The Story of Burnt Njal
(Njal's Saga)

Part 1: Sections 1 - 20

Online Medieval and Classical Library Release #11

1. OF FIDDLE MORD

There was a man named Mord whose surname was Fiddle; he was the
son of Sigvat the Red, and he dwelt at the "Vale" in the
Rangrivervales.  He was a mighty chief, and a great taker up of
suits, and so great a lawyer that no judgments were thought
lawful unless he had a hand in them.  He had an only daughter,
named Unna.  She was a fair, courteous, and gifted woman, and
that was thought the best match in all the Rangrivervales.

Now the story turns westward to the Broadfirth dales, where, at
Hauskuldstede, in Laxriverdale, dwelt a man named Hauskuld, who
was Dalakoll's son, and his mother's name was Thorgerda.(1)  He
had a brother named Hrut, who dwelt at Hrutstede; he was of the
same mother as Hauskuld, but his father's name was Heriolf.  Hrut
was handsome, tall and strong, well skilled in arms, and mild of
temper; he was one of the wisest of men -- stern towards his
foes, but a good counsellor on great matters.  It happened once
that Hauskuld bade his friends to a feast, and his brother Hrut
was there, and sat next him.  Hauskuld had a daughter named
Hallgerda, who was playing on the floor with some other girls. 
She was fair of face and tall of growth, and her hair was as soft
as silk; it was so long, too, that it came down to her waist. 
Hauskuld called out to her, "Come hither to me, daughter."  So
she went up to him, and he took her by the chin, and kissed her;
and after that she went away.

Then Hauskuld said to Hrut, "What dost thou think of this maiden?
Is she not fair?"  Hrut held his peace.  Hauskuld said the same
thing to him a second time, and then Hrut answered, "Fair enough
is this maid, and many will smart for it, but this I know not,
whence thief's eyes have come into our race."  Then Hauskuld was
wroth, and for a time the brothers saw little of each other.


ENDNOTES:

(1)  Thorgerda was daughter of Thorstein the Red who was Olaf the
     White's son, Ingialld's son, Helgi's son.  Ingialld's mother
     was Thora, daughter of Sigurd Snake-i'-the-eye, who was
     Ragnar Hairybreek's son.  And the Deeply-wealthy was
     Thorstein the Red's mother; she was daughter of Kettle
     Flatnose, who was Bjorn Boun's son, Grim's son, Lord of Sogn
     in Norway.



2. HRUT WOOS UNNA

It happened once that those brothers, Hauskuld and Hrut, rode to
the Althing, and there was much people at it.  Then Hauskuld said
to Hrut, "One thing I wish, brother, and that is, that thou
wouldst better thy lot and woo thyself a wife."

Hrut answered, "That has been long on my mind, though there
always seemed to be two sides to the matter; but now I will do as
thou wishest; whither shall we turn our eyes?"

Hauskuld answered, "Here now are many chiefs at the Thing, and
there is plenty of choice, but I have already set my eyes on a
spot where a match lies made to thy hand.  The woman's name is
Unna, and she is a daughter of Fiddle Mord, one of the wisest of
men.  He is here at the Thing and his daughter too, and thou
mayest see her if it pleases thee."

Now the next day, when men were going to the High Court, they saw
some well-dressed women standing outside the booths of the men
from the Rangrivervales.  Then Hauskuld said to Hrut "Yonder now
is Unna, of whom I spoke; what thinkest thou of her?"

"Well," answered Hrut; "but yet I do not know whether we should
get on well together."

After that they went to the High Court, where Fiddle Mord was
laying down the law as was his wont, and after he had done he
went home to his booth.

Then Hauskuld and Hrut rose, and went to Mord's booth.  They went
in and found Mord sitting in the innermost part of the booth, and
they bade him "Good-day."  He rose to meet them, and took
Hauskuld by the hand and made him sit down by his side, and Hrut
sat next to Hauskuld.  So after they had talked much of this and
that, at last Hauskuld said, "I have a bargain to speak to thee
about; Hrut wishes to become thy son-in-law, and buy thy
daughter, and I, for my part, will not be sparing in the matter."

Mord answered, "I know that thou art a great chief, but thy
brother is unknown to me."

"He is a better man than I," answered Hauskuld.

"Thou wilt need to lay down a large sum with him, for she is heir
to all I leave behind me," said Mord.

"There is no need," said Hauskuld, "to wait long before thou
hearest what I give my word lie shall have.  He shall have
Kamness and Hrutstede, up as far as Thrandargil, and a trading-
ship beside, now on her voyage."

Then said Hrut to Mord, "Bear in mind, now, husband, that my
brother has praised me much more than I deserve for love's sake;
but if after what thou hast heard, thou wilt make the match, I am
willing to let thee lay down the terms thyself."

Mord answered, "I have thought over the terms; she shall have
sixty hundreds down, and this sum shall be increased by a third
more in thine house, but if ye two have heirs, ye shall go halves
in the goods."

Then said Hrut, "I agree to these terms, and now let us take
witness."  After that they stood up and shook hands, and Mord
betrothed his daughter Unna to Hrut, and the bridal feast was to
be at Mord's house, half a month after Midsummer.

Now both sides ride home from the Thing, and Hauskuld and Hrut
ride westward by Hallbjorn's beacon.  Then Thiostolf, the son of
Bjorn Gullbera of Reykriverdale, rode to meet them, and told them
how a ship had come out from Norway to the White River, and how
aboard of her was Auzur Hrut's father's brother, and he wished
Hrut to come to him as soon as ever he could.  When Hrut heard
this, he asked Hauskuld to go with him to the ship, so Hauskuld
went with his brother, and when they reached the ship, Hrut gave
his kinsman Auzur a kind and hearty welcome.  Auzur asked them
into his booth to drink, so their horses were unsaddled, and they
went in and drank, and while they were drinking, Hrut said to
Auzur, "Now, kinsman, thou must ride west with me, and stay with
me this winter."

"That cannot be, kinsman, for I have to tell thee the death of
thy brother Eyvind, and he has left thee his heir at the Gula
Thing, and now thy foes will seize thy heritage, unless thou
comest to claim it."

"What's to be done now, brother?" said Hrut to Hauskuld, "for
this seems a hard matter, coming just as I have fixed my bridal
day."

"Thou must ride south," said Hauskuld, "and see Mord, and ask him
to change the bargain which ye two have made, and to let his
daughter sit for thee three winters as thy betrothed, but I will
ride home and bring down thy wares to the ship."

Then said Hrut, "My wish is that thou shouldest take meal and
timber, and whatever else thou needest out of the lading."  So
Hrut had his horses brought out, and he rode south, while
Hauskuld rode home west.  Hrut came east to the Rangrivervales to
Mord, and had a good welcome, and he told Mord all his business,
and asked his advice what he should do.

"How much money is this heritage," asked Mord, and Hrut said it
would come to a hundred marks, if he got it all.

"Well," said Mord, "that is much when set against what I shall
leave behind me, and thou shalt go for it, if thou wilt."

After that they broke their bargain, and Unna was to sit waiting
for Hrut three years as his betrothed.  Now Hrut rides back to
the ship, and stays by her during the summer, till she was ready
to sail, and Hauskuld brought down all Hrut's wares and money to
the ship, and Hrut placed all his other property in Hauskuld's
hands to keep for him while he was away.  Then Hauskuld rode home
to his house, and a little while after they got a fair wind and
sail away to sea.  They were out three weeks, and the first land
they made was Hern, near Bergen, and so sail eastward to the Bay.



3. HRUT AND GUNNHILLDA, KING'S MOTHER

At that time Harold Grayfell reigned in Norway; he was the son of
Eric Bloodaxe, who was the son of Harold Fair-hair; his mother's
name was Gunnhillda, a daughter of Auzur Toti, and they had their
abode east, at the King's Crag.  Now the news was spread, how a
ship had come thither east into the Bay, and as soon as
Gunnhillda heard of it, she asked what men from Iceland were
abroad, and they told her Hrut was the man's name, Auzur's
brother's son.  Then Gunnhillda said, "I see plainly that he
means to claim his heritage, but there is a man named Soti, who
has laid his hands on it."

After that she called her waiting-man, whose name was Augmund,
and said, "I am going to send thee to the Bay to find out Auzur
and Hrut, and tell them that I ask them both to spend this winter
with me.  Say, too, that I will be their friend, and if Hrut will
carry out my counsel, I will see after his suit, and anything
else he takes in hand, and I will speak a good word, too, for him
to the king."

After that he set off and found them; and as soon as they knew
that he was Gunnhillda's servant, they gave him good welcome.  He
took them aside and told them his errand, and after that they
talked over their plans by themselves.  Then Auzur said to Hrut,
"Methinks, kinsman, here is little need for long talk, our plans
are ready made for us; for I know Gunnhillda's temper; as soon as
ever we say we will not go to her she will drive us out of the
land, and take all our goods by force; but if we go to her, then
she will do us such honour as she has promised."

Augmund went home, and when he saw Gunnhillda, he told her how
his errand had ended, and that they would come, and Gunnhillda
said, "It is only what was to be looked for; for Hrut is said to
be a wise and well-bred man; and now do thou keep a sharp look
out, and tell me as soon as ever they come to the town."

Hrut and Auzur went east to the King's Crag, and when they
reached the town, their kinsmen and friends went out to meet and
welcome them.  They asked whether the king were in the town, and
they told them he was.  After that they met Augmund, and he
brought them a greeting from Gunnhillda, saying, that she could
not ask them to her house before they had seen the king, lest men
should say, "I make too much of them."  Still she would do all
she could for them, and she went on, "Tell Hrut to be out-spoken
before the king, and to ask to be made one of his body-guard;" 
"and here," said Augmund, "is a dress of honour which she sends
to thee, Hrut, and in it thou must go in before the king."  After
that he went away.

The next day Hrut said, "Let us go before the king."

"That may well be," answered Auzur.

So they went, twelve of them together, and all of them friends or
kinsmen, and came into the hall where the king sat over his
drink.  Hrut went first and bade the king "Good-day," and the
king, looking steadfastly at the man who was well-dressed, asked
him his name.  So he told his name.

"Art thou an Icelander?" said the king.

He answered, "Yes."

"What drove thee hither to seek us?"

Then Hrut answered, "To see your state, lord; and, besides,
because I have a great matter of inheritance here in the land,
and I shall have need of your help if I am to get my rights."

The king said, "I have given my word that every man shall have
lawful justice here in Norway; but hast thou any other errand in
seeking me?"

"Lord!" said Hrut, "I wish you to let me live in your court, and
become one of your men."

At this the king holds his peace, but Gunnhillda said, "It seems
to me as if this man offered you the greatest honour, for
methinks if there were many such men in the body-guard, it would
be well filled."

"Is he a wise man?" asked the king.

"He is both wise and willing," said she.

"Well," said the king, "methinks my mother wishes that thou
shouldst have the rank for which thou askest, but for the sake of
our honour and the custom of the land, come to me in half a
month's time, and then thou shalt be made one of my body-guard. 
Meantime, my mother will take care of thee, but then come to me."

Then Gunnhillda said to Augmund, "Follow them to my house, and
treat them well."

So Augmund went out, and they went with him, and he brought them
to a hall built of stone, which was hung with the most beautiful
tapestry, and there too was Gunnhillda's high seat.

Then Augmund said to Hrut, "Now will be proved the truth of all
that I said to thee from Gunnhillda.  Here is her high seat, and
in it thou shalt sit, and this seat thou shalt hold, though she
comes herself into the hall."

After that he made them good cheer, and they had sat down but a
little while when Gunnhillda came in.  Hrut wished to jump up and
greet her.

"Keep thy seat!" she says, "and keep it too all the time thou art
my guest."

Then she sat herself down by Hrut, and they fell to drink, and at
even she said, "Thou shalt be in the upper chamber with me
to-night, and we two together."

"You shall have your way," he answers.

After that they went to sleep, and she locked the door inside. 
So they slept that night, and in the morning fell to drinking
again.  Thus they spent their life all that halfmonth, and
Gunnhillda said to the men who were there, "Ye shall lose nothing
except your lives if you say to any one a word of how Hrut and I
are going on."

When the half-month was over Hrut gave her a hundred ells of
household woollen and twelve rough cloaks, and Gunnhillda thanked
him for his gifts.  Then Hrut thanked her and gave her a kiss and
went away.  She bade him "farewell."  And next day he went before
the king with thirty men after him and bade the king "Good-day."
The king said, "Now, Hrut, thou wilt wish me to carry out towards
thee what I promised."

So Hrut was made one of the king's body-guard, and he asked,
"Where shall I sit?"

"My mother shall settle that," said the king.

Then she got him a seat in the highest room, and he spent the
winter with the king in much honour.



4. OF HRUT'S CRUISE

When the spring came he asked about Soti, and found out he had
gone south to Denmark with the inheritance.  Then Hrut went to
Gunnhillda and tells her what Soti had been about.  Gunnhillda
said, "I will give thee two long-ships, full manned, and along
with them the bravest man, Wolf the Unwashed, our overseer of
guests; but still go and see the king before thou settest off."

Hrut did so; and when he came before the king, then he told the
king of Soti's doings, and how he had a mind to hold on after
him.

The king said, "What strength has my mother handed over to thee?"

"Two long-ships and Wolf the Unwashed to lead the men," says
Hrut.

"Well given," says the king.  " Now I will give thee other two
ships, and even then thou'lt need all the strength thou'st got."

After that he went down with Hrut to the ship, and said, "fare
thee well."  Then Hrut sailed away south with his crews.



5. ATLI ARNVID SON'S SLAYING

There was a man named Atli, son of Arnvid, Earl of East Gothland.

He had kept back the taxes from Hacon Athelstane's foster child,
and both father and son had fled away from Jemtland to Gothland. 
After that, Atli held on with his followers out of the Maelar by
Stock Sound, and so on towards Denmark, and now he lies out in
Oresound.(1)  He is an outlaw both of the Dane-King and of the
Swede-King.  Hrut held on south to the Sound, and when he came
into it he saw a many ships in the Sound.  Then Wolf said,
"What's best to be done now, Icelander?"

"Hold on our course," said Hrut, "for `nothing venture, nothing
have.'  My ship and Auzur's shall go first, but thou shalt lay
thy ship where thou likest."

"Seldom have I had others as a shield before me," says Wolf, and
lays his galley side by side with Hrut's ship; and so they hold
on through the Sound.  Now those who are in the Sound see that
ships are coming up to them, and they tell Atli.

He answered, "Then may be there'll be gain to be got."

After that men took their stand on board each ship; "but my
ship," says Atli, "shall be in the midst of the fleet."

Meantime Hrut's ships ran on, and as soon as either side could
hear the other's hail, Atli stood up and said, "Ye fare unwarily.

Saw ye not that war-ships were in the Sound.  But what's the name
of your chief?"

Hrut tells his name.

"Whose man art thou," says Atli.

"One of king Harold Grayfell's body-guard."

Atli said.  "'Tis long since any love was lost between us, father
and son, and your Norway kings."

"Worse luck for thee," says Hrut.

"Well," says Atli, "the upshot of our meeting will be, that thou
shalt not be left alive to tell the tale;" and with that he
caught up a spear and hurled it at Hrut's ship, and the man who
stood before it got his death.  After that the battle began, and
they were slow in boarding Hrut's ship.  Wolf, he went well
forward, and with him it was now cut, now thrust.  Atli's
bowman's name was Asolf; he sprung up on Hrut's ship, and was
four men's death before Hrut was aware of him; then he turned
against him, and when they met, Asolf thrust at and through
Hrut's shield, but Hrut cut once at Asolf, and that was his
death-blow.  Wolf the Unwashed saw that stroke, and called out,
"Truth to say, Hrut, thou dealest big blows, but thou'st much to
thank Gunnhillda for."

"Something tells me," says Hrut, "that thou speakest with a `fey'
mouth."

Now Atli sees a bare place for a weapon on Wolf, and shot a spear
through him and now the battle grows hot: Atli leaps up on Hrut's
ship, and clears it fast round about, and now Auzur turns to meet
him, and thrust at him, but fell down full length on his back,
for another man thrust at him.  Now Hrut turns to meet Atli: he
cut at once at Hrut's shield, and clove it all in two, from top
to point; just then Atli got a blow on his hand from a stone, and
down fell his sword.  Hrut caught up the sword, and cut his foot
from under him.  After that he dealt him his death-blow.  There
they took much goods, and brought away with them two ships which
were best, and stayed there only a little while.  But meantime
Soti and his crew had sailed past them, and he held on his course
back to Norway, and made the land at Limgard's side.  There Soti
went on shore, and there he met Augmund, Gunnhillda's page; he
knew him at once, and asks, "How long meanest thou to be here?"

"Three nights," says Soti.

"Whither away, then?" says Augmund.

"West, to England," says Soti, "and never to come back again to
Norway while Gunnhillda's rule is in Norway."

Augmund went away, and goes and finds Gunnhillda, for she was a
little way off, at a feast, and Gudred, her son, with her. 
Augmund told Gunnhillda what Soti meant to do, and she begged
Gudred to take his life.  So Gudred set off at once, and came
unawares on Soti, and made them lead him up the country, and hang
him there.  But the goods he took, and brought them to his
mother, and she got men to carry them all down to the King's
Crag, and after that she went thither herself.

Hrut came back towards autumn, and had gotten great store of
goods.  He went at once to the king, and had a hearty welcome. 
He begged them to take whatever they pleased of his goods, and
the king took a third.  Gunnhillda told Hrut how she had got hold
of the inheritance, and had Soti slain.  He thanked her, and gave
her half of all he had.


ENDNOTES:

(1)  Oresound, the gut between Denmark and Sweden, at the
     entrance of the Baltic, commonly called in English, the
     Sound.



6. HRUT SAILS OUT TO ICELAND

Hrut stayed with the king that winter in good cheer, but when
spring came he grew very silent.  Gunnhillda finds that out, and
said to him when they two were alone together, "Art thou sick at
heart?"

"So it is," said Hrut, "as the saying runs -- `Ill goes it with
those who are born on a barren land.'"

"Wilt thou to Iceland?" she asks.

"Yes," he answered.

"Hast thou a wife out there?" she asked; and he answers, "No."

"But I am sure that is true," she says; and so they ceased
talking about the matter.

Shortly after Hrut went before the king and bade him Good-day;
and the king said, "What dost thou want now, Hrut?"

"I am come to ask, lord, that you give me leave to go to
Iceland."

"Will thine honour be greater there than here?" asks the king.

"No, it will not," said Hrut; "but every one must win the work
that is set before him."

"It is pulling a rope against a strong man," said Gunnhillda, "so
give him leave to go as best suits him."

There was a bad harvest that year in the land, yet Gunnhillda
gave Hrut as much meal as he chose to have; and now he busks him
to sail out to Iceland, and Auzur with him; and when they were
"all-boun," Hrut went to find the king and Gunnhillda.  She led
him aside to talk alone, and said to him, "Here is a gold ring
which I will give thee;" and with that she clasped it round his
wrist.

"Many good gifts have I had from thee," said Hrut.

Then she put her hands round his neck and kissed him, and said,
"If I have as much power over thee as I think, I lay this spell
on thee that thou mayst never have any pleasure in living with
that woman on whom thy heart is set in Iceland, but with other
women thou mayst get on well enough, and now it is like to go
well with neither of us; but thou hast not believed what I have
been saying."

Hrut laughed when he heard that, and went away; after that he
came before the king and thanked him; and the king spoke kindly
to him, and bade him "farewell."  Hrut went straight to his ship,
and they had a fair wind all the way until they ran into
Borgarfirth.

As soon as the ship was made fast to the land, Hrut rode west
home, but Auzur stayed by the ship to unload her and lay her up. 
Hrut rode straight to Hauskuldstede, and Hauskuld gave him a
hearty welcome, and Hrut told him all about his travels.  After
that they send men east across the rivers to tell Fiddle Mord to
make ready for the bridal feast; but the two brothers rode to the
ship, and on the way Hauskuld told Hrut how his money-matters
stood, and his goods had gained much since he was away.  Then
Hrut said, "The reward is less worth than it ought to be, but I
will give thee as much meal as thou needst for thy household next
winter."

Then they drew the ship on land on rollers, and made her snug in
her shed, but all the wares on board her they carried away into
the Dales westward.  Hrut stayed at home at Hrutstede till winter
was six weeks off, and then the brothers made ready and Auzur
with them, to ride to Hrut's wedding.  Sixty men ride with them,
and they rode east till they came to Rangriver plains.  There
they found a crowd of guests, and the men took their seats on
benches down the length of the hall, but the women were seated on
the cross-benches on the dais, and the bride was rather downcast.

So they drank out the feast and it went off well.  Mord pays down
his daughter's portion, and she rides west with her husband and
his train.  So they ride till they reach home.  Hrut gave over
everything into her hands inside the house, and all were pleased
at that; but for all that she and Hrut did not pull well together
as man and wife, and so things went on till spring, and when
spring came Hrut had a journey to make to the Westfirths, to get
in the money for which he had sold his wares; but before he set
off his wife says to him, "Dost thou mean to be back before men
ride to the Thing?"

"Why dost thou ask?" said Hrut.

"I will ride to the Thing," she said, "to meet my father."

"So it sball be," said he, "and I will ride to the Thing along
with thee."

"Well and good," she says.

After that Hrut rode from home west to the Firths, got in all his
money, and laid it out anew, and rode home again.  When he came
home he busked him to ride to the Thing, and made all his
neighbours ride with him.  His brother Hauskuld rode among the
rest.  Then Hrut said to his wife, "If thou hast as much mind now
to go to the Thing as thou saidst a while ago, busk thyself and
ride along with me."

She was not slow in getting herself ready, and then they all
rode to the Thing.  Unna went to her father's booth, and he gave
her a hearty welcome, but she seemed somewhat heavy-hearted, and
when he saw that he said to her, "I have seen thee with a merrier
face.  Hast thou anything on thy mind?"

She began to weep, and answered nothing.  Then he said to her
again.  "Why didst thou ride to the Thing, if thou wilt not tell
me thy secret?  Dost thou dislike living away there in the west?"

Then she answered him, "I would give all I own in the world that
I had never gone thither."

"Well!" said Mord, "I'll soon get to the bottom of this."  Then
be sends men to fetch Hauskuld and Hrut, and they came
straightway; and when they came in to see Mord, he rose up to
meet them and gave them a hearty welcome, and asked them to sit
down.  Then they talked a long time in a friendly way, and at
last Mord said to Hauskuld, "Why does my daughter think so ill of
life in the west yonder?"

"Let her speak out," said Hrut, "if she has anything to lay to my
charge."

But she brought no charge against him.  Then Hrut made them ask
his neighbours and household how he treated her, and all bore him
good witness, saying that she did just as she pleased in the
house.

Then Mord said, "Home thou shalt go, and be content with thy lot;
for all the witness goes better for him than for thee."

After that Hrut rode home from the Thing, and his wife with him,
and all went smoothly between them that summer; but when spring
came it was the old story over again, and things grew worse and
worse as the spring went on.  Hrut had again a journey to make
west to the Firths, and gave out that he would not ride to the
Althing, but Unna his wife said little about it.  So Hrut went
away west to the Firths.



7. UNNA SEPARATES FROM HRUT

Now the time for the Thing was coming on.  Unna spoke to Sigmund,
Auzur's son, and asked if he would ride to the Thing with her; he
said he could not ride if his kinsman Hrut set his face against
it.

"Well!" says she, "I spoke to thee because I have better right to
ask this from thee than from any one else."

He answered, "I will make a bargain with thee: thou must promise
to ride back west with me, and to have no underhand dealings
against Hrut or myself."

So she promised that, and then they rode to the Thing.  Her
father Mord was at the Thing, and was very glad to see her, and
asked her to stay in his booth while the Thing lasted, and she
did so.

"Now," said Mord, "what hast thou to tell me of thy mate, Hrut?"

Then she sung him a song, in which she praised Hrut's liberality,
but said he was not master of himself.  She herself was ashamed
to speak out.

Mord was silent a short time, and then said, "Thou hast now that
on thy mind I see, daughter, which thou dost not wish that any
one should know save myself, and thou wilt trust to me rather
than any one else to help thee out of thy trouble."

Then they went aside to talk, to a place where none could
overhear what they said; and then Mord said to his daughter,
"Now, tell me all that is between you two, and don't make more of
the matter than it is worth."

"So it shall be," she answered, and sang two songs, in which she
revealed the cause of their misunderstanding; and when Mord
pressed her to speak out, she told him how she and Hrut could not
live together, because he was spellbound, and that she wished to
leave him.

"Thou didst right to tell me all this," said Mord., "and now I
will give thee a piece of advice, which will stand thee in good
stead, if thou canst carry it out to the letter.  First of all,
thou must ride home from the Thing, and by that time thy husband
will have come back, and will be glad to see thee; thou must be
blithe and buxom to him, and he will think a good change has come
over thee, and thou must show no signs of coldness or ill-temper,
but when spring comes thou must sham sickness, and take to thy
bed.  Hrut will not lose time in guessing what thy sickness can
be, nor will he scold thee at all, but he will rather beg every
one to take all the care they can of thee.  After that he will
set off west to the Firths, and Sigmund with him, for he will
have to flit all his goods home from the Firths west, and he will
be away till the summer is far spent.  But when men ride to the
Thing, and after all have ridden from the Dales that mean to ride
thither; then thou must rise from thy bed and summon men to go
along with thee to the Thing; and when thou art "all-boun," then
shalt thou go to thy bed, and the men with thee who are to bear
thee company, and thou shalt take witness before thy husband's
bed, and declare thyself separated from him by such a lawful
separation as may hold good according to the judgment of the
Great Thing, and the laws of the land; and at the man's door the
main door of the house, thou shalt take the same witness.  After
that ride away, and ride over Laxriverdale Heath, and so on over
Holtbeacon Heath; for they will look for thee by way of
Hrutfirth.  And so ride on till thou comest to me; then I will
see after the matter.  But into his hands thou shalt never come
more."

Now she rides home from the Thing, and Hrut had come back before
her, and made her hearty welcome.  She answered him kindly, and
was blithe and forbearing towards him.  So they lived happily
together that half-year; but when spring came she fell sick, and
kept her bed.  Hrut set off west to the Firths, and bade them
tend her well before he went.  Now, when the time for the Thing
comes, she busked herself to ride away, and did in every way as
had been laid down for her; and then she rides away to the Thing.

The country folk looked for her, but could not find her.  Mord
made his daughter welcome, and asked her if she had followed his
advice; and she says, "I have not broken one tittle of it."

Then she went to the Hill of Laws, and declared herself separated
from Hrut; and men thought this strange news.  Unna went home
with her father, and never went west from that day forward.



8. MORD CLAIMS HIS GOODS FROM HRUT

Hrut came home, and knit his brows when he heard his wife was
gone, but yet kept his feelings well in hand, and stayed at home
all that half-year, and spoke to no one on the matter.  Next
summer he rode to the Thing, with his brother Hauskuld, and they
had a great fellowing.  But when he came to the Thing, he asked
whether Fiddle Mord were at the Thing, and they told him he was;
and all thought they would come to words at once about their
matter, but it was not so.  At last, one day when the brothers
and others who were at the Thing went to the Hill of Laws, Mord
took witness and declared that he had a money-suit against Hrut
for his daughter's dower, and reckoned the amount at ninety
hundreds in goods, calling on Hrut at the same time to pay and
hand it over to him, and asking for a fine of three marks.  He
laid the suit in the Quarter Court, into which it would come by
law, and gave lawful notice, so that all who stood on the Hill of
Laws might hear.

But when he had thus spoken, Hrut said, "Thou hast undertaken
this suit, which belongs to thy daughter, rather for the greed of
gain and love of strife than in kindliness and manliness.  But I
shall have something to say against it; for the goods which
belong to me are not yet in thy bands.  Now, what I have to say
is this, and I say it out, so that all who hear me on this hill
may bear witness: I challenge thee to fight on the island; there
on one side shall be laid all thy daughter's dower, and on the
other I will lay down goods worth as much, and whoever wins the
day shall have both dower and goods; but if thou wilt not fight
with me, then thou shalt give up all claim to these goods."

Then Mord held his peace, and took counsel with his friends about
going to fight on the island, and Jorund the priest gave him an
answer.

"There is no need for thee to come to ask us for counsel in this
matter, for thou knowest if thou fightest with Hrut thou wilt
lose both life and goods.  He has a good cause, and is besides
mighty in himself and one of the boldest of men."

Then Mord spoke out, that he would not fight with Hrut, and there
arose a great shout and hooting on the hill, and Mord got the
greatest shame by his suit.

After that men ride home from the Thing, and those brothers
Hauskuld and Hrut ride west to Reykriverdale, and turned in as
guests at Lund, where Thiostolf, Bjorn Gullbera's son, then
dwelt.  There had been much rain that day, and men got wet, so
long-fires were made down the length of the hall.  Thiostolf, the
master of the house, sat between Hauskuld and Hrut, and two boys,
of whom Thiostolf had the rearing, were playing on the floor, and
a girl was playing with them.  They were great chatterboxes, for
they were too young to know better.  So one of them said, "Now I
will be Mord, and summon thee to lose thy wife because thou hast
not been a good husband to her."

Then the other answered, "I will be Hrut, and I call on thee to
give up all claim to thy goods, if thou darest not to fight with
me."

This they said several times, and all the household burst out
laughing.  Then Hauskuld got wroth, and struck the boy who called
himself Mord with a switch, and the blow fell on his face, and
grazed the skin.

"Get out with thee," said Hauskuld to the boy, "and make no game
of us;" but Hrut said, "Come hitherto me," and the boy did so. 
Then Hrut drew a ring from his finger and gave it to him, and
said, "Go away, and try no man's temper henceforth."

Then the boy went away saying, "Thy manliness I will bear in mind
all my life."

From this matter Hrut got great praise, and after that they went
home; and that was the end of Mord's and Hrut's quarrel,



9. THORWALD GETS HALLGERDA TO WIFE

Now, it must be told how Hallgerda, Hauskuld's daughter, grows
up, and is the fairest of women to look on; she was tall of
stature, too, and therefore she was called "Longcoat."  She was
fair-haired, and had so much of it that she could hide herself in
it; but she was layish and hard-hearted.  Her foster-father's
name was Thiostolf: he was a Southislander (1) by stock: he was a
strong man, well skilled in arms, and had slain many men, and
made no atonement in money for one of them.  It was said, too,
that his rearing had not bettered Hallgerda's temper.

There was a man named Thorwald; he was Oswif's son, and dwelt out
on Middlefells strand, under the Fell.  He was rich and well to
do, and owned the islands called Bearisles, which lie out in
Broadfirth, whence he got meal and stock fish.  This Thorwald was
a strong and courteous man, though somewhat hasty in temper. 
Now, it fell out one day that Thorwald and his father were
talking together of Thorwald's marrying, and where he had best
look for a wife, and it soon came out that he thought there
wasn't a match fit for him far or near.

"Well," said Oswif, "wilt thou ask for Hallgerda Longcoat,
Hauskuld's daughter."

"Yes!  I will ask for her," said Thorwald.

"But that is not a match that will suit either of you," Oswif
went on to say, "for she has a will of her own, and thou art
stern-tempered and unyielding."

"For all that I will try my luck there," said Thorwald, "so it's
no good trying to hinder me."

"Ay!" said Oswif, "and the risk is all thine own."

After that they set off on a wooing journey to Hauskuldstede, and
had a hearty welcome.  They were not long in telling Hauskuld
their business, and began to woo; then Hauskuld answered, "As for
you, I know how you both stand in the world, but for my own part
I will use no guile towards you.  My daughter has a hard temper,
but as to her looks and breeding you can both see for
yourselves."

"Lay down the terms of the match," answered Thorwald, "for I will
not let her temper stand in the way of our bargain."

Then they talked over the terms of the bargain, and Hauskuld
never asked his daughter what she thought of it, for his heart
was set on giving her away and so they came to an understanding
as to the terms of the match.  After that Thorwald betrothed
himself to Hallgerda, and rode away home when the matter was
settled.


ENDNOTES:

(1)  That is, he came from what we call the Western Isles or
     Hebrides.  The old appellation still lingers in "Sodor (i.e.
     the South Isles) and Man."


10. HALLGERDA'S WEDDING

Hauskuld told Hallgerda of the bargain he had made, and she said,
"Now that has been put to the proof which I have all along been
afraid of, that thou lovest me not so much as thou art always
saying, when thou hast not thought it worth while to tell me a
word of all this matter.  Besides, I do not think this match so
good a one as thou hast always promised me."

So she went on, and let them know in every way that she thought
she was thrown away.

Then Hauskuld said, "I do not set so much store by thy pride as
to let it stand in the way of my bargains; and my will, not
thine, shall carry the day if we fall out on any point."

"The pride of all you kinsfolk is great," she said, "and so it is
not wonderful if I have some of it."

With that she went away, and found her foster-father Thiostolf,
and told him what was in store for her, and was very heavy-
hearted.  Then Thiostolf said, "Be of good cheer, for thou wilt
be married a second time, and then they will ask thee what thou
thinkest of the match; for I will do in all things as thou
wishest, except in what touches thy father or Hrut."

After that they spoke no more of the matter, and Hauskuld made
ready the bridal feast, and rode off to ask men to it.  So he
came to Hrutstede and called Hrut out to speak with him.  Hrut
went out, and they began to talk, and Hauskuld told him the whole
story of the bargain, and bade him to the feast, saying, "I
should be glad to know that thou dost not feel hurt though I did
not tell thee when the bargain was being made.

"I should be better pleased," said Hrut "to have nothing at all
to do with it; for this match will bring luck neither to him nor
to her; but still I will come to the feast if thou thinkest it
will add any honour to thee."

"Of course I think so," said Hauskuld, and rode off home.

Oswif and Thorwald also asked men to come, so that no fewer than
one hundred guests were asked.

There was a man named Swan, who dwelt in Bearfirth, which lies
north from Steingrimsfirth.  This Swan was a great wizard, and he
was Hallgerda's mother's brother.  He was quarrelsome, and hard
to deal with, but Hallgerda asked him to the feast, and sends
Thiostolf to him; so he went, and it soon got to friendship
between him and Swan.

Now men come to the feast, and Hallgerda sat upon the cross-
bench, and she was a very merry bride.  Thiostolf was always
talking to her, though he sometimes found time to speak to Swan,
and men thought their talking strange.  The feast went off well,
and Hauskuld paid down Hallgerda's portion with the greatest
readiness.  After he had done that, he said to Hrut, "Shall I
bring out any gifts beside?"

"The day will come," answered Hrut, "when thou wilt have to waste
thy goods for Hallgerda's sake, so hold thy hand now."



11. THORWALD'S SLAYING

Throwald rode home from the bridal feast, and his wife with him,
and Thiostolf, who rode by her horse's side, and still talked to
her in a low voice.  Oswif turned to his son and said, "Art thou
pleased with thy match?  and how went it when ye talked
together."

"Well," said he, "she showed all kindness to me.  Thou mightst
see that by the way she laughs at every word I say."

"I don't think her laughter so hearty as thou dost," answered
Oswif, "but this will be put to the proof by and by."

So they ride on till they come home, and at night she took her
seat by her husband's side, and made room for Thiostolf next
herself on the inside.  Thiostolf and Thorwald had little to do
with each other, and few words were thrown away between them that
winter, and so time went on.  Hallgerda was prodigal and
grasping, and there was nothing that any of their neighbours had
that she must not have too, and all that she had, no matter
whether it were her own or belonged to others she wasted.  But
when the spring came there was a scarcity in the house, both of
meal and stock fish, so Hallgerda went up to Thorwald and said,
"Thou must not be sitting in-doors any longer, for we want for
the house both meal and fish.

"Well," said Thorwald, "I did not lay in less for the house this
year than I laid in before, and then it used to last till
summer."

"What care I," said Hallgerda, "if thou and thy father have made
your money by starving yourselves."

Then Thorwald got angry and gave her a blow on the face and drew
blood, and went away and called his men and ran the skiff down to
the shore.  Then six of them jumped into her and rowed out to the
Bear-isles, and began to load her with meal and fish.

Meantime it is said that Hallgerda sat out of doors heavy at
heart.  Thiostolf went up to her and saw the wound on her face,
and said, "Who has been playing thee this sorry trick?"

"My husband, Thorwald," she said, "and thou stoodst aloof, though
thou wouldst not if thou hadst cared at all for me."

"Because I knew nothing about it," said Thiostolf, "but I will
avenge it."

Then he went away down to the shore and ran out a six-oared boat,
and held in his hand a great axe that he had with a haft overlaid
with iron.  He steps into the boat and rows out to the
Bear-isles, and when he got there all the men had rowed away but
Thorwald and his followers, and he stayed by the skiff to load
her, while they brought the goods down to him.  So Thiostolf came
up just then and jumped into the skiff, and began to load with
him, and after a while he said, "Thou canst do but little at this
work, and that little thou dost badly."

"Thinkst thou thou canst do it better," said Thorwald.

"There's one thing to be done which I can do better than thou,"
said Thiostolf, and then he went on, "The woman who is thy wife
has made a bad match, and you shall not live much longer
together."

Then Thorwald snatched up a fishing-knife that lay by him, and
made a stab at Thiostolf; he had lifted his axe to his shoulder
and dashed it down.  It came on Thorwald's arm and crushed the
wrist, but down fell the knife.  Then Thiostolf lifted up his axe
a second time and gave Thorwald a blow on the head, and he fell
dead on the spot.



12. THIOSTOLF'S FLIGHT

While this was going on, Thorwald's men came down with their
load, but Thiostolf was not slow in his plans.  He hewed with
both hands at the gunwale of the skiff and cut it down about two
planks; then he leapt into his boat, but the dark blue sea poured
into the skiff, and down she went with all her freight.  Down too
sank Thorwald's body, so that his men could not see what had been
done to him, but they knew well enough that he was dead. 
Thiostolf rowed away up the firth, but they shouted after him
wishing him ill luck.  He made them no answer, but rowed on till
he got home, and ran the boat up on the beach, and went up to the
house with his axe, all bloody as it was, on his shoulder. 
Hallgerda stood out of doors, and said, "Thine axe is bloody;
what hast thou done?"

"I have done now what will cause thee to be wedded a second
time."

"Thou tellest me then that Thorwald is dead," she said.

"So it is," said he, "and now look out for my safety."

"So I will," she said; "I will send thee north to Bearfirth, to
Swanshol, and Swan, my kinsman, will receive thee with open arms.

He is so mighty a man that no one will seek thee thither."

So he saddled a horse that she had, and jumped on his back, and
rode off north to Bearfirth, to Swanshol, and Swan received him
with open arms, and said: "That's what I call a man who does not
stick at trifles!  And now I promise thee if they seek thee here,
they shall get nothing but the greatest shame."

Now, the story goes back to Hallgerda, and how she behaved.  She
called on Liot the Black, her kinsman, to go with her, and bade
him saddle their horses, for she said, "I will ride home to my
father."

While he made ready for their journey, she went to her chests and
unlocked them and called all the men of her house about her, and
gave each of them some gift; but they all grieved at her going. 
Now she rides home to her father; and he received her well, for
as yet he had not heard the news.  But Hrut said to Hallgerda,
"Why did not Thorwald come with thee?" and she answered, "He is
dead."

Then said Hauskuld, "That was Thiostolf's doing."

"It was," she said.

"Ah!" said Hauskuld, "Hrut was not far wrong when he told me that
this bargain would draw mickle misfortune after it.  But there's
no good in troubling one's self about a thing that's done and
gone."

Now, the story must go back to Thorwald's mates, how there they
are, and how they begged the loan of a boat to get to the
mainland.  So a boat was lent them at once, and they rowed up the
firth to Reykianess, and found Oswif, and told him these tidings.

He said, "Ill luck is the end of ill redes, and now I see how it
has all gone.  Hallgerda must have sent Thiostolf to Bearfirth,
but she herself must have ridden home to her father.  Let us now
gather folk and follow him up thither north." So they did that,
and went about asking for help, and got together many men.  And
then they all rode off to Steingrims river, and so on to
Liotriverdale and Selriverdale, till they came to Bearfirth.

Now Swan began to speak, and gasped much.  "Now Oswif's fetches
are seeking us out."  Then up sprung Thiostolf, but Swan said,
"Go thou out with me, there won't be need of much."  So they went
out both of them, and Swan took a goatskin and wrapped it about
his own head, and said, "Become mist and fog, become fright and
wonder mickle to all those who seek thee."

Now, it must be told how Oswif, his friends, and his men are
riding along the ridge; then came a great mist against them, and
Oswif said, "This is Swan's doing; 'twere well if nothing worse
followed."  A little after a mighty darkness came before their
eyes, so that they could see nothing, and then they fell off
their horses' backs, and lost their horses, and dropped their
weapons, and went over head and ears into bogs, and some went
astray into the wood, till they were on the brink of bodily harm.

Then Oswif said, "If I could only find my horse and weapons, then
I'd turn back;" and he hid scarce spoken these words than they
saw somewhat, and found their horses and weapons.  Then many
still egged the others on to look after the chase once more; and
so they did, and at once the same wonders befell them, and so
they fared thrice.  Then Oswif said, "Though the course be not
good, let us still turn back.  Now, we will take counsel a second
time, and what now pleases my mind best, is to go and find
Hauskuld, and ask atonement for my son; for there's no hope of
honour where there's good store of it."

So they rode thence to the Broadfirth dales, and there is nothing
to be told about them till they came to Hauskuldstede, and Hrut
was there before them.  Oswif called out Hauskuld and Hrut, and
they both went out and bade him good day.  After that they began
to talk.  Hauskuld asked Oswif whence he came.  He said he had
set out to search for Thiostolf, but couldn't find him.  Hauskuld
said he must have gone north to Swanshol, "and thither it is not
every man's lot to go to find him."

"Well," says Oswif, "I am come hither for this, to ask atonement
for my son from thee."

Hauskuld answered, "I did not slay thy son, nor did I plot his
death; still it may be forgiven thee to look for atonement
somewhere."

"Nose is next of kin, brother, to eyes," said Hrut, "and it is
needful to stop all evil tongues, and to make him atonement for
his son, and so mend thy daughter's state, for that will only be
the case when this suit is dropped, and the less that is said
about it the better it will be."

Hauskuld said, "Wilt thou undertake the award?"

"That I will," says Hrut, "nor will I shield thee at all in my
award; for if the truth must be told thy daughter planned his
death."

Then Hrut held his peace some little while, and afterwards he
stood up, and said to Oswif, "Take now my hand in handsel as a
token that thou lettest the suit drop."

So Oswif stood up and said, "This is not an atonement on equal
terms when thy brother utters the award, but still thou (speaking
to Hrut) hast behaved so well about it that I trust thee
thoroughly to make it."  Then he stood up and took Hauskuld's
band, and came to an atonement in the matter, on the
understanding that Hrut was to make up his mind and utter the
award before Oswif went away.  After that, Hrut made his award,
and said, "For the slaying of Thorwald I award two hundred in
silver" -- that was then thought a good price for a man -- "and
thou shalt pay it down at once, brother, and pay it too with an
open hand."

Hauskuld did so, and then Hrut said to Oswif, "I will give thee a
good cloak which I brought with me from foreign lands."

He thanked him for his gift, and went home well pleased at the
way in which things had gone.

After that Hauskuld and Hrut came to Oswif to share the goods,
and they and Oswif came to a good agreement about that too, and
they went home with their share of the goods, and Oswif is now
out of our story.  Hallgerda begged Hauskuld to let her come back
home to him, and he gave her leave, and for a long time there was
much talk about Thorwald's slaying.  As for Hallgerda's goods
they went on growing till they were worth a great sum.



13. GLUM'S WOOING

Now three brothers are named in the story.  One was called
Thorarin, the second Ragi, and the third Glum.  They were the
sons of Olof the Halt, and were men of much worth and of great
wealth in goods.  Thorarin's surname was Ragi's brother; he had
the Speakership of the Law after Rafn Heing's son.  He was a very
wise man, and lived at Varmalek, and he and Glum kept house
together.  Glum had been long abroad; he was a tall, strong,
handsome man.  Ragi their brother was a great manslayer.  Those
brothers owned in the south Engey and Laugarness.  One day the
brothers Thorarin and Glum were talking together, and Thorarin
asked Glum whether he meant to go abroad, as was his wont?

He answered, "I was rather thinking now of leaving off trading
voyages."

"What hast thou then in thy mind?  Wilt thou woo thee a wife?"

"That I will," says he, "if I could only get myself well
matched."

Then Thorarin told off all the women who were unwedded in
Borgarfirth, and asked him if he would have any of these, "Say
the word, and I will ride with thee!"

But Glum answered, "I will have none of these."

"Say then the name of her thou wishest to have," says Thorarin.

Glum answered, "If thou must know, her name is Hallgerda, and she
is Hauskuld's daughter away west in the dales."

"Well," says Thorarin, "'tis not with thee as the saw says, `be
warned by another's woe'; for she was wedded to a man, and she
plotted his death."

Glum said, "Maybe such ill-luck will not befall her a second
time, and sure I am she will not plot my death.  But now, if thou
wilt show me any honour, ride along with me to woo her."

Thorarin said, "There's no good striving against it, for what
must be is sure to happen."  Glum often talked the matter over
with Thorarin, but he put it off a long time.  At last it came
about that they gathered men together and rode off ten in
company, west to the dales, and came to Hauskuldstede.  Hauskuld
gave them a hearty welcome, and they stayed there that night. 
But early next morning, Hauskuld sends for Hrut, and he came
thither at once: and Hauskuld was out of doors when he rode into
the "town".  Then Hauskuld told Hrut what men had come thither.

"What may it be they want?" asked Hrut.

"As yet," says Hauskuld, "they have not let out to me that they
have any business."

"Still," says Hrut, "their business must be with thee.  They will
ask the hand of thy daughter, Hallgerda.  If they do, what answer
wilt thou make?"

"What dost thou advise me to say?" says Hauskuld.

"Thou shalt answer well," says Hrut; "but still make a clean
breast of all the good and all the ill thou knowest of the
woman."

But while the brothers were talking thus, out came the guests. 
Hauskuld greeted them well, and Hrut bade both Thorarin and his
brothers good morning.  After that they all began to talk, and
Thorarin said, "I am come hither, Hauskuld, with my brother Glum
on this errand, to ask for Hallgerda thy daughter, at the hand of
my brother Glum.  Thou must know that he is a man of worth."

"I know well," says Hauskuld, "that ye are both of you powerful
and worthy men; but I must tell you right out, that I chose a
husband for her before, and that turned out most unluckily for
us."

Thorarin answered, "We will not let that stand in the way of the
bargain; for one oath shall not become all oaths, and this may
prove to be a good match, though that turned out ill; besides
Thiostolf had most hand in spoiling it."

Then Hrut spoke: "Now I will give you a bit of advice -- this: if
ye will not let all this that has already happened to Hallgerda
stand in the way of the match, mind you do not let Thiostolf go
south with her if the match comes off, and that he is never there
longer than three nights at a time, unless Glum gives him leave,
but fall an outlaw by Glum's hand without atonement if he stay
there longer.  Of course, it shall be in Glum's power to give him
leave; but he will not if he takes my advice.  And now this match
shall not be fulfilled, as the other was, without Hallgerda's
knowledge.  She shall now know the whole course of this bargain,
and see Glum, and herself settle whether she will have him or
not; and then she will not be able to lay the blame on others if
it does not turn out well.  And all this shall be without craft
or guile."

Then Thorarin said, "Now, as always, it will prove best if thy
advice be taken."

Then they sent for Hallgerda, and she came thither, and two women
with her.  She had on a cloak of rich blue woof, and under it a
scarlet kirtle, and a silver girdle round her waist, but her hair
came down on both sides of her bosom, and she had turned the
locks up under her girdle.  She sat down between Hrut and her
father, and she greeted them all with kind words, and spoke well
and boldly, and asked what was the news.  After that she ceased
speaking.

Then Glum said, "There has been some talk between thy father and
my brother Thorarin and myself about a bargain.  It was that I
might get thee, Hallgerda, if it be thy will, as it is theirs;
and now, if thou art a brave woman, thou wilt say right out
whether the match is at all to thy mind; but if thou hast
anything in thy heart against this bargain with us, then we will
not say anything more about it."

Hallgerda said, "I know well that you are men of worth and might,
ye brothers.  I know too that now I shall be much better wedded
than I was before; but what I want to know is, what you have said
already about the match, and how far you have given your words in
the matter.  But so far as I now see of thee, I think I might
love thee well if we can but hit it off as to temper."

So Glum himself told her all about the bargain, and left nothing
out, and then he asked Hauskuld and Hrut whether he had repeated
it right.  Hauskuld said he had; and then Hallgerda said, "Ye
have dealt so well with me in this matter, my father and Hrut,
that I will do what ye advise, and this bargain shall be struck
as ye have settled it."

Then Hrut said, "Methinks it were best that Hauskuld and I should
name witnesses, and that Hallgerda should betroth herself, if the
Lawman thinks that right and lawful.

"Right and lawful it is," says Thorarin.

After that Hallgerda's goods were valued, and Glum was to lay
down as much against them, and they were to go shares, half and
half, in the whole.  Then Glum bound himself to Hallgerda as his
betrothed, and they rode away home south; but Hauskuld was to
keep the wedding-feast at his house.  And now all is quiet till
men ride to the wedding.



14. GLUM'S WEDDING

Those brothers gathered together a great company, and they were
all picked men.  They rode west to the dales and came to
Hauskuldstede, and there they found a great gathering to meet
them.  Hauskuld and Hrut, and their friends, filled one bench,
and the bridegroom the other.  Hallgerda sat upon the cross bench
on the dais, and behaved well.  Thiostolf went about with his axe
raised in air, and no one seemed to know that he was there, and
so the wedding went off well.  But when the feast was over,
Hallgerda went away south with Glum and his brothers.  So when
they came south to Varmalek, Thorarin asked Hallgerda if she
would undertake the housekeeping.  "No, I will not," she said. 
Hallgerda kept her temper down that winter, and they liked her
well enough.  But when the spring came, the brothers talked about
their property, and Thorarin said, "I will give up to you the
house at Varmalek, for that is readiest to your hand, and I will
go down south to Laugarness and live there, but Engey we will
have both of us in common."

Glum was willing enough to do that.  So Thorarin went down to the
south of that district, and Glum and his wife stayed behind
there, and lived in the house at Varmalek.

Now Hallgerda got a household about her; she was prodigal in
giving, and grasping in getting.  In the summer she gave birth to
a girl.  Glum asked her what name it was to have?

"She shall be called after my father's mother, and her name shall
be Thorgerda," for she came down from Sigurd Fafnir's-bane on the
father's side, according to the family pedigree. 

So the maiden was sprinkled with water, and had this name given
her, and there she grew up, and got like her mother in looks and
feature.  Glum and Hallgerda agreed well together, and so it went
on for a while.  About that time these tidings were heard from
the north and Bearfirth, how Swan had rowed out to fish in the
spring, and a great storm came down on him from the east, and how
he was driven ashore at Fishless, and he and his men were there
lost.  But the fishermen who were at Kalback thought they saw
Swan go into the fell at Kalbackshorn, and that he was greeted
well; but some spoke against that story, and said there was
nothing in it.  But this all knew that he was never seen again
either alive or dead.  So when Hallgerda heard that, she thought
she had a great loss in her mother's brother.  Glum begged
Thorarin to change lands with him, but he said he would not;
"but," said he, "if I outlive you, I mean to have Varmalek to
myself."  When Glum told this to Hallgerda, she said, "Thorarin
has indeed a right to expect this from us."



15. THIOSTOLF GOES TO GLUM'S HOUSE

Thiostolf had beaten one of Hauskuld's house-carles, so he drove
him away.  He took his horse and weapons, and said to Hauskuld,
"Now, I will go away and never come back."

"All will be glad at that," says Hauskuld.

Thiostolf rode till he came to Varmalek, and there he got a
hearty welcome from Hallgerda, and not a bad one from Glum.  He
told Hallgerda how her father had driven him away, and begged her
to give him her help and countenance.  She answered him by
telling him she could say nothing about his staying there before
she had seen Glum about it.

"Does it go well between you?" he says.

"Yes," she says, "our love runs smooth enough."

After that she went to speak to Glum, and threw her arms round
his neck and said, "Wilt thou grant me a boon which I wish to ask
of thee?"

"Grant it I will," he says, "if it be right and seemly; but what
is it thou wishest to ask?"

"Well," she said, "Thiostolf has been driven away from the west,
and what I want thee to do is to let him stay here; but I will
not take it crossly if it is not to thy mind."

Glum said, "Now that thou behavest so well, I will grant thee thy
boon; but I tell thee, if he takes to any ill he shall be sent
off at once."

She goes then to Thiostolf and tells him, and he answered, "Now,
thou art still good, as I had hoped."

After that he was there, and kept himself down a little while,
but then it was the old story, he seemed to spoil all the good he
found; for he gave way to no one save to Hallgerda alone, but she
never took his side in his brawls with others.  Thorarin, Glum's
brother, blamed him for letting him be there, and said ill luck
would come of it, and all would happen as had happened before if
he were there.  Glum answered him well and kindly, but still kept
on in his own way.



16. GLUM'S SHEEP HUNT

Now once on a time when autumn came, it happened that men had
hard work to get their flocks home, and many of Glum's wethers
were missing.  Then Glum said to Thiostolf, "Go thou up on the
fell with my house-carles and see if ye cannot find out anything
about the sheep."

"'Tis no business of mine," says Thiostolf, "to hunt up sheep,
and this one thing is quite enough to hinder it.  I won't walk in
thy thralls' footsteps.  But go thyself, and then I'll go with
thee."

About this they had many words.  The weather was good, and
Hallgerda was sitting out of doors.  Glum went up to her and
said, "Now Thiostolf and I have had a quarrel, and we shall not
live much longer together."  And so he told her all that they had
been talking about.

Then Hallgerda spoke up for Thiostolf, and they had many words
about him.  At last Glum gave her a blow with his hand, and said,
"I will strive no longer with thee," and with that he went away.

Now she loved him much, and could not calm herself, but wept out
loud.  Thiostolf went up to her and said, "This is sorry sport
for thee, and so it must not be often again."

"Nay," she said, "but thou shalt not avenge this, nor meddle at
all whatever passes between Glum and me."

He went off with a spiteful grin.



17. GLUM'S SLAYING

Now Glum called men to follow him, and Thiostolf got ready and
went with them.  So they went up South Reykiardale and then up
along by Baugagil and so south to Crossfell.  But some of his
band he sent to the Sulafells, and they all found very many
sheep.  Some of them, too, went by way of Scoradale, and it came
about at last that those twain, Glum and Thiostolf, were left
alone together.  They went south from Crossfell and found there a
flock of wild sheep, and they went from the south towards the
fell, and tried to drive them down; but still the sheep got away
from them up on the fell.  Then each began to scold the other,
and Thiostolf said at last that Glum had no strength save to
tumble about in Hallgerda's arms.

Then Glum said, "`A man's foes are those of his own house.' 
Shall I take upbraiding from thee, runaway thrall as thou art?"

Thiostolf said, "Thou shalt soon have to own that I am no thrall,
for I will not yield an inch to thee."

Then Glum got angry, and cut at him with his hand-axe, but he
threw his axe in the way, and the blow fell on the haft with a
downward stroke and bit into it about the breadth of two fingers.

Thiostolf cut at him at once with his axe, and smote him on the
shoulder, and the stroke hewed asunder the shoulderbone and
collarbone, and the wound bled inwards.  Glum grasped at
Thiostolf with his left hand so fast, that he fell; but Glum
could not hold him, for death came over him.  Then Thiostolf
covered his body with stones, and took off his gold ring.  Then
he went straight to Varmalek.  Hallgerda was sitting out of
doors, and saw that his axe was bloody.  He said, "I know not
what thou wilt think of it, but I tell thee Glum is slain."

"That must be thy deed," she says.

"So it is," he says.

She laughed and said, "Thou dost not stand for nothing in this
sport."

"What thinkest thou is best to be done now?" he asked.

"Go to Hrut, my father's brother," she said, "and let him see
about thee."

"I do not know," says Thiostolf, "whether this is good advice;
but still I will take thy counsel in this matter."

So he took his horse, and rode west to Hrutstede that night.  He
binds his horse at the back of the house, and then goes round to
the door, and gives a great knock.  After that he walks round the
house, north about.  It happened that Hrut was awake.  He sprang
up at once, and put on his jerkin and pulled on his shoes.  Then
he took up his sword, and wrapped a cloak about his left arm, up
as far as the elbow.  Men woke up just as he went out; there he
saw a tall stout man at the back of the house, and knew it was
Thiostolf.  Hrut asked him what news?

"I tell thee Glum is slain." says Thiostolf.

"Who did the deed?" says Hrut.

"I slew him," says Thiostolf.

"Why rodest thou hither?" says Hrut.

"Hallgerda sent me to thee," says Thiostolf.

"Then she has no hand in this deed," says Hrut, and drew his
sword.  Thiostolf saw that, and would not be behind hand, so he
cuts at Hrut at once.  Hrut got out of the way of the stroke by a
quick turn, and at the same time struck the back of the axe so
smartly with a side-long blow of his left hand, that it flew out
of Thiostolf's grasp.  Then Hrut made a blow with his sword in
his right hand at Thiostolf's leg, just above the knee, and cut
it almost off so that it hung by a little piece, and sprang in
upon him at the same time, and thrust him hard back.  After that
he smote him on the head, and dealt him his death-blow. 
Thiostolf fell down on his back at full length, and then out came
Hrut's men, and saw the tokens of the deed.  Hrut made them take
Thiostolf away, and throw stones over his body, and then he went
to find Hauskuld, and told him of Glum's slaying, and also of
Thiostolf's.  He thought it harm that Glum was dead and gone, but
thanked him for killing Thiostolf.  A little while after,
Thorarin Ragi's brother hears of his brother Glum's death, then
he rides with eleven men behind him west to Hauskuldstede, and
Hauskuld welcomed him with both hands, and he is there the night.

Hauskuld sent at once for Hrut to come to him, and he went at
once, and next day they spoke much of the slaying of Glum, and
Thorarin said "Wilt thou make me any atonement for my brother,
for I have had a great loss?"

Hauskuld answered, "I did not slay thy brother, nor did my
daughter plot his death; but as soon as ever Hrut knew it he slew
Thiostolf."

Then Thorarin held his peace, and thought the matter had taken a
bad turn.  But Hrut said, "Let us make his journey good; he has
indeed had a heavy loss, and if we do that we shall be well
spoken of.  So let us give him gifts, and then he will be our
friend ever afterwards."

So the end of it was, that those brothers gave him gifts, and he
rode back south.  He and Hallgerda changed homesteads in the
spring, and she went south to Laugarness and he to Varmalek.  And
now Thorarin is out of the story.



18. FIDDLE MORD'S DEATH

Now it must be told how Fiddle Mord took a sickness and breathed
his last; and that was thought great scathe.  His daughter Unna
took all the goods he left behind him.  She was then still
unmarried the second time.  She was very layish, and unthrifty of
her property; so that her goods and ready money wasted away, and
at last she had scarce anything left but land and stock.



19. GUNNAR COMES INTO THE STORY

There was a man whose name was Gunnar.  He was one of Unna's
kinsmen, and his mother's name was Rannveig (1).  Gunnar's father
was named Hamond (2).  Gunnar Hamond's son dwelt at Lithend, in
the Fleetlithe.  He was a tall man in growth, and a strong man --
best skilled in arms of all men.  He could cut or thrust or shoot
if he chose as well with his left as with his right hand, and he
smote so swiftly with his sword, that three seemed to flash
through the air at once.  He was the best shot with the bow of
all men, and never missed his mark.  He could leap more than his
own height, with all his war-gear, and as far backwards as
forwards.  He could swim like a seal, and there was no game in
which it was any good for any one to strive with him; and so it
has been said that no man was his match.  He was handsome of
feature, and fair skinned.  His nose was straight, and a little
turned up at the end.  He was blue-eyed and bright-eyed, and
ruddy-cheeked.  His hair thick, and of good hue, and hanging down
in comely curls.  The most courteous of men was he, of sturdy
frame and strong will, bountiful and gentle, a fast friend, but
hard to please when making them.  He was wealthy in goods.  His
brother's name was Kolskegg; he was a tall strong man, a noble
fellow, and undaunted in everything.  Another brother's name was
Hjort; he was then in his childhood.  Orm Skogarnef was a base-
born brother of Gunnar's; he does not come into this story. 
Arnguda was the name of Gunnar's sister.  Hroar, the priest at
Tongue, had her to wife (3).


ENDNOTES:

(1)  She was the daughter of Sigfuss, the son of Sighvat the Red;
     he was slain at Sandhol Ferry.
(2)  He was the son of Gunnar Baugsson, after whom Gunnar's holt
     is called.  Hamond's mother's name was Hrafnhilda.  She was
     the daughter of Storolf Heing's son.  Storolf was brother to
     Hrafn the Speaker of the Law, the son of Storolf was Orin
     the Strong.
(3)  He was the son of Uni the Unborn, Gardar's son who found
     Iceland.  Arnguda's son was Hamond the Halt, who dwelt at
     Hamondstede.



20. OF NJAL AND HIS CHILDREN

There was a man whose name was Njal.  He was the son of Thorgeir
Gelling, the son of Thorolf.  Njal's mother's name was Asgerda
(1).  Njal dwelt at Bergthorsknoll in the land-isles; he had
another homestead on Thorolfsfell.  Njal was wealthy in goods,
and handsome of face; no beard grew on his chin.  He was so great
a lawyer, that his match was not to be found.  Wise too he was,
and foreknowing and foresighted (2).  Of good counsel, and ready
to give it, and all that he advised men was sure to be the best
for them to do.  Gentle and generous, he unravelled every man's
knotty points who came to see him about them.  Bergthora was his
wife's name; she was Skarphedinn's daughter, a very high-
spirited, brave-hearted woman, but somewhat hard-tempered.  They
had six children, three daughters and three sons, and they all
come afterwards into this story.


ENDNOTES:

(1)  She was the daughter of Lord Ar the Silent.  She had come
     out hither to Iceland from Norway, and taken land to the
     west of Markfleet, between Auldastone and Selialandsmull. 
     Her son was Holt-Thorir, the father of Thorleif Crow, from
     whom the Wood-dwellers are sprung, and of Thorgrim the Tall,
     and Skorargeir.
(2)  This means that Njal was one of those gifted beings who,
     according to the firm belief of that age, had a more than
     human insight into things about to happen.  It answers very
     nearly to the Scottish "second sight."