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There was a carline at Bergthorsknoll, whose name was Saevuna.<ref>'''There was a carline at Bergthorsknoll, whose name was Saevuna''': "The stigma attached to old women is profound and profoundly negative overall … agents of evil, foreboding, or gossipy nastiness are most often old women. Witness Saeunn in ''Njál’s Saga''" [[Overing, Gillian. A body in question]] (p. 221). </ref> She was wise in many things, and foresighted; but she was then very old, and Njal's sons called her an old dotard, when she talked so much, but still some things which she said came to pass.<ref>''' some things which she said came to pass ''':  "Sæunn is an old woman whom Njall's sons call senile; however, the saga states that most of what she says comes true and this cynical outlook is characteristic of Njáll’s sons rather than representing the Íslendingasögur‘s general attitude. Prophecies are normally proved right, since otherwise they would hardly be worth mentioning, and thus they function primarily to foreshadow future events and create suspense." [[Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir. Women's Weapons]] (p. 424)</ref>
There was a carline at Bergthorsknoll, whose name was Saevuna.<ref>'''There was a carline at Bergthorsknoll, whose name was Saevuna''': "The stigma attached to old women is profound and profoundly negative overall … agents of evil, foreboding, or gossipy nastiness are most often old women. Witness Saeunn in ''Njál’s Saga''" [[Overing, Gillian. A body in question]] (p. 221). </ref> She was wise in many things, and foresighted; but she was then very old, and Njal's sons called her an old dotard, when she talked so much, but still some things which she said came to pass.<ref>''' some things which she said came to pass ''':  "Sæunn is an old woman whom Njall's sons call senile; however, the saga states that most of what she says comes true and this cynical outlook is characteristic of Njáll’s sons rather than representing the Íslendingasögur‘s general attitude. Prophecies are normally proved right, since otherwise they would hardly be worth mentioning, and thus they function primarily to foreshadow future events and create suspense." [[Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir. Women's Weapons]] (p. 424)</ref>
It fell one day that she took a cudgel in her hand, and went up above the house to a stack of vetches. She beat the stack of vetches with her cudgel, and wished it might never thrive, "Wretch that it was!"
It fell one day that she took a cudgel in her hand, and went up above the house to a stack of vetches. She beat the stack of vetches with her cudgel, and wished it might never thrive, "Wretch that it was!"


Skarphedinn laughed at her, and asked why she was so angry with the vetch stack.
Skarphedinn laughed at her, and asked why she was so angry with the vetch stack.
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Hún fór heim en hann sagði þetta sonum sínum.  
Hún fór heim en hann sagði þetta sonum sínum.  


Kerling var sú að Bergþórshvoli er Sæunn hét.<ref>'''Kerling var sú að Bergþórshvoli er Sæunn hét''': "The stigma attached to old women is profound and profoundly negative overall … agents of evil, foreboding, or gossipy nastiness are most often old women. Witness Saeunn in ''Njál’s Saga''" [[Overing, Gillian. A body in question]] (s. 221). </ref> Hún var fróð að mörgu og framsýn en þó var hún gömul mjög og kölluðu Njálssynir hana gamalæra er hún mælti margt en þó gekk það sumt eftir.<ref>''' hún mælti margt en þó gekk það sumt eftir ''':  "Sæunn is an old woman whom Njall's sons call senile; however, the saga states that most of what she says comes true and this cynical outlook is characteristic of Njáll’s sons rather than representing the Íslendingasögur‘s general attitude. Prophecies are normally proved right, since otherwise they would hardly be worth mentioning, and thus they function primarily to foreshadow future events and create suspense." [[Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir. Women's Weapons]] (s. 424)</ref>
Kerling var sú að Bergþórshvoli er Sæunn hét.<ref>'''Kerling var sú að Bergþórshvoli er Sæunn hét''': "The stigma attached to old women is profound and profoundly negative overall … agents of evil, foreboding, or gossipy nastiness are most often old women. Witness Saeunn in ''Njál’s Saga''" [[Overing, Gillian. A body in question]] (s. 221). </ref> Hún var fróð að mörgu og framsýn en þó var hún gömul mjög og kölluðu Njálssynir hana gamalæra er hún mælti margt en þó gekk það sumt eftir.<ref>''' hún mælti margt en þó gekk það sumt eftir ''':  "Sæunn is an old woman whom Njall's sons call senile; however, the saga states that most of what she says comes true and this cynical outlook is characteristic of Njáll’s sons rather than representing the Íslendingasögur‘s general attitude. Prophecies are normally proved right, since otherwise they would hardly be worth mentioning, and thus they function primarily to foreshadow future events and create suspense." [[Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir. Women's Weapons]] (s. 424)</ref> Það var einn dag að hún þreif lurk í hönd sér og gekk upp um hús að arfasátu einni. Hún laust arfasátuna og bað hana aldrei þrífast svo vesöl sem hún var. Skarphéðinn hló að og spurði hví hún abbaðist upp á arfasátuna.  
Það var einn dag að hún þreif lurk í hönd sér og gekk upp um hús að arfasátu einni. Hún laust arfasátuna og bað hana aldrei þrífast svo vesöl sem hún var. Skarphéðinn hló að og spurði hví hún abbaðist upp á arfasátuna.  


Kerlingin mælti: „Þessi arfasáta mun tekin og kveiktur við eldur þá er Njáll bóndi er inni brenndur og Bergþóra fóstra mín. Og berið þér hana á vatn,“ segir hún, „eða brennið hana upp sem skjótast.“  
Kerlingin mælti: „Þessi arfasáta mun tekin og kveiktur við eldur þá er Njáll bóndi er inni brenndur og Bergþóra fóstra mín. Og berið þér hana á vatn,“ segir hún, „eða brennið hana upp sem skjótast.“  

Latest revision as of 15:19, 11 July 2018


Chapter 124

AN ATTACK PLANNED ON NJAL AND HIS SONS.


Flosi summoned all his men up to the "Great Rift," and went thither himself.

So when all his men were come, there were one hundred and twenty of them.

Then Flosi spake thus to the sons of Sigfus, "In what way shall I stand by you in this quarrel, which will be most to your minds?"

"Nothing will please us," said Gunnar Lambi's son, "until those brothers, Njal's sons, are all slain."

"This," said Flosi, "will I promise to you, ye sons of Sigfus, not to part from this quarrel before one of us bites the dust before the other. I will also know whether there be any man here who will not stand by us in this quarrel."

But they all said they would stand by him.

Then Flosi said, "Come now all to me, and swear an oath that no man will shrink from this quarrel."

Then all went up to Flosi and swore oaths to him; and then Flosi said, "We will all of us shake hands on this, that he shall have forfeited life and land who quits this quarrel ere it be over."

These were the chiefs who were with Flosi:--Kol the son of Thorstein Broadpaunch, the brother's son of Hall of the Side, Hroald Auzur's son from Broadwater, Auzur son of Aunund Wallet- back, Thorstein the Fair, the son of Gerleif, Glum Hildir's son, Modolf Kettle's son, Thorir the son of Thord Illugi's son of Mauratongue, Kolbein and Egil Flosi's kinsmen, Kettle Sigfus' son, and Mord his brother, Ingialld of the Springs, Thorkel and Lambi, Grani Gunnar's son, Gunnar Lambi's son, and Sigmund Sigfus' son, and Hroar from Hromundstede.

Then Flosi said to the sons of Sigfus, "Choose ye now a leader, whomsoever ye think best fitted; for some one man must needs be chief over the quarrel"

Then Kettle of the Mark answered, "If the choice is to be left with us brothers, then we will soon choose that this duty should fall on thee; there are many things which lead to this. Thou art a man of great birth, and a mighty chief, stout of heart, and strong of body, and wise withal, and so we think it best that thou shouldst see to all that is needful in the quarrel."

"It is most fitting," said Flosi, "that I should agree to undertake this as your prayer asks; and now I will lay down the course which we shall follow, and my counsel is, that each man ride home from the Thing, and look after his household during the summer, so long as men's haymaking lasts. I, too, will ride home, and be at home this summer; but when that Lord's day comes on which winter is eight weeks off, then I will let them sing me a mass at home, and afterwards ride west across Loomnips Sand; each of our men shall have two horses. I will not swell our company beyond those which have now taken the oath, for we have enough and to spare if all keep true tryst. I will ride all the Lord's day and the night as well, but at even on the second day of the week, I shall ride up to Threecorner ridge about mid-even. There shall ye then be all come who have sworn an oath in this matter. But if there be any one who has not come, and who has joined us in this quarrel, then that man shall lose nothing save his life, if we may have our way."

"How does that hang together," said Kettle, "that thou canst ride from home on the Lord's day, and come the second day of the week to Threecorner ridge?"

"I will ride," said Flosi "up from Skaptartongue, and north of the Eyjafell Jokul, and so down into Godaland, and it may be done if I ride fast. And now I will tell you my whole purpose, that when we meet there all together, we shall ride to Bergthorsknoll with all our band, and fall on Njal's sons with fire and sword, and not turn away before they are all dead. Ye shall hide this plan, for our lives lie on it. And now we will take to our horses and ride home."

Then they all went to their booths.

After that Flosi made them saddle his horses, and they waited for no man, and rode home.

Flosi would not stay to meet Hall his father-in-law, for he knew of a surety that Hall would set his face against all strong deeds.

Njal rode home from the Thing and his sons. They were at home that summcr. Njal asked Kari his son-in-law whether he thought at all of riding east to Dyrholms to his own house.

"I will not ride east," answered Kari, "for one fate shall befall me and thy sons.

Njal thanked him, and said that was only what was likely from him. There were nearly thirty fighting men in Njal's house, reckoning the house-carles.

One day it happened that Rodny Hauskuld's daughter, the mother of Hauskuld Njal's son, came to the Springs. Her brother Ingialld greeted her well, but she would not take his greeting, but yet bade him go out with her. Ingialld did so, and went out with her; and so they walked away from the farm-yard both together. Then she clutched hold of him and they both sat down, and Rodny said, "Is it true that thou hast sworn an oath to fall on Njal, and slay him and his sons?"

"True it is," said he.

"A very great dastard art thou," she says, "thou, whom Njal hath thrice saved from outlawry."

"Still it hath come to this," says Ingialld, "that my life lies on it if I do not this?"

"Not so," says she, "thou shalt live all the same, and be called a better man, if thou betrayest not him to whom thou oughtest to behave best."

Then she took a linen hood out of her bag, it was clotted with blood all over, and torn and tattered, and said, "This hood, Hauskuld Njal's son, and thy sister's son, had on his head when they slew him; methinks, then, it is ill doing to stand by those from whom this mischief sprang."

"Well!" answers Ingialld, "so it shall be that I will not be against Njal whatever follows after, but still I know that they will turn and throw trouble on me."

"Now mightest thou," said Rodny, "yield Njal and his sons great help, if thou tellest him all these plans."

"That I will not do," says Ingialld, "for then I am every man's dastard if I tell what was trusted to me in good faith; but it is a manly deed to sunder myself from this quarrel when I know that there is a sure looking for of vengeance but tell Njal and his sons to be ware of themselves all this summer, for that will be good counsel, and to keep many men about them."

Then she fared to Bergthoknoll, and told Njal all this talk; and Njal thanked her, and said she had done well, "For there would be more wickedness in his falling on me than of all men else."

She fared home, but he told this to his sons.

There was a carline at Bergthorsknoll, whose name was Saevuna.[1] She was wise in many things, and foresighted; but she was then very old, and Njal's sons called her an old dotard, when she talked so much, but still some things which she said came to pass.[2] It fell one day that she took a cudgel in her hand, and went up above the house to a stack of vetches. She beat the stack of vetches with her cudgel, and wished it might never thrive, "Wretch that it was!"

Skarphedinn laughed at her, and asked why she was so angry with the vetch stack.

"This stack of vetches," said the carline, "will be taken and lighted with fire when Njal my master is burnt, house and all, and Bergthorn my foster-child. Take it away to the water, or burn it up as quick as you can."

"We will not do that," says Skarphedinn, "for something else will be got to light a fire with, if that were foredoomed, though this stack were not here."

The carline babbled the whole summer about the vetchstack that it should be got indoors, but something always hindered it.

References

  1. There was a carline at Bergthorsknoll, whose name was Saevuna: "The stigma attached to old women is profound and profoundly negative overall … agents of evil, foreboding, or gossipy nastiness are most often old women. Witness Saeunn in Njál’s Saga" Overing, Gillian. A body in question (p. 221).
  2. some things which she said came to pass : "Sæunn is an old woman whom Njall's sons call senile; however, the saga states that most of what she says comes true and this cynical outlook is characteristic of Njáll’s sons rather than representing the Íslendingasögur‘s general attitude. Prophecies are normally proved right, since otherwise they would hardly be worth mentioning, and thus they function primarily to foreshadow future events and create suspense." Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir. Women's Weapons (p. 424)

Kafli 124

Flosi stefndi öllum sínum mönnum upp í Almannagjá og gekk þangað sjálfur. Þá voru þar komnir allir hans menn og voru það tíu tigir manna.

Flosi mælti til Sigfússona: „Hversu veiti eg yður þá að málum þessum að yður sé skapfelldlegast?“

Gunnar Lambason mælti: „Ekki líkar oss fyrr en þeir bræður eru allir vegnir, Njálssynir.“

Flosi mælti: „Því vil eg heita Sigfússonum að skiljast eigi fyrr við þetta mál en aðrir hvorir hníga fyrir öðrum. Vil eg og það vita hvort nokkur er sá hér að oss vilji eigi veita að þessu máli.“

En allir kváðust honum veita vilja.

Flosi mælti: „Gangi nú allir til mín og sverji eiða að engi skerist úr þessu máli.“

Þá gengu allir til Flosa og svörðu honum eiða.

Flosi mælti: „Vér skulum og allir hafa handtak að því að sá skal hafa fyrirgert fé og fjörvi er úr þessu máli gengur fyrr en yfir lýkur.“

Þessir voru höfðingjar með Flosa: Kolur son Þorsteins breiðmaga, bróðurson Halls af Síðu, Hróaldur Össurarson frá Breiðá, Össur Önundarson töskubaks, Þorsteinn hinn fagri Geirleifsson, Glúmur Hildisson, Móðólfur Ketilsson, Þórir son Þórðar illuga úr Möratungu, frændur Flosa Kolbeinn og Egill, Ketill Sigfússon og Mörður bróðir hans, Ingjaldur frá Keldum, Þorkell og Lambi, Grani Gunnarsson, Gunnar Lambason og Sigurður bróðir hans, Hróar frá Hrómundarstöðum.

Flosi mælti til Sigfússona: „Takið þér yður nú höfðingja þann er yður þykir best til fallinn því að einnhver mun þurfa að vera fyrir málinu.“

Ketill úr Mörk svaraði: „Ef undir oss bræður skal koma kjörið þá munum vér það skjótt kjósa að undir þig falli sá vandi. Þú ert maður ættstór og höfðingi mikill, harðdrægur og vitur. Virðum vér og svo að þú setjist fyrir vora nauðsyn í málið.“

Flosi mælti: „Það er líkast að eg játist undir þetta sem bæn yður stendur til. Mun eg nú og á kveða hverja atferð vér skulum hafa. Og er það mitt ráð að hver maður ríði heim af þingi og sjái um bú sitt í sumar meðan töður manna eru undir. Eg mun og heim ríða og vera heima í sumar. En drottinsdag, þann er átta vikur eru til vetrar, þá mun eg láta syngja mér messu heima og ríða síðan vestur yfir Lómagnúpssand. Hver vor maður skal hafa tvo hesta. Ekki mun eg lið auka úr því sem nú hefir til eiða gengið því að vér höfum ærið margt ef oss kæmi það vel að haldi. Eg mun ríða drottinsdaginn og svo nóttina með. En annan aftan vikunnar mun eg ríða á Þríhyrningshálsa fyrir miðjan aftan. Skuluð þér þá þar allir komnir er eiðsvarar eruð við þetta mál. En ef nokkur er sá eigi þar kominn er í mál þessi hafa gengið þá skal engu fyrir týna nema lífinu ef vér megum ráða.“

Ketill mælti: „Hversu má því saman fara að þú ríðir drottinsdag heiman en komir annan dag vikunnar á Þríhyrningshálsa?“

Flosi mælti: „Eg mun ríða upp úr Skaftártungu og fyrir norðan Eyjafjallajökul og ofan í Goðaland og mun þetta endast ef eg ríð hvatlega. Mun eg nú og segja yður alla mína fyrirætlan að þá er vér komum þar saman skulum vér ríða til Bergþórshvols með öllu liðinu og sækja Njálssonu með eldi og járni og ganga eigi fyrr frá en þeir eru allir dauðir. Skuluð þér þessi ráðagerð leyna því að líf vort allra liggur við. Munum vér nú leita til hesta vorra og ríða heim.“

Gengu þeir þá allir til búða sinna.

Síðan lét Flosi söðla hesta sína og biðu engra manna og ríða síðan heim. Flosi vildi eigi finna Hall mág sinn því að hann þóttist vita að Hallur mundi letja allra stórvirkja.

Njáll reið heim af þingi og synir hans. Voru þeir heima um sumarið. Njáll spurði Kára mág sinn hvort hann mundi nokkuð ríða austur til Dyrhólma til bús síns.

Kári svaraði: „Ekki skal eg austur ríða því að eitt skal ganga yfir mig og sonu þína.“

Njáll þakkaði honum og kvað slíks að honum von. Þar var jafnan nær þrem tigum vígra karla með húskörlum.

Það var einu hverju sinni að Hróðný Höskuldsdóttir kom til Keldna. Ingjaldur bróðir hennar fagnaði henni vel. Hún tók ekki kveðju hans en bað hann þó ganga út með sér. Ingjaldur gerði svo að hann gekk út með henni og gengu úr garði bæði saman. Síðan þreif hún til hans og settust þau niður bæði.

Hróðný mælti: „Hvort er það satt að þú hefir svarið eið að fara að Njáli og drepa hann og sonu hans?“

Hann svaraði: „Satt er það,“ segir hann.

„Allmikill níðingur ertu,“ segir hún, „þar sem Njáll hefir þrisvar leyst þig úr skógi.“

„Svo er nú þó komið,“ segir Ingjaldur, „að líf mitt liggur við ef eg geri eigi þetta.“

„Eigi mun það,“ segir hún, „lifa muntu allt að einu og heita að betri maður ef þú svíkur eigi þann er þú átt bestur að vera.“

Hún tók þá línhúfu úr pússi sínu alblóðga alla og raufótta og mælti: „Þessa húfu hafði Höskuldur Njálsson á höfði sér þá er þeir vógu hann. Þykir mér þér því verr fara að veita þeim er þaðan standa að.“

Ingjaldur svarar: „Svo mun og fara að eg mun eigi vera í mót Njáli hvað sem á bak kemur. En þó veit eg að þeir munu að mér snúa vandræðum.“

Hróðný mælti: „Þá máttu nú mikið lið veita Njáli og sonum hans ef þú segir honum þessa ráðagerð alla.“

„Það mun eg eigi gera,“ segir Ingjaldur, „því að þá er eg hvers manns níðingur ef eg segi það er þeir trúðu mér til. En það er karlmannlegt bragð að skiljast við þetta mál þar sem eg veit vissrar hefndar von. En seg það Njáli og sonum hans að þeir séu varir um sig þetta sumar allt því að það er þeim heilræði og hafi margt manna.“

Síðan fór hún til Bergþórshvols og sagði Njáli þessa viðræðu alla.

Njáll þakkaði henni og kvað hana vel hafa gert „því að honum mundi helst misgert í vera að fara að mér allra manna.“

Hún fór heim en hann sagði þetta sonum sínum.

Kerling var sú að Bergþórshvoli er Sæunn hét.[1] Hún var fróð að mörgu og framsýn en þó var hún gömul mjög og kölluðu Njálssynir hana gamalæra er hún mælti margt en þó gekk það sumt eftir.[2] Það var einn dag að hún þreif lurk í hönd sér og gekk upp um hús að arfasátu einni. Hún laust arfasátuna og bað hana aldrei þrífast svo vesöl sem hún var. Skarphéðinn hló að og spurði hví hún abbaðist upp á arfasátuna.

Kerlingin mælti: „Þessi arfasáta mun tekin og kveiktur við eldur þá er Njáll bóndi er inni brenndur og Bergþóra fóstra mín. Og berið þér hana á vatn,“ segir hún, „eða brennið hana upp sem skjótast.“

„Eigi munum vér það gera,“ segir Skarphéðinn, „því að fást mun annað til eldkveikna ef þess verður auðið þó að hún sé eigi.“

Kerling klifaði allt sumarið um arfasátuna að inn skyldi bera og fórst það fyrir.

Tilvísanir

  1. Kerling var sú að Bergþórshvoli er Sæunn hét: "The stigma attached to old women is profound and profoundly negative overall … agents of evil, foreboding, or gossipy nastiness are most often old women. Witness Saeunn in Njál’s Saga" Overing, Gillian. A body in question (s. 221).
  2. hún mælti margt en þó gekk það sumt eftir : "Sæunn is an old woman whom Njall's sons call senile; however, the saga states that most of what she says comes true and this cynical outlook is characteristic of Njáll’s sons rather than representing the Íslendingasögur‘s general attitude. Prophecies are normally proved right, since otherwise they would hardly be worth mentioning, and thus they function primarily to foreshadow future events and create suspense." Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir. Women's Weapons (s. 424)

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