son, Asgrim Ellidagrim’s son, Oddi of Kidberg, and Halldor
Ornolf’s son.
Now one day men went to the Hill of Laws, and then Geir the
Priest stood up and gave notice that he had a suit of
manslaughter against Gunnar for the slaying of Otkell. Another
suit of manslaughter he brought against Gunnar for the slaying of
Halljborn the White; then, too, he went on in the same way as to
the slaying of Audulf, and so, too, as to the slaying of
Skamkell. Then, too, he laid a suit of manslaughter against
Kolskegg for the slaying of Hallkell.
And when he had given due notice of all his suits of manslaughter
it was said that he spoke well. He asked, too, in what Quarter
court the suits lay, and in what house in the district the
defendants dwelt. After that men went away from the Hill of
Laws, and so the Thing goes on till the day when the courts were
to be set to try suits. Then either side gathered their men
together in great strength.
Geir the Priest and Gizur the White stood at the court of the men
of Rangriver looking north, and Gunnar and Njal stood looking
south towards the court.
Geir the Priest bade Gunnar to listen to his oath, and then he
took the oath, and afterwards declared his suit.
Then he let men bear witness of the notice given by the suit;
then he called upon the neighbours who were to form the inquest
to take their seats; then he called on Gunnar to challenge the
inquest; and then he called on the inquest to utter their
finding. Then the neighbours who were summoned on the inquest
went to the court and took witness, and said that there was a bar
to their finding in the suit as to Audulf’s slaying, because the
next of kin who ought to follow it up was in Norway, and so they
had nothing to do with that suit.
After that they uttered their finding in the suit as to Otkell,
and brought in Gunnar as truly guilty of killing him.
Then Geir the Priest called on Gunnar for his defence, and took
witness of all the steps in the suit which had been proved.
Then Gunnar, in his turn, called on Geir the Priest to listen to
his oath, and to the defence which he was about to bring forward
in the suit. Then he took the oath and said, “This defence I
make to this suit, that I took witness and outlawed Otkell before
my neighbours for that bloody wound which I got when Otkell gave
me a hurt with his spur; but thee, Geir the Priest, I forbid by a
lawful protest made before a priest, to pursue this suit, and so,
too, I forbid the judges to hear it; and with this I make all the
steps hitherto taken in this suit void and of none-effect. I
forbid thee by a lawful protest, a full, fair, and binding
protest, as I have a right to forbid thee by the common custom of
the Thing and by the law of the land.
“Besides, I will tell thee something else which I mean to do,”
says Gunnar.
