The story of Burnt Njal eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 520 pages of information about The story of Burnt Njal.

The story of Burnt Njal eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 520 pages of information about The story of Burnt Njal.

Now Ingialld tuns for the wood, and they could not get at him.

Then Flosi said to his men—­

“Now have we gotten manscathe, and now we may know, when such things befall us, into what a luckless state we have got.  Now it is my counsel that we ride up to Threecorner ridge; thence we shall be able to see where men ride all over the country, for by this time they will have gathered together a great band, and they will think that we have ridden east to Fleetlithe from Threecorner ridge; and thence they will think that we are riding north up on the fell, and so east to our own country, and thither the greater part of the folk will ride after us; but some will ride the coast road east to Selialandsmull, and yet they will think there is less hope of finding us thitherward, but I will now take counsel for all of us, and my plan is to ride up into Threecorner-fell, and bide there till three suns have risen and set in heaven.”

CHAPTER CXXX.

OF KARI SOLMUND’S SON.

Now it is to be told of Kari Solmund’s son that he fared away from that hollow in which he had rested himself until he met Bard, and those words passed between them which Geirmund had told.

Thence Kari rode to Mord, and told him the tidings, and he was greatly grieved.

Kari said there were other things more befitting a man than to weep for them dead, and bade him rather gather folk and come to Holtford.

After that he rode into Thursodale to Hjallti Skeggi’s son, and as he went along Thurso water, he sees a man riding fast behind him.  Kari waited for the man, and knows that he was Ingialld of the Springs.  He sees that he is very bloody about the thigh; and Kari asked Ingialld who had wounded him, and he told him.

“Where met ye two?” says Kari.

“By Rangwater side,” says Ingialld, “and he threw a spear over at me.”

“Didst thou aught for it?” asks Kari.

“I threw the spear back,” says Ingialld, “and they said that it met a man, and he was dead at once.”

“Knowest thou not,” said Kari, “who the man was?”

“Methought he was like Thorstein Flosi’s brother’s son,” says Ingialld.

“Good luck go with thy hand,” says Kari.

After that they rode both together to see Hjallti Skeggi’s son, and told him the tidings.  He took these deeds ill, and said there was the greatest need to ride after them and slay them all.

After that he gathered men and roused the whole country; now he and Kari and Ingialld ride with this band to meet Mord Valgard’s son, and they found him at Holtford, and Mord was there waiting for them with a very great company.  Then they parted the hue and cry; some fared the straight road by the east coast to Selialandsmull, but some went up to Fleetlithe, and other-some the higher road thence to Threecorner ridge, and so down into Godaland.  Thence they rode north to Sand.  Some too rode as far as Fishwaters, and there turned back.  Some the coast road east to Holt, and told Thorgeir the tidings, and asked whether they had not ridden by there.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
The story of Burnt Njal from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.