There was a man named Skapti. He was the son of Thorod (1).
That father and son were great chiefs, and very well skilled in
law. Thorod was thought to be rather crafty and guileful. They
stood by Gizur the White in every quarrel.
As for the Lithemen and the dwellers by Rangriver, they came in a
great body to the Thing. Gunnar was so beloved that all said
with one voice that they would back him.
Now they all come to the Thing and fit up their booths. In
company with Gizur the White were these chiefs: Skapti Thorod's
son, Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, Oddi of Kidberg, and Halldor
Ornolf's son.
Now one day men went to the Hill of Laws, and then Geir the
Priest stood up and gave notice that he had a suit of
manslaughter against Gunnar for the slaying of Otkell. Another
suit of manslaughter he brought against Gunnar for the slaying of
Halljborn the White; then, too, he went on in the same way as to
the slaying of Audulf, and so, too, as to the slaying of
Skamkell. Then, too, he laid a suit of manslaughter against
Kolskegg for the slaying of Hallkell.
And when he had given due notice of all his suits of manslaughter
it was said that he spoke well. He asked, too, in what Quarter
court the suits lay, and in what house in the district the
defendants dwelt. After that men went away from the Hill of
Laws, and so the Thing goes on till the day when the courts were
to be set to try suits. Then either side gathered their men
together in great strength.
Geir the Priest and Gizur the White stood at the court of the men
of Rangriver looking north, and Gunnar and Njal stood looking
south towards the court.
Geir the Priest bade Gunnar to listen to his oath, and then he
took the oath, and afterwards declared his suit.
Then he let men bear witness of the notice given by the suit;
then he called upon the neighbours who were to form the inquest
to take their seats; then he called on Gunnar to challenge the
inquest; and then he called on the inquest to utter their
finding. Then the neighbours who were summoned on the inquest
went to the court and took witness, and said that there was a bar
to their finding in the suit as to Audulf's slaying, because the
next of kin who ought to follow it up was in Norway, and so they
had nothing to do with that suit.
After that they uttered their finding in the suit as to Otkell,
and brought in Gunnar as truly guilty of killing him.
Then Geir the Priest called on Gunnar for his defence, and took
witness of all the steps in the suit which had been proved.
Then Gunnar, in his turn, called on Geir the Priest to listen to
his oath, and to the defence which he was about to bring forward
in the suit. Then he took the oath and said, "This defence I
make to this suit, that I took witness and outlawed Otkell before
my neighbours for that bloody wound which I got when Otkell gave
me a hurt with his spur; but thee, Geir the Priest, I forbid by a
lawful protest made before a priest, to pursue this suit, and so,
too, I forbid the judges to hear it; and with this I make all the
steps hitherto taken in this suit void and of none-effect. I
forbid thee by a lawful protest, a full, fair, and binding
protest, as I have a right to forbid thee by the common custom of
the Thing and by the law of the land.
"Besides, I will tell thee something else which I mean to do,"
says Gunnar.
"What!" says Geir, "wilt thou challenge me to the island as thou
art wont, and not bear the law?"
"Not that," says Gunnar; "I shall summon thee at the Hill of Laws
for that thou calledst those men on the inquest who had no right
to deal with Audulf's slaying, and I will declare thee for that
guilty of outlawry."
Then Njal said, "Things must not take this turn, for the only end
of it will be that this strife will be carried to the uttermost.
Each of you, as it seems to me, has much on his side. There are
some of these manslaughters, Gunnar, about which thou canst say
nothing to hinder the court from finding thee guilty; but thou
hast set on foot a suit against Geir, in which he, too, must be
found guilty. Thou too, Geir the Priest, shalt know that this
suit of outlawry which hangs over thee shall not fall to the
ground if thou wilt not listen to my words."
Thorod the Priest said, "It seems to us as though the most
peaceful way would be that a settlement and atonement were come
to in the suit. But why sayest thou so little, Gizur the White?"
"It seems to me," says Gizur, "as though we shall need to have
strong props for our suit; we may see, too, that Gunnar's friends
stand near him, and so the best turn for us that things can take
will be that good men and true should utter an award on the suit,
if Gunnar so wills it."
"I have ever been willing to make matters up," says Gunnar; "and
besides, ye have much wrong to follow up, but still I think I was
hard driven to do as I did."
And now the end of those suits was, by the counsel of the wisest
men, that all the suits were put to arbitration; six men were to
make this award, and it was uttered there and then at the Thing.
The award was that Skamkell should be unatoned. The blood money
for Otkell's death was to be set off against the hurt Gunnar got
from the spur; and as for the rest of the manslaughters, they
were paid for after the worth of the men, and Gunnar's kinsmen
gave money so that all the fines might be paid up at the Thing.
Then Geir the Priest and Gizur the White went up and gave Gunnar
pledges that they would keep the peace in good faith.
Gunnar rode home from the Thing, and thanked men for their help,
and gave gifts to many, and got the greatest honour from the
suit.
Now Gunnar sits at home in his honour.