in the district the defendants dwelt. But on the Friday
night the courts were to go out to try suits, and so the Thing
was quiet up to that day.

Many sought to bring about an atonement between them, but Flosi
was steadfast; but others were still more wordy, and things
looked ill.

Now the time comes when the courts were to go out, on the Friday
evening. Then the whole body of men at the Thing went to the
courts. Flosi stood south at the court of the men of Rangriver,
and his band with him. There with him was Hall of the Side, and
Runolf of the Dale, Wolf Aurpriest's son, and those other men who
had promised Flosi help.

But north of the court of the men of Rangriver stood Asgrim
Ellidagrim's son, and Gizur the White, Hjallti Skeggi's son, and
Einar of Thvera. But Njal's sons were at home at their booth,
and Kari and Thorleif Crow, and Thorgeir Craggeir, and Thorgrim
the Big. They sate all with their weapons, and their band looked
safe from onslaught.

Njal had already prayed the judges to go into the court, and now
the sons of Sigfus plead their suit. They took witness and bade
Njal's sons to listen to their oath; after that they took their
oath, and then they declared their suit; then they brought
forward witness of the notice, then they bade the neighbours on
the inquest to take their seats, then they called on Njal's sons
to challenge the inquest.

Then up stood Thorhall Asgrim's son, and took witness, and
forbade the inquest by a protest to utter their finding; and his
ground was, that he who had given notice of the suit was truly
under the ban of the law, and was himself an outlaw.

"Of whom speakest thou this?" says Flosi.

"Mord Valgard's son," said Thorhall, "fared to Hauskuld's slaying
with Njal's sons, and wounded him with that wound for which no
man was named when witness was taken to the death-wounds; and ye
can say nothing against this, and so the suit comes to naught."

121. OF THE AWARD OF ATONEMENT BETWEEN FLOSI AND NJAL

Then Njal stood up and said, "This I pray, Hall of the Side, and
Flosi, and all the sons of Sigfus, and all our men, too, that ye
will not go away but listen to my words."

They did so, and then he spoke thus: "It seems to me as though
this suit were come to naught, and it is likely it should, for it
hath sprung from an ill root. I will let you all know that I
loved Hauskuld more than my own sons, and when I heard that he
was slain, methought the sweetest li