Автор литература - Njal's Saga

That Thing was still and quiet.

Now we must take up the story, and say that Hallgerda comes to

talk with Malcolm the thrall.

“I have thought of an errand to send thee on,” she says; “thou

shalt go to Kirkby.”

“And what shall I do there?” he says.

“Thou shalt steal from thence food enough to load two horses, and

mind and have butter and cheese; but thou shalt lay fire in the

storehouse, and all will think that it has arisen out of

heedlessness, but no one will think that there has been theft.”

“Bad have I been,” said the thrall, “but never have I been a

thief.”

“Hear a wonder!” says Hallgerda, “thou makest thyself good, thou

that hast been both thief and murderer; but thou shalt not dare

to do aught else than go, else will I let thee be slain.”

He thought he knew enough of her to be sure that she would so do

if he went not; so he took at night two horses and laid

packsaddles on them, and went his way to Kirkby. The house-dog

knew him and did not bark at him, and ran and fawned on him.

After that he went to the storehouse and loaded the two horses

with food out of it, but the storehouse he burnt, and the dog he

slew.

He went up along by Rangriver, and his shoethong snapped; so he

takes his knife and makes the shoe right, but he leaves the knife

and belt lying there behind him.

He fares till he comes to Lithend; then he misses the knife, but

dares not to go back.

Now he brings Hallgerda the food, and she showed herself well

pleased at it.

Next morning when men came out of doors at Kirkby there they saw

great scathe. Then a man was sent to the Thing to tell Otkell;

he bore the loss well, and said it must have happened because the

kitchen was next to the storehouse; and all thought that that was

how it happened.

Now men ride home from the Thing, and many rode to Lithend.

Hallgerda set food on the board, and in came cheese and butter.

Gunnar knew that such food was not to be looked for in his house,

and asked Hallgerda whence it came?

“Thence,” she says; “whence thou mightest well eat of it;

besides, it is no man’s business to trouble himself with

housekeeping.”

Gunner got wroth and said, “Ill indeed is it if I am a partaker

with thieves;” and with that he gave her a slap on the cheek.

She said she would bear that slap in mind and repay it if she

could.

So she went off and he went with her, and then all that was

on the board was cleared away, but flesh-meat was brought in

instead, and all thought that was because the flesh was thought

to have been got in a better way.

Now the men who had been at the Thing fare away.

ENDNOTES:

(1) That is, from the sea-side or shore, the long narrow strip

of habitable land between the mountains and the sea in the

southeast of Iceland.

49. OF SKAMKELL’S EVIL COUNSEL

Now we must tell of Skamkell. He rides after some sheep up along

Rangriver, and he sees something shining in the path. He finds a

knife and belt, and thinks he knows both of them. He fares with

them to Kirkby; Otkell was out of doors when Skamkell came. He

spoke to him and said, “Knowest thou aught of these pretty

things?”

“Of a surety,” says Otkell, “I know them.”

“Who owns them?” asks Skamkell.

“Malcolm the thrall,” says Otkell.

“Then more shall see and know them than we two,” says Skamkell,

“for true will I be to thee in counsel.”

They showed them to many men, and all knew them. Then Skamkell

said, “What counsel wilt thou now take?”

“We shall go and see Mord Valgard’s son,” answers Otkell, “and

seek counsel of him.”

So they went to Hof, and showed the pretty things to Mord, and

asked him if he knew them?

He said he knew them well enough, but what was there in that?

“Do you think you have a right to look for anything at Lithend?”

“We think it hard for us,” says Skamkell, “to know what to do,

when such mighty men have a hand in it.”

“That is so, sure enough,” says Mord, “but yet I will get to know

those things, out of Gunnar’s household, which none of you will

every know.”

“We would give thee money,” they say, “if thou wouldst search out

this thing.”

“That money I shall buy full dear,” answered Mord, “but still,

perhaps, it may be that I will look at the matter.”

They gave him three marks of silver for lending them his help.

Then he gave them this counsel, that women should go about from

house to house with small ware, and give them to the housewives,

and mark what was given them in return.

“For,” he says, “‘tis the turn of mind of all men first to give

away what has been stolen, if they have it in their keeping, and

so it will be here also, if this hath-happened by the hand of

man. Ye shall then come and show me what has been given to each

in each house, and I shall then be free from farther share in

this matter, if the truth comes to light.”

To this they agreed, and went home afterwards.

Mord sends women about the country, and they were away half a

month. Then they came back, and had big bundles. Mord asked

where they had most given them?

They said that at Lithend most was given them, and Hallgerda had

been most bountiful to them.

He asked what was given them there.

“Cheese,” say they.

He begged to see it, and they showed it to him, and it was in

great slices. These he took and kept.

A little after, Mord fared to see Otkell, and bade that he would

bring Thorgerda’s cheese-mould; and when that was done, he laid

the slices down in it, and lo! they fitted the mould in every

way.

Then they saw, too, that a whole cheese had been given to them.

Then Mord said, “Now may ye see that Hallgerda must have stolen

the cheese;” and they all passed the same judgment; and then Mord

said, that now he thought he was free of this matter.

After that they parted.

Shortly after Kolskegg fell to talking with Gunnar and said, “III

is it to tell, but the story is in every man’s mouth, that

Hallgerda must have stolen, and that she was at the bottom of all

that great scathe that befell at Kirkby.”

Gunner said that he too thought that must be so. “But what is to

be done now?”

Kolskegg answered, “Thou wilt think it thy most bounden duty to

make atonement for thy wife’s wrong, and methinks it were best

that tbou farest to see Otkell, and makest him a handsome offer.”

“This is well spoken,” says Gunnar, “and so it shall be.”

A little after Gunnar sent after Thrain Sigfus’ son and Lambi

Sigurd’s son, and they came at once.

Gunnar told them whither he meant to go, and they were well

pleased. Gunnar rode with eleven men to Kirkby, and called

Otkell out. Skamkell was there too, and said, “I will go out

with thee, and it will be best now to have the balance of wit on

thy side. And I would wish to stand closest by thee when thou

needest it most, and now this will be put to the proof. Methinks

it were best that thou puttest on an air of great weight.”

Then they, Otkell and Skamkell, and Hallkell, and Hallbjorn, went

out all of them.

They greeted Gunnar, and he took their greeting well. Otkell

asks whither he meant to go?

“No farther than here,” says Gunnar, “and my errand hither is to

tell thee about that bad mishap, how it arose from the plotting