The Story of Burnt Njal (Icelandic Saga) - Anonymous

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this all knew that he was never seen again either alive or dead. So when Hallgerda heard that, she thought she had a great loss in her mother's brother. Glum begged Thorarin to change lands with him, but he said he would not; "but," said he, "if I outlive you, I mean to have Varmalek to myself". When Glum told this to Hallgerda, she said, "Thorarin has indeed a right to expect this from us".

      CHAPTER XV.

       THIOSTOLF GOES TO GLUM'S HOUSE.

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      Thiostolf had beaten one of Hauskuld's house-carles, so he drove him away. He took his horse and weapons, and said to Hauskuld—

      "Now, I will go away and never come back."

      "All will be glad at that," says Hauskuld.

      Thiostolf rode till he came to Varmalek, and there he got a hearty welcome from Hallgerda, and not a bad one from Glum. He told Hallgerda how her father had driven him away, and begged her to give him her help and countenance. She answered him by telling him she could say nothing about his staying there before she had seen Glum about it.

      "Does it go well between you?" he says.

      "Yes," she says, "our love runs smooth enough."

      After that she went to speak to Glum, and threw her arms round his neck and said—

      "Wilt thou grant me a boon which I wish to ask of thee?"

      "Grant it I will," he says, "if it be right and seemly; but what is it thou wishest to ask?"

      "Well," she said, "Thiostolf has been driven away from the west, and what I want thee to do is to let him stay here; but I will not take it crossly if it is not to thy mind."

      Glum said—"Now that thou behavest so well, I will grant thee thy boon; but I tell thee, if he takes to any ill he shall be sent off at once".

      She goes then to Thiostolf and tells him, and he answered—

      "Now, thou art still good, as I had hoped."

      After that he was there, and kept himself down a little white, but then it was the old story, he seemed to spoil all the good he found; for he gave way to no one save to Hallgerda alone, but she never took his side in his brawls with others. Thorarin, Glum's brother, blamed him for letting him be there, and said ill luck would come of it, and all would happen as had happened before if he were there. Glum answered him well and kindly, but still kept on in his own way.

      CHAPTER XVI.

       GLUM'S SHEEP HUNT.

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      Now once on a time when autumn came, it happened that men had hard work to get their flocks home, and many of Glum's wethers were missing. Then Glum said to Thiostolf—

      "Go thou up on the fell with my house-carles and see if ye cannot find out anything about the sheep."

      "'Tis no business of mine," says Thiostolf, "to hunt up sheep, and this one thing is quite enough to hinder it. I won't walk in thy thralls' footsteps. But go thyself, and then I'll go with thee."

      About this they had many words. The weather was good, and Hallgerda was sitting out of doors. Glum went up to her and said—

      "Now Thiostolf and I have had a quarrel, and we shall not live much longer together." And so he told her all that they had been talking about.

      Then Hallgerda spoke up for Thiostolf, and they had many words about him. At last Glum gave her a blow with his hand, and said—

      "I will strive no longer with thee," and with that he went away.

      Now she loved him much, and could not calm herself, but wept out loud. Thiostolf went up to her and said—

      "This is sorry sport for thee, and so it must not be often again."

      "Nay," she said, "but thou shalt not avenge this, nor meddle at all whatever passes between Glum and me."

      He went off with a spiteful grin.

      CHAPTER XVII.

       GLUM'S SLAYING.

       Table of Contents

      Now Glum called men to follow him, and Thiostolf got ready and went with them. So they went up South Reykiardale and then up along by Baugagil and so south to Crossfell. But some of his band he sent to the Sulafells, and they all found very many sheep. Some of them, too, went by way of Scoradale, and it came about at last that those twain, Glum and Thiostolf, were left alone together. They went south from Crossfell and found there a flock of wild sheep, and they went from the south towards the fell, and tried to drive them down; but still the sheep got away from them up on the fell. Then each began to scold the other, and Thiostolf said at last that Glum had no strength save to tumble about in Hallgerda's arms.

      Then Glum said—

      "'A man's foes are those of his own house.' Shall I take upbraiding from thee, runaway thrall as thou art?"

      Thiostolf said—

      "Thou shalt soon have to own that I am no thrall, for I will not yield an inch to thee."

      Then Glum got angry, and cut at him with his hand-axe, but he threw his axe in the way, and the blow fell on the haft with a downward stroke and bit into it about the breadth of two fingers. Thiostolf cut at him at once with his axe, and smote him on the shoulder, and the stroke hewed asunder the shoulderbone and collarbone, and the wound bled inwards. Glum grasped at Thiostolf with his left hand so fast that he fell; but Glum could not hold him, for death came over him. Then Thiostolf covered his body with stones, and took off his gold ring. Then he went straight to Varmalek. Hallgerda was sitting out of doors, and saw that his axe was bloody. He said—

      "I know not what thou wilt think of it, but I tell thee Glum is slain."

      "That must be thy deed?" she says.

      "So it is," he says.

      She laughed and said—

      "Thou dost not stand for nothing in this sport."

      "What thinkest thou is best to be done now?" he asked.

      "Go to Hrut, my father's brother," she said, "and let him see about thee."

      "I do not know," says Thiostolf, "whether this is good advice; but still I will take thy counsel in this matter."

      So he took his horse, and rode west to Hrutstede that night. He binds his horse at the back of the house, and then goes round to the door, and gives a great knock. After that he walks round the house, north about. It happened that Hrut was awake. He sprang up at once, and put on his jerkin and pulled on his shoes. Then he took up his sword, and wrapped a cloak about his left arm, up as far as the elbow. Men woke up just as he went out; there he saw a tall stout man at the back of the house, and knew it was Thiostolf. Hrut asked him what news.

      "I tell thee Glum is slain," says Thiostolf.

      "Who did the deed?" says Hrut.

      "I slew him," says Thiostolf.

      "Why rodest thou hither?" says Hrut.

      "Hallgerda sent me to thee," says Thiostolf.

      "Then she has no hand in this deed," says Hrut, and drew his sword. Thiostolf saw that, and would not be behind hand, so he cuts at Hrut at once. Hrut got out of the way of the stroke by a quick turn, and at the same time struck the back of the axe so smartly with a side-long blow of his left hand, that it flew out of Thiostolf's grasp. Then Hrut made a blow with the sword in his right hand at Thiostolf's leg, just above

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