Njals Saga

Hoskuld and Hrut successfully negotiate an arrangement with Mord Gigja for Hrut to marry Unn. However, before the marriage, Hrut discovers that another brother has died and left his property to Hrut. Hrut’s uncle informs him that if he does not attend an assembly at the Gula Thing (in Norway), he might lose the property. So, Hrut postpones his wedding and sails to Norway.

King Harald Grey-cloak rules Norway. Gunnhild, the king’s mother, receives word of Hrut’s arrival and notes that a man called Soti has taken his inheritance. She promises to support Hrut in his property dispute if he takes her advice.

Hrut explains his situation to the king and requests Harald’s aid. Hrut asks to become one of the king’s bodyguards, which Gunnhild supports. Tradition demands that Hrut depart from the kingdom for two weeks before returning to enter the king’s service. Harald promises that Gunnhild will “look after” Hrut during this period. When Gunnhild and Hrut are alone, she proposes that Hrut have sex with her, and he agrees. They spend the two weeks sleeping together, and Gunnhild threatens the servants with death if they gossip. Afterward, Hrut returns to the king and becomes one of his retinue.

Hrut follows Soti to Denmark. Gunnhild provides support for his claim, as does the king.

A warrior and outlaw called Atli sails to Denmark and stops at Oresund. Hrut also sails to Oresund; he encounters Atli and slays him in battle.

Soti returns to Norway before journeying to England. Gunnhild has him killed and saves Hrut’s inheritance. Hrut returns to Norway, thanks Gunnhild, and rewards her with half his inheritance.

Hrut lies to Gunnhild when she asks him if he has a woman waiting for him back in Iceland. When Gunnhild discovers the lie, she gives Hrut a gold bracelet and casts a spell on him that he “will not have sexual pleasure” with his wife (13). Hrut weds Unn upon his return home, yet they do not enjoy physical intimacy.

Hrut lies to Gunnhild when she asks him if he has a woman waiting for him back in Iceland. When Gunnhild discovers the lie, she gives Hrut a gold bracelet and casts a spell on him that he “will not have sexual pleasure” with his wife (13). Hrut weds Unn upon his return home, yet they do not enjoy physical intimacy.

Hrut travels to the Althing with Hoskuld. Here, Mord Gigia “[gives] notice of a claim against Hrut for his daughter’s property” (17). Hrut accuses Mord Gigia of being greedy and challenges him to a duel. Mord Gigia refuses, even though this means that he faces disgrace.

Hoskuld’s daughter, Hallgerd, grows into a beautiful woman. Her foster father is a man called Thjostolf, and he failed to improve her temperament. When a suitor named Thorvald proposes marriage, Hoskuld agrees to it without asking for Hallgerd’s opinion.

Hallgerd is furious when Hoskuld reports the marriage arrangement, and “[i]t [is] perfectly plain that she consider[s] herself ill-matched” (20).

Hallgerd invites her maternal uncle, an evil magician called Svan, to the marriage feast. Thjostolf and Svan become friends.

Thorvald and Hallgerd depart for their new home, accompanied by Thjostolf. The narrator describes Hallgerd as being “bountiful and high-spirited and [she] demanded to have whatever the neighbors had and squandered everything” (21). By spring, the household runs out of flour and dried fish. When she demands more, her husband Thorvald slaps her so hard that he draws blood. Soon after, Thjostolf murders Thorvald.

After the murder, Thjostolf sinks Thorvald’s skiff and escapes. Hallgerd sends Thjostolf to Svan so he can hide there. Thorvald’s kinsmen and his father, Osvif, pursue him. Svan casts a spell that enshrouds the men in fog, which forces them to turn back. Osvif, however, vows to approach Hoskuld for compensation. Hrut acts as arbitrator and issues a settlement that favors Osvif.

Another suitor named Glum wants to wed Hallgerd, though his brother cautions him against it. Hrut advises Glum to get Hallgerd’s consent before marrying her and not to allow Thjostolf to visit frequently after they are married.

Glum and Hallgerd are married. Hallgerd “control[s] herself very well” at her new household (29). Glum and Hallgerd have a daughter, Thorgerd, who is a lot like her mother. The family is content.

Thjostolf gets into a fight with Hoskuld’s servant, and after beating up the servant, he flees to Hallgerd. Glum allows him to stay on the condition that he will be made to leave if he causes any trouble. Soon enough, Thjostolf begins to behave disrespectfully. Glum’s brother, Thorarin, warns Glum that things will go awry. Glum, however, does not listen.

Glum asks Thjostolf to search for some sheep, and this leads to an argument. Hallgerd defends her foster father, so Glum strikes her. Hallgerd warns Thjostolf against vengeance.

Thjostolf kills Glum. He returns to Hallgerd and informs her of the killing. She tells him to seek out Hrut, knowing that her uncle would avenge the killing. Hrut kills Thjostolf. Then, he informs Hoskuld about Glum’s murder and says that he has killed Thjostolf. 

Glum’s brother, Thorarin, comes to Hoskuld seeking compensation. Hoskuld refuses, saying that Hallgerd didn’t plan Glum’s death and Hrut killed Thjostolf to avenge it. Hrut nevertheless suggests that they give Thorarin gifts to cement their friendship.

Mord Gigia dies. Unn inherits her father’s property and squanders it away.

Gunnar, a man related to Unn, is a handsome, fierce, and strong warrior who lives at Hlidarendi. He is of good character and is known for being a “true friend.” He has two brothers: Kolskegg and Hjort, and a sister called Arngunn.

Njal, a virtuous and helpful man, lives at Bergthorshvol. Though he is handsome, he is unable to grow a beard. He is a knowledgeable lawyer and has prophetic abilities. Njal’s wife is Bergthora. The couple has three sons and three daughters.

Unn visits Gunnar because she needs money and his help to reclaim property from Hrut, since she was once married to him. Njal crafts a plan to achieve this but he cautions Gunnar that he cannot deviate from his instructions because that would put his life in danger.

Njal advises Gunnar to disguise himself as a peddler (“Peddler-Hedin”). Gunnar would travel to a farm near Hrutsstadir, offering to sell goods, but hiding their defects. When the farmer realizes the scam, Gunnar would assault him, and this would lead to Gunnar being summoned by Hrut. When he is with Hrut, Gunnar would turn the conversation to Mord Gigia, thus encouraging Hrut to bring up his legal dealings with Mord Gigia. Gunnar, while still disguised as the peddler, would suggest that he would like to bring up a theoretical suit to reclaim Unn’s property. Hrut would tell him how to do so, and Gunnar, still disguised, would trick him into reciting the summons, thus restarting the lawsuit. Njal and Gunnar would later carry out the lawsuit.

Gunnar carries out Njal’s plan perfectly. Hoskuld wakes from a dream in which he sees Gunnar as a bear heading for Hrut’s farm. He and his men ride to Hrutsstadir, but they are too late—Gunnar has already returned to Njal.

Gunnar prosecutes the case, summons witnesses, and asks Hrut to present his defense. After some legal wrangling, Hrut pays Gunnar. Gunnar gives Unn the money, and he also assures her of his support.

Unn weds a deceitful man named Valgard, and they have a son named Mord. Mord grows up “cunning by nature and malicious in counsel” (43).

Njal’s oldest son is Skarphedin, a strong and confident warrior. His brothers are Grim and Helgi. Njal has a fourth son outside of his marriage named Hoskuld Njalsson. Skarphedin and Grim are married and continue to live with their father.

Njal suggests a marriage between his son Helgi and Asgrim Ellida-Grimsson’s daughter, Thorhalla.

Asgrim agrees to marry his daughter to Helgi. Njal offers to foster one of Asgrim’s sons, Thorhall. Thorhall lives with Njal, who teaches him to be a skilled lawyer. Thorhall “love[s] Njal more than his own father” (45).

Hallvard the White, a sailor, arrives in Iceland. Hallvard asked Gunnar to travel abroad with him. Gunnar consults Njal, who tells him it would be wise for Gunnar to do so and promises to oversee his property when he is away. Gunnar and Hallvard travel to the Baltic and take Gunnar’s brother, Kolskegg, with them.

Hallvard, Gunnar, and Kolskegg spend the winter in Norway, which is ruled by Earl Hakon Sigurdarson. Gunnar asks Hallvard to go raiding with him. They set out raiding with Olvir, Hallvard’s kinsman, who explains that the river is blocked by two Viking brothers.

Gunnar and his companions head downriver and encounter the Viking brothers, who attack Gunnar’s ship. A battle ensues, and Gunnar and his company defeat the Viking brothers. They “[take] much booty” and set off for Smaland (48).

A man called Tofi approaches Gunnar to warn him about warships captained by two brothers who are fierce warriors. He tells Gunnar that they plan to attack him and promises to show Gunnar their hidden treasure. Gunnar kills many in the ensuing clash, and the warrior brothers are defeated. Afterward, Tofi takes Gunnar and his companions to the hidden treasure. In return, he asks that they take him to his homeland, Denmark.

Gunnar’s band sails to Denmark and meet the king, Harald Gormsson. Later, they sail back to Hising in Norway where Gunnar gives Olvir his share of the booty. Then, he travels on to Trondheim where Earl Hakon welcomes him, and “[a]t Yule the earl [gives] him a gold bracelet” (51).

Gunnar returns to Iceland and visits Njal. Njal prophesizes that Gunnar will be envied for his wealth and will need to defend himself frequently. He advises Gunnar not to attend the Althing, but Gunnar insists on going.

At the Althing, Gunnar meets Hallgerd. She speaks “boldly to him and ask[s] him to tell her about his travels, and he [says] he would not refuse her. They [sit] down and [talk]” (53). Hrut warns Gunnar about Hallgerd’s temperament. Nevertheless, they negotiate a marriage between Gunnar and Hallgerd.

The betrothal distresses Njal, who foresees that “[e]very kind of evil will come from her when she moves east” (54). Gunnar promises that Hallgerd will never ruin their friendship, yet Njal predicts that she will “come close” to doing so (54).

Thrain, Gunnar’s uncle, is “a man of great worth” (54). His wife, Thorhild, is a poet who often uses her talent to mock others, so “Thrain [has] little love for her” (55). She is tasked with serving guests at Gunnar and Hallgerd’s wedding feast, alongside Njal’s wife.

Hallgerd arrives with her father, uncle, and beautiful 14-year-old daughter, Thorgerd. When Thorhild catches Thrain looking at Thorgerd, she is angry and expresses her rage with a mocking couplet. Thrain immediately proclaims himself divorced from Thorhild, and she leaves. Thrain then petitions Hoskuld for his permission to marry Thorgerd. Njal speaks in Thrain’s favor, and Hallgerd agrees to betroth her daughter to Thrain.

After the marriage feast, Hallgerd assumes the management of Gunnar’s household while her daughter runs her new home with Thrain at Grjota and “[is] a good housewife” (57).

Gunnar is Njal’s guest at the winter feast held at Bergthorshvol. At the feast, Bergthora, Njal’s wife, tells Hallgerd to move from the crossbench to make room for her daughter-in-law, Thorhalla. Hallgerd refuses, and Bergthora reprimands her. The women go on to exchange more insults. Hallgerd implores Gunnar to defend her and his own masculinity, but Gunnar becomes annoyed and refuses to be her “cat’s-paw” (57). The pair departs the feast, with Bergthora reminding Hallgerd that their feud would continue.

Gunnar reminds Hallgerd to behave herself while he attends the Althing. Njal also attends. Meanwhile, Bergthora asks a servant named Svart to chop wood at Raudskrid, where Gunnar and Njal co-own property. Hallgerd hears of this and vows to stop him. She encourages her overseer, Kol, to kill Svart, which he does.

Hallgerd sends word about Svart’s slaying to Gunnar, who informs Njal. Njal prophesizes that “[i]t’s going to be hard for [Gunnar] to atone for all of Hallgerd’s misdoings, and another time the effects will be greater than now” (59). Njal sets the compensation for Svart’s death as 12 ounces of silver, which Gunnar pays. The men return home, and Bergthora notes that Njal must be prepared to pay the same amount for Kol’s life. Gunnar reprimands Hallgerd to no avail.

Atli, a man in need of work, later arrives at Njal’s home while he and his sons are away. Bergthora takes him into service on the condition that he do her bidding. Skarphedin and Atli become friends. Njal and Gunnar attend the Althing again. Njal brings along the 12 ounces of silver Gunnar paid out the previous year, and Skarphedin notes that it could be “useful” (61).

Atli kills Kol at Bergthora’s command. She does not tell Njal about it. Hallgerd, however, sends word to Gunnar, who informs Njal. Njal and his sons return the 12 ounces of silver to Gunnar. Hallgerd is displeased with the outcome—she wants her husband to be angry—but Gunnar refuses to turn against Njal.

Hallgerd recruits her kinsman, Brynolf the Brawler, as the new overseer. After murdering Kol, Atli refuses to leave Njal’s service. Bergthora tells Atli to work at Njal’s second farm, Thorolfsfell, and he does so secretly. Hallgerd tells Brynolf to go to Thorolfsfell and slay Atli; Brynolf does so. Hallgerd then sends word to Bergthora that Kol’s murder has been repaid. She also sends word to Gunnar, who is still at the Althing, and he and Njal once again negotiate compensation. However, the men note that Bergthora will seek vengeance. Hallgerd accuses Gunnar and Njal of being weak when she hears about their peaceful resolution. After this, “Gunnar [is] cold with her for a long time, until she became more yielding” (66).

Bergthora asks another man, who is Thord Free-man’s son, to slay Brynolf. He agrees and after the killing, he informs one of Hallgerd’s shepherds about the deed. Hallgerd vows vengeance.

Njal pays Gunnar compensation for Brynolf at the Althing, and the two remain friends.