhall Asgrimsson, he swells up and blood pours out his ears until he faints. The men consult Gizur the White on the matter of vengeance. He suggests lying low until the Thing, summoning neighbor-witnesses in the meantime. Furthermore, Gizur says that Mord should prosecute because the worst has come from him and it is therefore his duty. One night Asgrim wakes up and notices that Kari is not sleeping, and he knows that he has not slept in some time. Kari speaks a verse about the burning of Njal. He does not speak ill of his enemies or well of his friends: he only speaks of Njal and Skarphedin. 133 - Flosi also sleeps badly one night and asks Glum to bring Ketil of Mork to him. He tells him about his dream: Flosi was on a peak and he witnessed a man coming out from the mountain in a goatskin with an iron staff. This man named all of Flosi's companions by name before telling Flosi of his plan to "clear the panel of neighbours, and then the court, and then the battlefield for the battlers" . He speaks a verse about Kari's revenge against them and sends his iron staff into the ground, creating a great crash, and then he walks back into the peak of the mountain. Ketil says this dream foretells the death of the named men, and that he and Flosi should keep this dream a secret. Flosi knows that he must gain the support of as many men as possible before the Althing. 134 - Flosi and his men go by foot to Hall of Sida at Thvotta to ask for advice. Hall tells them they must head north and ask those chieftains for support. They gain strong support from Hallbjorn the Strong and Holmstein, but only reluctant support from Hrafnkel Thorisson. When Sorli Brodd-Helgason says that he will take the side of his father-in-law, Gudmund the Powerful of Modruvellir, Flosi says, "I can see from your answer that your wife rules here" . Flosi goes on to bribe two brothers, Thorkel the All-wise and Thorvald, for their support. These brothers' mother overhears the exchange and then tells them of her dream in which Thorkel is wearing extremely tight red clothing. Flosi tries to bribe another fellow, Bjarni, but he refuses, offering his help in hopes of retribution later on. Flosi gains the support of Thorkel Geitisson and the many men in the Fljotsdal district--except for Sorli, who is "not a violent man" . 135 - Meanwhile, Kari and Thorhall ride to visit Gizur the White, with whom they stay for a long time. When the burning of Njal comes up in conversation, Kari speaks a verse about his experience escaping the fire. Gizur decides it is best to change the topic of conversation. Gizur advises them to travel not to their homes, but to the east to find Mord Valgardsson to make him pursue the case against Flosi. If Mord objects, they are to "go into a rage and act as if you'll sink your axe into his head"; furthermore, Gizur says that he will take back Mord's wife, Gizur's daughter, if he does not comply . Kari and Thorhall know that they don't need as much support as Flosi because he has far more to answer for. Mord shows his reluctance; Kari has Mord's wife, Thorkatla, begin packing her things, at which point Mord changes his tone and takes on the case. Kari tells him to "prosecute it fearlessly, for your life depends on it" . Kari makes Mord repeat his summons three times, with three sets of witnesses. The case is centered on Helgi Njalsson's mortal wounds. They take Thorhall Asgrimsson, who also has a limp and leg infection, to advise them in law since he is now one of the greatest lawyers in Iceland. They ride to the Thing. 136 - Flosi and his men ride to Asgrim to show him their ill will. Asgrim sees them coming and sets up his hall with food and chairs. Asgrim does not greet Flosi, but tells him that there is food at hand for those who need it. The men eat and Asgrim turns blood red, saying nothing. Flosi's arrogant demeanor incites Asgrim to take a swing at his head with an axe, but Glum Hildisson prevents him from doing so. Flosi says nobody should harm Asgrim for this attempt, for it showed his boldness. Asgrim wants to see Flosi brought "down a peg" at the Thing . Hall reprimands Flosi for his behavior at this meal, while the other praise his braveness. 137 - Mord and many men ride to Thing, where there are more people than have ever been there before in recent memory. 138 - Eyjolf, another of the greatest lawyers in Iceland, is unusually handsome and fond of money. Flosi consults with Bjarni about whom to pay to defend them in law, and he says that Eyjolf is their best bet. On the way to Eyjolf's booth, Flosi bribes several steadfastly resistant men to join his side. They find Eyjolf with a silver inlaid axe and a gold band around his head. They are well-received, but after Eyjolf notices their obsequious flattery, he knows that they will want something from him and he attempts to leave. Then Flosi pulls out a gold bracelet and implores Eyjolf to take it in virtue of their friendship. Eyjolf does so and agrees to take on their defense as well, but he warns that there should be no talk of this gift, especially if the case goes to the Fifth Court. Flosi leaves and Eyjolf goes to Snorri the Godi. Snorri grabs Eyjolf's arm and sees the bracelet. He asks whether it was a gift or a purchase, but Eyjolf is dumbstruck and cannot answer. Snorri says "it's quite likely that by the time the courts are over you will know what gift you have accepted" . 139 - Asgrim and Kari meet with Gizur, Hjalti, Thorgeir, and Mord to discuss the case. Gizur says that Snorri has found out about Flosi's large network of support and that the men must reinforce their efforts. The legal proceedings are split among the men and they go to ask for more support. Skafti does not offer his support and furthermore throws insults at Gizur and Asgrim for the killing of Gunnar at Hlidarendi. They despise him for this. Snorri is enlisted as a reinforcement if violence should break out at the Thing. Gizur thanks him. 140 - Next, the group goes to Gudmund, who says that in previous times he had been small-minded and will not repeat that mistake. He offers everything he has; furthermore, he will send Skafti's son to fight alongside the men so that Skafti will do everything in his power to stop violence from breaking out at Law Rock. Gudmund's daughter is married to Skafti, so he has leverage with him. 141 - Mord announces the suits for homicide at Law Rock, and many people talk about how well and boldly he speaks. He calls for full outlawry against Flosi. Thorgeir calls for full outlawry against Glum Hildisson. Kari brings up suits against Kol, Gunnar Lambason, and Grani Gunnarsson. Thorleif Crow brings suits up against all the Sigfussons and the many other men involved in the burning. Flosi and Eyjolf talk in their booth after a long day of summons. Eyjolf says there are no grounds for defense against any of these suits. Eyjolf recommends that instead of defending against the suit, Flosi give up his godord to his brother and declare himself a thingman of a northern Godi. This may not protect them from the Fifth Court, but Flosi commits to it anyway. Nobody is aware of this deviance except for the men involved. 142 - Both sides put marks on their helmets, armed for potential battle. Thorhall warns Asgrim not to be too hasty, and to do everything in its due course. Thorhall's face is blood red and "great gusts of hail gushed from his eyes," so he stays in the booth during the suits . Mord begins pursuing the suit in the East Quarter Court and Flosi comments that their trick may have panned out. Before they pursue this trick, though, they seek to disqualify two of Mord's witnesses, who have blood and religious connection to him and are therefore unable to testify objectively. Asgrim sends a messenger to Thorhall to get advice on this matter, knowing it to be only a temporary tribulation. Thorhall says that they can reverse that disqualification because the witnesses are not related to plaintiff. Eyjolf concedes that this is in accordance with the law and they simply overlooked it. Then Eyjolf dismisses two other witnesses because they are lodgers and not property owners. A messenger is sent to Thorhall once again, and his advice is that these witnesses be reinstated because they own at least three hundreds in land, even though they do not "live off milch animals," which is a distinct qualification for sitting on a witness panel . Eyjolf is not aware of this portion of the law, but Skafti the Lawspeaker says it is so. Eyjolf then dismisses four witnesses because there are four neighbors who live closer to the scene of action who should take their place. People begin to say that Flosi and Eyjolf are being very boastful. Asgrim reminds Mord that Njal had trained Thorhall to be the greatest lawyer in Iceland should he ever be tested, and this may be the test in which he proves himself. Thorhall says that since the majority of witnesses were correctly summoned, Mord will pay three marks per wrongly summoned witness, but that matter cannot be prosecuted at this session. Again, Eyjolf is not aware of this legality and so Skafti the Lawspeaker is consulted a second time. Skafti is astounded that somebody else in the land even knows about this detail of the law, and he says that it is absolutely correct. At last, Flosi is found guilty as charged. Flosi turns to Eyjolf and says that he will laugh when Eyjolf presents the objection. 143 - Eyjolf presents his objection on the basis of the defendant being prosecuted in the wrong court, since he is a Thingman of a northerner. 144 - A messenger is sent to Thorhall, who sees that their plan is to bring a suit against them for violating court procedure at the Fifth Court. Thorhall tells the messenger to have their men pursue a course of lesser outlawry for the exchange of the gold bracelet between Flosi and Eyjolf. Then, they should pursue a course of lesser outlawry for bringing in irrelevant material to the court. Thorhall says that two sentences of lesser outlawry combine to make a sentence of full outlawry. The judges are divided in their decision on this, and the Fifth Court is set in place nearby. They begin legal presentations at the Fifth Court against Flosi and Eyjolf. Part of their testimony involves a clause about not receiving money for testifying. Flosi and Eyjolf cannot find any fault in the witness panel this time. They quote Mord's entire testimony verbatim and the prosecution seems to be in their favor. Gizur warns Mord that they must remove men from the witness panel before a final judgment can be made. Eyjolf thinks that they will forget this detail and the proceeding will be invalidated. Gizur reprimands Mord when he does not take off enough men from the panel after Flosi and Eyjolf refused to do so. A messenger is sent to Thorhall. 145 - When Snorri finds out how the lawsuits are going, he summons his troops to stand by. When Thorhall hears the news, he goes silent with anger. He takes up a spear and sticks it into his leg, pulling the core of the boil out of his infection, sending a stream of pus and blood out of his leg. He gets up and heads to Law Rock without a limp. He comes across one of Flosi's kinsmen and sends his spear through his shield and chest, killing him instantly. Asgrim hears about this and violence breaks out at last. Kari faces off against Arni Kolsson and Hallbjorn the Strong. He splits Arni's shoulder and collar bone from his chest while leaping in the air, killing him instantly. He then takes aim at Hallbjorn, slicing off his big toe. When another of Flosi's kinsmen throws a spear Kari's way, he catches it mid-air and sends it back through him. Thorgeir then goes after Hallbjorn the Strong, but he flees the battle. Thorgeir takes Skarphedin's old spear through Thorvald Thrym-Ketilsson's shield and into his chest, killing him. Asgrim, his son Thorhall, Gizur, and Hjalti go after Flosi and the burners. Flosi's side starts turning away because the fighting is too fierce. Kari consistently dodges attacks and maims men through their shields. Bjarni runs away after being nearly killed by Kari. It is said that there are many more confrontations "for which no stories have come down" . Hall's men have retreated to a cave reserved for Flosi's men for protection. Hall says that the fighting must be stopped at Law Rock, even if it will be blamed on their side. Flosi's men run into Snorri's men and Snorri taunts Flosi. Skalti comes to Snorri's booth about his son fighting at the battle, but the fighting is reaching its peak. Asgrim sees Skafti and throws his spear through both of his legs. His rescuers must drag him to a booth for safety because he cannot walk. Flosi's men continue retreating. Solvi, a cook, stands by his booth boiling meat in a large cauldron, commenting on how cowardly Flosi's men look. Hallbjorn the Strong declares that nobody will call them cowards, and dumps Solvi in his own cauldron, killing him instantly. Flosi kills one of Gudmund the Powerful's men, but the spear is quickly taken out of this man and cast back at Flosi, who receives a bad leg wound. He gets up quickly despite this. They come across a patch of lava and one of Gudmund's men kills Ljot, Hall's son, with a spear. Thorgeir spots Eyjolf and tells Kari, who immediately sends his spear into Eyjolf's waist, killing him. Snorri the Godi arrives with Skafti and Hall. They declare a truce for the duration of the Thing. The bodies are laid out and brought to the church. The next day the men all attend Law Rock and Hall calls for silence. He asks the men to make an even-handed settlement. Kari says that even if all the men on his side settle, he will never do so, because Hall will ask that the killings from yesterday be set against the burning. Skafti says Kari did not have to incite the action yesterday and things would be better for him if he hadn't. Kari speaks three verses. The first ridicules Skafti for running to his booth while he was fighting. The second is about Skafti being dragged pathetically after being attacked yesterday. The third is about the the unfavorable outcome of this situation for Flosi. Men laugh. Snorri adds a short verse adding insult to Skafti's injury. The laughter increases. Hall says that he is willing to let his son's death go without compensation--even though many would consider his compensation to be higher than other men's--for the sake of peace. Snorri offers a wise speech that also pushes for a peaceful settlement. Asgrim says he has not been considering a settlement ever since Flosi acted so arrogantly at his house, but, because of Snorri's speech, he is now willing to partake in one. Flosi's response is that "the fewer good men I have against me, the better I like it" . Gudmund the Powerful, Gizur the White, and Hjalti want to settle as well. The settlement includes triple compensation for Njal, double for Bergthora, double for Grim, double for Helgi, and single for all others. Skarphedin's compensation is weighed equally against the slaying of Hoskuld the Godi of Hvitanes. No payment is awarded for the death of Kari's son Thord. Flosi and the rest of the burners have three years to leave the country. Flosi can come back after three years, but the other men are banished for life. Eyjolf is not compensated, on account of his wrongdoing. These pacts are made with a handshake and never broken. Many gifts are exchanged on Asgrim's side, and then they separate. Flosi rides east with the burners, and Kari rides south. Hall of Sida receives compensation from the goodwill of the men at the Althing, despite his offer to let his son's death go uncompensated.

