Njal\'s Saga
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The Story of Burnt Njal
Originally written in Icelandic, sometime in the 13th Century
A.D. Author unknown.
This electronic edition was produced, edited, and prepared by
Douglas B. Killings (DeTroyes@AOL.COM), July 1995. Document
scanning provided by David Reid and John Servilio.
THE STORY OF BURNT NJAL
1. 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.(1) 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 little of each other.
ENDNOTES:
(1) Thorgerda was daughter of Thorstein the Red who was Olaf the
White's son, Ingialld's son, Helgi's son. Ingialld's mother
was Thora, daughter of Sigurd Snake-i'-the-eye, who was
Ragnar Hairybreek's son. And the Deeply-wealthy was
Thorstein the Red's mother; she was daughter of Kettle
Flatnose, who was Bjorn Boun's son, Grim's son, Lord of Sogn
in Norway.
2. HRUT 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
Unna, 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 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
Bjorn Gullbera of Reykriverdale, 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 will seize thy heritage, unless 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.
3. 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 Gunnhillda, a daughter of Auzur Toti, and they had their
abode east, at the King's Crag. Now the news was spread, how a
ship had come thither east into the Bay, and as soon as
Gunnhillda heard of it, she asked what men from Iceland were
abroad, 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 Gunnhillda's high seat.
Then Augmund said to Hrut, "Now will be proved the truth of all
that I 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 hall."
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 all 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
again. Thus they spent their life all that halfmonth, 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 "farewell." 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.
4. 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 man, 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.
5. 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 Maelar by
Stock Sound, and so on towards Denmark, and now he lies out in
Oresound.(1) 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 a many ships in the Sound. Then Wolf said,
"What's best to be done now, Icelander?"
"Hold on our course," said 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.
He answered, "Then may be 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 aware of him; 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,
"Truth to say, Hrut, thou dealest big blows, but thou'st much to
thank Gunnhillda for."
"Something tells me," says Hrut, "that thou speakest with a `fey'
mouth."
Now Atli sees a bare place for a weapon on Wolf, and shot a spear
through him and now the battle grows hot: Atli leaps up on Hrut's
ship, and clears it fast round about, and now Auzur turns to meet
him, and thrust at him, but fell down full length on his back,
for another man thrust at him. Now Hrut turns to meet Atli: he
cut at once at Hrut's shield, and clove it all in two, from top
to point; just then Atli got a blow on his hand from a stone, and
down fell his sword. Hrut caught up the sword, and cut his foot
from under him. After that he dealt him his death-blow. There
they took much goods, and brought away with them two ships which
were best, and stayed there only a little while. But meantime
Soti and his crew had sailed past them, and he held on his course
back to Norway, and made the land at Limgard's side. There Soti
went on shore, and there he met Augmund, Gunnhillda's page; he
knew him at once, and asks, "How long meanest thou to be here?"
"Three nights," says Soti.
"Whither away, then?" says Augmund.
"West, to England," says Soti, "and never to come back again to
Norway while Gunnhillda's rule is in Norway."
Augmund went away, and goes and finds Gunnhillda, for she was a
little way off, at a feast, and Gudred, her son, with her.
Augmund told Gunnhillda what Soti meant to do, and she begged
Gudred to take his life. So Gudred set off at once, and came
unawares on Soti, and made them lead him up the country, and hang
him there. But the goods he took, and brought them to his
mother, and she got men to carry them all down to the King's
Crag, and after that she went thither herself.
Hrut came back towards autumn, and had gotten great store of
goods. He went at once to the king, and had a hearty welcome.
He begged them to take whatever they pleased of his goods, and
the king took a third. Gunnhillda told Hrut how she had got hold
of the inheritance, and had Soti slain. He thanked her, and gave
her half of all he had.
ENDNOTES:
(1) Oresound, the gut between Denmark and Sweden, at the
entrance of the Baltic, commonly called in English, the
Sound.
6. HRUT SAILS OUT TO ICELAND
Hrut stayed with the king that winter in good cheer, but when
spring came he grew very silent. Gunnhillda finds that out, and
said to him when they two were alone together, "Art thou sick at
heart?"
"So it is," said Hrut, "as the saying runs -- `Ill goes it with
those who are born on a barren land.'"
"Wilt thou to Iceland?" she asks.
"Yes," he answered.
"Hast thou a wife out there?" she asked; and he answers, "No."
"But I am sure that is true," she says; and so they ceased
talking about the matter.
Shortly after Hrut went before the king and bade him Good-day;
and the king said, "What dost thou want now, Hrut?"
"I am come to ask, lord, that you give me leave to go to
Iceland."
"Will thine honour be greater there than here?" asks the king.
"No, it will not," said Hrut; "but every one must win the work
that is set before him."
"It is pulling a rope against a strong man," said Gunnhillda, "so
give him leave to go as best suits him."
There was a bad harvest that year in the land, yet Gunnhillda
gave Hrut as much meal as he chose to have; and now he busks him
to sail out to Iceland, and Auzur with him; and when they were
"all-boun," Hrut went to find the king and Gunnhillda. She led
him aside to talk alone, and said to him, "Here is a gold ring
which I will give thee;" and with that she clasped it round his
wrist.
"Many good gifts have I had from thee," said Hrut.
Then she put her hands round his neck and kissed him, and said,
"If I have as much power over thee as I think, I lay this spell
on thee that thou mayst never have any pleasure in living with
that woman on whom thy heart is set in Iceland, but with other
women thou mayst get on well enough, and now it is like to go
well with neither of us; but thou hast not believed what I have
been saying."
Hrut laughed when he heard that, and went away; after that he
came before the king and thanked him; and the king spoke kindly
to him, and bade him "farewell." Hrut went straight to his ship,
and they had a fair wind all the way until they ran into
Borgarfirth.
As soon as the ship was made fast to the land, Hrut rode west
home, but Auzur stayed by the ship to unload her and lay her up.
Hrut rode straight to Hauskuldstede, and Hauskuld gave him a
hearty welcome, and Hrut told him all about his travels. After
that they send men east across the rivers to tell Fiddle Mord to
make ready for the bridal feast; but the two brothers rode to the
ship, and on the way Hauskuld told Hrut how his money-matters
stood, and his goods had gained much since he was away. Then
Hrut said, "The reward is less worth than it ought to be, but I
will give thee as much meal as thou needst for thy household next
winter."
Then they drew the ship on land on rollers, and made her snug in
her shed, but all the wares on board her they carried away into
the Dales westward. Hrut stayed at home at Hrutstede till winter
was six weeks off, and then the brothers made ready and Auzur
with them, to ride to Hrut's wedding. Sixty men ride with them,
and they rode east till they came to Rangriver plains. There
they found a crowd of guests, and the men took their seats on
benches down the length of the hall, but the women were seated on
the cross-benches on the dais, and the bride was rather downcast.
So they drank out the feast and it went off well. Mord pays down
his daughter's portion, and she rides west with her husband and
his train. So they ride till they reach home. Hrut gave over
everything into her hands inside the house, and all were pleased
at that; but for all that she and Hrut did not pull well together
as man and wife, and so things went on till spring, and when
spring came Hrut had a journey to make to the Westfirths, to get
in the money for which he had sold his wares; but before he set
off his wife says to him, "Dost thou mean to be back before men
ride to the Thing?"
"Why dost thou ask?" said Hrut.
"I will ride to the Thing," she said, "to meet my father."
"So it shall be," said he, "and I will ride to the Thing along
with thee."
"Well and good," she says.
After that Hrut rode from home west to the Firths, got in all his
money, and laid it out anew, and rode home again. When he came
home he busked him to ride to the Thing, and made all his
neighbours ride with him. His brother Hauskuld rode among the
rest. Then Hrut said to his wife, "If thou hast as much mind now
to go to the Thing as thou saidst a while ago, busk thyself and
ride along with me."
She was not slow in getting herself ready, and then they all
rode to the Thing. Unna went to her father's booth, and he gave
her a hearty welcome, but she seemed somewhat heavy-hearted, and
when he saw that he said to her, "I have seen thee with a merrier
face. Hast thou anything on thy mind?"
She began to weep, and answered nothing. Then he said to her
again. "Why didst thou ride to the Thing, if thou wilt not tell
me thy secret? Dost thou dislike living away there in the west?"
Then she answered him, "I would give all I own in the world that
I had never gone thither."
"Well!" said Mord, "I'll soon get to the bottom of this." Then
he sends men to fetch Hauskuld and Hrut, and they came
straightway; and when they came in to see Mord, he rose up to
meet them and gave them a hearty welcome, and asked them to sit
down. Then they talked a long time in a friendly way, and at
last Mord said to Hauskuld, "Why does my daughter think so ill of
life in the west yonder?"