“Mark.” At the midmost farm dwelt that man whose name was Bjorn,
and his surname was Bjorn the White; he was the son of Kadal, the
son of Bjalfi. Bjalfi had been the freedman of Asgerda, the
mother of Njal and Holt-Thorir; Bjorn had to wife Valgerda, she
was the daughter of Thorbrand, the son of Asbrand. Her mother’s
name was Gudlauga, she was a sister of Hamond, the father of
Gunnar of Lithend; she was given away to Bjorn for his money’s
sake, and she did not love him much, but yet they had children
together, and they had enough and to spare in the house.
Bjorn was a man who was always boasting and praising himself, but
his housewife thought that bad. He was sharpsighted and swift of
foot.
Thither Kari turned in as a guest, and they took him by both
hands, and he was there that night. But the next morning Kari
said to Bjom, “I wish thou wouldst take me in, for I should think
myself well housed here with thee. I would too that thou
shouldst be with me in my journeyings, as thou art a
sharpsighted, swiftfooted man, and besides I think thou wouldst
be dauntless in an onslaught.”
“I can’t blame myself,” says Bjorn, “for wanting either sharp
sight, or dash, or any other bravery; but no doubt thou camest
hither because all thy other earths are stopped. Still at thy
prayer, Kari, I will not look on thee as an everyday man; I will
surely help thee in all that thou askest.”
“The trolls take thy boasting and bragging,” said his housewife,
“and thou shouldst not utter such stuff and silliness to any one
than thyself. As for me, I will willingly give Kari meat and
other good things, which I know will be useful to him; but on
Bjom’s hardihood, Kari, thou shalt not trust, for I am afraid
that thou wilt find it quite otherwise than he says.”
“Often hast thou thrown blame upon me,” said Bjorn, “but for all
that I put so much faith in myself that though I am put to the
trial I will never give way to any man; and the best proof of it
is this, that few try a tussle with me because none dare to do
so.”
Kari was there some while in hiding, and few men knew of it.
Now men think that Kari must have ridden to the north country to
see Gudmund the Powerful, for Kari made Bjorn tell his neighbours
that he had met Kari on the beaten track, and that he rode thence
up into Godaland, and so north to Goose-sand, and then north to
Gudmund the Powerful at Modruvale.
So that story was spread over all the country.
148. OF FLOSI AND THE BURNERS
Now Flosi spoke to the burners, his companions, “It will no
longer serve our turn to sit still, for now we shall have to
think of our going abroad and of our fines, and of fulfilling our
atonement as bravely as we can, and let us take a passage
wherever it seems most likely to get one.”
They bade him see to all that. Then Flosi said, “We will ride
east to Hornfirth; for there that ship is laid up, which is owned
