UNNA'S SECOND WEDDING.
There was a man named Valgard, he kept house at Hof by Rangriver, he was
the son of Jorund the Priest, and his brother was Wolf Aurpriest. Those
brothers. Wolf Aurpriest, and Valgard the guileful, set off to woo Unna,
and she gave herself away to Valgard without the advice of any of her
kinsfolk. But Gunnar and Njal, and many others thought ill of that, for
he was a cross-grained man and had few friends. They begot between them
a son, whose name was Mord, and he is long in this story. When he was
grown to man's estate, he worked ill to his kinsfolk, but worst of all
to Gunnar. He was a crafty man in his temper, but spiteful in his
counsels.
Now we will name Njal's sons. Skarphedinn was the eldest of them. He was
a tall man in growth and strong withal; a good swordsman; he could swim
like a seal, the swiftest-footed of men, and bold and dauntless; he had
a great flow of words and quick utterance; a good skald too; but still
for the most part he kept himself well in hand; his hair was dark brown,
with crisp curly locks; he had good eyes; his features were sharp, and
his face ashen pale, his nose turned up and his front teeth stuck out,
and his mouth was very ugly. Still he was the most soldier-like of men.
Grim was the name of Njal's second son. He was fair of face and wore his
hair long. His hair was dark, and he was comelier to look on than
Skarphedinn. A tall strong man.
Helgi was the name of Njal's third son. He too was fair of face and had
fine hair. He was a strong man and well-skilled in arms. He was a man of
sense and knew well how to behave. They were all unwedded at that time,
Njal's sons.
Hauskuld was the fourth of Njal's sons. He was base-born. His mother was
Rodny, and she was Hauskuld's daughter, the sister of Ingialld of the
Springs.
Njal asked Skarphedinn one day if he would take to himself a wife. He
bade his father settle the matter. Then Njal asked for his hand
Thorhilda, the daughter of Ranvir of Thorolfsfell, and that was why they
had another homestead there after that. Skarphedinn got Thorhilda, but
he stayed still with his father to the end. Grim wooed Astrid of
Deepback; she was a widow and very wealthy. Grim got her to wife, and
yet lived on with Njal.