Njal's Saga (18 page)

Soon after this Gunnar sent for Thrain Sigfusson and Lambi Sigurdarson, and they came at once. Gunnar told them where he was planning to go. They were pleased with that. They rode off to Kirkjubaer, twelve in all, and called to Otkel to come out.

Skammkel was there with Otkel and said, ‘I'll go out with you – it's better to have our brains along. I want to be at your side when you most need help, as you will now. I think the best plan is for you to act with authority.'

They went out then, Otkel and Skammkel and Hallkel and Hallbjorn. They greeted Gunnar; he responded politely. Otkel asked where he was heading.

‘No farther than here,' said Gunnar, ‘and my purpose is to say, with regard to the great and terrible damage which took place here, that it was the work of my wife and the slave I bought from you.'

‘This was to be expected,' said Hallbjorn.

Gunnar said, ‘I want to make you a good offer, and I propose that the best men in this district decide on the amount.'

Skammkel said, ‘The offer sounds good, but it's unfair: you have many friends among the farmers here, and Otkel does not have many friends.'

‘Then I will offer,' said Gunnar, ‘to fix the amount myself and announce it right away, and in addition promise you my friendship and pay it all at once: I will pay you double the amount of your loss.'

Skammkel said, ‘Don't accept this. It would be naïve to grant him self-judgement when you should be the one to judge.'

Otkel said, ‘I will not grant you self-judgement, Gunnar.'

Gunnar spoke: ‘I sense here the advice of others, who will have their reward some day. But make the judgement yourself.'

Otkel leaned towards Skammkel and said, ‘What shall I say now?'

Skammkel said, ‘Say that this is a good offer and refer the matter to Gizur the White and Geir the Godi. Many people will then say that you are like your grandfather Hallkel, who was a great hero.'
²

Otkel said, ‘This is a good offer, Gunnar, but I want you to give me time to see Gizur the White and Geir the Godi.'

Gunnar said, ‘Do as you wish. But some men will say that you cannot see where your honour lies if you turn down the choices I have offered.'

Gunnar then rode home.

When he was gone, Hallbjorn spoke: ‘Here I see how different men can be: Gunnar made you good offers, and you were not willing to take any of them. What do you think you will gain by carrying on a quarrel with Gunnar, when no one is his equal? But still, he has such integrity that the offers will stand even if you accept them later. I think your best plan is to go and see Gizur the White and Geir the Godi at once.'

Otkel had his horse brought and made everything ready. He was not keen-sighted. Skammkel walked some of the way with Otkel. He said to him, ‘I find it strange that your brother didn't want to do this for you. I'll offer to go in your place, because I know that you find it hard to travel.'

‘I accept your offer,' said Otkel, ‘but you must tell things exactly as they are.'

‘I'll do that,' said Skammkel.

Then he took Otkel's horse and travelling-cloak, and Otkel went back home.

Hallbjorn was outside and spoke to Otkel: ‘It's bad to have a scoundrel for a best friend, and we will always be sorry that you turned back – it's not a clever move to send the worst of liars on an errand on which, it may be said, men's lives depend.'

‘You'd be terrified if Gunnar raised his halberd,' said Otkel, ‘since you're this way now.'

‘I don't know who would be most terrified then,' said Hallbjorn, ‘but some day you will say that Gunnar is not slow to aim his halberd, once he is angry.'

Otkel said, ‘All of you are running scared, except Skammkel.'

Both of them were angry.

Skammkel came to Mosfell and reported all the offers to Gizur. ‘It seems to me,' said Gizur, ‘that these are very good offers. Why didn't Otkel accept them?'

‘His main reason,' said Skammkel, ‘was that everybody wanted you to have the honour, and so he waits for your decision – that will be best for all'

Skammkel stayed there overnight. Gizur sent a man to Geir the Godi, and he came down from Hlid early the next morning. Gizur told him the story – ‘and now what do you think should be done?'

‘Just what you must have already decided,' said Geir, ‘to settle things in the way that is best for all.
¹
Let's have Skammkel tell the story once more and see how he reports it this time.'

They did this.

Gizur said, ‘You seem to have told the story correctly, and yet I can see you are a most wicked man. Looks are no mark of character if you turn out well'

Skammkel went back, and rode first to Kirkjubaer and called Otkel outside. Otkel welcomed him warmly. Skammkel gave him greetings from Gizur and Geir – ‘There is no need to talk quietly about this case: it is the will of both Geir the Godi and Gizur that you make no settlement in this matter. The advice they gave is to go and serve a summons on Gunnar for receiving stolen goods, and on Hallgerd for theft.'

Otkel said, ‘Then we'll do exactly as they advise.'

‘They thought it especially good,' said Skammkel, ‘that you acted with such authority, and I made you out to be a great man in every way'

Otkel told his brothers about this. Hallbjorn said, ‘This must be a huge lie.'

Time passed until the final Summons Days for the Althing.
²
Otkel called on his brothers and Skammkel to ride along to Hlidarendi to make the summons. Hallbjorn agreed to go along, but said that as time went on they would regret this trip.

They rode, twelve in all, to Hlidarendi. When they rode into the
hayfield Gunnar was outside, but he did not notice them until they had come all the way up to the house. He did not go inside. Otkel thundered out the summons at once.

When the summons had been served, Skammkel said, ‘Was that done correctly, farmer?'

‘You know the answer to that,' said Gunnar. ‘But one day, Skammkel, I will remind you of this visit and the advice you've been giving.'

‘That won't harm us,' said Skammkel, ‘as long as your halberd isn't in the air.'

Gunnar was very angry and went inside and told Kolskegg. Kol-skegg said, ‘It's too bad we weren't all outside – their visit would have ended in full disgrace if we had been.'

‘Everything in due course,' said Gunnar. ‘This visit will not bring them any honour.'

Shortly after this Gunnar went to Njal and told him. Njal said, ‘Don't let this trouble you, for it will bring you much honour before the Thing is over. All of us will be there to support you with advice and force.'

Gunnar thanked him and rode home.

Otkel rode to the Thing together with his brothers and Skammkel.

Gunnar and all the Sigfussons rode to the Thing, as well as Njal and his sons. They all went along with Gunnar, and people were saying that no other group there was as vigorous as theirs.

One day Gunnar went to the booth of the men from Dalir. Hrut and Hoskuld were outside, and they gave Gunnar a warm greeting. Gunnar told them the whole story behind the lawsuit.

‘What advice does Njal give?' said Hrut.

Gunnar answered, ‘He asked me to come to you and say that he would be of one mind with you in this matter.'

‘That must mean,' said Hrut, ‘that he wants me, as your relative by marriage, to come up with a plan, and I'll do that. You must challenge
Gizur the White to a duel if they don't grant you self-judgement, and Kolskegg must challenge Geir the Godi. Men will be found to attack Otkel and his gang, and we already have a band of men so large that you'll be able to do as you wish.' Gunnar went back to his booth and reported this to Njal.

Ulf Aur-Godi found out about these plans and told them to Gizur. Gizur then said to Otkel, ‘Who gave you the idea of summoning Gunnar?'

‘Skammkel told me that this was what you and Geir the Godi advised,' said Otkel.

‘Where is that foul creature who told this lie?' said Gizur.

‘He is lying sick in his booth,' said Otkel.

‘May he never get up again,' said Gizur. ‘And now we must all go to Gunnar and offer him self-judgement, though I don't know whether he'll be willing to accept it now.'

Many people spoke ill of Skammkel, and he lay sick for the rest of the Thing.

Gizur and his companions went to Gunnar's booth. Their coming was noticed and reported to Gunnar inside. He and his men came out and positioned themselves.

Gizur the White was out in front. He spoke: ‘Our offer, Gunnar, is that you judge this case yourself.'

‘It was not by your advice then that I was summoned,' said Gunnar.

‘I didn't advise that,' said Gizur, ‘and neither did Geir.'

‘Then you will be willing to offer convincing proof of that,' said Gunnar.

‘What do you require?' said Gizur.

‘That you swear an oath,' said Gunnar.

‘I'm willing to do that,' said Gizur, ‘if you accept self-judgement.'

‘I made that offer some time ago,' said Gunnar, ‘but it seems to me there's more to judge now.'
¹

Njal spoke: ‘The self-judgement is not to be turned down – the more at stake, the more honour to be earned.'

Gunnar said, ‘I will do as my friends wish and judge the case. But I advise Otkel not to provoke me any more.'

Hoskuld and Hrut were sent for, and they came. Gizur swore an oath, and also Geir the Godi, and then Gunnar decided the award and consulted no one about it, and then he announced his terms.

‘My terms are,' he said, ‘that I should pay the value of the storage shed and the food that was in it. For the slave Melkolf 's doings I will pay nothing, because you hid his faults from me, and I return him to you, since ears belong best in the place where they grew. I also find that you summoned me with intent to disgrace, and for that I award myself nothing less than the value of the shed and the contents that were burned. If you now think it better for us to be without a settlement, I still offer you that choice, but in that case I have one more plan, and it will be carried out.'

Gizur said, ‘We are willing to have you pay nothing, but we ask that you be Otkel's friend.'

‘That shall never be, as long as I live,' said Gunnar, ‘but he can have Skammkel's friendship – it's what he's been leaning on for a long time.'

Gizur answered, ‘We still want to settle the matter, even though you make all the terms yourself.'

All the terms of the settlement were then agreed on with handshakes.

Gunnar said to Otkel, ‘It would be best for you to go and live with your kinsmen, but if you remain in this district, don't ever provoke me.'

Gizur said, ‘That's sound advice, and he'll follow it.'

Gunnar had much honour from this case. People then rode home from the Thing. Gunnar stayed at home, and for a while everything was quiet.

There was a man named Runolf, the son of Ulf Aur-Godi.
¹
He lived at Dal, to the east of the Markarfljot. He stayed with Otkel on his way back from the Althing. Otkel gave him a black ox, nine years old. Runolf thanked him for the gift and invited him to his home, whenever he wished, but Otkel did not take him up on the invitation for some time. Runolf often sent men to him to remind him to come, and Otkel always promised to make the journey.

Otkel had two dun-coloured horses with a black stripe down the back. They were the best riding-horses in the district, and so fond of each other that they always ran together.

A Norwegian named Audolf was staying with Otkel. He was in love with Otkel's daughter Signy. Audolf was a big and strong man.

In the spring Otkel announced that they would ride east to make the visit to Dal, and everyone expressed pleasure at that. Skammkel went along with Otkel, as did Otkel's two brothers, Audolf, and three other men. Otkel rode one of the dun-coloured horses, and the other ran loose at his side. They headed east towards the Markarfljot river, and Otkel galloped in front. Then the two horses got excited and ran away from the road, up towards Fljotshlid. Otkel was going faster than he wanted to.

Gunnar had walked away from his house all alone, with a basket of seed in one hand and his hand-axe in the other. He went to his field to sow grain and put his finely-woven cloak and the axe on the ground and sowed for a while.

To return to Otkel, who was going faster than he wanted to: he had spurs on his feet and came galloping up over the field, and neither he nor Gunnar saw each other. Just as Gunnar stood up straight, Otkel rode at him and his spur struck against Gunnar's ear and made a big gash, and blood flowed at once. Otkel's companions came riding up just then.

‘You can all see,' said Gunnar, ‘that you, Otkel, have made me shed blood, and this is indecent behaviour: first you summoned me, and now you knock me down and ride over me.'

Skammkel spoke: ‘You're taking this well, but you were not at all calmer at the Althing when you were holding your halberd.'

Gunnar spoke: ‘The next time we meet you'll see the halberd.'

At this they parted.

Skammkel shouted out, ‘Brave riding, fellows!'

Gunnar went home and talked of this to no one, and nobody thought that the wound was a man's doing. One day, however, he told his brother Kolskegg.

Kolskegg said, ‘You must report this to more people, so that it cannot be said that you bring charges against the dead
¹
– the matter will be disputed if no witnesses know what happened between you and Otkel.'

Gunnar told his neighbours, and not much was said about it at first.

Otkel arrived at Dal over in the east, and they had a good welcome there and stayed for a week. Otkel told Runolf all about what happened between him and Gunnar. One of the men present asked how Gunnar had reacted.