bill being buried in the cairn, but said
he alone should have it as his own, who was ready to avenge Gunnar. So
no one took the bill.

She was so hard on Hallgerda, that she was on the point of killing her;
and she said that she had been the cause of her son's slaying.

Then Hallgerda fled away to Gritwater, and her son Grani with her, and
they shared the goods between them; Hogni was to have the land at
Lithend and the homestead on it, but Grani was to have the land let out
on lease.

Now this token happened at Lithend, that the neat-herd and the
serving-maid were driving cattle by Gunnar's cairn. They thought that he
was merry, and that he was singing inside the cairn. They went home and
told Rannveig, Gunnar's mother, of this token, but she bade them go and
tell Njal.

Then they went over to Bergthorsknoll and told Njal, but he made them
tell it three times over.

After that, he had a long talk all alone with Skarphedinn; and
Skarphedinn took his weapons and goes with them to Lithend.

Rannveig and Hogni gave him a hearty welcome, and were very glad to see
him. Rannveig asked him to stay there some time, and he said he would.

He and Hogni were always together, at home and abroad. Hogni was a
brisk, brave man, well-bred and well-trained in mind and body, but
distrustful and slow to believe what he was told, and that was why they
dared not tell him of the token.

Now those two, Skarphedinn and Hogni, were out of doors one evening by
Gunnar's cairn on the south side. The moon and stars were shining clear
and bright, but every now and then the clouds drove over them. Then all
at once they thought they saw the cairn standing open, and lo! Gunnar
had turned himself in the cairn and looked at the moon. They thought
they saw four lights burning in the cairn, and none of them threw a
shadow. They saw that Gunnar was merry, and he wore a joyful face. He
sang a song, and so loud, that it might have been heard though they had
been farther off.

He that lavished rings in largesse,
When the fight's red rain-drops fell,
Bright of face, with heart-strings hardy,
Hogni's father met his fate;
Then his brow with helmet shrouding,
Bearing battle-shield, he spake,
"I will die the prop of battle,
Sooner die than yield an inch.
Yes, sooner die than yield an inch".

After that the cairn was shut up again.

"Wouldst thou believe these tokens if Njal or I told them to thee?" says
Skarphedinn.

"