The story of Burnt Njal;

Front matter

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Conclusion

We are entitled to ask in what work of any age are the characters so boldly, and yet so delicately, drawn [as in this Saga] ? Where shall we match the goodness and Djanliness of Gunnar, struggling with the storms of fate, and driven on by the wickedness of Hallgerda into quarrel after quaiTel, which were none of his own seeking, but led no less surely to his own end ? Where shall we match H.'allgerda herself — that noble frame, so fair and tall, and yet with so foul a heart, the abode of all great crimes, and also the lurking place of tale-bearing and thieving ? Where shall we find parallels to Skarphedinn's hastiness and readi-. ness, as axe aloft he leapt twelve ells across Markfleet, and glided on to smite Thrain his death-blow on the slippery ice ? where for Bergthora's love and tenderness for her husband, she who was given young to Njal, and could not find it in her heart to part from him when the house blazed over their heads ? where for Kari's dash and gallantry, the ^ m.an who dealt his blows straightforward, even in the Earl's hall, and never thought twice about them ? where for Njal himself, the man who never dipped his hands in blood, who could unravel all the knotty points of the law ; who foresaw all that was coming, whether for good or ill, fbr friend or for foe ; who knew what his own end would be, though quite powerless to avert it ; and when it came, laid him down to his rest, and never uttered sound or groan, though the flames roared loud around him ? Nor are the minor characters less carefully drawn, the scolding tongue of Thrain's first wife, the mischief-making Thiostolf (fith his pole-axe, which divorced Hallgerda's first hus- 'land, Hrut's swordsmanship, Asgrim's dignity, Gizur's xxxvi DASENT'S INTEODUCTION.

good counsel, Snorri's common sense and shrewdness, Gudmund's grandeur, Thorgeir's thirst for fame, Kettle's kindliness, Ingialld's heartiness, and, though last not least, Bjom's boastfulness, which his gudewife is ever ready to cry down — are all sketched with a few sharp strokes which leave their mark for once and for ever on the reader's mind. Strange ! were it not that human nature is herself in every age, that such forbearance and forgiveness as is shown by Njal and Hauskuld and Hall, should have shot up out of that social soil, so stained and steeped with the blood-shedding of revenge. Revenge was the great duty of Icelandic life, yet Njal is always ready to make up a quarrel, though he acknowledges the duty, when he refuses in his last moments to outlive his children, whom he feeJs himself unable to revenge. The last words of Hauskuld, when he was foully assassinated through the tale-bearing of Mord, were, " God help me and forgive you " ; nor did the beauty of a Christian spirit ever shine out more brightly than in Hall, who, when his son Ljot, the flower of his flock, fell full of youth, and strength, and promise, in chance-medley at the battle on the Thingfield, at once for the sake of peace gave up the father's and the freeman's dearest rights, those of compensation and revenge, and allowed his son to fall unatoned in order that peace might be made. This struggle between the principle of an old system now turned to evil, and that of a new state of things which was still fresh and good, between heathendom as it sinks into superstition, and Christianity before it has had time to become superstitious, stands strongly forth in the latter part of the Saga ; but as yet the new faith can only assert its forbearance and forgiveness in principle. It has not had time, except in some rare instances, to bring them into play in daily life. Even in heathen times such a deed as that by which Njal met his death, to hem a man in within his house and then to bum it and him together, to choke a freeman, as Skarphedinn says, like a fox in his earth, was quite against the free and open nature oi the race ; and though instances of such foul deeds occ'ui besides those two great cases of Blundkettle and Njal, sts they were always looked upon as atrocious crimes an'

DASENT'S INTRODUCTION, xxxvii

punished accordingly. No wonder, therefore, then that Flosi, after the Change of Faith, when he makes up his mind to fire Njal's house, declares the deed to be one for which they would have to answer heavily before God, " seeing that we are Christian men ourselves ". . . .

One word and we must bring this introduction to an end ; it is merely to point out how calmly and peacefully the Saga ends, with the perfect reconciliation of Kari and Flosi, those generous foes, who throughout the bitter struggle in which they were engaged always treated each other with respect. It is a comfort to find, after the whole fitful story has been worked out, after passing from pa.ge to page, every one of which reeks with gore, to find that after all there were even in that bloodthirsty Iceland of the tenth century such things as peaceful old age and happy firesides, and that men like Flosi and Kari, who had both shed so much blood, one in a good and the other in a wicked cause, should after all die, Flosi on a trading voyage, an Icelandic Ulysses, in an unseaworthy ship, good enough, as he said, for an old and death-doomed man, Kari at home, well stricken in years, blessed with a famous and numerous offspring, and a proud but loving wife.

ICELANDIC CHRONOLOGY.

A.D. 850. Birth of Harold fairhair.

860. Harold fairhair comes to the throne.

870. Harold fairhair sole King in Norway.

871. Ingolf sets out for Iceland.

872. Battle of Hafrsfirth (Hafrsfj6r?5r). 874. Ingolf and Leif go to settle in Iceland. 877. Kettle hseng goes to Iceland.

880-884. Harold fairhair roots out the Vikings in the west.

888. Fall of Thorstein the red in Scotland. 890-900. Rush of settlers firom the British Isles to Iceland.

892. Aud the deeply wealthy comes to Iceland. 900-920. The third period of the Landn&mstide.

920. Harold fairhair shares the kingdom with his sons.

923. Hrut Hauskuld's brother bom.

929. Althing established.

930. Hrafn Kettle haeng's son Speaker of the Law. 930-935. Njal born.

930. The Fleetlithe feud begins. 933. Death of Harold fairhair.

940. End of the Fleetlithe feud; Fiddle Mord a man of rank;

Hamond Gunnar's son marries Mord's sister Rannveiga.

941. Fall of King Eric Bloodaxe. c. 945. Gunnar of Lithend born.

955-960. Njal's sons born.

959. Glum marries Hallgerda.

9S0. Fall of King Hacon ; Athelstane's foster-child, Harold

Grayfell, King in Norway. 963. Hrut goes abroad. 965. Hrut returns to Iceland and marries Unna Mord's daughter.

968. Unna parts from Hrut.

969. Fiddle Mord and Hrut strive at the Althing ; Fall of King

Harold Grayfell ; Earl Hacon rules in Norway.

970-971. Fiddle Mord's death ; Gunnar and Hrut strive at the Althing.

' 972. Gunnar of Lithend goes abroad. 974. Gunnar returns to Iceland.

xl ICELANDIC CHRONOLOGY.

A.D.974. Gunnar's marriage with Hallgerda.

975. The slaying of Swart.

976. The slaying of Kol.

977. The slaying of Atli.

978. The slaying of Brynjolf the unruly and Thord Freedmanson. 979- The slaying of Sigmund the white.

983. Hallgerda steals from Otkell at Kirkby.

984. The suit for the theft settled at the Althing.

985. Otkell rides over Gunnar in the spring ; fight at Rangriver

just before the Althing; at the Althing Geir the priest and Gunnar strive ; in the autumn Hauskuld Dale-Kolli's son, Gunnar's father-in-law, dies ; birth of Hauskuld Thrain's son.

986. The fight at Knafahills, and death of Hjort Gunnar's brother.

987. The suit for those slain at Knafahills settled at the Althing.

988. Gunnar goes west to visit Olaf the peacock.

989. Slaying of Thorgeir Otkell's son before, and banishment of

Gunnar at, the Althing ; Njal's sons, Helgi and Grim, and Thrain Sigius' son, go abroad.

990. Gunnar slain at Lithend.

592. Thrain returns to Iceland with Hrapp ; Njal's sons ill-treated' by Earl Hacon for his sake.

994. Njal's sons return to Iceland, bringing Kari with them.

995. Death of Earl Hacon ; Olaf Tryggvi's son King of Norway.

996. Skarphedinn slays Thrain.

997. Thangbrand sent by King Olaf to preach Christianity in

Iceland.

998. Slaying of Arnor of Forswaterwood by Flosi's brothers at

Skaptarfells Thing ; Thangbrand's missionary journey ; Gizur and Hjallti go abroad.

999. Hjallti Skeggi's son found guilty of blasphemy against the

Gods at the Althing; Thangbrand returns to Norway. 1000. pizur and Hjallti return to Iceland; the Change of Faith

and Christianity brought into the law at the Althing on

St. John's day, 24th June; fall of King Olaf Tryggvi's

son at Svoldr, 9th September, looi, Thorgeir the priest of Lightwater gives up the Speakership

of the Law.

1002. Grim of Mossfell Speaker of the Law.

1003. Grim lays down the Speakership.

1003 or 1004. Skapti Thorod's son Speaker of the Law ; the Fifth Court established ; Hauskuld Thrain's son marries Hildigunna Flosi's niece and has one of the new priesthoods at Whiteness.

1006. Duels abolished in legal matters; slaying of Hauskuld Njal's son by Lyting and his brothers.

1009. Amund the blind slays Lyting ; Valgard the guileful comes back to Iceland ; his evil counsel to Mord ; Mord begins to backbite and slander Hauskuld and Njal's sons to one another.

lin. Hauskuld the Whiteness priest slain early in the spring; suit for his manslaughter at the Althing ; Njal's Burning the autumn after.

ICELANDIC CHRONOLOGY. xli

A.D. III2. The suit for the Burning and battle at the Althing; Flosi and the Burners banished ; Kari and Thorgeir Craggeir carry on the feud.

1113. Flosi goes abroad with the Burners, and Kari follows them;

Flosi and Kari in Orkney.

1 114. Brian's battle on Good Friday; Flosi goes to Rome. H15. Flosi returns from Rome to Norway, and stays with Earl

Eric, Earl Hacon's son.

1116. Flosi returns to Iceland ; Kari goes to Rome and returns to

Caithness ; his wife Helga dies out in Iceland.

1117. Kari returns to Iceland, is reconciled with Flosi, and marries

Hildigunna Hauskuld's widow.

Contents

V VII.

'^VlII.

i IX.

Chapter I. Of Fiddle Mord

There was a man named Mord whose surname was Fiddle ; he was the son of Sigvat the Red, and he dwelt at the " Vale" in the Rangrivervales. He was a mighty chief, and a great taker up of suits, and so great a lawyer that no judgments were thought lawful unless he had a hand in them. He had an only daughter, named Unna. She was a fair, courteous and gifted woman, and that was thought the best match in all the Rangrivervales.

Now the story turns westward to the Broadfirth dales, where, at Hauskuldstede, in Laxriverdale, dwelt a man named Hauskuld, who was Dalakoll's son, and his mother's name was Thorgerda. He had a brother named Hrut, who dwelt at Hrutstede ; he was of the same mother as Hauskuld, but his father's name was Heriolf. Hrut was handsome, tall and strong, well skilled in arms, and mild of temper ; he was one of the wisest of men — stern towards his foes, but a good counsellor on great matters. It happened once that Hauskuld bade his friends to a feast, and his brother Hrut was there, and sat next him. Hauskuld had a daughter named Hallgerda, who was playing on the floor with some other girls. She was fair of face and tall of growth, and her hair was as soft as silk ; it was so long, too, that it came down to her waist. Hauskuld called out to her, " Come hither to me, daughter". So she went up to him, and he took her by the chin, and kissed her ; and after that she went away.

Then Hauskuld said to Hrut, "What dost thou think of this maiden ? Is she not fair ? " Hrut held his peace. Hauskuld said the same thing to him a second time, and then Hrut answered, " Fair enough is this maid, and many will smart for it, but this I know not, whence thief's eyes have come into our race ". Then Hauskuld was wroth, and for a time the brothers saw Httle of each other.

CHAPTER II. HRtrr woos unna

It happened once that those brothers, Hauskuld and Hrut, rode to the Althing, and there was much people at it. Then Hauskuld said to Hrut, " One thing I wish, brother, and that is, that thou wouldst better thy lot and woo thyself a wife ".

Hrut answered, " That has been long on my mind, though there always seemed to be two sides to the matter ; but now I will do as thou wishest ; whither shall we turn our eyes ? "

Hauskuld answered, " Here now are many chiefs at the Thing, and there is plenty of choice, but I have already set my eyes on a spot where a match lies made to thy hand. The woman's name is Urma, and she is a daughter of Fiddle Mord one of the wisest of men. He is here at the Thing, and his daughter too, and thou mayest see her if it pleases thee."

Now the next day, when men were going to the High Court, they saw some well-dressed women standing outside the booths of the men from the Rangrivervales. Then Hauskuld said to Hrut —

" Yonder now is Unna, of whom I spoke ; what thinkest thou of her .^"

" Well," answered Hrut ; " but yet I do not know whether we should get on well together."

After that they went to the High Court, where Fiddle Mord was laying down the law as was his wont, and after he had done he went home to his booth.

Then Hauskuld and Hrut rose, and went to Mord's booth. They went in and found Mord sitting in the innermost part of the booth, and they bade him " good day ". He rose to meet them, and took Hauskuld by the hand and made him sit down by his side, and Hrut sat next to Hauskuld. So after they had talked much of this and that, at last Hauskuld said, " I have a bargain to speak to thee about ; Hrut wishes to

HRUT WOOS UNNA. 3

become thy son-in-law, and buy thy daughter, and I, for my part, will not be sparing in the matter ".

Mord answered, " I know that thou art a great chief, but thy brother is unknown to me ".

"He is a better man than I," answered Hauskuld.

"Thou wilt need to lay down a large sum with him, for she is heir to all I leave behind me," said Mord.

"There is no need," said Hauskuld, "to wait long before thou hearest what I give my word he shall have. He shall have Kamness and Hrutstede, up as far as Thrandargil, and a trading-ship beside, now on her voyage."

Then said Hrut to Mord, "Bear in mind, now, husband, that my brother has praised me much more than I deserve for love's sake ; but if after what thou hast heard, thou wilt make the match, I am willing to let thee lay down the terms thyself".

Mord answered, " I have thought over the terms ; she shall have sixty hundreds down, and this sum shall be increased by a third more in thine house, but if ye two have heirs, ye shall go halves in the goods ".

Then said Hrut, " I agree to these terms, and now let us take witness". After that they stood up and shook hands, and Mord betrothed his daughter Unna to Hrut, and the bridal feast was to be at Mord's house, half a month after Midsummer.

Now both sides ride home from the Thing, and Hauskuld and Hrut ride westward by Hallbjorn's beacon. Then Thiostolf, the son of Biom Gullbera of Reykiardale, rode to meet them, and told them how a ship had come out from Norway to the White River, and how aboard of her was Auzur, Hrut's father's brother, and he wished Hrut to come to him as soon as ever he could. When Hrut heard this, he asked Hauskuld to go with him to the ship, so Hauskuld went with his brother, and when they reached the ship, Hrut gave his kinsman Auzur a kind and hearty welcome. Auzur asked them into his booth to drink, so their horses were unsaddled, and they went in and drank, and while they were drinking, Hrut said to Auzur, " Now, kinsman, thou must ride west with me, and stay with me this winter."

" That cannot be, kinsman, for I have to tell thee the death of thy brother Eyvind, and he has left thee his heir at the Gula Thing, and now thy foes wiU seize thy heritage, uiiiess thou comest to claim it"

"What's to be done now, brother? " said Hrut to Hauskuld, "for this seems a hard matter, coming just as I have fixed my bridal day."

"Thou must ride south," said Hauskuld "and see Mord, and ask him to change the bargain which ye two have made, and to let his daughter sit for thee three winters as thy betrothed, but I will ride home and bring down thy wares to the ship."

Then said Hrut, " My wish is that thou shouldest take meal and timber, and whatever else thou needest out of the lading ". So Hrut had his horses brought out, and he rode south, while Hauskuld rode home west. Hrut came east to the Rangrivervales to Mord, and had a good welcome, and he told Mord all his business, and asked his advice what he should do.

" How much money is this heritage ? " asked Mord, and Hrut said it would come to a hundred marks, if he got it all.

"Well," said Mord, "that is much when set against what I shall leave behind me, and thou shalt go for it, if thou wilt."

After that they broke their bargain, and Unna was to sit waiting for Hrut three years as his betrothed. Now Hrut rides back to the ship, and stays by her during the summer, till she was ready to sail, and Hauskuld brought down all Hrut's wares and money to the ship, and Hrut placed all his other property in Hauskuld's hands to keep for him while he was away. Then Hauskuld rode home to his house, and a little while after they got a fair wind and sail away to sea. They were out three weeks, and the first land they made was Hern, near Bergen, and so sail eastward to the Bay.

CHAPTER HI.

HRUT AND GUNNHILLDA, KING'S MOTHER.

At that time Harold Grayfell reigned in Norway ; he was the son of Eric Bloodaxe, who was the son of Harold Fair-hair ; his mother's name was GunnhiUda, a daughter of Auzur Toti, and thev had their abode east, at the King's Crag. Now the news was spread, how a ship had come thither east into the

HRUT AND GUNNHILLDA. 5

Bay, and as soon as Gunnhillda heard of it, she asked what men from Iceland were aboard, and they told her Hrut was the man's name, Auzur's brother's son. Then Gunnhillda said, " I see plainly that he means to claim his heritage, but there is a man named Soti, who has laid his hands on it ".

After that she called her waiting-man, whose name was Augmund, and said —

"I am going to send thee to the Bay to find out Auzur and Hrut, and tell them that I ask them both to spend this winter with me. Say, too, that I will be their friend, and if Hrut will carry out my counsel, I will see after his suit, and anything else he takes in hand, and I will speak a good word, too, for him to the king."

After that he set off and found them ; and as soon as they knew that he was Gunnhillda's servant, they gave him good welcome. He took them aside and told them his errand, and after that they talked over their plans by themselves. Then Auzur said to Hrut —

" Methinks, kinsman, here is little need for long talk, our plans are ready made for us ; for I know Gunnhillda's temper ; as soon as ever we say we will not go to her she will drive us out of the land, and take all our goods by force ; but if we go to her, then she will do us such honour as she has promised."

Augmund went home, and when he saw Gunnhillda, he told her how his errand had ended, and that they would come, and Gunnhillda said —

" It is only what was to be looked for ; for Hrut is said to be a wise and well-bred man ; and now do thou keep a sharp look out, and tell me as soon as ever they come to the town,"

Hrut and Auzur went east to the King's Crag, and when they reached the town, their kinsmen and friends went out to meet and welcome them. They asked, whether the king were in the town, and they told them he was. After that they met Augmund, and he brought them a greeting from Gunnhillda, saying, that she could not ask them to her house before they had seen the king, lest men should say, " I make too much of them". Still she would do all she could for them, and she went on, " tell Hrut to be out-spoken before the king, and to ask to be made one of his body-guard " ; "and here," said Augmund, "is a dress of honour which she sends to thee, Hrut, and in it thou must go in before the king". After that he went away.

The next day Hrut said —

"Let us go before the king."

" That may well be^" answered Auzur.

So they went, twelve of them together, and all of them friends or kinsmen, and came into the hall where the king sat over his drink. Hrut went first and bade the king "good day," and the king, looking steadfastly at the man who was well-dressed, asked him his name. So he told his name.

" Art thou an Icelander ? " said the king.

He answered, " Yes ".

" What drove thee hither to seek us .'' "

Then Hrut answered —

" To see your state, lord ; and, besides, because I have a great matter of inheritance here in the land, and I shall have need of your help, if I am to get my rights."

The king said —

" I have given my word that every man shall have lawful justice here in Norway ; but hast thou any other errand in seeking me ? "

" Lord ! " said Hrut, " I wish you to let me live in your court, and become one of your men."

At this the king holds his peace, but Gunnhillda said —

" It seems to me as if this man offered you the greatest honour, for methinks if there were many such men in the body-guard, it would be well filled.

" Is he a wise man ? " asked the king.

" He is both wise and willing," said she.

"Well," said the king, "methinks my mother wishes that thou shouldst have the rank for which thou askest, but for the sake of our honour and the custom of the land, come to me in half a month's time, and then thou shalt be made one of my body-guard. Meantime, my mother will take care of thee, but then come to me."

Then Gunnhillda said to Augmund —

" Follow them to my house, and treat them well."

So Augmund went out, and they went with him, and he brought them to a hall built of stone, which was hung with the most beautiful tapestry, and there too was Gumihillda's high-seat.

Then Augmund said to Hrut —

" Now will be proved the truth of all that said to thee from Gunnhillda. Here is her high-seat, and in it thou shalt sit, and this seat thou shalt hold, though she comes herself into the haU."

OF HEUT'S CRUISE. 7

After that he made them good cheer, and they had sat down but a little while when Gunnhillda came in. Hrut wished to jump up and greet her.

" Keep thy seat ! " she says, "and keep it too aU the time thou art my guest."

Then she sat herself down by Hrut, and they fell to drink, and at even she said —

"Thou shalt be in the upper chamber with me to-night, and we two together."

" You shall have your way," he answers.

After that they went to sleep, and she locked the door inside. So they slept that night, and in the morning fell to drinking agaiiL Thus they spent their life all that half-month, and Gunnhillda said to the men who were there —

" Ye shall lose nothing except your lives if you say to any one a word of how Hrut and I are going on. "

[When the half-month was over] Hrut gave her a hundred ells of household woollen and twelve rough cloaks, and Gunnhillda thanked him for his gifts. Then Hrut thanked her and gave her a kiss and went away. She bade him "ferewell". And next day he went before the king with thirty men after him and bade the king "good-day". The king said —

" Now, Hrut, thou wilt wish me to carry out towards thee what I promised."

So Hrut was made one of the king's body-guard, and he asked, " Where shall I sit .'' "

" My mother shall settle that," said the king.

Then she got him a seat in the highest room, and he spent the winter with the king in much honour.

Chapter IV. Of Hrut's Cruise

When the spring came he asked about Soti, and found out he had gone south to Denmark with the inheritance. Then Hrut went to Gunnhillda and tells her what Soti had been about. Gunnhillda said —

" I will give thee two long-ships, full manned, and along with them the bravest men, Wolf the Unwashed, our overseer of guests ; but still go and see the king before thou settest off."

Hrut did so ; and when he came before the king, then he told the king of Soti's doings, and how he had a mind to hold on after him.

The king said, "What strength has my mother handed over to thee ? "

"Two long-ships and Wolf the Unwashed to lead the men," says Hrut.

"Well given," says the king. "Now I will give thee other two ships, and even then thou'lt need all the strength thou' St got."

After that he went down with Hrut to the ship, and said "fare thee well". Then Hrut sailed away south with his crews.

Chapter V. Atli Arnvid Son's Slaying

There was a man named Atli, son of Arnvid, Earl of East Gothland. He had kept back the taxes from Hacon Athelstane's foster child, and both father and son had fled away from Jemtland to Gothland. After that, Atli held on with his followers out of the Malar by Stock.. Sound, and so on towards Denmark, and now he lies out in Oresound.^ He is an outlaw both of the Dane-King and of the Swede-King. Hrut held on south to the Sound, and when he came into it he saw many ships in the Sound. Then Wolf said — " What's best to be done now, Icelander ? " " Hold on our course," says Hrut, " ' for nothing venture, nothing have '. My ship and Auzur's shall go first, but thou shalt lay thy ship where thou likest."

" Seldom have I had others as a shield before me," says Wolf, and lays his galley side by side with Hrut's ship ; and so they hold on through the Sound. Now those who are in the Sound see that ships are coming up to them, and they tell Atli.

^ Oresound, the gut between Denmark and Sweden, at the entrance of the Baltic, commonly called in English, The Sound.

ALTI ARNVID SON'S SLAYING. 9

He answered, " Then maybe there'll be gain to be got ".

After that men took their stand on board each ship ; " but my ship," says Atli, " shall be in the midst of the fleet ".

Meantime Hrut's ships ran on, and as soon as either side could hear the other's hail, Atli stood up and said —

"Ye fare unwarily. Saw ye not that war-ships were in the Sound .'' But what's the name of your chief.''"

Hrut tells his name.

" Whose man art thou .'' " says Atli.

" One of king Harold Grayfell's body-guard."

Atli said, " 'Tis long since any love was lost between us, father and son, and your Norway kings ".

"Worse luck for thee," says Hrut.

"Well," says Atli, "the upshot of our meeting will be, that thou shalt not be left alive to tell the tale ; " and with that he caught up a spear and hurled it at Hrut's ship, and the man who stood before it got his death. After that the battle began, and they were slow in boarding Hrut's ship. Wolf, he went well forward, and with him it was now cut, now thrust. Atli's bowman's name was Asolf ; he sprung up on Hrut's ship, and was four men's death before Hrut was ware of himi ; then he turned against him, and when they met, Asolf thrust at and through Hrut's shield, but Hrut cut once at Asolf, and that was his death-blow. Wolf the Unwashed saw that stroke, and called out —