meet Flosi, and said he would ride to the
Thing with him with all his men. Flosi took that well, and raised a
matter of a wedding with him, that he should give away Rannveiga his
daughter to Starkad Flosi's brother's son, who dwelt at Staffell. Flosi
did this because he thought he would so make sure both of his
faithfulness and force.

Mord took the wedding kindly, but handed the matter over to Gizur the
white, and bade him talk about it at the Thing.

Mord had to wife Thorkatla, Gizur the white's daughter.

They two, Mord and Flosi, rode both together to the Thing, and talked
the whole day, and no man knew aught of their counsel.

CHAPTER CXVII.

NJAL AND SKARPHEDINN TALK TOGETHER.

Now, we must say how Njal said to Skarphedinn--

"What plan have ye laid down for yourselves, thou and thy brothers and
Kari?"

"Little reck we of dreams in most matters," said Skarphedinn; "but if
thou must know, we shall ride to Tongue to Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and
thence to the Thing; but what meanest thou to do about thine own
journey, father?"

"I shall ride to the Thing," says Njal, "for it belongs to my honour not
to be severed from your suit so long as I live. I ween that many men
will have good words to say of me, and so I shall stand you in good
stead, and do you no harm."

There, too, was Thorhall Asgrim's son, and Njal's foster-son. The sons
of Njal laughed at him because he was clad in a coat of russet, and
asked how long he meant to wear that?

"I shall have thrown it off," he said, "when I have to follow up the
blood-feud for my foster father."

"There will ever be most good in thee," said Njal, "when there is most
need of it."

So they all busked them to ride away from home, and were nigh thirty men
in all, and rode till they came to Thursowater. Then came after them
Njal's kinsmen, Thorleif crow, and Thorgrim the big; they were
Holt-Thorir's sons, and offered their help and following to Njal's sons,
and they took that gladly.

So they rode altogether across Thursowater, until they came on Laxwater
bank, and took a rest and baited their horses there, and there Hjallti's
Skeggi's son came to meet them, and Njal's sons fell to talking with
him, and they talked long and low.

"Now, I will show," said Hjallti, "that I am not black-hearted; Njal has
asked me for help, and I have agreed to it, and given my word to aid
him; he has often given me and many others the worth of it in cunning
counsel."