Gunnar, and the sons of Sigfus, and Njal's sons, went altogether
in one band, and they marched so swiftly and closely that men who
came in their way had to take heed lest they should get a fall;
and nothing was so often spoken about over the whole Thing as
these great lawsuits.
Gunnar went to meet his cousins, and Olaf and his men greeted him
well. They asked Gunnar about the fight, but he told them all
about it, and was just in all he said; he told them, too, what
steps he had taken since.
Then Olaf said, "'Tis worth much to see how close Njal stands by
thee in all counsel."
Gunnar said he should never be able to repay that, but then he
begged them for help; and they said that was his due.
Now the suits on both sides came before the court, and each
pleads his cause.
Mord asked, "How it was that a man could have the right to set a
suit on foot who, like Gunnar, had already made himself an outlaw
by striking Thorgeir a blow?"
"Wast thou," answered Njal, "at Thingskala-Thing last autumn?"
"Surely I was," says Mord.
"Heardest thou," asks Njal, "how Gunnar offered him full
atonement? Then I gave back Gunnar his right to do all lawful
deeds."
"That is right and good law," says Mord, "but how does the matter
stand if Gunnar has laid the slaying of Hjort at Kol's door, when
it was the Easterling that slew him?"
"That was right and lawful," says Njal, "when he chose him as the
slayer before witnesses."
"That was lawful and right, no doubt," says Mord; "but for what
did Gunnar summon them all as outlaws?"
"Thou needest not to ask about that," says Njal, "when they went
out to deal wounds and manslaughter."
"Yes," says Mord, "but neither befell Gunnar."
"Gunnar's brothers," said Njal, "Kolskegg and Hjort, were there,
and one of them got his death and the other a flesh wound."
"Thou speakest nothing but what is law," says Mord, "though it is
hard to abide by it."
Then Hiallti Skeggi's son of Thursodale, stood forth and said. "I
have had no share in any of your lawsuits; but I wish to know
whether thou wilt do something, Gunnar, for the sake of my words
and friendship."
"What askest thou?" says Gunnar.
"This," he says, "that ye lay down the whole suit to the award
and judgment of good men and true."
"If I do so," said Gunnar, "then thou shalt never be against me,
whatever men I may have to deal with."
"I will give my word to that," says Hjallti.
After that he tried his best with Gunnar's adversaries, and
brought it about that they were all set at one again. And after
that each side gave the other pledges of peace; but for
Thorgeir's wound came the suit for seduction, and for the hewing
in the wood, Starkad's wound. Thorgeir's brothers were atoned
for by half fines, but half fell away for the onslaught on
Gunnar. Egil's slaying and Tyrfing's lawsuit were set off
against each other. For Hjort's slaying, the slaying of Kol and
of the Easterling were to come, and as for all the rest, they
were atoned for with half fines.
Njal was in this award, and Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and Hjallti
Skeggi's son.
Njal had much money out at interest with Starkad, and at Sandgil
too, and he gave it all to Gunnar to make up these fines.
So many friends had Gunnar at the Thing, that he not only paid up
there and then all the fines on the spot, but gave besides gifts
to many chiefs who had lent him help; and he had the greatest
honour from the suit; and all were agreed in this, that no man
was his match in all the South Quarter.
So Gunnar rides home from the Thing and sits there in peace, but
still his adversaries envied him much for his honour.