Автор литература - Njal's Saga

grow less in Thiostolf’s eyes to kill Atli if he were alive.”

“Thou shalt have no need to goad me on much more,” he says, and

then he seized his weapons, and takes his horse and mounts, and

rides to Thorolfsfell. There he saw a great reek of coalsmoke

east of the homestead, so he rides thither, and gets off his

horse and ties him up, but he goes where the smoke was thickest.

Then he sees where the charcoal pit is, and a man stands by it.

He saw that he had thrust his spear in the ground by him.

Brynjolf goes along with the smoke right up to him, but he was

eager at his work, and saw him not. Brynjolf gave him a stroke

on the head with his axe, and he turned so quick round that

Brynjolf loosed his hold of the axe, and Atli grasped the spear,

and hurled it after him. Then Brynjolf cast himself down on the

ground, but the spear flew away over him.

“Lucky for thee that I was not ready for thee,” says Atli, “but

now Hallgerda will be well pleased, for thou wilt tell her of my

death; but it is a comfort to know that thou wilt have the same

fate soon; but come now take thy axe which has been here.”

He answered him never a word, nor did he take the axe before he

was dead. Then he rode up to the house on Thorolfsfell, and told

of the slaying, and after that rode home and told Hallgerda. She

sent men to Bergthorsknoll, and let them tell Bergthora that now

Kol’s slaying was paid for.

After that Hallgerda sent a man to the Thing to tell Gunnar of

Atli’s killing.

Gunnar stood up, and Kolskegg with him, and Kolskegg said,

“Unthrifty will Hallgerda’s kinsmen be to thee.”

Then they go to see Njal, and Gunnar said, “I have to tell thee

of Atli’s killing.” He told him also who slew him, and went on,

“And now I will bid thee atonement for the deed, and thou shalt

make the award thyself.”

Njal said, “We two have always meant never to come to strife

about anything; but still I cannot make him out a thrall.”

Gunnar said that was all right, and stretched out his hand.

Njal named his witnesses, and they made peace on those terms.

Skarphedinn said, “Hallgerda does not let our housecarles die

of old age.”

Gunnar said, “Thy mother will take care that blow goes for blow

between the houses.”

“Ay, ay,” says Njal, “there will be enough of that work.”

After that Njal fixed the price at a hundred in silver, but

Gunnar paid it down at once. Many who stood by said that the

award was high; Gunnar got wroth, and said that a full atonement

was often paid for those who were no brisker men than Atli.

With that they rode home from the Thing.

Bergthora said to Njal when she saw the money, “Thou thinkest

thou hast fulfilled thy promise, but now my promise is still

behind.”

“There is no need that thou shouldst fulfil it,” says Njal.

“Nay,” says she, “thou hast guessed it would be so; and so it

shall be.”

Hallgerda said to Gunnar, “Hast thou paid a hundred in silver for

Atli’s slaying, and made him a free man?”

“He was free before,” says Gunnar, “and besides, I will not make

Njal’s household outlaws who have forfeited their rights.”

“There’s not a pin to choose between you,” she said, “for both of

you are so blate?”

“That’s as things prove,” says he.

Then Gunnar was for a long time very short with her, till she

gave way to him; and now all was still for the rest of that year;

in the spring Njal did not increase his household, and now men

ride to the Thing about summer.

39. THE SLAYING OF BRYNJOLF THE UNRULY

There was a man named Thord, he was surnamed Freedmanson.

Sigtrygg was his father’s name, and he had been the freedman of

Asgerd, and he was drowned in Markfleet. That was why Thord was

with Njal afterwards. He was a tall man and a strong, and he had

fostered all Njal’s sons. He had set his heart on Gudfinna

Thorolf’s daughter, Njal’s kinswoman; she was housekeeper at home

there, and was then with child.

Now Bergthora came to talk with Thord Freedmanson; she said,

“Thou shalt go to kill Brynjolf, Hallgerda’s kinsman.”

“I am no manslayer,” he says, “but still I will do whatever thou

wilt.”

“This is my will,” she says.

After that he went up to Lithend, and made them call Hallgerda

out, and asked where Brynjolf might be.

“What’s thy will with him,” she says.

“I want him to tell me where he has hidden Atli’s body; I have

heard say that he has buried it badly.”

She pointed to him and said he was down yonder in Acretongue.

“Take heed,” says Thord, “that the same thing does not befall him

as befell Atli.”

“Thou art no manslayer,” she says, “and so naught will come of

it even if ye two do meet.”

“Never have I seen man’s blood, nor do I know how I should feel

if I did,” he says, and gallops out of the “town” and down to

Acretongue.

Rannveig, Gunnar’s mother, had heard their talk.

“Thou goadest his mind much, Hallgerda,” she says, “but I think

him a dauntless man, and that thy kinsman will find.”

They met on the beaten way, Thord and Brynjolf; and Thord said,

“Guard thee, Brynjolf, for I will do no dastard’s deed by thee.”

Brynjolf rode at Thord, and smote at him with his axe. He smote

at him at the same time with his axe, and hewed in sunder the

haft just above Brynjolf’s hands, and then hewed at him at once a

second time, and struck him on the collarbone, and the blow went

straight into his trunk. Then he fell from horseback, and was

dead on the spot.

Thord met Hallgerda’s herdsman, and gave out the slaying as done

by his hand, and said where he lay, and bade him tell Hallgerda

of the slaying. After that he rode home to Bergthorsknoll, and

told Bergthora of the slaying, and other people too.

“Good luck go with thy hands,” she said.

The herdsman told Hallgerda of the slaying; she was snappish at

it, and said much ill would come of it, if she might have her

way.

40. GUNNAR AND NJAL MAKE PEACE ABOUT BRYNJOLF’S SLAYING

Now these tidings come to the Thing, and Njal made them tell him

the tale thrice, and then he said, “More men now become manslayers than I weened.”

Skarphedinn spoke, “That man, though, must have been twice fey,”

he says, “who lost his life by our foster-father’s hand, who has

never seen man’s blood. And many would think that we brothers

would sooner have done this deed with the turn of temper that we

have.”

“Scant space wilt thou have,” says Njal, “ere the like befalls

thee; but need will drive thee to it.”

Then they went to meet Gunnar, and told him of the slaying.

Gunnar spoke and said that was little manscathe, “but yet he was

a free man.”

Njal offered to make peace at once, and Gunnar said yes, and he

was to settle the terms himself. He made his award there and

then, and laid it at one hundred in silver. Njal paid down the

money on the spot, and they were at peace after that.

41. SIGMUND COMES OUT TO ICELAND

There was a man whose name was Sigmund. He was the son of Lambi,

the son of Sighvat the Red. He was a great voyager, and a comely

and a courteous man; tall too, and strong. He was a man of proud

spirit, and a good skald, and well trained in most feats of

strength. He was noisy and boisterous, and given to jibes and