5. ATLI ARNVID SON'S SLAYING

There was a man named Atli, son of Arnvid, Earl of East Gothland.

He had kept back the taxes from Hacon Athelstane's foster child,

and both father and son had fled away from Jemtland to Gothland.

After that, Atli held on with his followers out of the Maelar by

Stock Sound, and so on towards Denmark, and now he lies out in

Oresound.(1) He is an outlaw both of the Dane-King and of the

Swede-King. Hrut held on south to the Sound, and when he came

into it he saw a many ships in the Sound. Then Wolf said,

"What's best to be done now, Icelander?"

"Hold on our course," said Hrut, "for `nothing venture, nothing

have.' My ship and Auzur's shall go first, but thou shalt lay

thy ship where thou likest."

"Seldom have I had others as a shield before me," says Wolf, and

lays his galley side by side with Hrut's ship; and so they hold

on through the Sound. Now those who are in the Sound see that

ships are coming up to them, and they tell Atli.

The Story of Burnt Njal: The Great Icelandic Tribune, Jurist, and Counsellor · 第 10 / 252 题