at cannot keep to good advice, and thou revilest Njal's sons, and
Njal himself who is most worth of all; and this thou doest in spite of
what thou hast already done. Mind, this will be thy death. But if any
man repeats these words that thou hast spoken, or these verses that thou
hast made, that man shall be sent away at once, and have my wrath
beside."

But they were all so sore afraid of him, that no one dared to repeat
those words. After that he went away, but the gangrel women talked among
themselves, and said that they would get a reward from Bergthora if they
told her all this. They went then away afterwards down thither, and took
Bergthora aside and told her the whole story of their own free will.

Bergthora spoke and said, when men sate down to the board, "Gifts have
been given to all of you, father and sons, and ye will be no true men
unless ye repay them somehow".

"What gifts are these?" asks Skarphedinn.

"You, my sons," says Bergthora, "have got one gift between you all. Ye
are nick-named 'Dung-beardlings,' but my husband 'the beardless carle'."

"Ours is no woman's nature," says Skarphedinn, "that we should fly into
a rage at every little thing."

"And yet Gunnar was wroth for your sakes," says she, "and he is thought
to be good-tempered. But if ye do not take vengeance for this wrong, ye
will avenge no shame."

"The carline, our mother, thinks this fine sport," says Skarphedinn, and
smiled scornfully as he spoke, but still the sweat burst out upon his
brow, and red flecks came over his cheeks, but that was not his wont.
Grim was silent and bit his lip. Helgi made no sign, and he said never a
word. Hauskuld went off with Bergthora; she came into the room again,
and fretted and foamed much.

Njal spoke and said, "'slow and sure,' says the proverb, mistress! and
so it is with many things, though they try men's tempers, that there
are always two sides to a story, even when vengeance is taken".

But at even when Njal was come into his bed, he heard that an axe came
against the panel and rang loudly, but there was another shut bed, and
there the shields were hung up, and he sees that they are away. He said,
"who have taken down our shields?"

"Thy sons went out with them," says Bergthora.

Njal pulled his shoes on his feet, and went out at once, and round to
the other side of the house, and sees that they were taking their course
right up the slope; he said, "whither away, Skarphedinn?"

"To look a