ngth he suffered the cloak to be put round him.

Now the children of Njal were all tall, but Helgi was tallest of all,
except his brother Skarphedinn. And Flosi marked him, and said to his
men:

'I like not the height of the woman who went yonder, nor the breadth of
her shoulders. Seize her and hold her fast.'

As soon as Helgi heard that he threw his cloak aside and thrust at a man
with his sword, and cut off his leg. But Flosi was close behind, and
stretched Helgi dead in front of him.

After that he went back to the house, and offered Njal that he should
come outside, but Njal answered that he was too old to avenge his sons,
and that he would not outlive them, for that would be a shame and
disgrace to him.

'Come out, then, Bergthora,' said Flosi, 'for I will not suffer you to
burn inside.'

But Bergthora made answer:

'Long years from my youth have I lived with Njal, and I vowed on the day
of betrothal that his death should be mine;' and without more words
they went into the house.

'I am weary,' said Njal to his wife, 'let us lay down on our bed and
rest;' and Bergthora bowed her head, and spoke to the boy Thord, the son
of Kari:

'Come to the door with me and go forth with your kinsmen. I will not
have you stay here to burn.' But the boy shook off the hand she had laid
on his shoulder.

'You promised me when I was little, grandmother, that I should never go
from you till I wished it of myself. And I would rather die with you
than live after you.'

Bergthora was silent, but she led the boy to the bed, and he climbed in,
and laid himself down. Then Njal said to his head man:

'Bring hither the oxhide and put it on the bed, and watch how we lay
ourselves down, so that you may know where to find our bones. For not
one inch will we stir, whatever befall.'

And he laid himself down, and bade the boy lie between himself and
Bergthora.

So they waited.

* * * * *

At the doors and in the windows of the roof Skarphedinn and Grim were
casting away burning brands, and hurling spears as if they had had
twenty hands instead of two. At last Flosi called to his men to let be,
till the fire had its way, for many had been killed and wounded already.

And now a beam which held up the oak fell in, and then another and
another. 'Surely my father must be dead,' said Skarphedinn, 'that he
makes no sound,' and, followed by Grim and Kari, he went to the end of
the hall where a cross