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Home / Literature / The Story of Burnt Njal: The Great Icelandic Tribune, Jurist, and Counsellor
The Story of Burnt Njal: The Great Icelandic Tribune, Jurist, and Counsellor

The Story of Burnt Njal: The Great Icelandic Tribune, Jurist, and Counsellor

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The Story of Burnt Njal: The Great Icelandic Tribune, Jurist, and Counsellor by Unknown

Chapter 1 MEETING OF DEFEATED CHIEFS IN THE WEST AND MARRIAGE OF ONUND

There were then in the western parts many distinguished men who had fled from their homes in Norway before King Harald, for he declared all who fought against him outlaws, and seized their property. As soon as Onund had recovered from his wound, Thrand went with his party to Geirmund Swarthyskin, who was the most eminent of the vikings in the West. They asked him whether he was not going to try and regain his kingdom in Hordland, and offered to join him, hoping by this means to do something for their own properties, for Onund was very wealthy and his kindred very powerful.

Geirmund answered that Harald had such a force that there was little hope of gaining any honour by fighting when the whole country had joined against him and been beaten. He had no mind, he said, to become the king's thrall, and to beg for that which he had once possessed in his own right. Seeing that he was no longer in the vigour of his youth he preferred to find some other occupation. So Onund and his party returned to the Southern Islands, where they met many of their friends.

There was a man named Ofeig, nicknamed Grettir. He was the son of Einar, the son of Olvir the Babyman. He was a brother of Oleif the Broad, the father of Thormod Shaft. Another son of Olvir was named Steinolf, the father of Una, whom Thorbjorn the Salmon-man married. A third son of Olvir was Steinmod, who was the father of Konal, the father of Alfdis of the Barra Isles. Konal's son was named Steimnod; he was the father of Halldora, whom Eilif, the son of Ketil the One-handed, married.

Ofeig Grettir married Asny, the daughter of Vestar, the son of Haeing. His sons were Asmund the Beardless and Asbjorn, and his daughters were named Aldis, Aesa, and Asvor. Ofeig had fled from the wrath of King Harald into the West over the sea, along with his kinsman Thormod Shaft and all their families. They ravaged far and wide in the western seas. Thrand and Onund Treefoot were going West to Ireland to join Thrand's brother, Eyvind the Easterner, who had command of the Irish defences. Eyvind's mother was named Hlif; she was the daughter of Hrolf, the son of Ingjald, the son of King Frodi, while Thrand's mother was Helga, the daughter of Ondott Crow. The father of Eyvind and Thrand was Bjorn, the son of Hrolf of Ar. He had had to leave Gautland because he had burnt in his house Sigfast the father-in-law of King Solvi. Then he went to Norway and spent the winter with Grim the Hersir, a son of Kolbjorn the Sneak, who wanted to murder him for his money. Thence Bjorn went to Ondott Crow, who lived in Hvinisfjord in Agdir. There he was well received, stayed the winter, and went campaigning with Ondott in the summer until his wife Hlif died. Eventually Ondott gave Bjorn his daughter Helga, and Bjorn then no longer went out to fight. Eyvind had taken over his father's ships and become a great chief in the western parts. He married Rafarta, the daughter of the Irish king Kjarval. Their sons were Helgi the Lean and Snaebjorn.

When Thrand and Onund came to the Southern Islands they found there Ofeig Grettir and Thormod Shaft, with whom they became very friendly, for each thought the others had risen from the dead, their last meeting having been in Norway when the war was at its worst. Onund was very silent, and Thrand, when he noticed it, asked what was on his mind. Onund answered with a verse:

"No joy is mine since in battle I fought.

Many the sorrows that o'er me lower.

Men hold me for nought; this thought is the worst

of all that oppresses my sorrowing heart."

Thrand said: "Why, you still seem as full of vigour as ever you were. You may yet settle down and marry. You shall have my good word and my interest if you will only tell me whom you fancy."

Onund said he behaved nobly; but said there had once been a time when his chances of making a profitable marriage had been better.

Thrand said: "Ofeig has a daughter named Aesa; we might mention it if you like."

Onund said he would like it, and soon afterwards Ofeig was approached on the subject. He received the proposal favourably, saying he knew the man to be of good lineage and to have some wealth in movable property, though his lands were not worth much. "But," he said, "I do not think he is very wise. Why, my daughter is quite a child."

Thrand said that Onund was more vigorous than many a man whose legs were sounder.

So with the aid of Thrand the terms were settled. Ofeig was to give his daughter a portion in cash, for neither would reckon anything for his lands in Norway. Soon afterwards Thrand was betrothed to the daughter of Thormod Shaft. Both the maids were to remain plighted for three years.

Then they went on fighting expeditions in the summer, remaining in the Barra Isles during the winter.

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Latest Release: Chapter 54 THE TESTIMONY OF STURLA THE LAWMAN   08-13 18:31
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1 Chapter 1 MEETING OF DEFEATED CHIEFS IN THE WEST AND MARRIAGE OF ONUND
04/12/2017
2 Chapter 2 FIGHT WITH VIKINGS VIGBJOD AND VESTMAR
04/12/2017
3 Chapter 3 DEATH OF ONUND. DISPUTES BETWEEN THE SONS OF ONUND AND OF EIRIK
04/12/2017
4 Chapter 4 BATTLE AT RIFSKER
04/12/2017
5 Chapter 5 ASMUND'S CHILDREN. GRETTIR'S CHILDHOOD
04/12/2017
6 Chapter 6 GRETTIR KILLS SKEGGI AND IS OUTLAWED FOR THREE YEARS
04/12/2017
7 Chapter 7 GRETTIR SAILS FOR NORWAY AND IS WRECKED ON HARAMARSEY
04/12/2017
8 Chapter 8 ADVENTURE IN THE HOWE OF KAR THE OLD
04/12/2017
9 Chapter 9 BERSERKS AT HARAMARSEY
04/12/2017
10 Chapter 10 THORFINN'S RETURN. GRETTIR VISITS THE NORTH
04/12/2017
11 Chapter 11 ADVENTURE WITH A BEAR
04/12/2017
12 Chapter 12 GRETTIR KILLS BJORN AND IS SUMMONED BEFORE JARL SVEINN
04/12/2017
13 Chapter 13 GRETTIR KILLS GUNNAR. HIS FRIENDS RALLY ROUND HIM AND SAVE HIM FROM THE VENGEANCE OF THE JARL
04/12/2017
14 Chapter 14 SENTENCES ON THE FOSTER-BROTHERS
04/12/2017
15 Chapter 15 GRETTIR'S VISIT TO AUDUN IN VIDIDAL; OFFERS HIS SERVICES TO BARDI
04/12/2017
16 Chapter 16 GRETTIR'S VAIN ENDEAVOUR TO PROVOKE BARDI
04/12/2017
17 Chapter 17 THE SPOOK AT THORHALLSSTAD. GLAM THE SHEPHERD KILLED BY A FIEND. HIS GHOST WALKS
04/12/2017
18 Chapter 18 DOINGS OF GLAM'S GHOST. AWFUL CONDITION OF VATNSDAL
04/12/2017
19 Chapter 19 THE FIGHT WITH GLAM'S GHOST
04/12/2017
20 Chapter 20 GRETTIR SAILS FOR NORWAY AND KILLS THORBJORN SLOWCOACH
04/12/2017
21 Chapter 21 GRETTIR FETCHES FIRE—THE SONS OF THORIR ARE BURNT
04/12/2017
22 Chapter 22 GRETTIR APPEARS BEFORE THE KING AND FAILS TO UNDERGO THE ORDEAL
04/12/2017
23 Chapter 23 ADVENTURE WITH THE BERSERK SNAEKOLL
04/12/2017
24 Chapter 24 THE SONS OF THORIR OF SKARD ARE SLAIN BY ATLI AND GRIM
04/12/2017
25 Chapter 25 ATLI MURDERED BY THORBJORN OXMAIN
04/12/2017
26 Chapter 26 GRETTIR RETURNS TO BJARG—SVEINN AND HIS HORSE SADDLE-HEAD
04/12/2017
27 Chapter 27 DEATH OF THORBJORN OXMAIN
04/12/2017
28 Chapter 28 GRETTIR WINTERS WITH THORGILS AT REYKJAHOLAR IN COMPANY WITH THE FOSTER-BROTHERS
04/12/2017
29 Chapter 29 GRETTIR'S CASE OVERBORNE AT THE ALL-THING
04/12/2017
30 Chapter 30 GRETTIR IS CAPTURED BY FARMERS AND RELEASED BY THORBJORG
04/12/2017
31 Chapter 31 ADVENTURE WITH LOPT
04/12/2017
32 Chapter 32 TREACHERY AND DEATH OF THORIR REDBEARD
04/12/2017
33 Chapter 33 ATTACK ON GRETTIR BY THORIR OF GARD WITH EIGHTY MEN REPULSED WITH THE AID OF HALLMUND
04/12/2017
34 Chapter 34 THE CHASTISEMENT OF GISLI
04/12/2017
35 Chapter 35 THE BATTLE WITH THE MYRAMEN
04/12/2017
36 Chapter 36 HALLMUND IS KILLED BY A FOREST-MAN NAMED GRIM
04/12/2017
37 Chapter 37 GRETTIR'S MEETING WITH THORIR ON THE REYKJA HEATH
04/12/2017
38 Chapter 38 GHOSTS IN BARDARDAL
04/12/2017
39 Chapter 39 GRETTIR SLAYS A GIANT
04/12/2017
40 Chapter 40 FIGHT WITH THORODD THE SON OF SNORRI
04/12/2017
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