91. THRAIN SIGFUS’ SON’S SLAYING
Now there was great talk about this quarrel of theirs, and all
seemed to know that it would not settle down peacefully.
Runolf, the son of Wolf Aurpriest, east in the Dale, was a great
friend of Thrain’s, and had asked Thrain to come and see him, and
it was settled that he should come east when about three weeks or
a month were wanting to winter.
Thrain bade Hrapp, and Grani, and Gunnar Lambi’s son, and Lambi
Sigurd’s son, and Lodinn, and Tjorvi, eight of them in all, to go
on this journey with him. Hallgerda and Thorgerda were to go
too. At the same time Thrain gave it out that he meant to stay
in the Mark with his brother Kettle, and said how many nights he
meant to be away from home.
They all of them had full arms. So they rode east across
Markfleet, and found there some gangrel women, and they begged
them to put them across the Fleet west on their horses, and they
did so.
Then they rode into the Dale, and had a hearty welcome; there
Kettle of the Mark met them, and there they sate two nights.
Both Runolf and Kettle besought Thrain that he would make up his
quarrel with Njal’s sons; but he said he would never pay any
money, and answered crossly, for he said he thought himself quite
a match for Njal’s sons wherever they met.
“So it may be,” says Runolf; “but so far as I can see, no man has
been their match since Gunnar of Lithend died and it is likelier
that ye will both drag one another down to death.”
Thrain said that was not to be dreaded.
Then Thrain fared up into the Mark, and was there two nights
more; after that he rode down into the Dale, and was sent away
from both houses with fitting gifts.
Now the Markfleet was then flowing between sheets of ice on both
sides, and there were tongues of ice bridging it across every
here and there.
Thrain said that he meant to ride home that evening, but Runolf
said that he ought not to ride home; he said, too, that it would
be more wary not to fare back as he had said he would before he
left home.
“That is fear, and I will none of it,” answers Thrain.
Now those gangrel women whom they had put across the Fleet came
to Bergthorsknoll, and Bergthora asked whence they came, but they
answered, “Away east under Eyjafell.”
“Then, who put you across Markfleet?” said Bergthora.
“Those,” said they, “who were the most boastful and bravest clad
of men.”
“Who?” asked Bergthora.
“Thrain Sigfus’ son,” said they, “and his company, but we thought
it best to tell thee that they were so full-tonged towards this
house, against thy husband and his sons.”
“Listeners do not often hear good of themselves,” says Bergthora.
