CHAPTER CXVI.
OF FLOSI AND MORD AND THE SONS OF SIGFUS.
The sons of Sigfus heard how Flosi was at Holtford, and they rode
thither to meet him, and there were Kettle of the Mark, and Lambi his
brother, Thorkell and Mord, the sons of Sigfus, Sigmund their brother,
and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Gunnar Lambi's son, and Grani Gunnar's son,
and Vebrand Hamond's son.
Flosi stood up to meet them, and greeted them gladly. So they went down
to the river. Flosi had the whole story from them about the slaying, and
there was no difference between them and Kettle of the Mark's story.
Flosi spoke to Kettle of the Mark, and said--
"This now I ask of thee; how tightly are your hearts knit as to this
suit, thou and the other sons of Sigfus?"
"My wish is," said Kettle, "that there should be peace between us, but
yet I have sworn an oath not to part from this suit till it has been
brought somehow to an end, and to lay my life on it."
"Thou art a good man and true," said Flosi, "and it is well to have such
men with one."
Then Grani Gunnar's son and Lambi Sigurd's son both spoke together, and
said--
"We wish for outlawry and d**h."
"It is not given us," said Flosi, "both to share and choose, we must
take what we can get."
"I have had it in my heart," says Grani, "ever since they slew Thrain by
Markfleet, and after that his son Hauskuld, never to be atoned with them
by a lasting peace, for I would willingly stand by when they were all
slain, every man of them."
"Thou hast stood so near to them," said Flosi, "that thou mightest have
avenged these things hadst thou had the heart and manhood. Methinks thou
and many others now ask for what ye would give much money hereafter
never to have had a share in. I see this clearly, that though we slay
Njal or his sons, still they are men of so great worth, and of such good
family, that there will be such a blood feud and hue and cry after them,
that we shall have to fall on our knees before many a man, and beg for
help, ere we get an atonement and find our way out of this strait. Ye
may make up your minds, then, that many will become poor who before had
great goods, but some of you will lose both goods and life."
Mord Valgard's Son rode to meet Flosi, and said he would ride to the
Thing with him with all his men. Flosi took that well, and raised a
matter of a wedding with him, that he should give away Rannveiga his
daughter to Starkad Flosi's brother's son, who dwelt at Staffell. Flosi
did this because he thought he would so make sure both of his
faithfulness and force.
Mord took the wedding kindly, but handed the matter over to Gizur the
white, and bade him talk about it at the Thing.
Mord had to wife Thorkatla, Gizur the white's daughter.
They two, Mord and Flosi, rode both together to the Thing, and talked
the whole day, and no man knew aught of their counsel.
CHAPTER CXVII.
NJAL AND SKARPHEDINN TALK TOGETHER.
Now, we must say how Njal said to Skarphedinn--
"What plan have ye laid down for yourselves, thou and thy brothers and
Kari?"
"Little reck we of dreams in most matters," said Skarphedinn; "but if
thou must know, we shall ride to Tongue to Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and
thence to the Thing; but what meanest thou to do about thine own
journey, father?"
"I shall ride to the Thing," says Njal, "for it belongs to my honour not
to be severed from your suit so long as I live. I ween that many men
will have good words to say of me, and so I shall stand you in good
stead, and do you no harm."
There, too, was Thorhall Asgrim's son, and Njal's foster-son. The sons
of Njal laughed at him because he was clad in a coat of russet, and
asked how long he meant to wear that?
"I shall have thrown it off," he said, "when I have to follow up the
blood-feud for my foster father."
"There will ever be most good in thee," said Njal, "when there is most
need of it."
So they all busked them to ride away from home, and were nigh thirty men
in all, and rode till they came to Thursowater. Then came after them
Njal's kinsmen, Thorleif crow, and Thorgrim the big; they were
Holt-Thorir's sons, and offered their help and following to Njal's sons,
and they took that gladly.
So they rode altogether across Thursowater, until they came on Laxwater
bank, and took a rest and baited their horses there, and there Hjallti's
Skeggi's son came to meet them, and Njal's sons fell to talking with
him, and they talked long and low.
"Now, I will show," said Hjallti, "that I am not black-hearted; Njal has
asked me for help, and I have agreed to it, and given my word to aid
him; he has often given me and many others the worth of it in cunning
counsel."
Hjallti tells Njal all about Flosi's doings. They sent Thorhall on to
Tongue to tell Asgrim that they would be there that evening; and Asgrim
made ready at once, and was out of doors to meet them when Njal rode
into the town.
Njal was clad in a blue cape, and had a felt hat on his head, and a
small axe in his hand. Asgrim helped Njal off his horse, and led him and
sate him down in his own seat. After that they all went in, Njal's sons
and Kari. Then Asgrim went out.
Hjallti wished to turn away, and thought there were too many there; but
Asgrim caught hold of his reins, and said he should never have his way
in riding off, and made men unsaddle their horses, and led Hjallti in
and sate him down by Njal's aide; but Thorleif and his brother sat on
the other bench and their men with them.
Asgrim sate him down on a stool before Njal, and asked--
"What says thy heart about our matter?"
"It speaks rather heavily," says Njal, "for I am afraid that we shall
have no lucky men with us in the suit; but I would, friend, that thou
shouldest send after all the men who belong to thy Thing, and ride to
the Althing with me."
"I have always meant to do that," says Asgrim; "and this I will promise
thee at the same time--that I will never leave thy cause while I can get
any men to follow me."
But all those who were in the house thanked him, and said, that was
bravely spoken. They were there that night, but the day after all
Asgrim's band came thither.
And after that they all rode together till they come up on the
Thingfield, and fit up their booths.
CHAPTER CXVIII.
ASGRIM AND NJAL'S SONS PRAY MEN FOR HELP.
By that time Flosi had come to the Thing, and filled all his booths.
Runolf filled the Dale-dwellers' booths, and Mord the booths of the men
from Rangriver. Hall of the Side had long since come from the east, but
scarce any of the other men; but still Hall of the Side had come with a
great band, and joined this at once to Flosi's company, and begged him
to take an atonement and to make peace.
Hall was a wise man and good-hearted, Flosi answered him well in
everything, but gave way in nothing.
Hall asked what men had promised him help? Flosi named Mord Valgard's
son, and said he had asked for his daughter at the hand of his kinsman
Starkad.
Hall said she was a good match, but it was ill dealing with Mord, "and
that thou wilt put to the proof ere this Thing be over".
After that they ceased talking.
One day Njal and Asgrim had a long talk in secret.
Then all at once Asgrim sprang up and said to Njal's sons--
"We must set about seeking friends, that we may not be overborne by
force; for this suit will be followed up boldly."
Then Asgrim went out, and Helgi Njal's son next; then Kari Solmund's
son; then Grim Njal's son; then Skarphedinn; then Thorhall; then
Thorgrim the big; then Thorleif crow.
They went to the booth of Gizur the white and inside it. Gizur stood up
to meet them, and bade them sit down and drink.
"Not thitherward," says Asgrim, "tends our way, and we will speak our
errand out loud, and not mutter and mouth about it. What help shall I
have from thee, as thou art my kinsman?"
"Jorunn my sister," said Gizur, "would wish that I should not shrink
from standing by thee; and so it shall be now and hereafter, that we
will both of us have the same fate."
Asgrim thanked him, and went away afterwards.
Then Skarphedinn asked, "Whither shall we go now?"
"To the booths of the men of Olfus," says Asgrim.
So they went thither, and Asgrim asked whether Skapti Thorod's son were
in the booth? He was told that he was. Then they went inside the booth.
Skapti sate on the cross bench, and greeted Asgrim, and he took the
greeting well.
Skapti offered Asgrim a seat by his side, but Asgrim said he should only
stay there a little while, "but still we have an errand to thee".
"Let me hear it," says Skapti.
"I wish to beg thee for thy help, that thou wilt stand by us in our
suit."
"One thing I had hoped," says Skapti, "and that is, that neither you nor
your troubles would ever come into my dwelling."
"Such things are ill-spoken," says Asgrim, "when a man is the last to
help others, when most lies on his aid."
"Who is yon man," says Skapti, "before whom four men walk, a big burly
man, and pale-faced, unlucky-looking, well-knit, and troll-like?"
"My name is Skarphedinn," he answers, "and thou hast often seen me at
the Thing; but in this I am wiser than thou, that I have no need to ask
what thy name is. Thy name is Skapti Thorod's son, but before thou
calledst thyself 'Bristle-poll,' after thou hadst slain Kettle of Elda;
then thou shavedst thy poll, and puttedst pitch on thy head, and then
thou hiredst thralls to cut up a sod of turf, and thou creptest
underneath it to spend the night. After that thou wentest to Thorolf
Lopt's son of Eyrar, and he took thee on board, and bore thee out here
in his meal sacks."
After that Asgrim and his band went out, and Skarphedinn asked--
"Whither shall we go now?"
"To Snorri the Priest's booth," says Asgrim.
Then they went to Snorri's booth. There was a man outside before the
booth, and Asgrim asked whether Snorri were in the booth.
The man said he was.
Asgrim went into the booth, and all the others. Snorri was sitting on
the cross bench, and Asgrim went and stood before him, and hailed him
well.
Snorri took his greeting blithely, and bade him sit down.
Asgrim said he should be only a short time there, "but we have an errand
with thee".
Snorri bade him tell it.
"I would," said Asgrim, "that thou wouldst come with me to the court,
and stand by me with thy help, for thou art a wise man, and a great man
of business."
"Suits fall heavy on us now," says Snorri the Priest, "and now many men
push forward against us, and so we are slow to take up the troublesome
suits of other men from other quarters."
"Thou mayest stand excused," says Asgrim, "for thou art not in our debt
for any service."
"I know," says Snorri, "that thou art a good man and true, and I will
promise thee this, that I will not be against thee, and not yield help
to thy foes."
Asgrim thanked him, and Snorri the Priest asked--
"Who is that man before whom four go, pale-faced, and sharp-featured,
and who shows his front teeth, and has his axe aloft on his shoulder?"
"My name is Hedinn," he says, "but some men call me Skarphedinn by my
full name; but what more hast thou to say to me?"
"This," said Snorri the Priest, "that methinks thou art a well-knit,
ready-handed man, but yet I guess that the best part of thy good fortune
is past, and I ween thou hast not long to live."
"That is well," says Skarphedinn, "for that is a debt we all have to
pay, but still it were more needful to avenge thy father than to
foretell my fate in this way."
"Many have said that before," says Snorri, "and I will not be angry at
such words."
After that they went out, and got no help there. Then they fared to the
booths of the men of Skagafirth. There Hafr the wealthy had his booth.
The mother of Hafr was named Thoruna, she was a daughter of Asbjorn
baldpate of Myrka, the son of Hrosbjorn.
Asgrim and his band went into the booth, and Hafr sate in the midst of
it, and was talking to a man.
Asgrim went up to him, and hailed him well; he took it kindly, and bade
him sit down.
"This I would ask of thee," said Asgrim, "that thou wouldst grant me and
my sons-in-law help."
Hafr answered sharp and quick, and said he would have nothing to do with
their troubles.
"But still I must ask who that pale-faced man is before whom four men
go, so ill-looking, as though he had come out of the sea-crags."
"Never mind, milksop that thou art!" said Skarphedinn, "who I am, for I
will dare to go forward wherever thou standest before me, and little
would I fear though such striplings were in my path. 'Twere rather thy
duty, too, to get back thy sister Swanlauga, whom Eydis ironsword and
his messmate Stediakoll took away out of thy house, but thou didst not
dare to do aught against them."
"Let us go out," said Asgrim, "there is no hope of help here."
Then they went out to the booths of men of Modruvale, and asked whether
Gudmund the powerful were in the booth, but they were told he was.
Then they went into the booth. There was a high seat in the midst of it,
and there sate Gudmund the powerful.
Asgrim went and stood before him, and hailed him.
Gudmund took his greeting well, and asked him to sit down.
"I will not sit," said Asgrim, "but I wish to pray thee for help, for
thou art a bold man and a mighty chief."
"I will not be against thee," said Gudmund, "but if I see fit to yield
thee help, we may well talk of that afterwards," and so he treated them
well and kindly in every way.
Asgrim thanked him for his words, and Gudmund said--
"There is one man in your band at whom I have gazed for awhile, and he
seems to me more terrible than most men that I have seen."
"Which is he?" says Asgrim.
"Four go before him," says Gudmund; "dark brown is his hair, and pale is
his face; tall of growth and sturdy. So quick and shifty in his
manliness, that I would rather have his following than that of ten other
men; but yet the man is unlucky-looking."
"I know," said Skarphedinn, "that thou speakest at me, but it does not
go in the same way as to luck with me and thee. I have blame, indeed,
from the slaying of Hauskuld, the Whiteness priest, as is fair and
right; but both Thorkel foulmouth and Thorir Helgi's son spread abroad
bad stories about thee, and that has tried thy temper very much."
Then they went out, and Skarphedinn said--
"Whither shall we go now?"
"To the booths of the men of Lightwater," said Asgrim.
There Thorkel foulmouth had set up his booth.
Thorkel foulmouth had been abroad and worked his way to fame in other
lands. He had slain a robber east in Jemtland's wood, and then he fared
on east into Sweden, and was a messmate of Saurkvir the churl, and they
harried eastward ho; but to the east of Baltic side.[67] Thorkel had to
fetch water for them one evening; then he met a wild man of the
woods,[68] and struggled against him long; but the end of it was that he
slew the wild man. Thence he fared east into Adalsyssla, and there he
slew a flying fire-drake. After that he fared back to Sweden, and
thence to Norway, and so out to Iceland, and let these deeds of derring
do be carved over his shut bed, and on the stool before his high-seat.
He fought, too, on Lightwater way with his brothers against Gudmund the
powerful, and the men of Lightwater won the day. He and Thorir Helgi's
son spread abroad bad stories about Gudmund. Thorkel said there was no
man in Iceland with whom he would not fight in single combat, or yield
an inch to, if need were. He was called Thorkel foulmouth, because he
spared no one with whom he had to do either in word or deed.
CHAPTER CXIX.
OF SKARPHEDINN AND THORKEL FOULMOUTH.
Asgrim and his fellows went to Thorkel foulmouth's booth, and Asgrim
said then to his companions, "This booth Thorkel foulmouth owns, a great
champion, and it were worth much to us to get his help. We must here
take heed in everything, for he is self-willed and bad tempered; and now
I will beg thee, Skarphedinn, not to let thyself be led into our talk."
Skarphedinn smiled at that. He was so clad, he had on a blue kirtle and
gray breeks, and black shoes on his feet, coming high up his leg; he had
a silver belt about him, and that same axe in his hand with which he
slew Thrain, and which he called the "ogress of war," a round buckler,
and a silken band round his brow, and his hair was brushed back behind
his ears. He was the most soldier-like of men, and by that all men knew
him. He went in his appointed place, and neither before nor behind.
Now they went into the booth and into its inner chamber. Thorkel sate in
the middle of the cross-bench, and his men away from him on all sides.
Asgrim hailed him, and Thorkel took the greeting well, and Asgrim said
to him--
"For this have we come hither, to ask help of thee, and that thou
wouldst come to the court with us."
"What need can ye have of my help," said Thorkel, "when ye have already
gone to Gudmund; he must surely have promised thee his help?"
"We could not get his help," says Asgrim.
"Then Gudmund thought the suit likely to make him foes," said Thorkel;
"and so no doubt it will be, for such deeds are the worst that have ever
been done; nor do I know what can have driven you to come hither to me,
and to think that I should be easier to undertake your suit than
Gudmund, or that I would back a wrongful quarrel."
Then Asgrim held his peace, and thought it would be hard work to win him
over.
Then Thorkel went on and said, "Who is that big and ugly fellow, before
whom four men go, pale-faced and sharp-featured, and unlucky-looking,
and cross-grained?"
"My name is Skarphedinn," said Skarphedinn, "and thou hast no right to
pick me out, a guiltless man, for thy railing. It never has befallen me
to make my father bow down before me, or to have fought against him, as
thou didst with thy father. Thou hast ridden little to the Althing, or
toiled in quarrels at it, and no doubt it is handier for thee to mind
thy milking pails at home than to be here at Axewater in idleness. But
stay, it were as well if thou pickedst out from thy teeth that steak of
mare's rump which thou atest ere thou rodest to the Thing, while thy
shepherd looked on all the while, and wondered that thou couldst work
such filthiness!"
Then Thorkel sprang up in mickle wrath, and clutched his short sword and
said--
"This sword I got in Sweden when I slew the greatest champion, but since
then I have slain many a man with it, and as soon as ever I reach thee I
will drive it through thee, and thou shall take that for thy bitter
words."
Skarphedinn stood with his axe aloft, and smiled scornfully and said--
"This axe I had in my hand when I leapt twelve ells across Markfleet,
and slew Thrain Sigfus' son, and eight of them stood before me, and none
of them could touch me. Never have I aimed weapon at man that I have not
smitten him."
And with that he tore himself from his brothers, and Kari his
brother-in-law, and strode forward to Thorkel.
Then Skarphedinn said--
"Now, Thorkel foulmouth, do one of these two things: sheathe thy sword
and sit thee down, or I drive the axe into thy head and cleave thee down
to the chine."
Then Thorkel sate him down and sheathed the sword, and such a thing
never happened to him either before or since.
Then Asgrim and his band go out, and Skarphedinn said--
"Whither shall we now go?"
"Home to out booths," answered Asgrim.
"Then we fare hack to our booths wearied of begging," says Skarphedinn.
"In many places," said Asgrim, "hast thou been rather sharp-tongued, but
here now, in what Thorkel had a share methinks thou hast only treated
him as is fitting."
Then they went home to their booths, and told Njal, word for word, all
that had been done.
"Things," he said, "draw on to what must be."
Now Gudmund the powerful heard what had pa**ed between Thorkel and
Skarphedinn, and said--
"Ye all know how things fared between us and the men of Lightwater, but
I have never suffered such scorn and mocking at their hands as has
befallen Thorkel from Skarphedinn, and this is just as it should be."
Then he said to Einar of Thvera, his brother, "Thou shalt go with all my
band, and stand by Njal's sons when the courts go out to try suits; but
if they need help next summer, then I myself will yield them help".
Einar agreed to that, and sent and told Asgrim, and Asgrim said--
"There is no man like Gudmund for nobleness of mind," and then he told
it to Njal.