There was a man named Otkell; he was the son of Skarf, the son of
Hallkell, who fought with Grim of Grimsness, and felled him on
the holm. (1) This Hallkell and Kettlebjorn the Old were
brothers.
Otkell kept house at Kirkby; his wife's name was Thorgerda; she
was a daughter of Mar, the son of Runolf, the son of Naddad of
the Faroe Isles. Otkell was wealthy in goods. His son's name
was Thorgeir; he was young in years, and a bold dashing man.
Skamkell was the name of another man; he kept house at another
farm called Hof (2); he was well off for money, but he was a
spiteful man and a liar; quarrelsome too, and ill to deal with.
He was Otkell's friend. Hallkell was the name of Otkell's
brother; he was a tall strong man, and lived there with Otkell;
their brother's name was Hallbjorn the White; he brought out to
Iceland a thrall, whose name was Malcolm; he was Irish, and had
not many friends.
Hallbjorn went to stay with Otkell, and so did his thrall
Malcolm. The thrall was always saying that he should think
himself happy if Otkell owned him. Otkell was kind to him, and
gave him a knife and belt, and a full suit of clothes, but the
thrall turned his hand to any work that Otkell wished.
Otkell wanted to make a bargain with his brother for the thrall;
he said he would give him the thrall, but said, too, that he was
a worse treasure than he thought. But as soon as Otkell owned
the thrall, then he did less and less work. Otkell often said
outright to Hallbjorn, that he thought the thrall did little
work; and he told Otkell that there was worse in him yet to
come.
At that time came a great scarcity, so that men fell short both
of meat and hay, and that spread over all parts of Iceland.
Gunnar shared his hay and meat with many men; and all got them
who came thither, so long as his stores lasted. At last it came
about that Gunnar himself fell short both of hay and meat. Then
Gunnar called on Kolskegg to go along with him; he called too on
Thrain Sigfus' son, and Lambi Sigurd's son. They fared to
Kirkby, and called Otkell out. He greeted them, and Gunnar said,
"It so happens that I am come to deal with thee for hay and meat,
if there be any left."
Otkell answers, "There is store of both, but I will sell thee
neither."
"Wilt thou give me them then," says Gunnar, "and run the risk of
my paying thee back somehow?"
"I will not do that either," says Otkell.
Skamkell all the while was giving him bad counsel.
Then Thrain Sigfus' son, said, "It would serve him right if we
take both hay and meat and lay down the worth of them instead."
Skamkell answered, "All the men of Mossfell must be dead and gone
then, if ye, sons of Sigfus, are to come and rob them."
"I will have no hand in any robbery," says Gunnar.
"Wilt thou buy a thrall of me?" says Otkell.
"I'll not spare to do that," says Gunnar. After that Gunnar
bought the thrall, and fared away as things stood.
Njal hears of this, and said, "Such things are ill done, to
refuse to let Gunnar buy; and it is not a good outlook for others
if such men as he cannot get what they want."
"What's the good of thy talking so much about such a little
matter," says Bergthora; "far more like a man would it be to let
him have both meat and hay, when thou lackest neither of them."
"That is clear as day," says Njal, "and I will of a surety supply
his need somewhat."
Then he fared up to Thorolfsfell, and his sons with him, and they
bound hay on fifteen horses; but on five horses they had meat.
Njal came to Lithend, and called Gunnar out. He greeted them
kindly.
"Here is hay and meat," said Njal, "which I will give thee; and
my wish is, that thou shouldst never look to any one else than to
me if thou standest in need of anything."
"Good are thy gifts," says Gunnar, "but methinks thy friendship
is still more worth, and that of thy sons."
After that Njal fared home, and now the spring passes away.