NJAL TAKES HAUSKULD TO FOSTER.
Once on a time Njal rides up into the Mark, and he had a hearty welcome.
He was there that night, and in the evening Njal called out to the lad
Hauskuld, and he went up to him at once.
Njal had a ring of gold on his hand, and showed it to the lad. He took
hold of the gold, and looked at it, and put it on his finger.
"Wilt thou take the gold as a gift?" said Njal.
"That I will," said the lad.
"Knowest thou," says Njal, "what brought thy father to his death?"
"I know," answers the lad, "that Skarphedinn slew him; but we need not
keep that in mind, when an atonement has been made for it, and a full
price paid for him."
"Better answered than asked," said Njal; "and thou wilt live to be a
good man and true," he adds.
"Methinks thy forecasting," says Hauskuld, "is worth having, for I know
that thou art foresighted and unlying."
"Now I will offer to foster thee," said Njal, "if thou wilt take the
offer."
He said he would be willing to take both that honour and any other good
offer which he might make. So the end of the matter was, that Hauskuld
fared home with Njal as his foster-son.
He suffered no harm to come nigh the lad, and loved him much. Njal's
sons took him about with them, and did him honour in every way. And so
things go on till Hauskuld is full grown. He was both tall and strong;
the fairest of men to look on, and well-haired; blithe of speech,
bountiful, well-behaved; as well trained to arms as the best; fairspoken
to all men, and much beloved.
Njal's sons and Hauskuld were never apart, either in word or deed.