107. OF MORD AND NJAL’S SONS
Some while after Mord rode to Bergthorsknoll and saw Skarphedinn
there; he fell into very fair words with them, and so he talked
the whole day, and said he wished to be good friends with them,
and to see much of them.
Skarphedinn took it all well, but said he had never sought for
anything of the kind before. So it came about that he got
himself into such great friendship with them, that neither side
thought they had taken any good counsel unless the other had a
share in it.
Njal always disliked his coming thither, and it often happened
that he was angry with him.
It happened one day that Mord came to Bergthorsknoll, and Mord
said to Njal’s sons, “I have made up my mind to give a feast
yonder, and I mean to drink in my heirship after my father, but
to that feast I wish to bid you, Njal’s sons, and Kari; and at
the same time I give you my word that ye shall not fare away
giftless.”
They promised to go, and now he fares home and makes ready the
feast. He bade to it many householders, and that feast was very
crowded.
Thither came Njal’s sons and Kari. Mord gave Skarphedinn a
brooch of gold, and a silver belt to Kari, and good gifts to Grim
and Helgi.
They come home and boast of these gifts, and show them to Njal.
He said they would be bought full dear, “and take heed that ye do
not repay the giver in the coin which he no doubt wishes to get.”
108. OF THE SLANDER OF MORD VALGARD’S SON.
A little after Njal’s sons and Hauskuld were to have their yearly
feasts, and they were the first to bid Hauskuld to come to them.
Skarphedinn had a brown horse four winters old, both tall and
sightly. He was a stallion, and had never yet been matched in
fight. That horse Skarphedinn gave to Hauskuld, and along with
him two mares. They all gave Hauskuld gifts, and assured him of
their friendship.
After that Hauskuld bade them to his house at Ossaby, and had
many guests to meet them, and a great crowd.
It happened that he had just then taken down his hall, but he had
built three outhouses, and there the beds were made.
So all that were bidden came, and the feast went off very well.
But when men were to go home Hauskuld picked out good gifts for
them, and went a part of the way with Njal’s sons.
The sons of Sigfus followed him and all the crowd, and both sides
said that nothing should ever come between them to spoil their
friendship.
A little while after Mord came to Ossaby and called Hauskuld out
to talk with him, and they went aside and spoke.
“What a difference in manliness there is,” said Mord, “between
thee and Njal’s sons! Thou gavest them good gifts, but they gave
thee gifts with great mockery.”
