went through him and stuck in the ground.

Then Kolskegg cut off Hauk Egil's son's head, and Gunnar smites off
Otter's hand at the elbow-joint. Then Starkad said--

"Let us fly now. We have not to do with men!"

Gunnar said, "Ye two will think it a sad story if there is naught on you
to show that ye have both been in the battle".

Then Gunnar ran after Starkad and Thorgeir, and gave them each a wound.
After that they parted; and Gunnar and his brothers had then wounded
many men who got away from the field, but fourteen lost their lives, and
Hjort the fifteenth.

Gunnar brought Hjort home, laid out on his shield, and he was buried in
a cairn there. Many men grieved for him, for he had many dear friends.

Starkad came home, too, and Hildigunna dressed his wounds and
Thorgeir's, and said, "Ye would have given a great deal not to have
fallen out with Gunnar".

"So we would," says Starkad.

CHAPTER LXIII.

NJAL'S COUNSEL TO GUNNAR.

Steinvor, at Sandgil, besought Thorgrim the Easterling to take in hand
the care of her goods, and not to sail away from Iceland, and so to keep
in mind the death of his messmate and kinsman.

"My messmate Thorir," said he, "foretold that I should fall by Gunnar's
hand if I stayed here in the land, and he must have foreseen that when
he foreknew his own death."

"I will give thee," she says, "Gudruna my daughter to wife, and all my
goods into the bargain."

"I knew not," he said, "that thou wouldest pay such a long price."

After that they struck the bargain that he shall have her, and the
wedding feast was to be the next summer.

Now Gunnar rides to Bergthorsknoll, and Kolskegg with him. Njal was out
of doors and his sons, and they went to meet Gunnar and gave them a
hearty welcome. After that they fell a-talking, and Gunnar said--

"Hither am I come to seek good counsel and help at thy hand."

"That is thy due," said Njal.

"I have fallen into a great strait," says Gunnar, "and slain many men,
and I wish to know what thou wilt make of the matter?"

"Many will say this," said Njal, "that thou hast been driven into it
much against thy will; but now thou shalt give me time to take counsel
with myself."

Then Njal went away all by himself, and thought over a plan, and came
back and said--

"Now have I thought over the matter somewhat, and it seems to me as
though this must be carried through--if it be carried through at
all--with hardihood and daring. Thorgeir has