The Story of Burnt Njal. Anonymous
Now we will name Njal's sons. Skarphedinn was the eldest of them. He was a tall man in growth and strong withal; a good swordsman; he could swim like a seal, the swiftest-footed of men, and bold and dauntless; he had a great flow of words and quick utterance; a good skald too; but still for the most part he kept himself well in hand; his hair was dark brown, with crisp curly locks; he had good eyes; his features were sharp, and his face ashen pale, his nose turned up and his front teeth stuck out, and his mouth was very ugly. Still he was the most soldier-like of men.
Grim was the name of Njal's second son. He was fair of face and wore his hair long. His hair was dark, and he was comelier to look on than Skarphedinn. A tall strong man.
Helgi was the name of Njal's third son. He too was fair of face and had fine hair. He was a strong man and well-skilled in arms. He was a man of sense and knew well how to behave. They were all unwedded at that time, Njal's sons.
Hauskuld was the fourth of Njal's sons. He was base-born. His mother was Rodny, and she was Hauskuld's daughter, the sister of Ingialld of the Springs.
Njal asked Skarphedinn one day if he would take to himself a wife. He bade his father settle the matter. Then Njal asked for his hand Thorhilda, the daughter of Ranvir of Thorolfsfell, and that was why they had another homestead there after that. Skarphedinn got Thorhilda, but he stayed still with his father to the end. Grim wooed Astrid of Deepback; she was a widow and very wealthy. Grim got her to wife, and yet lived on with Njal.
CHAPTER XXVI.
OF ASGRIM AND HIS CHILDREN.
There was a man named Asgrim. He was Ellidagrim's son. The brother of Asgrim Ellidagrim's son was Sigfus.
Asgrim had two sons, and both of them were named Thorhall. They were both hopeful men. Grim was the name of another of Asgrim's sons, and Thorhalla was his daughter's name. She was the fairest of women, and well behaved.
Njal came to talk with his son Helgi, and said, "I have thought of a match for thee, if thou wilt follow my advice".
"That I will surely," says he, "for I know that thou both meanest me well, and canst do well for me; but whither hast thou turned thine eyes?"
"We will go and woo Asgrim Ellidagrim's son's daughter, for that is the best choice we can make."
CHAPTER XXVII.
HELGI NJAL'S SON'S WOOING.
A little after they rode out across Thurso water, and fared till they came into Tongue. Asgrim was at home, and gave them a hearty welcome; and they were there that night. Next morning they began to talk, and then Njal raised the question of the wooing, and asked for Thorhalla for his son Helgi's hand. Asgrim answered that well, and said there were no men with whom he would be more willing to make this bargain than with them. They fell a-talking then about terms, and the end of it was that Asgrim betrothed his daughter to Helgi, and the bridal day was named. Gunnar was at that feast, and many other of the best men. After the feast Njal offered to foster in his house Thorhall, Asgrim's son, and he was with Njal long after. He loved Njal more than his own father. Njal taught him law, so that he became the greatest lawyer in Iceland in those days.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
HALLVARD COMES OUT TO ICELAND.
There came a ship out from Norway, and ran into Arnbæl's Oyce,10 and the master of the ship was Hallvard, the white, a man from the Bay.11 He went to stay at Lithend, and was with Gunnar that winter, and was always asking him to fare abroad with him. Gunnar spoke little about it, but yet said more unlikely things might happen; and about spring he went over to Bergthorsknoll to find out from Njal whether he thought it a wise step in him to go abroad.
"I think it is wise," says Njal; "they will think thee there an honourable man, as thou art."
"Wilt thou perhaps take my goods into thy keeping while I am away, for I wish my brother Kolskegg to fare with me; but I would that thou shouldst see after my household along with my mother."
"I will not throw anything in the way of that," says Njal; "lean on me in this thing as much as thou likest."
"Good go with thee for thy words," says Gunnar, and he rides then home.
The Easterling [the Norseman Hallvard] fell again to talk with Gunnar that he should fare abroad. Gunnar asked if he had ever sailed to other lands? He said he had sailed to every one of them that lay between Norway and Russia, and so, too, I have sailed to Biarmaland.12
"Wilt thou sail with me eastward ho?" says Gunnar.
"That I will of a surety," says he.
Then Gunnar made up his mind to sail abroad with him. Njal took all Gunnar's goods into his keeping.
CHAPTER XXIX.
GUNNAR GOES ABROAD.
So Gunnar fared abroad, and Kolskegg with him. They sailed first to Tönsberg,13 and were there that winter. There had then been a shift of rulers in Norway, Harold Grayfell was then dead, and so was Gunnhillda. Earl Hacon the Bad, Sigurd's son, Hacon's son, Gritgarth's son, then ruled the realm. The mother of Hacon was Bergliot, the daughter of Earl Thorir. Her mother was Olof harvest-heal. She was Harold Fair-hair's daughter.
Hallvard asks Gunnar if he would make up his mind to go to Earl Hacon?
"No; I will not do that," says Gunnar. "Hast thou ever a long-ship?"
"I have two," he says.
"Then I would that we two went on warfare; and let us get men to go with us."
"I will do that," says Hallvard.
After that they went to the Bay, and took with them two ships, and fitted them out thence. They had good choice of men, for much praise was said of Gunnar.
"Whither wilt thou first fare?" says Gunnar.
"I wish to go south-east to Hisingen, to see my kinsman Oliver," says Hallvard.
"What dost thou want of him?" says Gunnar.
He answered—"He is a fine brave fellow, and he will be sure to get us some more strength for our voyage".
"Then let us go thither," says Gunnar.
So, as soon as they were "boun," they held on east to Hisingen, and had there a hearty welcome. Gunnar had only been there a short time ere Oliver made much of him. Oliver asks about his voyage, and Hallvard says that Gunnar wishes to go a-warfaring to gather goods for himself.
"There's no use thinking of that," says Oliver, "when ye have no force."
"Well," says Hallvard, "then you may add to it."
"So I do mean to strengthen Gunnar somewhat," says Oliver; "and though thou reckonest thyself my kith and kin, I think there is more good in him."
"What force, now, wilt thou add to ours?" he asks.
"Two long-ships, one with twenty, and the other with thirty seats for rowers."
"Who shall man them?" asks Hallvard.
"I will man one of them with my own house-carles, and the freemen around shall man the other. But still I have found out that strife has come into the river,