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Anonymous - The story of Burnt Njal

A >> Anonymous >> The story of Burnt Njal




Slain is he who spoiled the people,
Lashing them with flashing steel:
Heard have I how Hallgrim's magic
Helm-rod forged in foreign land;
All men know, of heart-strings doughty,
How this bill hath come to me,
Deft in fight, the wolf's dear feeder.
Death alone us two shall part.

And that vow Gunnar kept, in that he bore the bill while he lived. Those
namesakes [the two Kolskeggs] fought together, and it was a near thing
which would get the better of it. Then Gunnar came up, and gave the
other Kolskegg his death-blow. After that the sea-rovers begged for
mercy. Gunnar let them have that choice, and he let them also count the
slain, and take the goods which the dead men owned, but he gave the
others whom he spared their arms and their clothing, and bade them be
off to the lands that fostered them. So they went off and Gunnar took
all the goods that were left behind.

Tofi came to Gunnar after the battle, and offered to lead him to that
store of goods which the sea-rovers had stowed away, and said that it
was both better and larger than that which they had already got.

Gunnar said he was willing to go, and so he went ashore, and Tofi before
him, to a wood, and Gunnar behind him. They came to a place where a
great heap of wood was piled together. Tofi says the goods were under
there, then they tossed off the wood, and found under it both gold and
silver, clothes and good weapons. They bore those goods to the ships,
and Gunnar asks Tofi in what way he wished him to repay him.

Tofi answered, "I am a Dansk man by race, and I wish thou wouldst bring
me to my kinsfolk".

Gunnar asks why he was there away east?

"I was taken by sea-rovers," says Tofi, "and they put me on land here in
Osel, and here I have been ever since."




CHAPTER XXXI.

GUNNAR GOES TO KING HAROLD GORM'S SON AND EARL HACON.


Gunnar took Tofi on board, and said to Kolskegg and Hallvard, "Now we
will hold our course for the north lands".

They were well pleased at that, and bade him have his way. So Gunnar
sailed from the east with much goods. He had ten ships, and ran in with
them to Heidarby in Denmark. King Harold Gorm's son was there up the
country, and he was told about Gunnar, and how too that there was no man
his match in all Iceland. He sent men to him to ask him to come to him,
and Gunnar went at once to see the king, and the king made him a hearty
welcome, and sat him down next to himself. Gunnar was there half a
month. The king made himself sport by letting Gunnar prove himself in
divers feats of strength against his men, and there were none that were
his match even in one feat.

Then the king said to Gunnar, "It seems to me as though thy peer is not
to be found far or near," and the king offered to get Gunnar a wife, and
to raise him to great power if he would settle down there.

Gunnar thanked the king for his offer and said--"I will first of all
sail back to Iceland to see my friends and kinsfolk".

"Then thou wilt never come back to us," says the king.

"Fate will settle that, lord," says Gunnar.

Gunnar gave the king a good long-ship, and much goods besides, and the
king gave him a robe of honour, and golden-seamed gloves, and a fillet
with a knot of gold on it, and a Russian hat.

Then Gunnar fared north to Hisingen. Oliver welcomed him with both
hands, and he gave back to Oliver his ships, with their lading, and said
that was his share of the spoil. Oliver took the goods, and said Gunnar
was a good man and true, and bade him stay with him some while. Hallvard
asked Gunnar if he had a mind to go to see Earl Hacon. Gunnar said that
was near his heart, "for now I am somewhat proved, but then I was not
tried at all when thou badest me do this before".

After that they fared north to Drontheim to see Earl Hacon, and he gave
Gunnar a hearty welcome, and bade him stay with him that winter, and
Gunnar took that offer, and every man thought him a man of great worth.
At Yule the Earl gave him a gold ring.

Gunnar set his heart on Bergliota, the Earl's kinswoman, and it was
often to be seen from the Earl's way, that he would have given her to
him to wife if Gunnar had said anything about that.




CHAPTER XXXII.

GUNNAR COMES OUT TO ICELAND.


When the spring came, the Earl asks Gunnar what course he meant to take.
He said he would go to Iceland. The Earl said that had been a bad year
for grain, "and there will be little sailing out to Iceland, but still
thou shalt have meal and timber both in thy ship".

Gunnar fitted out his ship as early as he could, and Hallvard fared out
with him and Kolskegg. They came out early in the summer, and made
Arnbael's Oyce before the Thing met.

Gunnar rode home from the ship, but got men to strip her and lay her up.
But when they came home all men were glad to see them. They were blithe
and merry to their household, nor had their haughtiness grown while they
were away.

Gunnar asks if Njal were at home; and he was told that he was at home;
then he let them saddle his horse, and those brothers rode over to
Bergthorsknoll.

Njal was glad at their coming, and begged them to stay there that night,
and Gunnar told him of his voyages.

Njal said he was a man of the greatest mark, "and thou hast been much
proved; but still thou wilt be more tried hereafter; for many will envy
thee".

"With all men I would wish to stand well," says Gunnar.

"Much bad will happen," says Njal, "and thou wilt always have some
quarrel to ward off."

"So be it, then," says Gunnar, "so that I have a good ground on my
side."

"So will it be too," says Njal, "if thou hast not to smart for others."

Njal asked Gunnar if he would ride to the Thing. Gunnar said he was
going to ride thither, and asks Njal whether he were going to ride; but
he said he would not ride thither, "and if I had my will thou wouldst do
the like".

Gunnar rode home, and gave Njal good gifts, and thanked him for the care
he had taken of his goods, Kolskegg urged him on much to ride to the
Thing, saying, "There thy honour will grow, for many will flock to see
thee there".

"That has been little to my mind," says Gunnar, "to make a show of
myself; but I think it good and right to meet good and worthy men."

Hallvard by this time was also come thither, and offered to ride to the
Thing with them.




CHAPTER XXXIII.

GUNNAR'S WOOING.


So Gunnar rode, and they all rode. But when they came to the Thing they
were so well arrayed that none could match them in bravery; and men came
out of every booth to wonder at them. Gunnar rode to the booths of the
men of Rangriver, and was there with his kinsmen. Many men came to see
Gunnar, and ask tidings of him; and he was easy and merry to all men,
and told them all they wished to hear.

It happened one day that Gunnar went away from the Hill of Laws, and
passed by the booths of the men from Mossfell; then he saw a woman
coming to meet him, and she was in goodly attire; but when they met she
spoke to Gunnar at once. He took her greeting well, and asks what woman
she might be. She told him her name was Hallgerda, and said she was
Hauskuld's daughter, Dalakoll's son. She spoke up boldly to him, and
bade him tell her of his voyages; but he said he would not gainsay her a
talk. Then they sat them down and talked. She was so clad that she had
on a red kirtle, and had thrown over her a scarlet cloak trimmed with
needlework down to the waist. Her hair came down to her bosom, and was
both fair and full. Gunnar was clad in the scarlet clothes which King
Harold Gorm's son had given him; he had also the gold ring on his arm
which Earl Hacon had given him.

So they talked long out loud, and at last it came about that he asked
whether she were unmarried. She said, so it was, "and there are not many
who would run the risk of that".

"Thinkest thou none good enough for thee?"

"Not that," she says, "but I am said to be hard to please in husbands."

"How wouldst thou answer were I to ask for thee?"

"That can not be in thy mind," she says.

"It is though," says he.

"If thou hast any mind that way, go and see my father."

After that they broke off their talk.

Gunnar went straightway to the Dalesmen's booths, and met a man outside
the doorway, and asks whether Hauskuld were inside the booth?

The man says that he was. Then Gunnar went in, and Hauskuld and Hrut
made him welcome. He sat down between them, and no one could find out
from their talk that there had ever been any misunderstanding between
them. At last Gunnar's speech turned thither; how these brothers would
answer if he asked for Hallgerda?

"Well," says Hauskuld, "if that is indeed thy mind."

Gunnar says that he is in earnest, "but we so parted last time, that
many would think it unlikely that we should ever be bound together".

"How thinkest thou, kinsman Hrut?" says Hauskuld.

Hrut answered, "Methinks this is no even match".

"How dost thou make that out?" says Gunnar.

Hrut spoke--"In this wise will I answer thee about this matter, as is
the very truth. Thou art a brisk brave man, well to do, and unblemished;
but she is much mixed up with ill report, and I will not cheat thee in
anything."

"Good go with thee for thy words," says Gunnar, "but still I shall hold
that for true, that the old feud weighs with ye, if ye will not let me
make this match."

"Not so," says Hrut, "'tis more because I see that thou art unable to
help thyself; but though we make no bargain, we would still be thy
friends."

"I have talked to her about it," says Gunnar, "and it is not far from
her mind."

Hrut says--"I know that you have both set your hearts on this match;
and, besides, ye two are those who run the most risk as to how it turns
out".

Hrut told Gunnar unasked all about Hallgerda's temper, and Gunnar at
first thought that there was more than enough that was wanting; but at
last it came about that they struck a bargain.

Then Hallgerda was sent for, and they talked over the business when she
was by, and now, as before, they made her betroth herself. The bridal
feast was to be at Lithend, and at first they were to set about it
secretly; but the end after all was that every one knew of it.

Gunnar rode home from the Thing, and came to Bergthorsknoll, and told
Njal of the bargain he had made. He took it heavily.

Gunnar asks Njal why he thought this so unwise?

"Because from her," says Njal, "will arise all kind of ill if she comes
hither east."

"Never shall she spoil our friendship," says Gunnar.

"Ah! but yet that may come very near," says Njal; "and, besides, thou
wilt have always to make atonement for her."

Gunnar asked Njal to the wedding, and all those as well whom he wished
should be at it from Njal's house.

Njal promised to go; and after that Gunnar rode home, and then rode
about the district to bid men to his wedding.




CHAPTER XXXIV.

OF THRAIN SIGFUS' SON.


There was a man named Thrain, he was the son of Sigfus, the son of
Sighvat the Red. He kept house at Gritwater on Fleetlithe. He was
Gunnar's kinsman, and a man of great mark. He had to wife Thorhilda
Skaldwife; she had a sharp tongue of her own, and was giving to jeering.
Thrain loved her little. He and his wife were bidden to the wedding, and
she and Bergthora, Skarphedinn's daughter, Njal's wife, waited on the
guests with meat and drink.

Kettle was the name of the second son of Sigfus; he kept house in the
Mark, east of Markfleet. He had to wife Thorgerda, Njal's daughter.
Thorkell was the name of the third son of Sigfus; the fourth's name was
Mord; the fifth's Lambi; the sixth's Sigmund; the seventh's Sigurd.
These were all Gunnar's kinsmen, and great champions. Gunnar bade them
all to the wedding.

Gunnar had also bidden Valgard the guileful, and Wolf Aurpriest, and
their sons Runolf and Mord.

Hauskuld and Hrut came to the wedding with a very great company, and the
sons of Hauskuld, Torleik, and Olof, were there; the bride, too, came
along with them, and her daughter Thorgerda came also, and she was one
of the fairest of women; she was then fourteen winters old. Many other
women were with her, and besides there were Thorkatla Asgrim
Ellidagrim's son's daughter, and Njal's two daughters, Thorgerda and
Helga.

Gunnar had already many guests to meet them, and he thus arranged his
men. He sat on the middle of the bench, and on the inside, away from
him, Thrain Sigfus' son, then Wolf Aurpriest, then Valgard the guileful,
then Mord and Runolf, then the other sons of Sigfus, Lambi sat outermost
of them.

Next to Gunnar on the outside, away from him, sat Njal, then
Skarphedinn, then Helgi, then Grim, then Hauskuld Njal's son, then Hafr
the Wise, then Ingialld from the Springs, then the sons of Thorir from
Holt away east. Thorir would sit outermost of the men of mark, for every
one was pleased with the seat he got.

Hauskuld, the bride's father, sat on the middle of the bench over
against Gunnar, but his sons sat on the inside away from him; Hrut sat
on the outside away from Hauskuld, but it is not said how the others
were placed. The bride sat in the middle of the cross-bench on the dais;
but on one hand of her sat her daughter Thorgerda, and on the other
Thorkatla Asgrim Ellidagrim's son's daughter.

Thorhillda went about waiting on the guests, and Bergthora bore the meat
on the board.

Now Thrain Sigfus' son kept staring at Thorgerda Glum's daughter; his
wife Thorhillda saw this, and she got wroth, and made a couplet upon
him.

"Thrain," she says,

"Gaping mouths are no wise good,
Goggle eyne are in thy head,"

He rose at once up from the board, and said he would put Thorhillda
away, "I will not bear her jibes and jeers any longer;" and he was so
quarrelsome about this, that he would not be at the feast unless she
were driven away. And so it was, that she went away; and now each man
sat in his place, and they drank and were glad.

Then Thrain began to speak--"I will not whisper about that which is in
my mind. This I will ask thee, Hauskuld Dalakoll's son, wilt thou give
me to wife Thorgerda, thy kinswoman?"

"I do not know that," says Hauskuld; "methinks thou art ill parted from
the one thou hadst before. But what kind of man is he, Gunnar?"

Gunnar answers--"I will not say aught about the man, because he is near
of kin; but say thou about him, Njal," says Gunnar, "for all men will
believe it".

Njal spoke, and said--"That is to be said of this man, that the man is
well to do for wealth, and a proper man in all things. A man, too, of
the greatest mark; so that ye may well make this match with him."

Then Hauskuld spoke--"What thinkest thou we ought to do, kinsman Hrut?"

"Thou mayst make the match, because it is an even one for her," says
Hrut.

Then they talk about the terms of the bargain, and are soon of one mind
on all points.

Then Gunnar stands up, and Thrain too, and they go to the cross-bench.
Gunnar asked that mother and daughter whether they would say yes to this
bargain. They said they would find no fault with it, and Hallgerda
betrothed her daughter. Then the places of the women were shifted again,
and now Thorhalla sate between the brides. And now the feast sped on
well, and when it was over, Hauskuld and his company ride west, but the
men of Rangriver rode to their own abode. Gunnar gave many men gifts,
and that made him much liked.

Hallgerda took the housekeeping under her, and stood up for her rights
in word and deed. Thorgerda took to housekeeping at Gritwater, and was a
good housewife.




CHAPTER XXXV.

THE VISIT TO BERGTHORSKNOLL.


Now it was the custom between Gunnar and Njal, that each made the other
a feast, winter and winter about, for friendship's sake; and it was
Gunnar's turn to go to feast at Njal's. So Gunnar and Hallgerda set off
for Bergthorsknoll, and when they got there Helgi and his wife were not
at home. Njal gave Gunnar and his wife a hearty welcome, and when they
had been there a little while, Helgi came home with Thorhalla his wife.
Then Bergthora went up to the cross-bench, and Thorhalla with her, and
Bergthora said to Hallgerda--

"Thou shalt give place to this woman."

She answered--"To no one will I give place, for I will not be driven
into the corner for any one".

"I shall rule here," said Bergthora, After that Thorhalla sat down, and
Bergthora went round the table with water to wash the guests' hands.
Then Hallgerda took hold of Bergthora's hand, and said--

"There's not much to choose, though, between you two. Thou hast
hangnails on every finger, and Njal is beardless."

"That's true," says Bergthora, "yet neither of us finds fault with the
other for it; but Thorwald, thy husband, was not beardless, and yet thou
plottedst his death."

Then Hallgerda said--"It stands me in little stead to have the bravest
man in Iceland if thou dost not avenge this, Gunnar!"

He sprang up and strode across away from the board, and said--"Home I
will go, and it were more seemly that thou shouldest wrangle with those
of thine own household, and not under other men's roofs; but as for
Njal, I am his debtor for much honour, and never will I be egged on by
thee like a fool".

After that they set off home.

"Mind this, Bergthora," said Hallgerda, "that we shall meet again."

Bergthora said she should not be better off for that. Gunnar said
nothing at all, but went home to Lithend, and was there at home all the
winter. And now the summer was running on towards the Great Thing.




CHAPTER XXXVI.

KOL SLEW SWART.


Gunnar rode away to the Thing, but before he rode from home he said to
Hallgerda--"Be good now while I am away, and show none of thine ill
temper in anything with which my friends have to do".

"The trolls take thy friends," says Hallgerda.

So Gunnar rode to the Thing, and saw it was not good to come to words
with her. Njal rode to the Thing too, and all his sons with him.

Now it must be told of what tidings happened at home. Njal and Gunnar
owned a wood in common at Redslip; they had not shared the wood, but
each was wont to hew in it as he needed, and neither said a word to the
other about that. Hallgerda's grieve's[19] name was Kol; he had been
with her long, and was one of the worst of men. There was a man named
Swart; he was Njal's and Bergthora's house-carle; they were very fond of
him. Now Bergthora told him that he must go up into Redslip and hew
wood; but she said--"I will get men to draw home the wood".

He said he would do the work She set him to win; and so he went up into
Redslip, and was to be there a week.

Some gangrel men came to Lithend from the east across Markfleet, and
said that Swart had been in Redslip, and hewn wood, and done a deal of
work.

"So," says Hallgerda, "Bergthora must mean to rob me in many things, but
I'll take care that he does not hew again."

Rannveig, Gunnar's mother, heard that, and said--"There have been good
housewives before now, though they never set their hearts on
manslaughter".

Now the night wore away, and early next morning Hallgerda came to speak
to Kol, and said--"I have thought of some work for thee"; and with that
she put weapons into his hands, and went on to say--"Fare thou to
Redslip; there wilt thou find Swart".

"What shall I do to him?" he says.

"Askest thou that when thou art the worst of men?" she says. "Thou shalt
kill him."

"I can get that done," he says, "but 'tis more likely that I shall lose
my own life for it."

"Everything grows big in thy eyes," she says, "and thou behavest ill to
say this after I have spoken up for thee in everything. I must get
another man to do this if thou darest not."

He took the axe, and was very wroth, and takes a horse that Gunnar
owned, and rides now till he comes east of Markfleet. There he got off
and bided in the wood, till they had carried down the firewood, and
Swart was left alone behind. Then Kol sprang on him, and said--"More
folk can hew great strokes than thou alone"; and so he laid the axe on
his head, and smote him his death-blow, and rides home afterwards, and
tells Hallgerda of the slaying.

She said--"I shall take such good care of thee, that no harm shall come
to thee".

"May be so," says he, "but I dreamt all the other way as I slept ere I
did the deed."

Now they come up into the wood, and find Swart slain, and bear him home.
Hallgerda sent a man to Gunnar at the Thing to tell him of the slaying.
Gunnar said no hard words at first of Hallgerda to the messenger, and
men knew not at first whether he thought well or ill of it. A little
after he stood up, and bade his men go with him: they did so, and fared
to Njal's booth. Gunnar sent a man to fetch Njal, and begged him to come
out. Njal went out at once, and he and Gunnar fell a-talking, and Gunnar
said--

"I have to tell thee of the slaying of a man, and my wife and my grieve
Kol were those who did it; but Swart, thy house-carle, fell before
them."

Njal held his peace while he told him the whole story. Then Njal spoke--

"Thou must take heed not to let her have her way in everything."

Gunnar said--"Thou thyself shall settle the terms".

Njal spoke again--"'Twill be hard work for thee to atone for all
Hallgerda's mischief; and somewhere else there will be a broader trail
to follow than this which we two now have a share in, and yet, even here
there will be much awanting before all be well; and herein we shall need
to bear in mind the friendly words that passed between us of old; and
something tells me that thou wilt come well out of it, but still thou
wilt be sore tried".

Then Njal took the award into his own hands from Gunnar, and said--

"I will not push this matter to the uttermost; thou shalt pay twelve
ounces of silver; but I will add this to my award, that if anything
happens from our homestead about which thou hast to utter an award, thou
wilt not be less easy in thy terms".

Gunnar paid up the money out of hand, and rode home afterwards. Njal,
too, came home from the Thing, and his sons. Bergthora saw the money,
and said--

"This is very justly settled; but even as much money shall be paid for
Kol as time goes on."

Gunnar came home from the Thing and blamed Hallgerda. She said, better
men lay unatoned in many places, Gunnar said, she might have her way in
beginning a quarrel, "but how the matter is to be settled rests with
me".

Hallgerda was for ever chattering of Swart's slaying, but Bergthora
liked that ill. Once Njal and her sons went up to Thorolfsfell to see
about the housekeeping there, but that selfsame day this thing happened
when Bergthora was out of doors: she sees a man ride up to the house on
a black horse. She stayed there and did not go in, for she did not know
the man. That man had a spear in his hand, and was girded with a short
sword. She asked this man his name.

"Atli is my name," says he.

She asked whence he came.

"I am an Eastfirther," he says.

"Whither shalt thou go?" she says.

"I am a homeless man," says he, "and I thought to see Njal and
Skarphedinn, and know if they would take me in."

"What work is handiest to thee?" says she.

"I am a man used to field-work," he says, "and many things else come
very handy to me; but I will not hide from thee that I am a man of hard
temper and it has been many a man's lot before now to bind up wounds at
my hand."

"I do not blame thee," she says, "though thou art no milksop."

Atli said--"Hast thou any voice in things here?"

"I am Njal's wife," she says, "and I have as much to say to our
housefolk as he."

"Wilt thou take me in then?" says he.

"I will give thee thy choice of that," says she. "If thou wilt do all
the work that I set before thee, and that though I wish to send thee
where a man's life is at stake."

"Thou must have so many men at thy beck," says he, "that thou wilt not
need me for such work."

"That I will settle as I please," she says.

"We will strike a bargain on these terms," says he.

Then she took him into the household. Njal and his sons came home and
asked Bergthora what man that might be?

"He is thy house-carle," she says, "and I took him in." Then she went on
to say he was no sluggard at work.

"He will be a great worker enough, I daresay," says Njal, "but I do not
know whether he will be such a good worker."

Skarphedinn was good to Atli.

Njal and his sons ride to the Thing in the course of the summer; Gunnar
was also at the Thing.

Njal took out a purse of money.

"What money is that, father?"

"Here is the money that Gunnar paid me for our house-carle last summer."

"That will come to stand thee in some stead," says Skarphedinn, and
smiled as he spoke.




CHAPTER XXXVII.

THE SLAYING OF KOL, WHOM ATLI SLEW.


Now we must take up the story, and say that Atli asked Bergthora what
work he should do that day.

"I have thought of some work for thee," she says; "thou shall go and
look for Kol until thou find him; for now shalt thou slay him this very
day, if thou wilt do my will."

"This work is well fitted," says Atli, "for each of us two are bad
fellows; but still I will so lay myself out for him that one or other of
us shall die."

"Well mayest thou fare," she says, "and thou shalt not do this deed for
nothing."

He took his weapons and his horse, and rode up to Fleetlithe, and there
met men who were coming down from Lithend. They were at home east in the
Mark. They asked Atli whither he meant to go? He said he was riding to
look for an old jade. They said that was a small errand for such a
workman, "but still 'twould be better to ask those who have been about
last night".

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