fter thy sheep," he answers.

"You would not then be armed," said Njal, "if you meant that, and your
errand must be something else."

Then Skarphedinn sang a song--

Squanderer of hoarded wealth,
Some there are that own rich treasure,
Ore of sea that clasps the earth,
And yet care to count their sheep;
Those who forge sharp songs of mocking,
Death songs, scarcely can possess
Sense of sheep that crop the grass;
Such as these I seek in fight;

and said afterwards--

"We shall fish for salmon, father."

"'Twould be well then if it turned out so that the prey does not get
away from you."

They went their way, but Njal went to his bed, and he said to Bergthora,
"Thy sons were out of doors all of them, with arms, and now thou must
have egged them on to something".

"I will give them my heartfelt thanks," said Bergthora, "if they tell me
the slaying of Sigmund."

CHAPTER XLV.

THE SLAYING OF SIGMUND AND SKIOLLD.

Now they, Njal's sons, fare up to Fleetlithe, and were that night under
the Lithe, and when the day began to break, they came near to Lithend.
That same morning both Sigmund and Skiolld rose up and meant to go to
the stud-horses; they had bits with them, and caught the horses that
were in the "town" and rode away on them. They found the stud-horses
between two brooks. Skarphedinn caught sight of them, for Sigmund was in
bright clothing. Skarphedinn said, "See you now the red elf yonder,
lads?" They looked that way, and said they saw him.

Skarphedinn spoke again: "Thou, Hauskuld, shalt have nothing to do with
it, for thou wilt often be sent about alone without due heed; but I mean
Sigmund for myself; methinks that is like a man; but Grim and Helgi,
they shall try to slay Skiolld".

Hauskuld sat him down, but they went until they came up to them.
Skarphedinn said to Sigmund--

"Take thy weapons and defend thyself; that is more needful now, than to
make mocking songs on me and my brothers."

Sigmund took up his weapons, but Skarphedinn waited the while. Skiolld
turned against Grim and Helgi, and they fell hotly to fight. Sigmund had
a helm on his head, and a shield at his side, and was girt with a sword,
his spear was in his hand; now he turns against Skarphedinn, and thrusts
at once at him with his spear, and the thrust came on his shield.
Skarphedinn dashes the spearhaft in two, and lifts up his axe and hews
at Sigmund, and cleaves his shield down to below the handle. Sig