“That will come to stand thee in some stead,” says Skarphedinn,
and smiled as he spoke.
ENDNOTES:
(1) Grieve, i.e., bailiff, head workman.
37. THE SLAYING OF KOL, WHOM ATLI SLEW
Now we must take up the story and say, that Atli asked Bergthora
what work he should do that day?
“I have thought of some work for thee,” she says; “thou shalt go
and look for Kol until thou find him; for now shalt thou slay him
this very day, if thou wilt do my will.”
“This work is well fitted,” says Atli, “for each of us two are
bad fellows; but still I will so lay myself out for him that one
or other of us shall die.”
“Well mayst thou fare,” she says, “and thou shalt not do this
deed for nothing.”
He took his weapons and his horse, and rode up to Fleetlithe, and
there met men who were coming down from Lithend. They were at
home east in the Mark. They asked Atli whither he meant to go?
He said he was riding to look for an old jade. They said that
was a small errand for such a workman, “but still ‘twould be
better to ask those who have been about last night.”
“Who are they?” says he.
“Killing-Kol,” say they, “Hallgerda’s housecarle, fared from the
fold just now, and has been awake all night.”
“I do not know whether I dare to meet him,” says Atli, “he is
bad-tempered, and may be that I shall let another’s wound be my
warning.”
“Thou bearest that look beneath the brows as though thou wert no
coward,” they said, and showed him where Kol was.
Then he spurred his horse and rides fast, and when he meets Ko1,
Atli said to him, “Go the packsaddle bands well,” says Atli.
“That’s no business of thine, worthless fellow, nor of any one
else whence thou comest.”
Atli said, “Thou hast something behind that is earnest work, but
that is to die.”
After that Atli thrust at him with his spear, and struck him
about his middle. Kol swept at him with his axe, but missed him,
and fell off his horse, and died at once.
Atli rode till he met some of Hallgerda’s workmen, and said, “Go
ye up to the horse yonder, and look to Kol, for he has fallen
off, and is dead.”
“Hast thou slain him? ” say they.
“Well, ‘twill seem to Hallgerda as though he has not fallen by
his own hand.”
After that Atli rode home and told Bergthora; she thanked him for
this deed, and for the words which he had spoken about it.
“I do not know,” says he, “what Njal will think of this.”
“He will take it well upon his hands,” she says, “and I will tell
thee one thing as a token of it, that he has carried away with
