Then all at once Asgrim sprang up and said to Njal’s sons, “We
must set about seeking friends, that we may not be overborne by
force; for this suit will be followed up boldly.”
Then Asgrim went out, and Helgi Njal’s son next; then Kari
Solmund’s son; then Grim Njal’s son; then Skarphedinn; then
Thorhall; then Thorgrim the Big; then Thorleif Crow.
They went to the booth of Gizur the White and inside it. Gizur
stood up to meet them, and bade them sit down and drink.
“Not thitherward,” says Asgrim, “tends our way, and we will speak
our errand out loud, and not mutter and mouth about it. What
help shall I have from thee, as thou art my kinsman?”
“Jorunn, my sister,” said Gizur, “would wish that I should not
shrink from standing by thee; and so it shall be now and
hereafter, that we will both of us have the same fate.”
Asgrim thanked him, and went away afterwards.
Then Skarphedinn asked, “Whither shall we go now?”
“To the booths of the men of Olfus,” says Asgrim.
So they went thither, and Asgrim asked whether Skapti Thorod’s
son were in the booth? He was told that he was. Then they went
inside the booth.
Skapti sate on the crossbench, and greeted Asgrim, and he took
the greeting well.
Skapti offered Asgrim a seat by his side, but Asgrim said he
should only stay there a little while, “But still we have an
errand to thee.”
“Let me hear it?” says Skapti.
“I wish to beg thee for thy help, that thou wilt stand by us in
our suit.”
“One thing I had hoped,” says Skapti, “and that is, that neither
you nor your troubles would ever come into my dwelling.”
“Such things are ill-spoken,” says Asgrim, “when a man is the
last to help others, when most lies on his aid.”
“Who is yon man,” says Skapti, “before whom four men walk, a big
burly man, and pale-faced, unlucky-looking, well-knit, and
troll-like?”
“My name is Skarphedinn,” he answers, “and thou hast often seen
me at the Thing; but in this I am wiser than you, that I have no
need to ask what thy name is. Thy name is Skapti Thorod’s son,
but before thou calledst thyself `Bristlepoll,’ after thou hadst
slain Kettle of Elda; then thou shavedst thy poll, and puttedst
pitch on thy head, and then thou hiredst thralls to cut up a sod
of turf, and thou creptest underneath it to spend the night.
After that thou wentest to Thorolf Lopt’s son of Eyrar, and he
took thee on board, and bore thee out here in his meal sacks.”
After that Asgrim and his band went out, and Skarphedinn asked,
“Whither shall we go now?”
“To Snorri the Priest’s booth,” says Asgrim.
Then they went to Snorri’s booth. There was a man outside before
the booth, and Asgrim asked whether Snorri were in the booth.
