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

CHAPTER XXV.

UN­NA'S SEC­OND WED­DING.

There was a man named Val­gard, he kept house at Hof by Ran­griv­er, he was the son of Jorund the Priest, and his broth­er was Wolf Au­rpriest. Those broth­ers. Wolf Au­rpriest, and Val­gard the guile­ful, set off to woo Un­na, and she gave her­self away to Val­gard with­out the ad­vice of any of her kins­folk. But Gun­nar and Njal, and many oth­ers thought ill of that, for he was a cross-​grained man and had few friends. They be­got be­tween them a son, whose name was Mord, and he is long in this sto­ry. When he was grown to man's es­tate, he worked ill to his kins­folk, but worst of all to Gun­nar. He was a crafty man in his tem­per, but spite­ful in his coun­sels.

Now we will name Njal's sons. Skarphedinn was the el­dest of them. He was a tall man in growth and strong with­al; a good swords­man; he could swim like a seal, the swiftest-​foot­ed of men, and bold and daunt­less; he had a great flow of words and quick ut­ter­ance; a good skald too; but still for the most part he kept him­self well in hand; his hair was dark brown, with crisp curly locks; he had good eyes; his fea­tures were sharp, and his face ashen pale, his nose turned up and his front teeth stuck out, and his mouth was very ug­ly. Still he was the most sol­dier-​like of men.

Grim was the name of Njal's sec­ond son. He was fair of face and wore his hair long. His hair was dark, and he was come­li­er to look on than Skarphedinn. A tall strong man.

Hel­gi was the name of Njal's third son. He too was fair of face and had fine hair. He was a strong man and well-​skilled in arms. He was a man of sense and knew well how to be­have. They were all un­wed­ded at that time, Njal's sons.

Hauskuld was the fourth of Njal's sons. He was base-​born. His moth­er was Rod­ny, and she was Hauskuld's daugh­ter, the sis­ter of In­gialld of the Springs.

Njal asked Skarphedinn one day if he would take to him­self a wife. He bade his fa­ther set­tle the mat­ter. Then Njal asked for his hand Thorhil­da, the daugh­ter of Ran­vir of Thorolfs­fell, and that was why they had an­oth­er home­stead there af­ter that. Skarphedinn got Thorhil­da, but he stayed still with his fa­ther to the end. Grim wooed Astrid of Deep­back; she was a wid­ow and very wealthy. Grim got her to wife, and yet lived on with Njal.