Njal's Saga

by AnonYMous

  ‘It’s not well advised,’ said Svein, ‘to take action against innocent men and let the one who is guilty escape.’

  ‘I’ll decide this matter,’ said the earl.

  The earl then went looking for the Njalssons and found them next to an island. Grim was the first to see the earl’s ship.

  ‘Warships are heading here,’ he said. ‘I can make out the earl, and he’s not coming to offer us peace.’

  ‘It is said,’ said Helgi, ‘that the fearless man fights whomever he must. We too shall defend ourselves.’

  They all asked him to take charge. They took up their weapons.

  The earl came near and called to them and asked them to surrender. Helgi answered that they would defend themselves as long as they were able. The earl offered safe conduct to those who chose not to fight for Helgi, but Helgi was so well liked that they all preferred to die with him.

  The earl and his men attacked, but they defended themselves well and the Njalssons were always where the fighting was hardest. The earl made repeated offers of safe conduct, but they answered as before and said they would never give in. Then Aslak of Langey attacked hard and boarded their ship three times.

  Grim spoke: ‘You’re attacking hard, and it would be good for you to get what you’re after.’

  He grabbed his spear and threw it at his throat, and Aslak died instantly. Soon after this Helgi killed Egil, the earl’s standard-bearer. Then Svein Hakonarson attacked and had his men pen them in with shields, and the Njalssons were captured.

  The earl wanted to have them killed at once, but Svein said that must not be, and said too that it was night.

  The earl said, ‘Let them be killed tomorrow then, but tie them securely for the night.’

  ‘So will it be,’ said Svein, ‘but I have never met braver men than these, and it is a great pity to take their lives.’

  The earl said, ‘They have killed two of our bravest men, and for that we must kill them.’

  ‘That makes them all the braver,’ said Svein, ‘and yet it must be as you wish.’

  Helgi and Grim were then tied up and fettered. After that the earl went to sleep.

  When he was asleep, Grim said to Helgi, ‘I’d like to get out of here if I could.’

  ‘Let’s try to find out how,’ said Helgi.

  Grim said that an axe was lying there with its edge pointing up. He crawled over to it and used it to cut the bowstring with which he was bound, but cut his arms badly. Then he freed Helgi. After that they crept overboard and came ashore, without the earl and his men knowing. They broke the fetters and walked to the other side of the island.

  Dawn was coming. They saw a ship and realized that Kari Solmund-arson had arrived there; they went straight to him and told him of their shameful treatment and showed him their wounds and said that the earl and his men were asleep.

  Kari spoke: ‘It’s wrong that you should be treated shamefully because of bad men. What do you want most now?’

  ‘To attack the earl and kill him,’ they said.

  ‘Fate will not allow that,’ said Kari, ‘but you don’t lack courage. Anyway, let’s find out if he’s still there.’

  They went there, but the earl was gone. Kari then sailed into Lade to see the earl and turn over the tribute money.1

  The earl said, ‘Have you taken the Njalssons into your keeping?’

  ‘Yes, I have,’ said Kari.

  ‘Are you willing to turn them over to me?’ said the earl.

  ‘I am not,’ said Kari. ‘Will you swear,’ said the earl, ‘that you did not plan to attack me?’

  The earl’s son Eirik spoke up: ‘It’s not fair to ask that. Kari has always been our friend, and these things wouldn’t have happened if I’d been there – the Njalssons would have been left alone and the ones who made the trouble would have been punished. I think it more fitting to give the Njalssons good gifts to make up for the shameful treatment they suffered, and their wounds.’

  The earl said, ‘Yes, it would be, but I don’t know whether they’re willing to come to terms.’

  He said that Kari should see whether the Njalssons would be willing. Kari then asked Helgi whether he would accept an honourable settlement from the earl.

  Helgi answered, ‘I will accept it from his son Eirik, but I want nothing to do with the earl.’

  Kari reported their answer to Eirik.

  ‘So be it,’ said Eirik. He shall receive an honourable settlement from me, if he prefers it that way, and tell them that I invite them to stay with me, and that my father will not harm them.’

  They accepted this and went to Eirik and stayed with him until Kari was ready to sail west. Eirik then made a feast for Kari and gave good gifts to him and also to the Njalssons.

  Kari and the Njalssons then sailed west across the sea to Earl Sigurd. He gave them a warm reception, and they stayed with him that winter.

  In the spring Kari asked the Njalssons to go raiding with him, and Grim said they would, if Kari would then come with him to Iceland. Kari gave his promise.

  They went raiding with him and raided in the south around Anglesey and all the Hebrides. Then they made for Kintyre and went ashore and fought with the people there and took much booty and returned to their ships. Then they went south to Wales and raided there; from there they went to the Isle of Man. There they met King Gudrod of Man and fought with him. They were victorious and killed Dungal, the king’s son, and took much booty. From there they went north to Coll and met up with Earl Gilli and he welcomed them, and they stayed with him for a while. The earl went with them to Orkney to meet Earl Sigurd. In the spring Earl Sigurd gave his sister Nereid to Earl Gilli in marriage. Then he returned to the Hebrides.

  90

  That summer Kari and the Njalssons prepared to sail to Iceland, and when they were ready they went to the earl. He gave them good gifts, and they parted in great friendship. Then they put out to sea. They had a short passage, and the winds were good, and they came ashore at Eyrar. There they took horses and rode from the ship to Bergthorshvol, and when they arrived home everybody was happy to see them. They brought their goods home and drew the ship up on land. Kari spent that winter with Njal.

  In the spring Kari asked for the hand of Helga, Njal’s daughter, and Grim and Helgi spoke up for him, with the result that she was betrothed to Kari and a wedding date was set and the feast took place two weeks before midsummer, and the couple spent the next winter with Njal. Then Kari bought land at Dyrholmar, over to the east in Myrdal, and set up a farm there. He and Helga put men in charge of it and went on living with Njal.

  91

  Hrapp had a farm at Hrappsstadir, but he was always at Grjota, and he was thought to be harmful in every way. Thrain was good to him.

  One time when Ketil of Mork was at Bergthorshvol the Njalssons told of their shameful treatment in Norway and said that they had much to settle with Thrain Sigfusson, should they ever bring it up. Njal said it would be best if Ketil spoke to his brother Thrain. Ketil promised to do so. They gave him time to talk with Thrain.

  Some time later they raised this matter with Ketil, and he said he would not like to repeat many of the words that passed between him and Thrain – ‘for it was clear that Thrain thought I set great store on being your brother-in-law’

  After this they stopped talking and realized that things were not going to be easy and asked their father for advice about what to do. They said that they were not willing to let things stand as they were.

  Njal answered, ‘This is not an easy matter. It would seem unjustified if they were killed now, and my advice is that you send as many people as possible to talk to them, so that if they make ugly remarks, many will hear them. Then Kari is to bring it up with them, for he is an even-tempered man. The hostility between you will grow, because they will pile up their abusive language as others join them – they are stupid men. It may also happen that people will say that my sons are slow to take action, and you must put up with that for a while, for the effect
of every action is two-sided.1 Only speak out if you are pushed hard and intend to act. If you had sought my advice at the outset, you would never have spoken out at all, and there would have been no disgrace in that, but now you face a very hard test. Your disgrace will grow to the point where you have no other choice than to deal with the difficulty and wield weapons to kill – and that is why we must put out such a wide net.’2

  Here they ended their talk, but this became a topic of conversation among many.

  One day the brothers told Kari that he should go to Grjota. He said that any other journey would seem better, but agreed to go if that was Njal’s advice. Kari then went to see Thrain. They talked the matter over, but they did not see things the same way. Kari returned and the Njalssons asked him how he and Thrain had got along. Kari said he would not repeat the words that had passed between them – ‘but it’s likely that they will be said in your hearing.’

  Thrain had fifteen men fit for fighting at his farm, and eight of them rode with him wherever he went. He was a great one for show and always rode out in a black cloak and a gilded helmet and carried the spear given to him by the earl and a beautiful shield, and wore a sword at his belt. Always with him as he travelled were Gunnar Lambason and Lambi Sigurdarson and Grani Gunnarsson of Hlidar-endi. Killer-Hrapp was his closest companion, however. Thrain had a servant named Lodin; he too was always with Thrain when he travelled. So was Lodin’s brother, whose name was Tjorvi.

  Killer-Hrapp and Grani were the ones who spoke most abusively about the Njalssons and they saw to it that there was no offer of compensation.

  The Njalssons often spoke to Kari about going with them to Grjota, and finally he did, and said that it would be good for them to hear Thrain’s words for themselves. The four Njalssons, with Kari as a fifth, prepared themselves. They went to Grjota.

  The porch at Grjota was wide, and many men could stand there side by side. There was a woman outdoors, and she saw the approach of the Njalssons and told Thrain. He ordered his men to take their weapons and go to the porch, and they did. Thrain stood in the middle, and on either side of him stood Killer-Hrapp and Grani Gunnarsson. Next came Gunnar Lambason, then Lodin and Tjorvi, then Lambi Sigurdarson, and then the others one by one, for all the men were at home.

  Skarphedin and the others walked up to them, with Skarphedin in the lead, then Kari, then Hoskuld and Grim and Helgi. When they came up, there were no greetings at all from those who were waiting.

  Skarphedin said, ‘Welcome to all of us!’

  Hallgerd was standing on the porch and had whispered something to Hrapp.

  She spoke: ‘No one standing here will say that you are welcome.’

  Skarphedin spoke: ‘Your words don’t count, for you’re either a cast-off hag3or a whore.’

  ‘You’ll be paid for those words,’ she said, ‘before you go home.’

  Helgi spoke: ‘I’ve come, Thrain, to see if you will make me some compensation for the shameful treatment I suffered in Norway because of you.’

  Thrain spoke: ‘I never thought that you brothers would try to get money out of your manhood; how long do you intend to carry on this begging?’

  ‘Many would say,’ said Helgi, ‘that you should have offered compensation, since your life was at stake.’

  Then Hrapp spoke: ‘It shows a difference in our luck that you were treated shamefully and we slipped away – the blow fell where it should have.’

  ‘There’s very little luck,’ said Helgi, ‘in breaking faith with the earl and taking up with you.’

  ‘Aren’t I the one you should be asking for redress?’ said Hrapp. ‘I’ll pay you – as I think fitting.’

  ‘The only exchange between us,’ said Helgi, ‘won’t do you any good.’

  Skarphedin spoke: ‘Let’s not exchange words with Hrapp, but just pay him a red skin for his grey one.’4

  Hrapp spoke: ‘Be quiet, Skarphedin. I won’t be stingy about driving my axe into your head.’

  ‘It remains to be seen,’ said Skarphedin, ‘which of us will be placing stones over the other’s head.’

  ‘Go home, Dung-beardlings,’ said Hallgerd. ‘We’re going to call you that from now on, and we’ll call your father Old Beardless.’

  They did not leave until all those who faced them, except Thrain, had made themselves guilty of using those words. Thrain tried to restrain them from using those words.

  The Njalssons left and went home. They told their father what had happened.

  ‘Did you name any witnesses to their words?’ said Njal.

  ‘None,’ said Skarphedin. ‘We’re going to prosecute this case in an assembly of weapons.’

  ‘No one thinks any longer,’ said Bergthora, ‘that you have the nerve to use your weapons.’

  ‘Go easy on goading your sons,’ said Kari – ‘they’re already eager enough.’

  After that Njal and his sons and Kari had a long hushed talk.

  92

  There was much talk about this conflict of theirs, and everybody realized that as things were it would not calm down.

  Runolf, the son of Ulf Aur-Godi from out east at Dal, was a friend of Thrain’s and had invited Thrain to visit him. It was decided that he should come east in the third or fourth week of winter. Thrain asked Killer-Hrapp, Grani Gunnarsson, Gunnar Lambason, Lambi Sigurdarson, Lodin and Tjorvi to travel with him. There were eight men in all, and Thorgerd and Hallgerd were to go, too. Thrain let it be known that he planned to visit his brother Ketil at Mork, and he made clear how many days he planned to be away. They were all fully armed.

  They rode east over the Markarfljot river and met some poor women, and they asked to be helped across to the west side of the river. They helped them.

  They then rode on to Dal and had a good reception. Ketil of Mork was there ahead of them. They stayed for two days. Runolf and Ketil asked Thrain to make peace with the Njalssons, but he answered sharply and said he would never pay them a thing and that he would never be unprepared to take on the Njalssons, no matter where they met.

  ‘Perhaps that is so,’ said Runolf, ‘but my understanding is quite different, that no one, since Gunnar of Hlidarendi died, is a match for them, and it is more likely that this will lead to death on one side or the other.’

  Thrain said he was not afraid of that.

  Thrain went up to Mork and stayed there for two days. Then he rode back down to Dal, and at both places he was sent away with fitting gifts.

  The Markarfljot was flowing between ledges of ice, with frozen arches spanning the stream here and there. Thrain said that he planned to ride home that evening. Runolf asked him not to and said that it would be more prudent not to leave at the time he had given.

  Thrain answered, ‘That would be showing fear, and I don’t want that.’

  The women whom they had helped across the river came to Berg-thorshvol, and Bergthora asked where they had come from, and they said from over east in the Eyjafjoll district.

  ‘Who helped you across the Markarfljot?’ said Bergthora.

  ‘The biggest show-offs around,’ they said.

  ‘And who were they?’ said Bergthora.

  ‘Thrain Sigfusson and his companions,’ they said, ‘and we didn’t like the way they were so loud-mouthed and foul-mouthed in talking about your husband and his sons.’

  ‘Many are unable to choose the words directed at them,’ said Bergthora.

  Then the women went away, and Bergthora gave them good gifts and asked them how long Thrain would be away, and they said that he would be away four or five days. Bergthora then told this to her sons and her son-in-law Kari, and they talked at length in secret.

  The same morning that Thrain and his men were riding from the east, Njal woke up early and heard Skarphedin’s axe strike the wall of his bed closet. Njal rose and went outside. He saw all his sons with their weapons, and also Kari, his son-in-law. Skarphedin was in front, in a black jacket, holding a small round shield with his axe ready on his shoulder. Next came Kari. He had on a
silk jacket and a gilded helmet, and a shield with a lion drawn on it. After him came Helgi. He wore a red tunic and a helmet and was carrying a red shield marked with a hart. They were all in dyed clothing.

  Njal called to Skarphedin, ‘Where are you going, son?’

  ‘To look for sheep,’ he said.

  ‘That’s what you said the other time,’ said Njal, ‘but then you were hunting men.’1

  Skarphedin laughed and said, ‘Do you hear what the old man said? He’s not naïve.’

  ‘When was the other time you said this?’ said Kari.

  ‘When I killed Sigmund the White, Gunnar’s kinsman,’ said Skar-phedin.

  ‘Why?’ said Kari.

  ‘He had killed Thord Freed-man’s son, my foster-father,’ said Skarphedin.

  Njal went inside, and they went up to Raudaskrid and waited. From there they could see the others when they rode west from Dal. The sun was shining and the skies were clear that day.

  Thrain now came riding down from Dal along the gravel plain.

  Lambi Sigurdarson spoke: ‘Shields are shining over there at Rauda-skrid when the sun hits them – some men must be lying in ambush.’

  ‘Then let’s turn and ride down along the river,’ said Thrain, ‘and they’ll come to meet us if they have any business with us.’

  They turned and went downstream along the river.

  Skarphedin spoke: ‘They’ve seen us now, because they’re changing their course, and now the only thing is to run down there ahead of them.’

  Kari spoke: ‘Many men lay ambushes with better odds than this – there are eight of them and five of us.’

  They headed down along the river and saw where a frozen arch spanned it downstream, and they decided to cross over there.

  Thrain and his men made their stand on the ice on the upriver side of the arch.

  Thrain said, ‘What can these men want? There are five of them, and eight of us.’

  Lambi Sigurdarson said, ‘My guess is that they would risk it even if one more were waiting for them.’

  Thrain took off his cloak and his helmet.