The Story of Burnt Njal: The Great Icelandic Tribune, Jurist, and Counsellor

o had a young and pretty wife. Asmund sent a man to Haflidi asking him to take Grettir and look after him. Haflidi answered that he had heard that Grettir was very difficult to get on with, b

"You have never been obedient to me. Nor do I know what you would do

Work not done n

the road. Before they parted she said: "You have not been sent off in the way that I should have wished, my son, or in a way befitting you

. She said: "This was the sword of Jokull, my father's father and of the ancient Vat

. Then he went on his way and Asdis wished him all possible happiness. He rode South over the heath and did not stop t

sails I my fa

ough he sent

was who gave

aying: The mo

evident that she had

bale or to trim the sails or to do any work in the ship, as it was his duty to do equally with the other men; nor would he buy himself off. They sailed to the South, rounded Reykjanes and left the land behind t

men called out to Grettir to get up and work; th

if every fin

of such a l

e than before, and said they would pay him out on h

ly of Bard the mate's wife than to bear a han

he heard them went up to Grettir and said: "I don't think your relations with the crew are very good. You a

ttir rejoined. "But I should like one or two t

shall never get on upon those terms. B

is t

ut them. Now I suggest that you make a lampoon about me. T

ng but good," said he. "I am not goi

ch should at first appear foul, bu

wered, "I am q

said: "You have much toil; and it see

nswered, "annoy us mor

ud, said: "It will be the

rd himself being den

words that

d on curds a

o meals a

the bays mid f

that you should take him down a little, but I am not going to risk my good name because of his ill-temper and caprice. T

ndure?" they said. "Why should a la

, and after that they cared

ut. The mate's young wife was in the habit of stitching Grettir's sleeves for him, and th

y den! deep fu

rd thou didst s

e sewed; but n

the toil while t

t up at on

ough the ship be

exed that I sl

ly be wrath i

e toiling at wo

would do little good. He replied: "A man's help is something." Haflidi told them not to refuse

would try what he could do. He said the less tried the better, and went below and filled his bucket. There were two men above to empty the buckets as he handed them. Before long they both gave in from fatigue. Then four others took their places, but the same thing happened. Some say that befor

with all the loose property. There was an island a little way off, whither they carried as much of their property as they could get off in the night. When the day broke, they began to ask where they were. Some of them