Then Njal stood up and said, "This I pray, Hall of the Side, and
Flosi, and all the sons of Sigfus, and all our men, too, that ye
will not go away but listen to my words."
They did so, and then he spoke thus: "It seems to me as though
this suit were come to naught, and it is likely it should, for it
hath sprung from an ill root. I will let you all know that I
loved Hauskuld more than my own sons, and when I heard that he
was slain, methought the sweetest light of my eyes was quenched,
and I would rather have lost all my sons, and that he were alive.
Now I ask thee, Hall of the Side, and thee Runolf of the Dale,
and thee Hjallti Skeggi's son, and thee Einar of Thvera, and thee
Hafr the Wise, that I may be allowed to make an atonement for the
slaying of Hauskuld on my son's behalf; and I wish that those men
who are best fitted to do so shall utter the award."
Gizur, and Hafr, and Einar, spoke each on their own part, and
prayed Flosi to take an atonement, and promised him their
friendship in return.
Flosi answered them well in all things, but still did not give
his word.
Then Hall of the Side said to Flosi, "Wilt thou now keep thy
word, and grant me my boon which thou hast already promised me,
when I put beyond sea Thorgrim, the son of Kettle the Fat, thy
kinsman, when he had slain Halli the Red."
"I will grant it thee, father-in-law," said Flosi, "for that
alone wilt thou ask which will make my honour greater than it
erewhile was."
"Then," said Hall, "my wish is that thou shouldst be quickly
atoned, and lettest good men and true make an award, and so buy
the friendship of good and worthy men."
"I will let you all know," said Flosi, "that I will do according
to the word of Hall, my father-in-law, and other of the worthiest
men, that he and others of the best men on each side, lawfully
named, shall make this award. Methinks Njal is worthy that I
should grant him this."
Njal thanked him and all of them, and others who were by thanked
them too, and said that Flosi had behaved well.
Then Flosi said, "Now will I name my daysmen (1): First, I name
Hall, my father-in-law; Auzur from Broadwater; Surt Asbjorn's son
of Kirkby; Modolf Kettle's son," -- he dwelt then at Asar --
"Hafr the Wise; and Runolf of the Dale; and it is scarce worth
while to say that these are the fittest men out of all my
company."
Now he bade Njal to name his daysmen, and then Njal stood up, and
said, "First of these I name, Asgrim Ellidagrim's son; and
Hjallti Skeggi's son; Gizur the White; Einar of Thvera; Snorri
the Priest; and Gudmund the Powerful."
After that Njal and Flosi, and the sons of Sigfus shook hands,
and Njal pledged his hand on behalf of all his sons, and of Kari,
his son-in-law, that they would hold to what those twelve men
doomed; and one might say that the whole body of men at the Thing
was glad at that.
Then men were sent after Snorri and Gudmund, for they were in
their booths.
Then it was given out that the judges in this award would sit in
the Court of Laws, but all the others were to go away.