“What!” says Geir, “wilt thou challenge me to the island as thou
art wont, and not bear the law?”
“Not that,” says Gunnar; “I shall summon thee at the Hill of Laws
for that thou calledst those men on the inquest who had no right
to deal with Audulf’s slaying, and I will declare thee for that
guilty of outlawry.”
Then Njal said, “Things must not take this turn, for the only end
of it will be that this strife will be carried to the uttermost.
Each of you, as it seems to me, has much on his side. There are
some of these manslaughters, Gunnar, about which thou canst say
nothing to hinder the court from finding thee guilty; but thou
hast set on foot a suit against Geir, in which he, too, must be
found guilty. Thou too, Geir the Priest, shalt know that this
suit of outlawry which hangs over thee shall not fall to the
ground if thou wilt not listen to my words.”
Thorod the Priest said, “It seems to us as though the most
peaceful way would be that a settlement and atonement were come
to in the suit. But why sayest thou so little, Gizur the White?”
“It seems to me,” says Gizur, “as though we shall need to have
strong props for our suit; we may see, too, that Gunnar’s friends
stand near him, and so the best turn for us that things can take
will be that good men and true should utter an award on the suit,
if Gunnar so wills it.”
“I have ever been willing to make matters up,” says Gunnar; “and
besides, ye have much wrong to follow up, but still I think I was
hard driven to do as I did.”
And now the end of those suits was, by the counsel of the wisest
men, that all the suits were put to arbitration; six men were to
make this award, and it was uttered there and then at the Thing.
The award was that Skamkell should be unatoned. The blood money
for Otkell’s death was to be set off against the hurt Gunnar got
from the spur; and as for the rest of the manslaughters, they
were paid for after the worth of the men, and Gunnar’s kinsmen
gave money so that all the fines might be paid up at the Thing.
Then Geir the Priest and Gizur the White went up and gave Gunnar
pledges that they would keep the peace in good faith.
Gunnar rode home from the Thing, and thanked men for their help,
and gave gifts to many, and got the greatest honour from the
suit.
Now Gunnar sits at home in his honour.
ENDNOTES:
(1) Thorod’s mother was Thorvor, she was daughter of Thormod
Skapti’s son, son of Oleif the Broad, son of Oliver
Barncarle.
57. OF STARKAD AND HIS SONS
There was a man named Starkad; he was a son of Bork the Waxy-toothed-blade, the son of Thorkell Clubfoot, who took the land
round about Threecorner as the first settler. His wife’s name
was Hallbera (1). The sons of Starkad and Hallbera were these:
Thorgeir and Bork and Thorkell. Hildigunna the Leech was their
