they have attained that uncommon state of felicity, in which there is no craving left to form a single wish. The rest of what I have been able to collect is too much involved in fable, of a colour with the accounts of the Hellusians and the Oxionians, of whom we are told, that they have the human face, with the limbs and bodies of wild beasts. But reports of this kind, unsupported by proof, I shall leave to the pen of others. CHAPTER VI NJALS SAGA 1 [Principal Characters (in the order of their appearance) KOLSKEGG, brother of Gunnar. THORGEIR, son of Otkell. 1 [This version of Njals Saga is by Sir GEORGE WEBBE DASENT (b. 1817, d. 1896) and was first published in 1861 (Edinburgh, Edmonston & Douglas, 2 vols.). The Saga of Njal is one of the Icelandic Sagas. The time of the supposed events is toward the end of the 1100 s. But the chronicle was not written down till about a century later. The name of the scribe is unknown. The passages here reprinted begin at p. 1, and continue with omissions to nearly the end of the Saga.] SKAMKELL, a friend of Otkell. THORSTEIN, EGIL, HALLBJORN, the White, brother of Otkell. sons of Hall. HILDIGUNNA, wife of Hauskuld, MALCOLM, a thrall bought by SNORRI, the Priest. Gunnar from Otkell. RUNOLF, Son of Wolf Aurpriest. LJOT, Son of Hall. GLUM, son of Hilldir the Old. lawyer. THORLEIF CROW, THORGEIR CRAGGEIR, brothers. THORGRIM, the Big, KOL, son of Thorstein Broadpaunch. EYJOLF, a lawyer. BJARNI, Son of Broddhelgi. 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. 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. 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 mayst 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 Kam ness 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 |