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Updated: June 9, 2025
But Flosi was close behind, and stretched Helgi dead in front of him. After that he went back to the house, and offered Njal that he should come outside, but Njal answered that he was too old to avenge his sons, and that he would not outlive them, for that would be a shame and disgrace to him. 'Come out, then, Bergthora, said Flosi, 'for I will not suffer you to burn inside.
But Atli told Njal that he would sooner be slain in his service than live free in the service of another master, and he would gladly stay where he was if Njal would grant him the atonement due to a free man. This Njal granted, and Atli remained in his house. Hallgerda soon came to know what had happened, and she sent messengers both to Bergthora and to Gunnar at the Thing to tell them about it.
There were other young men too, who bore different names, though not one of them was called 'Habogi, and these thought that they might perhaps gain the heart of the youngest. But though there was more than one 'Njal' amongst them, Helga's eyes seemed always turned another way.
The first thing Gunnar did was to seek counsel of Njal, who bid him take care never to break the peace which was made between him and his foes, and never to slay more than one man of the same race, 'else your life will be but short. 'Do you know the death you yourself will die? he asked. 'Yes, I know it, answered Njal. 'And what is it? asked Gunnar once more.
And he sent for his son Mord and bade him stir up strife between Njal's sons and their brother Hauskuld the priest, for he ever hated Njal, and longed to be avenged on him. So Mord fared to Hauskuld, and told him tales of what his brothers had said of him, but Hauskuld bade him begone, for he would listen to none of his stories.
Then Njal fixed a hundred ounces of silver, and Gunnar laid it down before him. 'Hallgerda does not let our servants die of old age, said Skarphedinn, as they rode home from the Thing. Now the words came true, that Gunnar had spoken, and 'blow for blow' grew to be the rule between Hallgerda and Bergthora; but for all that there was no quarrel between Njal and Gunnar.
But among European peoples the absence of a beard has usually been a reproach, and the enemies of Njal, in ancient Iceland, could find nothing worse to say of him than that he was beardless. Mehemet Ali bought sham beards for his Egyptian grenadiers, that they might more closely resemble the European model.
When Gunnar heard what errand they were on, he was very wroth, and after Otkell had read the summons, and departed with his men, he went away to seek Njal. But Njal told him not to trouble, as before the Thing was over he should be held in greater honour than before. Gizur the white rode to the Thing also, and he spoke to Otkell, and asked why he had summoned Gunnar to the Thing.
When Njal heard that, he went back into the house and called the women and children and thralls round him, and bade Thorhalla, the wife of Helgi, go out first, for she was a brave woman. And Thorhalla went, after bidding farewell to Helgi her husband.
So a messenger was sent for Hallgerda, and she betrothed herself, as she had done to Glum, and after that Gunnar rode over to Njal, and told him what things had happened. 'Evil will come of it betwixt you and me, said Njal sadly. 'No woman, or man either, shall ever work ill between us, answered Gunnar, who loved Njal more than his own father.
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