The story of Burnt Njal From the Icelandic of the Njals Saga

CHAPTER X.

HALL­GER­DA'S WED­DING.

Hauskuld told Hall­ger­da of the bar­gain he had made, and she said--

“Now that has been put to the proof which I have all along been afraid of, that thou lovest me not so much as thou art al­ways say­ing, when thou hast not thought it worth while to tell me a word of all this mat­ter. Be­sides, I do not think the match as good a one as thou hast al­ways promised me.”

So she went on, and let them know in ev­ery way that she thought she was thrown away.

Then Hauskuld said--

“I do not set so much store by thy pride as to let it stand in the way of my bar­gains; and my will, not thine, shall car­ry the day if we fell out on any point.”

“The pride of all you kins­folk is great,” she said, “and so it is not won­der­ful if I have some of it.”

With that she went away, and found her fos­ter-​fa­ther Thios­tolf, and told him what was in store for her, and was very heavy-​heart­ed. Then Thios­tolf said--

“Be of good cheer, for thou wilt be mar­ried a sec­ond time, and then they will ask thee what thou think­est of the match; for I will do in all things as thou wish­est, ex­cept in what touch­es thy fa­ther or Hrut.”

Af­ter that they spoke no more of the mat­ter, and Hauskuld made ready the bridal feast, and rode off to ask men to it. So he came to Hrut­st­ede and called Hrut out to speak with him. Hrut went out, and they be­gan to talk, and Hauskuld told him the whole sto­ry of the bar­gain, and bade him to the feast, say­ing--

“I should be glad to know that thou dost not feel hurt though I did not tell thee when the bar­gain was be­ing made.”

“I should be bet­ter pleased,” said Hrut, “to have noth­ing at all to do with it; for this match will bring luck nei­ther to him nor to her; but still I will come to the feast if thou think­est it will add any hon­our to thee.”

“Of course I think so,” said Hauskuld, and rode off home.

Os­wif and Thor­wald al­so asked men to come, so that no few­er than one hun­dred guests were asked.

There was a man named Swan, who dwelt in Bearfirth, which lies north from Ste­in­grims­firth. This Swan was a great wiz­ard, and he was Hall­ger­da's moth­er's broth­er. He was quar­rel­some, and hard to deal with, but Hall­ger­da asked him to the feast, and sends Thios­tolf to him; so he went, and it soon got to friend­ship be­tween him and Swan.

Now men come to the feast, and Hall­ger­da sat up­on the cross-​bench, and she was a very mer­ry bride. Thios­tolf was al­ways talk­ing to her, though he some­times found time to speak to Swan, and men thought their talk­ing strange. The feast went off well, and Hauskuld paid down Hall­ger­da's por­tion with the great­est readi­ness. Af­ter he had done that, he said to Hrut--

“Shall I bring out any gifts be­side?”

“The day will come,” an­swered Hrut, “when thou wilt have to waste thy goods for Hall­ger­da's sake, so hold thy hand now.”