The Story of Burnt Njal: The Great Icelandic Tribune, Jurist, and CounsellorDasent, George Webbe, Sir
General
The Story of Burnt Njal: The Great Icelandic Tribune, Jurist, and Counsellor
Dasent, George Webbe, Sir
Njáll Þorgursson, approximately 930-1011
Thence they fared to Fellcombe, and went in as guests to
Calffell. There dwelt Kol Thorstein's son, Hall's kinsman, and
he took upon him the faith and all his house.
Thence they fared to Swinefell, and Flosi only took the sign of
the cross, but gave his word to back them at the Thing.
Thence they fared west to Woodcombe, and went in as guests at
Kirkby. There dwelt Surt Asbjorn's son, the son of Thorstein,
the son of Kettle the Foolish. These had all of them been
Christians from father to son.
After that they fared out of Woodcombe on to Headbrink. By that
time the story of their journey was spread far and wide. There
was a man named Sorcerer-Hedinn who dwelt in Carlinedale. There
heathen men made a bargain with him that he should put Thangbrand
to death with all his company. He fared upon Arnstacksheath, and
there made a great sacrifice when Thangbrand was riding from the
east. Then the earth burst asunder under his horse, but he
sprang off his horse and saved himself on the brink of the gulf,
but the earth swallowed up the horse and all his harness, and
they never saw him more.
Then Thangbrand praised God.
ENDNOTES:
(1) Rood-cross, a crucifix.
(2) His son was Glum who fared to the burning with Flosi.
98. OF THANGBRAND AND GUDLEIF
Gudleif now searches for Sorcerer-Hedinn and finds him on the
heath, and chases him down into Carlinedale, and got within
spearshot of him, and shoots a spear at him and through him.
Thence they fared to Dyrholms and held a meeting there, and
preached the faith there, and there Ingialld, the son of
Thorsteinn Highbankawk, became a Christian.
Thence they fared to the Fleetlithe and preached the faith there.
There Weatherlid the Skald, and Ari his son, spoke most against
the faith, and for that they slew Weatherlid, and then this song
was sung about it --
"He who proved his blade on bucklers,
South went through the land to whet
Brand that oft hath felled his foeman,
'Gainst the forge which foams with song (1);
Mighty wielder of war's sickle
Made his sword's avenging edge
Hard on hero's helm-prop rattle (2),
Skull of Weatherlid the Skald."
Thence Thangbrand fared to Bergthorsknoll, and Njal took the
faith and all his house, but Mord and Valgard went much against
it, and thence they fared out across the rivers; so they went on
into Hawkdale and there they baptized Hall (3), and he was then
three winters old.
Thence Thangbrand fared to Grimsness, there Thorwald the Scurvy
gathered a band against him, and sent word to Wolf Uggi's son
that he must fare against Thangbrand and slay him, and made this
song on him --
"To the wolf in Woden's harness,
Uggi's worthy warlike son,
I, steel's swinger dearly loving,
This my dimple bidding send;
That the wolf of Gods (4) he chaseth --
Man who snaps at chink of gold --
Wolf who base our Gods blasphemeth,
I the other wolf (5) will crush."
Wolf sang another song in return:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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