Once on a time Njal rides up into the Mark, and he had a hearty
welcome. He was there that night, and in the evening Njal called
out to the lad Hauskuld, and he went up to him at once.
Njal had a ring of gold on his hand, and showed it to the lad.
He took hold of the gold, and looked at it, and put it on his
finger.
"Wilt thou take the gold as a gift?" said Njal.
"That I will," said the lad.
"Knowest thou," says Njal, "what brought thy father to his
death?"
"I know," answers the lad, "that Skarphedinn slew him; but we
need not keep that in mind, when an atonement has been made for
it, and a full price paid for him."
"Better answered than asked," said Njal; "and thou wilt live to
be a good man and true," he adds.
"Methinks thy forecasting," says Hauskuld, "is worth having, for
I know that thou art foresighted and unlying."
"Now will I offer to foster thee," said Njal, "if thou wilt take
the offer."
He said he would be willing to take both that honour and any
other good offer which he might make. So the end of the matter
was, that Hauskuld fared home with Njal as his foster-son.
He suffered no harm to come nigh the lad, and loved him much.
Njal's sons took him about with them, and did him honour in every
way. And so things go on till Hauskuld is full grown. He was
both tall and strong; the fairest of men to look on, and well
haired; blithe of speech, bountiful, well behaved; as well
trained to arms as the best; fairspoken to all men, and much
beloved.
Njal's sons and Hauskuld were never apart, either in word or
deed.