Njal's Saga by Anonymous Page A

south from Thverfell and found some nervous sheep and pursued them as far as the mountain, but the sheep got away up the mountain. Each blamed the other for this, and Thjostolf told Glum that he had no strength for anything except bouncing around on Hallgerd’s belly.
    Glum said, ‘The only bad company comes from home. 1 Now I have to put up with insults from you, a fettered slave!’
    Thjostolf said, ‘You’ll soon be saying whether I’m a slave or not, for I’m not about to yield to you.’
    Glum was enraged and struck at him with his short sword, but Thjostolf put his axe in the way and the blow hit the axe blade and cut into it two fingers deep. Thjostolf quickly struck a return blow with the axe and hit Glum’s shoulder and split the shoulder bone and the collar bone, and the wound bled internally. Glum seized Thjostolf with his other hand with such force that he fell, but Glum was not able to keep his hold because death was upon him. Thjostolf covered his body with stones and took a gold bracelet from him.
    He walked back to Varmalaek. Hallgerd was outside and saw that his axe was bloody. He threw the gold bracelet to her.
    She spoke: ‘What news do you bring? Why is your axe bloody?’
    He answered, ‘I don’t know how you’ll take this, but I must tell you of the slaying of Glum.’
    â€˜You must have done it,’ she said.
    â€˜That’s true,’ he said.
    She laughed and said, ‘You didn’t sit this game out’
    â€˜What advice do you have for me now?’ he said.
    â€˜Go to my father’s brother Hrut,’ she said, ‘and let him take care of you.’
    â€˜I don’t know whether this is sound advice,’ said Thjostolf, ‘but I’ll follow it anyway.’
    He took his horse and rode away and did not stop until he came to Hrutsstadir that night. He tied up his horse behind the buildings, went around to the door and knocked with a loud blow. Then he went around to the north side. Hrut had been awake; he sprang to his feet and got into a tunic and pulled on his boots and took his sword; he wrapped a cloak around his left hand and arm. People woke up as he was going out.
    He went around to the north side of the house and saw a big man and recognized him as Thjostolf. Hrut asked what news he had.
    â€˜I must tell you of the slaying of Glum,’ said Thjostolf.
    â€˜Who did it?’ said Hrut.
    â€˜I killed him,’ said Thjostolf.
    â€˜Why did you ride here?’ said Hrut.
    â€˜Hallgerd sent me to you,’ said Thjostolf.
    â€˜Then she was not the cause of it,’ said Hrut, and drew his sword.
    Thjostolf saw this and did not want to be the second to strike, and quickly swung his axe at Hrut. Hrut slipped away from the blow and hit the side of the axe blade so sharply with his left hand that the axe flew out of Thjostolf’s hand. With his right hand Hrut hacked Thjostolf ’s leg just above the knee and almost cut it through, and he rushed at him and knocked him down. Hrut then struck at Thjostolf ’s head and dealt him his death wound.
    Hrut’s servants came out and saw the signs of the slaughter. Hrut had Thjostolf ’s body carried away and covered. Then he went to Hoskuld and told him of the slaying of Glum and then of Thjostolf. Hoskuld thought the death of Glum a loss, but thanked Hrut for slaying Thjostolf.
    A little while later, Thorarin Ragi’s Brother learned of the slaying of his brother Glum. He rode with eleven men west to Dalir and came to Hoskuldsstadir. Hoskuld received him with open arms and he stayed there overnight. Hoskuld sent at once for Hrut to come there, and he came immediately.
    The following day they talked at length about the death of Glum.Thorarin said, ‘Are you willing to pay me compensation for my brother, for I have had a great loss?’
    Hoskuld answered, ‘I didn’t kill your brother, and my daughter didn’t plan his