Gunnar rode from home two nights afterwards, and two men with
him; they rode along until they got on Bluewoodheath and then men
on horseback met them and asked who that tall man might be of
whom so little was seen. But his companions said it was Huckster
Hedinn. Then the others said a worse was not to be looked for
behind, when such a man as he went before. Hedinn at once made
as though he would have set upon them, but yet each went their
way. So Gunnar went on doing everything as Njal had laid it down
for him, and when he came to Hauskuldstede he stayed there the
night, and thence he went down the dale till he came to the next
farm to Hrutstede. There he offered his wares for sale, and
Hedinn fell at once upon the farmer. This was told to Hrut, and
he sent for Hedinn, and Hedinn went at once to see Hrut, and had
a good welcome. Hrut seated him over against himself, and their
talk went pretty much as Njal had guessed; but when they came to
talk of Rangrivervale, and Hrut asked about the men there, Gunnar
sung this stave --
"Men in sooth are slow to find --
So the people speak by stealth,
Often this hath reached my ears --
All through Rangar's rolling vales.
Still I trow that Fiddle Mord,
Tried his hand in fight of yore;
Sure was never gold-bestower,
Such a man for might and wit."
Then Hrut said, "Thou art a skald, Hedinn. But hast thou never
heard how things went between me and Mord?" Then Hedinn sung
another stave --
"Once I ween I heard the rumour,
How the Lord of rings (1) bereft thee;
From thine arms earth's offspring (2) tearing,
Trickfull he and trustful thou.
Then the men, the buckler-bearers,
Begged the mighty gold-begetter,
Sharp sword oft of old he reddened,
Not to stand in strife with thee."
So they went on, till Hrut, in answer told him how the suit must
be taken up, and recited the summons. Hedinn repeated it all
wrong, and Hrut burst out laughing, and had no mistrust. Then he
said, Hrut must summon once more, and Hrut did so. Then Hedinn
repeated the summons a second time, and this time right, and
called his companions to witness how he summoned Hrut in a suit
which Unna, Mord's daughter, had made over to him with her
plighted hand. At night he went to sleep like other men, but as
soon as ever Hrut was sound asleep, they took their clothes and
arms, and went out and came to their horses, and rode off across
the river, and so up along the bank by Hiardarholt till the dale
broke off among the hills, and so there they are upon the fells
between Laxriverdale and Hawkdale, having got to a spot where no
one could find them unless he had fallen on them by chance.
Hauskuld wakes up that night at Hauskuldstede, and roused all his
household. "I will tell you my dream," he said. "I thought I
saw a great bear go out of this house, and I knew at once this
beast's match was not to be found; two cubs followed him, wishing
well to the bear, and they all made for Hrutstede and went into
the house there. After that I woke. Now I wish to ask if any of
you saw aught about yon tall man."
Then one man answered him, "I saw how a golden fringe and a bit
of scarlet cloth peeped out at his arm, and on his right arm he
had a ring of gold."
Hauskuld said, "This beast is no man's fetch, but Gunnar's of
Lithend, and now methinks I see all about it. Up! let us ride
to Hrutstede," And they did so. Hrut lay in his locked bed, and
asks who have come there? Hauskuld tells who he is, and asked
what guests might be there in the house?
"Only Huckster Hedinn is here," says Hrut.
"A broader man across the back, it will be, I fear," says
Hauskuld, "I guess here must have been Gunnar of Lithend."
"Then there has been a pretty trial of cunning," says Hrut.
"What has happened?" says Hauskuld.
"I told him how to take up Unna's suit, and I summoned myself and
he summoned after, and now he can use this first step in the
suit, and it is right in law."
"There has, indeed, been a great falling off of wit on one side,"
said Hauskuld, "and Gunnar cannot have planned it all by himself;
Njal must be at the bottom of this plot, for there is not his
match for wit in all the land."
Now they look for Hedinn, but he is already off and away; after
that they gathered folk, and looked for them three days, but
could not find them. Gunnar rode south from the fell to Hawkdale
and so east of Skard, and north to Holtbeaconheath, and so on
until he got home.