The Red Romance Book

ndidly clad than Gunnar. He was arrayed in the scarlet raiment given him by King Harald, and he bore

rich than his. She stopped as he drew near, and told him that she was Hallgerda, Hauskuld’s daughter, and that she knew well that he was Gunnar the traveller, and she wished to hear some

e brought them ill-luck; but at that Gunnar laughed, and

sting?’ sai

ooth,’ repl

er has to say to it,’ answere

welcome. For a while the talk ran upon the business of the Thing, and then Gunnar turne

ay, Hrut?’ inq

ht but good to say of you; no man has aught but ill

ut my soul is still set on wedding Hallgerda. And we

ds. And Gunnar weighed it for a while, and then he said, ‘You know the saying, “Forewarned is forearmed.” Doubtless it is true

herself, as she had done to Glum, and after that Gunnar

it betwixt you and

ork ill between us,’ answered Gunnar,

ents for her;’ but he said no more, for he was a wise man and wasted no words, and when

wife. Then Bergthora, Njal’s wife, went up to Hallgerda, and said, ‘Give place to Thorhalla,’ but Hallgerda would not, and she fell to quarrelling with Bergthora, and at last Bergthora taunted Hallgerda

in women’s quarrels, least of all in Njal’s

as she mounted the sleigh. Then they rode back

a take heed, and to give no cause of offence to his friends. But

wart her servant to cut her some branches for kindling fires from this very forest. These tidings reached the ears of Hallgerda, and she mutte

sked Kol; but Hallgerda

that?’ said she. ‘Why, you

or he knew that evil would come of it, and he mou

he men carry the wood to Njal’s house, as he himself had more work to do. He began to look about for a tall straight young stem with which to make himself a b

aid he need have no fear, for that she wo

a messenger to seek Gunnar at the Thing, and tell him what had befallen Swart. Gunnar listened in silence to the messenger’

Kol her man,’ said Gunnar gravely when Njal stood before him

to fix the atonement

But I have it in mind that at the last you shall win through, but after hard fighting. As to the atonement, as you are my friend and have no hand in

e with his sons from the Thing. And Bergthora was content, but said to her husba

mber that whatever quarrels she might choose to begin, the ending of them would always lie with him. But she pretended not to care, and went out among her neighbours as u

was left alone in the house. On this day a man mounted on a black horse and armed with a spear and a short sword rode up to the door and asked

ra, ‘but you must do whatever I bid you,

e man, as if he repented of his bargain; but Bergthora only told him that she expecte

nd his sons went to it, and likewise Gunnar. But Ber

seek out Kol, that he might slay him, so Atli to

tones in answer. So, without more ado, Atli thrust at him, and Kol, though wounded, swung his axe above hi

till he came to some of Gunnar’s men, and bad

ll him?’ as

d Atli; and with that he rode back to Bergthora, who praised him for the swiftness wi

ill Nja

e atonement for the slaying of Swart, and now he can pay it over for Kol. But

eek out Njal and Skarphedinn his son. They came to his tent, and he greeted them, and then Njal said that Ber

laid down the money and they parted, and no ill blood was between them, tho

ice far away to the east, so that Hallgerda might not reach him. But Atli told Njal that he would sooner be slain in his service than li

d, and Atli rema

and she sent messengers both to Bergthora and

in!’ said Gunnar to Njal and to Skarphedinn

tween us,’ replied Njal; but Gunnar stretched out his hand and said that no woman should sow strife

s die of old age,’ said Skarphedinn

r blow’ grew to be the rule between Hallgerda and Bergthora;

cattle died. Gunnar, who was wise as well as rich, had seen what was coming and had laid up stores of both dried meat and of hay. As long as they lasted, he shared them w

rds and wide pastures, and Gunnar ho

if there is any in your storehouse

untouched,’ answered Otkell,

sked Gunnar, ‘and I will pay you

r give nor sel

in, who had come with Gunnar, but Gunnar answered: ‘I am

He is a good thrall,’ said Otk

rall, and they all went

with all his sons, and took meat from his storehouses and bound it upon five horses, and hay from h

ught when you can ask me,’ s

eat, but truly you

was his custom, Gunnar rode to the Thing,

with his men Hallgerda sent for M

y and steal meat enough to load the two horses, and butter and cheese as well. But take heed, when

l lifted his head

hief, in spite of all

ly laughed and m

misdeeds?’ she asked. ‘Hie hence when I bid

er bidding; and none would have known of the thing had he not dropped his

was set by Hallgerda herself, and besides meat there were also great cheeses and jars of but

him and not to trouble himself further,’

is ill come by,’ and with that h

’ said Hallgerda, and s

aw something bright on the side of the path. He got off his horse to see what it was, and

these things befor

m likewise. Then they went toward Mord the son of Valgard and took counsel with him, how to charge Gunnar’s thrall with the theft and the burning;

exchange. ‘Take heed that you note carefully,’ said Mord, ‘because no man will keep in his house the things that he has st

nded, and in fourteen days the women

st?’ asked Mord, and

unnar; she gave us a chee

that cheese

fetch the cheese-mould of Thorgerda his wife. And when it was brought,

tolen the cheese, and, now that Mord had fou

ached the ears of Kolskegg, who rode over to

as Hallgerda who caused the fire at Kirkby, that

t must be so, but how can I s

ll, and it is better there shoul

, beside Thrain and Lambi his friends, and they all fared to Kirkby. There, Otkell came

e thrall you sold me, for it was they who caused the fire and stole the cheeses

’ put in Skamkell, ‘for you are a man o

of twice the value of all that Otkell lost;’ but

im the right of making the a

: ‘I will fix the a

oth at this delay; but once more Otkell turne

the white and Geir the priest,

do not think that men will speak well of

t he rode hom

f a match for Gunnar in fight, when he has proved himself better than any man in the island? But go and see Gizur the white and Geir the priest at once, and s

e. In a little while, when they had gone a mile or two, Skamkell said: ‘You have much to look to at Kirkby, and no one but

r took the trouble to think for himself; ‘but see

help, master,’ answered Skamk

d found Hallbjorm in

ave returned on foot?’ asked he; and

o do, so I sent Skamkell in my stead,’ But Ha

wered at last. ‘And it is ill done when men’s lives are at s

ing,’ asked Otkell, who was always brave when there were none to sla

aughed as h

inging? But this you know well, that when the fight has

ll, he told truly to Gizur the w

asked Gizur, ‘they were generous a

answer bade Geir the priest be sent for, and next morning, as soon as

it again, for I mis

his tale the second time as he had done the first, and t

I know the wickedness of your deeds, and i

ore talking Skamkell

should have a peaceful ending. They will that Gunnar shall be summoned as

ore the opening of the Althing he rode with his br

very wroth, and after Otkell had read the summons,

before the Thing was over he should b

ummoned Gunnar to the Thing. Otkell listened in amaze and then answered that he had do

And his award was this: that atonement in full should be made for the burnt storehouses and for the stolen food. ‘But for the thrall,’ said Gunnar, ‘I will give nothing, for you knew what he was when you sold him to me. Therefore I will restore him to you. On the other hand, the ill-words wh

sked that Gunnar might forgive the wrongs Otkell had done him, and h

tting mates. But one piece of counsel I will give him, and that is to take shel

elling. He gathered in his harvest and tended his cattle, ploughed his

do this, Otkell galloped past, on a wild horse that carried him faster than he would, and he did not see Gunnar. As ill-chance woul

ride over me,’ he said, and, as w

stone at another man

GUNNAR IN

nger was greater at the Thing, when you judged t

ve something to say to you,’ said G

eginning to think of other work, when o

his way, and Skamkell was with them. He ever speaks ill of you, and

t for the warning you have given me you shall hencef

shield, and buckled on his sword, and then he took his bill, and as his hand touched it it sang loudly. Rannvei

rath,’ said she. But Gunnar answere

-room, where many men were talkin

t the bill sang louder

t, he saddled his horse

he knew Otkell’s men must pass. There he tied up his horse, and awaited them on foot. When

ve no quarrel with brave men li

nnar’s back with his axe, but Gunnar turned round, and, with his bill caught the axe from beneath, so that it fell out of Skamkell’s hands. A s

nar said: ‘I wonder if I am less base than othe

never to break the peace which was made between him and his foes, and never

eath you yourself

ow it,’ an

it?’ asked Gu

guess,’ replied Njal,

ur the white and Geir the priest gave pledges that they would keep the peace. But there were other men who thought they

n one man of the same race were noised abroad, and his enemies made a plan by which Gunna

on the ground with a spear. Othe

ew Thorgeir,

he isles to see what his thralls were doing, and his foes hear

or Kolskegg his brother was at his side, and carried the short sword which

ch Gunnar bore in his hand sweated with blood, and Kolskeg

ful meaning,’ said h

” in other lands. So beware. Let us not be taken unawares;’ and they looked well about

eir, Otkell’s son, forced his way to the front and swung his sword at Gunnar. The blow would have been deadly h

her men turned

hese men,’ said Gunnar as they drew near Lithend, and

l should come o

did co

nnar told him of the fight by

he same race. So take heed, if you break the award, your life

ar, for manslaughter of Thorgeir, Otkell’s son, and demanded that his goods shou

alking, but at last the awa

his w

o depart from Iceland and not return for three winters. But if Gunnar shoul

the award, but he did

that summer, and he settled that he would go on board the ship

in foreign lands, and then Gunnar bade farewell to Njal and hi

em that, since his own country had outlawed him, he would never return to it. Then

ount at once, but stood and looked round him for a while. Suddenly he turned and said to Kolskegg: ‘Never has my

red Kolskegg. ‘For if you should break your at

eated Gunnar, ‘and I would

ll my mother and my kindred that I bid them farewell for ever, for y

n Gunnar came under the doorway, but Rann

d met, Gizur the white proclaimed Gunnar an outlaw for having broken his atonement. Then he called together all his foes, and they

shed speaking, ‘and if ill befall me, take heed, I pray you, of my son and Hogni.

rned him that unless he came with them and put to death the hound Sam which had guarded Gunnar ever since Olaf the Peacock had bestowed him as a gift, his own life should be forfeit. Thorkell the farmer was sore at heart when he heard what was required of him, but he took his axe and went with the rest. It was eas

ooking up at the man carrying

FIGHT & HALL

thee, Sam, my fosterling. Well, I will follow thee soon;’ and, taking his bill in his hand, he went up into the roof of the hall, where amo

unic slipping by the window, and he thrust swiftly out his

wered: ‘Go and see for yourselves; but if Gunnar is not at home, his b

ows followed them. Three times they came on, and three times they fell back, and Gunnar’s heart beat high,

ghing loud in his glee; ‘I will send it to kill its master.’ But

w into the midst of the men gathered beneath him, and knew not that it had

ar wears,’ said he, ‘and if they had not shot away their own arrows they wou

Mord, but Gizur answered him hotly, a

else he could do. Lying near were some ropes, and as soon as he saw them he cried out, ‘If we can twist one end of

ll down they beheld Gunnar standing on

m, and then Thorbrand crept up on one side and cut Gunnar’s bowstring with his axe. But befor

: ‘Let you and my mother cut off two locks of hair from your heads, an

Hallgerda made answer: ‘Do you remember that time when you str

ar made for his life and the numbers that he sl

ny hearts will be sore because of his slaying. But, t

br type