The Story of Burnt Njal (Icelandic Saga). Anonymous

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.960.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.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 Sigfus' son, go abroad.990.Gunnar slain at Lithend.992.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.Gizur 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.1001.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.1111.Hauskald the Whiteness priest slain early in the spring; suit for his manslaughter at the Althing; Njal's Burning the autumn after.1112.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.1114.Brian's battle on Good Friday; Flosi goes to Rome.1115.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, id reconciled with Flosi, and marries Hildigunna Hauskuld's widow.

      CHAPTER I.

       OF FIDDLE MORD.

       Table of Contents

      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 little of each other.

      CHAPTER II.

       HRUT WOOS UNNA.

       Table of Contents

      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 alter 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