As they rode along the Mark fleet, his horse stumbled, and Gunnar fell to the ground. When he got up he did not mount at once, but stood and looked round him for a while. Suddenly he turned and said to Kolskegg: Never has my home seemed to me so fair as now when the corn is ripe and ready for cutting. Come what may, I will not leave it.
Do not let your foes triumph over you, answered Kolskegg. For if you should break your atonement, any man may deal with you as he will.
I will go no whither, repeated Gunnar, and I would that you would stay with me.
I cannot do this thing, answered Kolskegg; but if you go back, tell my mother and my kindred that I bid them farewell for ever, for you will soon be dead, and I shall have naught to bind me to Iceland.
Hallgerdas heart was filled with joy when Gunnar came under the doorway, but Rannveig said nothing, for her heart was sad.
All that winter Gunnar sat fast at Lithend and would not be prevailed on to leave it, and when the winter had gone and the Thing had met, Gizur the white proclaimed Gunnar an outlaw for having broken his atonement. Then he called together all his foes, and they planned together how that they should ride to Lithend and slay him. But Njal heard what they had been saying, and he warned Gunnar.
You have always dealt truly and kindly with me, said Gunnar, when Njal had finished speaking, and if ill befall me, take heed, I pray you, of my son and Hogni. As for Grani, he has an evil nature, and there is no turning him from bad deeds.
It was in the autumn that Mord, the son of Valgard, sent word to Gunnars foes that the time had come to make the attack upon Lithend, as all his men had gone to the haymaking on the isles of the sea. So they set forth secretly, but stopped first at the farm nearest to Lithend, where they seized the farmer, and warned 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 easy to entice Sam the hound into a hollow dell; but when he saw the crowd of men behind Thorkell he knew that evil was afoot, and sprang on Thorkell and tore open his throat. Then Aumond of Witchwood smote him on the head with his axe, and Sam gave a howl which was not the utterance of any mortal dog, and rolled over.
Gunnar, who was sleeping in the narrow space above his great wooden hall, heard the awful sound, and said to himself: So they have killed 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 among the beams were little slits for windows. In the winter there were shutters fastened over these little slits, but now they were left open.
From the beam on which he was crouching Gunnar saw a red tunic slipping by the window, and he thrust swiftly out his bill. In a moment a mans body fell upon the ground below.
Well, is Gunnar at home? said Gizur, and Thorgrim the Easterling answered: Go and see for yourselves; but if Gunnar is not at home, his bill is, and those were his last words, for the thrust had been mortal.
It hardly seemed possible that one man could keep such a force at bay, but wherever they went Gunnars arrows followed them. Three times they came on, and three times they fell back, and Gunnars heart beat high, for he thought that perchance their courage might fail, and that they would return whither they had come.
One of their own arrows sticks outside the window, he said, laughing loud in his glee; I will send it to kill its master. But his mother answered: It is ill to waken a sleeping dog, my son.
Her words were wise, but Gunnar would not listen to them. He shot the arrow into the midst of the men gathered beneath him, and knew not that it had dealt a death-blow, or that Gizur the white had been watching its course.
The arm that drew in that shaft had a ring on it a gold ring such as Gunnar wears, said he, and if they had not shot away their own arrows they would not be needing ours; and with that he urged them to make a fresh attack.
Let us set the house on fire, said Mord, but Gizur answered him hotly, and bade him find out some other plan.
Now Mord was a man of many thoughts, and great skill in planning, so he looked about him to see if there was aught 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 the ropes round the beams, and the other round this rock, we can twist them tight, and pull the roof off the hall.
And this was done; and when the roof fell down they beheld Gunnar standing on the beam, shooting arrows at his enemies.
At this Mord cried once more that the house should be burned, but the rest called shame on him, and then Thorbrand crept up on one side and cut Gunnars bowstring with his axe. But before he could reach the ground again Gunnar had seized his bill, and driven it through his body.
Then, without looking round, Gunnar said swiftly to Hallgerda his wife: Let you and my mother cut off two locks of hair from your heads, and twist them into my bowstring, so that I may shoot at them once more.
Does aught depend on it? she asked. My life, he said; and Hallgerda made answer: Do you remember that time when you struck me in the face? said she; well, now you shall die for it.
For many a day men sang of the fight which Gunnar made for his life and the numbers that he slew before he himself was struck down and slain.
We have laid low a great chief, said Gizur, and many hearts will be sore because of his slaying. But, though his body is dead, his name shall live for ever.
(Saga)NJALS BURNING
Now, Valgard the Cunning was dying. And he sent for his son Mord and bade him stir up strife between Njals sons and their brother Hauskuld the priest, for he ever hated Njal, and longed to be avenged on him. So Mord fared to Hauskuld, and told him tales of what his brothers had said of him, but Hauskuld bade him begone, for he would listen to none of his stories. Then Mord left Hauskuld the priest, and had ready a long tale, how that Hauskuld had meant to burn them while they sat at a feast in Whiteness, had not Hogni, Gunnars son, come by. And as this plan had failed, he set about gathering his men together to slay his brothers as they rode home, but neither Grani, son of Gunnar, nor Gunnar, son of Lambi, had the heart to do it.
At first, neither Njals sons, nor Kari, who had married their sister, would give ear to Mords false words, but in spite of themselves ill-feelings began to spring up in their breasts towards Hauskuld.
Thus things went on for many months, and whenever Mord met one of Njals sons, or Kari, who had married their sister, he had new stories to tell them, till at length their hearts grew hot, and they determined that they would slay Hauskuld, lest perchance he might first slay them.
Hauskuld was sowing his corn when his brothers, and with them Mord, Valgards son, came up to kill him. Skarphedinn, Njals son, was their leader, and had bidden the rest each to give Hauskuld a wound. But the first blow dealt by Skarphedinn brought him on his knees, and he died praying that they might be forgiven for the ill they had brought on him, guiltless.
When he was dead they went home and told Njal what they had done.
It had been well if two of you had died and Hauskuld had lived, said Njal after he had heard the tidings, for I know better than you what will be the end of this.
When he was dead they went home and told Njal what they had done.
It had been well if two of you had died and Hauskuld had lived, said Njal after he had heard the tidings, for I know better than you what will be the end of this.
And what will be the end? asked Skarphedinn.
My death, and yours, and your mothers, answered Njal.
Shall I die also? he asked; but Njal shook his head.
Good fortune will ever be with you! he answered, and turned away and wept.
Now all men knew that at the next Thing a suit would be brought for the slaying of Hauskuld, and Njal and his sons made ready to fare to it, and to hear the award which should be given. But first sundry of Njals friends came to see him and offered to stand by him, and to set up their tents beside his, and among them were Gizur the white and Asgrim. And at the Thing an award was made, but was made void by a quarrel between Flosi, the friend of Hauskuld the slain, and Skarphedinn, and Njal and his sons returned home, and Njals heart was heavy.
Are you riding back to your wife? asked he of Kari, his son-in-law; and Kari made answer, Whatever happens to you, happens to me! and they all stayed at Bergthorasknoll.
In the house dwelt an old, old woman, so old that she had nursed Bergthora, Njals wife, and she was wise and could see into the future. Njals sons laughed at her warnings, and took no heed to them, but for all that they knew well that it was often the truth she told them. One day Skarphedinn was standing outside the door, and the old woman came out with a stick in her hand, and she passed silently by him, and walked up the path to where a pile of dried shrubs lay above the house.
May a curse be upon you! she cried, shaking her stick over it; and Skarphedinn, who had followed after her, asked wherefore she was wroth with the pile.
Because with the fire lighted from this pile there will be a great burning, said she. And Njal and his sons will be burnt, and Bergthora, my foster-child. So carry it away and scatter it in the water, or else set fire to it before your enemies can get here!
What is the use of doing anything? answered Skarphedinn, for if it is written that we should be burned, our foes will find some other fuel, though I were to scatter this stack to the four winds; and he went away laughing.
All through the summer the old nurse was ever begging Njal to do away with the stack of vetch, but the harvest was plentiful in the pastures and the men never came home save to sleep.
We can bring in that vetch stack any time, they said.
The harvest was stored in the barns, and a good harvest it was. There had been none such since the day that Gunnar had fared from Lithend with Kolskegg, and had returned to his ruin. One day, when Grim and Helgi, Njals sons, had ridden away to Holar to see their children, who were at nurse there, they heard strange tidings from some poor woman, that the country side was stirring and that bands of men were gathering together, and were seen riding along the same road.
At this news Grim and Helgi looked at each other.
Let us go home to Bergthorasknoll, said they.
Now they had told their mother they would sleep that night at Holar, with their children, so she gave no thought to them; but in the evening, when the hour had come to prepare supper, Bergthora bade every man choose whatever dish he liked best, for, said she, this is the last food you will eat in this house!
Of a truth you must be ill to speak such words, cried they.
They are true words, she said again; and that you may know them to be true, I will give you a sign. Before the meat that is on the board to-night is eaten, Grim and Helgi will be in the house! and she held her peace and went out.
When the food was prepared, Bergthora called to them, and all sat down but Njal, who lingered in the doorway.
What hinders you eating with the rest? asked Bergthora; and Njal, as he answered, put his hand before his eyes.
A vision has come to me, he said slowly the wall is thrown down, and the board is wet with blood.
At this the mens faces grew pale, and a strange look came into their eyes, but Skarphedinn bade them be of good cheer, and to remember that, whatever might befall, all men would look to them to bear themselves bravely.
Then Grim and Helgi entered with their tidings, and every one had in his mind what Bergthora had said, and knew that ill was in store.
Let no man sleep to-night, said Njal, but take heed to his arms.
The band of Njals foes, headed by Flosi, had ridden to a valley behind the house, and had fastened their horses there. After that they walked slowly up the path, to the front of the house, where Njal and his sons, and Kari, his-son-in-law, and his thralls, thirty in all, stood up to meet them.
Then both sides halted and spoke together. Flosis counsel was to fall on them where they stood, though he knew that few would there be left to tell the tale to their children.
Njal, for his part, desired that his men might return inside the hall, for the house was strong; and if Gunnar alone could keep them at bay they will never prevail against us, he said.
Ah, but these chiefs are not of the kind that slew Gunnar, answered Skarphedinn, for they turned a deaf ear to Mords evil counsel to set fire to Lithend, so that Gunnar and his wife and mother should be burnt up in it. But this band care nothing for what is fair and honourable, so long as we leave our bones behind us.
Then Helgi spoke:
Let us do as our father wills. He knows best, and Skarphedinn said:
If he wishes us to enter the hall, and all to be burnt together, I am ready to do it. I care little what death I shall die, and if the time of my doom is come, it matters nothing that we try to escape. And so saying he turned to Kari, and bade him stand by his side.
They are all mad, cried Flosi, as he saw Njal and his sons and Kari, his son-in-law, take their place on the inside of the door. Surely none of them can escape us now; and the fight began with a spear which was thrown at Skarphedinn.
But victory was not so near as Flosi thought. Man after man fell back wounded or dead, yet Skarphedinn and his brethren remained without a wound.
We shall never put them to flight with our spears, said Flosi, and there are only two ways open. Either we give up our vengeance, and await the death that will surely befall us at their hands; or else we must set fire to the house, and burn them in it. And I know not what else we can do; yet that is a mean and cowardly deed, which will lie heavily on our souls.
So they gathered wood and made a great stack before the door, and Skarphedinn laughed, and asked if they were turning cooks.
It was Grani, the son of Gunnar, whose soul was black like his mother Hallgerdas, who answered him.
You will not wish better cooking when you are put on the spit; but he had better have left Skarphedinn alone, for the men around heard his reply, and looked curiously on Grani.
Your deeds become your mothers son, said Skarphedinn. It was I who avenged your father, therefore it is natural to one of your kind that you should wish to slay me, and he stepped back to pick up some fresh arrows.
In spite of Granis boastful words, the pile of wood was slow in catching, for the women threw whey and water upon it from the little windows in the roof, so that the flames were quenched as fast as they sprang up. The men grew angry and impatient, and at last Kol, Thorsteins son, said to Flosi:
It avails nought to kindle the fire here; but there is a pile of dry vetch at the back, just above the house, and we can light it, and put the burning wood on the beams under the roof.