Njal's Saga

by AnonYMous

  It happened to Skarphedin, while they were running down along the river, that his shoe-string snapped, and he fell behind.

  ‘Why are you holding back, Skarphedin?’ said Grim.

  ‘I’m tying my shoe,’ said Skarphedin.

  ‘Let’s go on ahead,’ said Kari; ‘I doubt that he’ll be any slower than we are.’

  They moved down towards the frozen arch at great speed. Skarphedin jumped up as soon as he tied his shoe and had his axe raised. He ran to the river, but it was so deep that for a long stretch it was unfordable. A broad slab of ice, smooth as glass, had formed on the other side of the river, and Thrain and his men were standing in the middle of it. Skarphedin took off into the air and leaped across the river from one ice ledge to the other and made a steady landing and shot on in a glide. The ice slab was very smooth, and Skarphedin went along as fast as a bird in flight.

  Thrain was about to put on his helmet, but Skarphedin came at him first and swung his axe at him and hit him on his head and split it down to the jaw, so that the molars fell out on the ice. This happened in such rapid sequence that no one could land a blow on Skarphedin; he went gliding away at a furious speed. Tjorvi threw a shield in his way, but he hopped over it and kept his balance and glided to the end of the ice slab. Then Kari and the others came up to him.

  ‘A manly attack, that!’ said Kari.

  ‘Your part is yet to come,’ said Skarphedin.

  Then they went at them. Grim and Helgi saw where Hrapp was and headed for him. Hrapp swung his axe at Grim. Helgi saw this and swung at Hrapp’s arm and cut it off, and the axe fell down.

  Hrapp spoke: ‘You’ve done what needed doing – that arm brought wounds and death to many a man.’

  ‘This will put an end to it,’ said Grim and thrust his spear through him. Hrapp fell down dead.

  Tjorvi went against Kari and threw his spear at him. Kari leaped into the air and the spear flew under his feet. Then Kari rushed at him and swung at him with his sword, and it hit the chest and went deep inside, and Tjorvi died at once.

  Skarphedin grabbed hold of both Gunnar Lambason and Grani Gunnarsson and spoke: ‘I’ve caught two puppies. Now what should I do with them?’

  ‘You could choose to kill them both,’ said Helgi, ‘if you wanted to seal their fate.’

  ‘I don’t have the heart,’ said Skarphedin, ‘to help Hogni2 and at the same time kill his brother Grani.’

  ‘Some day it will come about,’ said Helgi, ‘that you will wish you had killed him, for he will never keep faith with you, nor will any of these who are here now.’

  Skarphedin spoke: ‘I will not fear them.’

  So they spared Grani Gunnarsson and Gunnar Lambason and Lambi Sigurdarson and Lodin.

  After that they went back home, and Njal asked what had happened. They told him everything.

  Njal spoke: ‘These are serious events, and it is likely that the death of one of my sons will result from this, if nothing worse.’

  Gunnar Lambason returned home and brought Thrain’s body to Grjota, and there a mound was raised over him.

  93

  Ketil of Mork was married to Njal’s daughter Thorgerd, but he was also Thrain’s brother and he felt himself to be in a difficult position. He rode to Njal and asked if he were willing to pay compensation for the slaying of Thrain.

  Njal answered, ‘I will pay such compensation that all will be well. But I want you to persuade your brothers, who have the right to the payment, to accept a settlement’

  Ketil said he would be glad to do that. They decided that Ketil should visit all those who were entitled to payment and get them to agree to peace.1 Then Ketil rode home.

  Later he went to his brothers and summoned them all to Hlidarendi and discussed the matter with them there, and Hogni took his side on every point, with the result that men were selected as arbitrators. A meeting was called and payment was awarded for the slaying of Thrain, and they all accepted compensation, according to law. After that a state of peace was declared and secured as well as possible. Njal paid the full amount readily. Things were then quiet for a while.

  One day Njal rode up to Mork, and he and Ketil met and talked the whole day long. In the evening Njal rode back home, and no one knew what plans had been made.

  Ketil went to Grjota. He spoke to Thorgerd: ‘I was always very fond of my brother Thrain −now I want to show it by offering to foster his son Hoskuld.’

  ‘I’ll grant you this,’ she said, ‘provided you do everything you can for him when he is grown, and avenge him if he is killed with weapons, and contribute to his morning gift when he marries − and you are to swear to this.’

  Ketil agreed to all this. Hoskuld then went back home with him. Some time passed, during which Hoskuld was with Ketil.

  94

  One day Njal rode up to Mork and was given a good reception; he stayed there for the night. That evening Njal called to the boy, and he came to him. Njal had a gold ring on his finger and showed it to the boy. The boy took it and looked at it and put it on his finger.

  Njal spoke: ‘Will you accept this ring as a gift?’

  ‘I will,’ said the boy.

  ‘Do you know,’ said Njal, ‘what caused the death of your father?’

  The boy answered, ‘I know that Skarphedin killed him, but we don’t have to mention that, since the matter was settled and full compensation was paid.’

  ‘Your answer is better than my question,’ said Njal, ‘and you will be a good man.’

  ‘I am glad for the good you foretell for me,’ said the boy, ‘for I know that you see the future and never lie.’

  Njal spoke: ‘Now I want to offer to make you my foster-son, if you are willing.’

  He said he would accept both this kindness and any other that Njal should do. It was settled that Hoskuld went home with Njal, and Njal raised him as his foster-son. He did everything he could for him and loved him very much. The sons of Njal took him along everywhere and did all they could to favour him.

  Time passed, until Hoskuld was fully grown. He was big and strong, a very handsome man with beautiful hair, fair of speech, generous, even-tempered, and skilled in fighting, with a kind word for everybody. He was well liked. The sons of Njal and he never disagreed about anything.

  95

  There was a man named Flosi. He was the son of Thord Frey’s Godi, the son of Ozur, the son of Asbjorn, the son of Heyjang-Bjorn, the son of Helgi, the son of Bjorn Buna. Flosi’s mother was Ingunn, the daughter of Thorir of Espihol, the son of Hamund Dark-skin, the son of Hjor, the son of Half who led Half’s Warriors, the son of Hjorleif the Womanizer. Thorir of Espihol’s mother was Ingunn, the daughter of Helgi the Lean who settled Eyjafjord. Flosi was married to Steinvor, the daughter of Hall of Sida. She was born out of wedlock, and her mother was Solvor, the daughter of Herjolf the White.1

  Flosi lived at Svinafell and was a great chieftain. He was big and strong and very forceful.

  He had a brother named Starkad; they shared the same father, but Starkad’s mother was Thraslaug, the daughter of Thorstein Sparrow, the son of Geirleif Thraslaug’s mother was Unn, the daughter of Eyvind Karfi the settler and the sister of Modolf the Wise.

  Flosi’s other brothers were Thorgeir, Stein, Kolbein and Egil.

  Hildigunn was the daughter of Flosi’s brother Starkad. She was a woman with a mind of her own and very beautiful. Few women could match her skill at handiwork. She was an unusually tough and harsh-tempered woman, but a fine woman when she had to be.

  96

  There was a man named Hall, known as Hall of Sida. He was the son of Thorstein Bodvarsson. Hall’s mother was Thordis, the daughter of Ozur, the son of Hrodlaug, the son of Earl Rognvald of More, the son of Eystein the Noisy. Hall was married to Joreid, the daughter of Thidrandi the Wise, the son of Ketil Thrym, the son of Thorir Thidrandi of Veradal. Joreid’s brothers were Ketil Thrym of Njardvik and Thorvald, the father of Helgi Droplaugarson. Hall-katla was the sister of Joreid and the mother of Thor
kel and Thidrandi Geitisson.1

  Thorstein, known as Broad-belly, was Hall’s brother. He had a son Kol, whom Kari was to slay in Wales.2

  The sons of Hall of Sida were Thorstein, Egil, Thorvard, Ljot and Thidrandi, whom, it is said, the dísir killed.3

  There was a man named Thorir, known as Holta-Thorir. His son was Skorargeir, and Skorargeir’s brothers were Thorleif Crow, from whom the people of Skogar are descended, and Thorgrim the Tall.4

  97

  To tell now about Njal, who had these words with Hoskuld: ‘I would like to arrange a marriage, my foster-son, and find a woman for you.’

  Hoskuld said that Njal should decide and asked where he thought best to look.

  Njal answered, ‘There’s a woman named Hildigunn, the daughter of Starkad, the son of Thord Frey’s Godi. She’s the best choice I know of

  Hoskuld said, ‘You take care of it, my foster-father. I’ll go along with whatever you arrange.’

  ‘We’ll ask for her, then,’ said Njal.

  After this Njal gathered men for the journey. The Sigfussons and all of Njal’s sons and Kari Solmundarson went with him. They rode east to Svinafell and were given a good reception there.

  The next day Njal and Flosi had a talk together. Njal eventually came around to saying, ‘The reason for our journey here is to propose a link with your family, Flosi, by asking for the hand of Hildigunn, your brother’s daughter.’

  ‘On behalf of whom?’ said Flosi.

  ‘On behalf of Hoskuld Thrainsson, my foster-son,’ said Njal.

  ‘That’s a good proposal,’ said Flosi, ‘but the relationship between you and Hoskuld is very precarious.1 What can you say about Hoskuld?’

  ‘Only good things can be said about him,’ said Njal, ‘and I shall put up as much money as you think fitting, if you’re willing to give this your consideration.’

  We’ll call her,’ said Flosi, ‘and find out how she likes the man.’

  They called her and she came. Flosi told her of the proposal.

  She said she was a proud woman – ‘and I don’t know how it would suit me to be involved with such people, especially since the man has no godord. You told me once that you would not marry me to a man who was not a godi.’

  ‘It’s reason enough for me to turn down the offer,’ said Flosi, ‘if you don’t want the marriage.’

  ‘I’m not saying,’ she said, ‘that I wouldn’t marry Hoskuld if they found a godord for him. But otherwise I won’t consider it’

  ‘In that case,’ said Njal, ‘I’d like you to let this matter wait for three years.’

  Flosi agreed to this.

  ‘I will make one condition,’ said Hildigunn, ‘that if this marriage goes ahead, we live here in the east.’

  Njal said he would leave that up to Hoskuld, and Hoskuld said that he trusted many men, but none as much as his foster-father. Then they rode back west.

  Njal tried to find a godord for Hoskuld, but no one was willing to sell his.

  The summer moved on until time for the Althing. That year there were many lawsuits. As usual, many people came to consult Njal, but he gave advice which, unlikely as it seemed, ruined both prosecution and defence and led to much wrangling when cases could not be settled, and men rode home from the Thing unreconciled.

  Time passed until the next Thing. Njal went to it. Everything was calm at first, until Njal declared that it was time for men to give notice of their lawsuits. Many said that this was hardly worth it, for even cases brought to the Thing were getting nowhere – ‘and we would rather,’ they said, ‘press our claims with point and blade.’

  ‘That you must not do,’ said Njal, ‘for it will not do to be without law in the land. But there is much truth in what you say, and those of us who know the law should shape it. The best step, it seems to me, is for us to call a meeting of all the chieftains to talk about it.’

  Then the Law Council convened. Njal spoke: ‘I appeal to you, Skafti Thoroddsson,2 and all you other chieftains – I think we have come to an impasse when we prosecute cases in the Quarter Courts and they become so entangled that they can not be settled or even moved along. The wisest course, in my opinion, would be to have a Fifth Court and prosecute cases there that can’t be settled in the Quarter Courts.’

  ‘How can you set up a Fifth Court,’ said Skafti, ‘when the Quarter Courts were set up on the basis of the traditional number of godis, thirty-six from each Quarter?’

  I see a way around this,’ said Njal, ‘by creating new godords and appointing the best qualified men from each Quarter, and whoever wants to can declare allegiance to these new godis.’

  ‘We will accept this plan,’ said Skafti, ‘but what sort of cases should be prosecuted in this court or referred to it?’

  ‘All violations of Thing procedure should be referred to it,’ said Njal, ‘as well as cases of perjury or false verdict. Also, cases in which no agreement was reached in the Quarter Court shall be referred to the Fifth Court, as well as cases involving the offer or acceptance of payment for assistance in legal suits3and giving shelter to slaves or debtors.

  ‘The firmest kind of oaths shall be sworn in this court, with two men backing each oath by swearing on their honour to what the others swear.

  ‘If one party prosecutes its case correctly, and the other incorrectly, the judgement shall be awarded to the one who followed correct procedure.

  ‘Every case is to be prosecuted here just as in the Quarter Courts, with the difference that since forty-eight men will be appointed to the Fifth Court, the prosecution is to remove six and the defence another six. If the defence chooses not to do so, the prosecution is to remove those that the defence should have removed, and if the prosecution fails to do this the case is invalidated, for the number of judges must be thirty-six.

  ‘We should also set up the Law Council so that those sitting on the middle benches are empowered to decide on laws and exemptions, and the most wise and capable men should be chosen for this. The Fifth Court shall also sit there. If the members of the Law Council cannot agree on granting exemptions or making laws, a majority vote shall decide. If someone is unable to gain access to the Council or has had his suit repelled by force, he shall present a veto within the hearing of the Council and thereby invalidate all exemptions and legal decisions the Council has made.’

  After this, Skafti Thoroddsson put the Fifth Court into law, along with everything that had been proposed. Then people went to the Law Rock; they set up the new godords. In the North Quarter they were given to the people of Mel in Midfjord and the people of Laufas in Eyjafjord.

  Then Njal called for silence and spoke: ‘What happened between my sons and the men of Grjota is well known, that they killed Thrain Sigfusson, and yet we settled the matter peaceably, and I took Hoskuld into my home, and now I have arranged a marriage for him, provided that he becomes a godi. But no godi is willing to sell his office. I therefore ask your permission to set up a new godord at Hvitanes for Hoskuld.’

  Everyone approved this; then he set up a new godord for Hoskuld, who was called the Godi of Hvitanes from then on. After that people rode home from the Thing.

  Njal was home only a short time before he and his sons rode east to Svinafell and brought up the marriage proposal with Flosi, and Flosi said he would keep his word. Hildigunn was then betrothed to Hoskuld and a date for the wedding feast was fixed and the matter was settled. Then they rode home.

  They rode to Svinafell again for the wedding. Flosi paid out the agreed dowry for Hildigunn and did so readily. The couple went to Bergthorshvol and lived there for a year, and Hildigunn and Bergthora got along well.

  The next summer Njal bought land at Ossabaer and gave it to Hoskuld, and he went and settled there.4 Njal hired all the servants for him. They were on such warm terms that no one took a decision unless all the others agreed to it.

  Hoskuld lived for a long time at Ossabaer, and he and the Njalssons added to each other’s prestige, and they went with him on his journeys. So fe
rvent was their friendship that they invited each other to a feast every autumn and exchanged generous gifts. This went on for a long time.

  98

  There was a man called Lyting, who lived at Samsstadir. He was married to a woman named Steinvor Sigfussdottir, Thrain’s sister. Lyting was a big, strong man, prosperous but vicious to deal with.

  One day it happened that Lyting had a feast at Samsstadir. He had invited Hoskuld and the Sigfussons, and they all came. Grani Gunnarsson and Gunnar Lambason and Lambi Sigurdarson were also there.

  Hoskuld Njalsson1 and his mother Hrodny had a farm at Holt, and Hoskuld often rode there from Bergthorshvol and passed by the farm at Samsstadir. Hoskuld had a son called Amundi, who had been born blind. He was none the less big and powerful.

  Lyting had two brothers, one named Hallstein and the other Hallgrim. They were the worst troublemakers and always lived with their brother because no one else could stand them.

  Lyting was mostly outdoors on the day of the feast, but went inside now and then. When he took his seat, a woman who had been outdoors came in.

  She spoke: ‘It’s too bad you were not outside when the show-off rode past the farm.’

  ‘Who’s this show-off you’re talking about?’ asked Lyting.

  ‘Hoskuld Njalsson,’ she said, ‘has just ridden past the farm.’

  Lyting spoke: ‘He often rides past, and not without annoyance to me, and I’ll offer to go with you, Hoskuld, if you want to avenge your father and kill Hoskuld Njalsson.’

  ‘I don’t want that,’ said Hoskuld, ‘for then I would be repaying my foster-father far worse than he deserves. May no luck come to you and your feast!’ – and he jumped up from the table and called for his horses and rode home.

  Then Lyting spoke to Grani Gunnarsson: ‘You were there when Thrain was slain, and it must be fresh in your mind, and you too, Gunnar Lambason and Lambi Sigurdarson. I want us to ride out to meet him and kill him this evening when he rides home.’