Njála, 158

Chapter 158

THE SLAYING OF KOL THORSTEIN'S SON.

Kari Solmund's son told master Skeggi that he wished he would get him a ship. So master Skeggi gave Kari a longship, fully trimmed and manned, and on board it went Kari, and David the White, and Kolbein the Black.

Now Kari and his fellows sailed south through Scotland's firths, and there they found men from the Southern isles. They told Kari the tidings from Ireland, and also that Flosi was gone to Wales, and his men with him.

But when Kari heard that, he told his messmates that he would hold on south to Wales, to fall in with Flosi and his band. So he bade them then to part from his company, if they liked it better, and said that he would not wish to beguile any man into mischief, because he thought he had not yet had revenge enough on Flosi and his band.

All chose to go with him; and then he sails south to Wales, and there they lay in hiding in a creek out of the way.

That morning Kol Thorstein's son went into the town to buy silver. He of all the burners had used the bitterest words. Kol had talked much with a mighty dame, and he had so knocked the nail on the head, that it was all but fixed that he was to have her, and settle down there.

That same morning Kari went also into the town. He came where Kol was telling the silver.

Kari knew him at once, and ran at him with his drawn sword and smote him on the neck; but he still went on telling the silver, and his head counted "ten" just as it spun off his body.

Then Kari said, "Go and tell this to Flosi, that Kari Solmund's son hath slain Kol Thorstein's son. I give notice of this slaying as done by my hand."

Then Kari went to his ship, and told his shipmates of the manslaughter.

Then they sailed north to Beruwick, and laid up their ship, and fared up into Whitherne in Scotland, and were with Earl Malcolm that year.

But when Flosi heard of Kol's slaying, he laid out his body, and bestowed much money on his burial.

Flosi never uttered any wrathful words against Kari.

Thence Flosi fared south across the sea and began his pilgrimage, and went on south, and did not stop till he came to Rome. There he got so great honour that he took absolution from the Pope himself, and for that he gave a great sum of money.

Then he fared back again by the east road, and stayed long in towns, and went in before mighty men, and had from them great honour.

He was in Norway the winter after, and was with Earl Eric till he was ready to sail, and the earl gave him much meal, and many other men behaved handsomely to him.

Now he sailed out to Iceland, and ran into Hornfirth, and thence fared home to Swinefell. He had then fulfilled all the terms of his atonement, both in fines and foreign travel.

Kafli 158

Kári Sölmundarson sagði Skeggja bónda að hann vildi að hann fengi honum skip. Skeggi bóndi gaf Kára skip alskipað. Stigu þeir þar á Kári og Davíður hvíti og Kolbeinn svarti. Sigldu þeir Kári nú suður fyrir Skotlandsfjörðu. Þá fundu þeir menn úr Suðureyjum. Þeir sögðu Kára tíðindin af Írlandi og svo það að Flosi var til Bretlands farinn og menn hans. En er Kári spurði þetta sagði hann félögum sínum að hann vildi halda suður til Bretlands til móts við þá Flosa. Bað hann þá þann skiljast við sitt föruneyti er það þætti betra og kvaðst að engum manni vilja vél draga að hann lést enn á þeim hafa óhefnt harma sinna. Allir vildu honum fylgja. Siglir hann þá suður til Bretlands og lögðu þar að í leynivog einn.

Þenna myrgin gekk Kolur Þorsteinsson í borg að kaupa silfur. Hann hafði mest hæðiyrði um brennuna. Kolur hafði talað margt við frú eina ríka og var mjög í gadda slegið að hann mundi fá hennar og setjast þar.

Þenna hinn sama morgun gekk Kári í borgina. Hann kom þar að er Kolur taldi silfrið. Kári kenndi hann og hljóp að honum með sverð brugðið og hjó á hálsinn en hann taldi silfrið og nefndi tíu höfuðið er það fauk af bolnum.

Kári mælti: „Segið það Flosa að Kári Sölmundarson hefir vegið Kol Þorsteinsson. Lýsi eg vígi þessu mér á hendur.“

Gekk Kári þá til skips síns. Sagði hann þá skipverjum sínum vígið. Þá sigldu þeir norður til Brunnsvíkur og settu upp skip sitt og fóru upp í Hvítsborg í Skotlandi og voru með Melkólfi jarli þau misseri.

En er Flosi fréttir víg Kols býr hann um lík hans og gefur fé mikið til legs honum. Flosa stukku aldrei hermdaryrði til Kára. Flosi fór þaðan suður um sjá og hóf upp suðurgöngu sína og gekk suður og létti ekki fyrr en hann kom til Rómaborgar. Þar fékk hann svo mikla sæmd að hann fékk lausn af sjálfum páfanum og gaf hann þar til mikið fé. Hann fór þá aftur hina eystri leið og dvaldist víða í borgum og gekk fyrir ríka menn og þá af þeim miklar sæmdir. Hann var í Noregi um veturinn eftir og þá skip af Eiríki jarli til útferðar og hann fékk honum mjöl mikið og margir menn aðrir gerðu sæmilega til hans. Sigldi hann nú út til Íslands og kom í Hornafjörð og fór þá heim til Svínafells. Hafði hann þá af hendi innt alla sætt sína bæði í utanferðum og fégjöldum.