ore the
Burning, bids all his men go home and make an end of their haymaking,
and when that is over, to meet and fall on Njal and his sons. Even the
great duty of revenge gives way to the still more urgent duty of
providing fodder for the winter store. Hayneed, to run short of hay, was
the greatest misfortune that could befall a man, who with a fine herd
and stud, might see both perish before his eyes in winter. Then it was
that men of open heart and hand, like Gunnar, helped their tenants and
neighbours, often, as we see in Gunnar's case, till they had neither hay
nor food enough left for their own household, and had to buy or borrow
from those that had. Then, too, it was that the churl's nature came out
in Otkell and others, who having enough and to spare, would not part
with their abundance for love or money.

These men were no idlers. They worked hard, and all, high and low,
worked. In no land does the dignity of labour stand out so boldly. The
greatest chiefs sow and reap, and drive their sheep, like Glum, the
Speaker's brother, from the fells. The mightiest warriors were the
handiest carpenters and smiths. Gisli Sur's son knew every corner of his
foeman's house, because he had built it with his own hands while they
were good friends. Njal's sons are busy at armourer's work, like the
sons of the mythical Ragnar before them, when the news comes to them
that Sigmund has made a mock of them in his songs. Gunnar sows his corn
with his arms by his side, when Otkell rides over him; and Hauskuld the
Whiteness priest is doing the same work when he is slain. To do
something, and to do it well, was the Icelander's aim in life, and in no
land does laziness like that of Thorkell meet with such well deserved
reproach. They were early risers and went early to bed, though they
could sit up late if need were. They thought nothing of long rides
before they broke their fast. Their first meal was at about seven
o'clock, and though they may have taken a morsel of food during the
day, we hear of no other regular daily meal till evening, when between
seven and eight again they had supper. While the men laboured on the
farm or in the smithy, threw nets for fish in the teeming lakes and
rivers, or were otherwise at work during the day, the women, and the
housewife, or mistress of the house, at their head, made ready the food
for the meals, carded wool, and sewed or wove or span. At meal-time the
food seems to have been set on the board by