thee.”
Njal replied, “Many of my friends are worthy of this, but still I
think I would take more pains for none than for thee.”
Gunnar said, “I wish to let thee know that I have undertaken to
get Unna’s goods back from Hrut.”
“A very hard suit to undertake,” said Njal, “and one very
hazardous how it will go; but still I will get it up for thee in
the way I think likeliest to succeed, and the end will be good if
thou breakest none of the rules I lay down; if thou dost, thy
life is in danger.”
“Never fear; I will break none of them,” said Gunnar.
Then Njal held his peace for a little while, and after that he
spoke as follows: —
22. NJAL’S ADVICE
I have thought over the suit, and it will do so. Thou shalt ride
from home with two men at thy back. Over all thou shalt have a
great rough cloak, and under that, a russet kirtle of cheap
stuff, and under all, thy good clothes. Thou must take a small
axe in thy hand, and each of you must have two horses, one fat,
the other lean. Thou shalt carry hardware and smith’s work with
thee hence, and ye must ride off early to-morrow morning, and
when ye are come across Whitewater westwards, mind and slouch thy
hat well over thy brows. Then men will ask who is this tall man,
and thy mates shall say, `Here is Huckster Hedinn the Big, a man
from Eyjafirth, who is going about with smith’s work for sale.’
This Hedinn is ill-tempered and a chatterer — a fellow who
thinks he alone knows everything. Very often he snatches back
his wares, and flies at men if everything is not done as he
wishes. So thou shalt ride west to Borgarfirth offering all
sorts of wares for sale, and be sure often to cry off thy
bargains, so that it will be noised abroad that Huckster Hedinn
is the worst of men to deal with, and that no lies have been told
of his bad behaviour. So thou shalt ride to Northwaterdale, and
to Hrutfirth, and Laxriverdale, till thou comest to
Hauskuldstede. There thou must stay a night, and sit in the
lowest place, and hang thy head down. Hauskuld will tell them
all not to meddle nor make with Huckster Hedinn, saying he is a
rude unfriendly fellow. Next morning thou must be off early and
go to the farm nearest Hrutstede. There thou must offer thy
goods for sale, praising up all that is worst, and tinkering up
the faults. The master of the house will pry about and find out
the faults. Thou must snatch the wares away from him, and speak
ill to him. He will say, ‘twas not to be hoped that thou wouldst
behave well to him, when thou behavest ill to every one else.
Then thou shalt fly at him, though it is not thy wont, but mind
and spare thy strength, that thou mayest not be found out. Then
a man will be sent to Hrutstede to tell Hrut he had best come and
part you. He will come at once and ask thee to his house, and
thou must accept his offer. Thou shalt greet Hrut and he will
