n Hrut took witness, and
said the suit was naught, and that there was a flaw in the
pleading; he declared that it had broken down because Gunnar had
failed to call those three witnesses which ought to have been
brought before the court. The first, that which was taken before
the marriage-bed, the second, before the man's door, the third,
at the Hill of Laws. By this time Njal was come to the court and
said the suit and pleading might still be kept alive if they
chose to strive in that way.

"No," says Gunnar, "I will not have that; I will do the same to
Hrut as he did to Mord my kinsman; or, are those brothers Hrut
and Hauskuld so near that they may hear my voice."

"Hear it we can," says Hrut. "What dost thou wish?"

Gunnar said, "Now all men here present be ear-witnesses, that I
challenge thee Hrut to single combat, and we shall fight to-day
on the holm, which is here in Oxwater. But if thou wilt not
fight with me, then pay up all the money this very day."

After that Gunnar sung a stave --

"Yes, so must it be, this morning --
Now my mind is full of fire --
Hrut with me on yonder island
Raises roar of helm and shield.
All that bear my words bear witness,
Warriors grasping Woden's guard,
Unless the wealthy wight down payeth
Dower of wife with flowing veil."

After that Gunnar went away from the court with all his
followers. Hrut and Hauskuld went home too, and the suit was
never pursued nor defended from that day forth. Hrut said, as
soon as he got inside the booth, "This has never happened to me
before, that any man has offered me combat and I have shunned
it."

"Then thou must mean to fight," says Hauskuld, "but that shall
not be if I have my way; for thou comest no nearer to Gunnar than
Mord would have come to thee, and we had better both of us pay up
the money to Gunnar."

After that the brothers asked the householders of their own
country what they would lay down, and they one and all said they
would lay down as much as Hrut wished.

"Let us go then," says Hauskuld, "to Gunnar's booth, and pay down
the money out of hand." That was told to Gunnar, and he went out
into the doorway of the booth, and Hauskuld said, "Now it is
thine to take the money."

Gunnar said, "Pay it down, then, for I am ready to take it."

So they paid down the money truly out of hand, and then Hauskuld
said, "Enjoy it now, as thou hast gotten it." Then Gunnar sang
another sta