Njála, 020

Chapter 20

OF NJAL AND HIS CHILDREN

There was a man whose name was Njal. He was the son of Thorgeir Gelling, the son of Thorolf. Njal's mother's name was Asgerda (1). Njal dwelt at Bergthorsknoll in the land-isles; he had another homestead on Thorolfsfell. Njal was wealthy in goods, and handsome of face; no beard grew on his chin. He was so great a lawyer, that his match was not to be found. Wise too he was, and foreknowing and foresighted (2). Of good counsel, and ready to give it, and all that he advised men was sure to be the best for them to do. Gentle and generous, he unravelled every man's knotty points who came to see him about them. Bergthora was his wife's name; she was Skarphedinn's daughter, a very high- spirited, brave-hearted woman, but somewhat hard-tempered. They had six children, three daughters and three sons, and they all come afterwards into this story.

ENDNOTES:

(1) She was the daughter of Lord Ar the Silent. She had come out hither to Iceland from Norway, and taken land to the west of Markfleet, between Auldastone and Selialandsmull. Her son was Holt-Thorir, the father of Thorleif Crow, from whom the Wood-dwellers are sprung, and of Thorgrim the Tall, and Skorargeir.

(2) This means that Njal was one of those gifted beings who, according to the firm belief of that age, had a more than human insight into things about to happen. It answers very nearly to the Scottish "second sight."

Kafli 20

Njáll hét maður. Hann var sonur Þorgeirs gollings Þórólfssonar. Móðir Njáls hét Ásgerður og var dóttir Árs hersis hins ómálga. Hún hafði komið út hingað til Íslands og numið land fyrir austan Markarfljót milli Öldusteins og Seljalandsmúla. Sonur hennar var Holta-Þórir, faðir þeirra Þorleifs kráks, er Skógverjar eru frá komnir, og Þorgríms hins mikla og Skorar-Geirs.

Njáll bjó að Bergþórshvoli í Landeyjum. Annað bú átti hann í Þórólfsfelli. Njáll var vel auðigur að fé og vænn að áliti. Honum vóx eigi skegg. Hann var lögmaður svo mikill að engi fannst hans jafningi. Vitur var hann og forspár, heilráður og góðgjarn og var allt að ráði það er hann réð mönnum, hógvær og drenglyndur. Hann leysti hvers manns vandræði er á hans fund kom.

Bergþóra hét kona hans. Hún var Skarphéðinsdóttir, kvenskörungur mikill og drengur góður og nokkuð skaphörð. Þau áttu sex börn, dætur þrjár og sonu þrjá og koma þeir allir við þessa sögu síðan.