KARI COMES TO BJORN'S HOUSE IN THE MARK.
Thorgeir Craggeir rode home from the peace-meeting, and Kari asked
whether the atonement had come about. Thorgeir said that they now fully
atoned.
Then Kari took his horse and was for riding away.
"Thou hast no need to ride away," says Thorgeir, "for it was laid down
in our atonement that thou shouldst be here as before if thou chosest."
"It shall not be so, cousin, for as soon as ever I slay a man they will
be sure to say that thou wert in the plot with me, and I will not have
that; but I wish this, that thou wouldst let me hand over in trust to
thee my goods, and the estates of me and my wife Helga Njal's daughter,
and my three daughters, and then they will not be seized by those
adversaries of mine."
Thorgeir agreed to what Kari wished to ask of him, and then Thorgeir had
Kari's goods handed over to him in trust.
After that Kari rode away. He had two horses and his weapons and outer
clothing, and some ready money in gold and silver.
Now Kari rode west by Selialandsmull and up along Markfleet, and so on
up into Thorsmark. There there are three farms all called "Mark". At the
midmost farm dwelt that man whose name was Bjorn, and his surname was
Bjorn the white; he was the son of Kadal, the son of Bjalfi. Bjalfi had
been the freedman of Asgerda, the mother of Njal and Holt-Thorir; Bjorn
had to wife Valgerda, she was the daughter of Thorbrand, the son of
Asbrand. Her mother's name was Gudlauga, she was a sister of Hamond, the
father of Gunnar of Lithend; she was given away to Bjorn for his money's
sake, and she did not love him much, but yet they had children together,
and they had enough and to spare in the house.
Bjorn was a man who was always boasting and praising himself, but his
housewife thought that bad. He was sharpsighted and swift of foot.
Thither Kari turned in as a guest, and they took him by both hands, and
he was there that night. But the next morning Kari said to Bjorn--
"I wish thou wouldst take me in, for I should think myself well housed
here with thee. I would too that thou shouldst be with me in my
journeyings, as thou art a sharpsighted, swift-footed man, and besides I
think thou wouldst be dauntless in an onslaught."
"I can't blame myself," says Bjorn, "for wanting either sharp sight, or
dash, or any other bravery; but no doubt thou camest hither because all
thy other earths are stopped. Still, at thy prayer, Kari, I will not
look on thee as an everyday man; I will surely help thee in all that
thou askest."
"The trolls take thy boasting and bragging," said his housewife, "and
thou shouldst not utter such stuff and silliness to any one than
thyself. As for me, I will willingly give Kari meat and other good
things, which I know will be useful to him; but on Bjorn's hardihood,
Kari, thou shalt not trust, for I am afraid that thou wilt find it quite
otherwise than he says."
"Often hast thou thrown blame upon me," said Bjorn, "but for all that I
put so much faith in myself that though I am put to the trial I will
never give way to any man; and the best proof of it is this, that few
try a tussle with me because none dare to do so."
Kari was there some while in hiding, and few men knew of it.
Now men think that Kari must have ridden to the north country to see
Gudmund the powerful, for Kari made Bjorn tell his neighbours that he
had met Kari on the beaten track, and that he rode thence up into
Godaland, and so north to Goose-sand, and then north to Gudmund the
powerful at Modruvale.
So that story was spread over all the country.