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

CHAPTER LXXI.

THE SLAY­ING OF THORGEIR OTKELL'S SON.

That to­ken hap­pened as Gun­nar and his broth­er rode up to­wards Ran­griv­er, that much blood burst out on the bill.

Kolskegg asked what that might mean.

Gun­nar says, “If such to­kens took place in oth­er lands, it was called 'wound-​drops,' and Mas­ter Oliv­er told me al­so that this on­ly hap­pened be­fore great fights”.

So they rode on till they saw men sit­ting by the riv­er on the oth­er side, and they had teth­ered their hors­es.

Gun­nar said, “Now we have an am­bush”.

Kolskegg an­swered, “Long have they been faith­less; but what is best to be done now?”

“We will gal­lop up along­side them to the ford,” says Gun­nar, “and there make ready for them.”

The oth­ers saw that and turned at once to­wards them.

Gun­nar strings his bow, and takes his ar­rows and throws them on the ground be­fore him, and shoots as soon as ev­er they come with­in shot; by that Gun­nar wound­ed many men, but some he slew.

Then Thorgeir Otkell's son spoke and said, “This is no use; let us make for him as hard as we can”.

They did so, and first went Au­nund the fair, Thorgeir's kins­man. Gun­nar hurled the bill at him, and it fell on his shield and clove it in twain, but the bill rushed through Au­nund. Aug­mund Shock­head rushed at Gun­nar be­hind his back. Kolskegg saw that and cut off at once both Aug­mund's legs from un­der him, and hurled him out in­to Ran­griv­er, and he was drowned there and then.

Then a hard bat­tle arose; Gun­nar cut with one hand and thrust with the oth­er. Kolskegg slew some men and wound­ed many.

Thorgeir's Starkad's son called out to his name­sake, “It looks very lit­tle as though thou hadst a fa­ther to avenge”.

“True it is,” he an­swers, “that I do not make much way, but yet thou hast not fol­lowed in my foot­steps; still I will not bear thy re­proach­es.”

With that he rush­es at Gun­nar in great wrath, and thrust his spear through his shield, and so on through his arm.

Gun­nar gave the shield such a sharp twist that the spear­head broke short off at the sock­et. Gun­nar sees that an­oth­er man was come with­in reach of his sword, and he smites at him and deals him his death-​blow. Af­ter that, he clutch­es his bill with both hands; just then Thorgeir Otkell's son had come near him with a drawn sword, and Gun­nar turns on him in great wrath, and drives the bill through him, and lifts him up aloft, and casts him out in­to Ran­griv­er, and he drifts down to­wards the ford, and stuck fast there on a stone; and the name of that ford has since been Thorgeir's ford.

Then Thorgeir Starkad's son said, “Let us fly now; no vic­to­ry will be fat­ed to us this time”.

So they all turned and fled from the field.

“Let us fol­low them up now,” says Kolskegg, “and take thou thy bow and ar­rows, and thou wilt come with­in bow-​shot of Thorgeir Starkad's son.”

Then Gun­nar sang a song.

Reaver of rich riv­er-​trea­sure, Plun­dered will our purs­es be, Though to-​day we wound no oth­er War­riors wight in play of spears; Aye, if I for all these sailors Low­ly ly­ing, fines must pay-- This is why I hold my hand, Hear­ken, broth­er dear, to me.

“Our purs­es will be emp­tied,” says Gun­nar, “by the time that these are atoned for who now lie here dead.”

“Thou wilt nev­er lack mon­ey,” says Kolskegg; “but Thorgi­er will nev­er leave off be­fore he com­pass­es thy death.”

Gun­nar sung an­oth­er song.

Lord of wa­ter-​skates[26] that skim Sea-​king's fields, more good as he, 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”.