ill for them.
Now men ride to the Althing after their wont, and now both sides
are at the Thing.
Njal begged for a hearing, and asked all the best men who were
come thither, what right at law they thought Gunnar had against
those namesakes for their treason. They said they thought such a
man had great right on his side.
Njal went on to ask, whether he had a right of action against all
of them, or whether the leaders had to answer for them all in the
suit?
They say that most of the blame would fall on the leaders, but a
great deal still on them all.
“Many will say this,” said Mord, “that it was not without a cause
when Gunnar broke the settlement made with those namesakes.”
“That is no breach of settlement,” says Njal, “that any man
should take the law against another; for with law shall our land
be built up and settled, and with lawlessness wasted and
spoiled.”
Then Njal tells them that Gunnar had offered land for
Moeidsknoll, or other goods.
Then those namesakes thought they had been beguiled by Mord, and
scolded him much, and said that this fine was all his doing.
Njal named twelve men as judges in the suit, and then every man
paid a hundred in silver who had gone out, but each of those
namesakes two hundred.
Njal took this money into his keeping but either side gave the
other pledges of peace, and Njal gave out the terms.
Then Gunnar rode from the Thing west to the Dales, till he came
to Hjardarholt, and Olaf the Peacock gave him a hearty welcome.
There he sat half a month, and rode far and wide about the Dales,
and all welcomed him with joyful hands. But at their parting
Olaf said, “I will give thee three things of price, a gold ring,
and a cloak which Moorkjartan the Erse king owned, and a hound
that was given me in Ireland; he is big, and no worse follower
than a sturdy man. Besides, it is part of his nature that he has
man’s wit, and he will bay at every man whom he knows is thy foe,
but never at thy friends; he can see, too, in any man’s face,
whether he means thee well or ill, and he will lay down his life
to be true to thee. This hound’s name is Sam.”
After that he spoke to the hound, “Now shalt thou follow Gunnar,
and do him all the service thou canst.”
The hound went at once to Gunnar and laid himself down at his
feet.
Olaf bade Gunnar to be ware of himself, and said he had many
enviers, “For now thou art thought to be a famous man throughout
all the land.”
Gunnar thanked him for his gifts and good counsel, and rode home.
Now Gunnar sits at home for sometime, and all is quiet.
70. MORD’S COUNSEL
