Shedding wounds’ red stream, must stand
In my way ere I shall wince.
I, the golden armlets’ warder,
Snakelike twined around my wrist,
Ne’er shall shun a foeman’s faulchion
Flashing bright in din of fight.”
“He, and a few more as good as he,” says Gunnar, “must stand in
my path ere I am afraid of them.”
After that they ride home and tell the tidings. Hallgerda was
well pleased to hear them, and praised the deed much.
Rannveig said, “May be the deed is good; but somehow,” she says,
“I feel too downcast about it to think that good can come of it.”
ENDNOTES:
(1) “Water-skates,” a periphrasis for ships.
72. OF THE SUITS FOR MANSLAUGHTER AT THE THING
These tidings were spread far and wide, and Thorgeir’s death was
a great grief to many a man. Gizur the White and his men rode to
the spot and gave notice of the manslaughter, and called the
neighbours on the inquest to the Thing. Then they rode home
west.
Njal and Gunnar met and talked about the battle. Then Njal said
to Gunnar, “Now be ware of thyself. Now hast thou slain twice in
the same stock; and so now take heed to thy behaviour, and think
that it is as much as thy life is worth, if thou dost not hold to
the settlement that is made.”
“Nor do I mean to break it in any way,” says Gunnar, “but still I
shall need thy help at the Thing.”
“I will hold to my faithfulness to thee,” said Njal, “till my
death day.”
Then Gunnar rides home. Now the Thing draws near; and each side
gather a great company; and it is a matter of much talk at the
Thing how these suits will end.
Those two, Gizur the White, and Geir the Priest, talked with each
other as to who should give notice of the suit of manslaughter
after Thorgeir, and the end of it was that Gizur took the suit on
his hand, and gave notice of it at the Hill of Laws, and spoke in
these words: —
“I gave notice of a suit for assault laid down by law against
Gunnar Hamond’s son; for that he rushed with an onslaught laid
down by law on Thorgeir Otkell’s son, and wounded him with a body
wound, which proved a death wound, so that Thorgeir got his
death.
“I say on this charge he ought to become a convicted outlaw, not
to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in
any need.
“I say that his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the
men of the Quarter, whose right it is by law to seize the goods
of outlaws.
“I give notice of this charge in the Quarter Court, into which
this suit ought by law to come.
