Saga network
Njáls saga (Brennu-Njáls saga)
The Story of Burnt Njal, trans. Sir George Webbe Dasent (1861). 158 chapters, 193 characters resolved, 382 distinct social edges (514 typed edge records across seven relation types — see Methods for why those two counts differ).
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160 characters · 382 edges (514 typed edge records)
Network summary
0.030Density
0.235Avg. clustering
3.309Avg. path length
8Diameter
10Communities (Louvain)modularity 0.553
-0.152Degree assortativity
71.4%Structural balance35/49 triangles balanced
31Articulation pointsbridge characters
Metrics are computed on the semantic layer only (kinship, marriage, friendship, conversation, conflict, killing, support) — the much denser sentence co-occurrence layer (193 nodes, 1387 edges) is a baseline, not a claim about social structure. See Methods for what each number does and does not mean.
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Chapter 12: Thiostolf'S Flight
While this was going on, Thorwald's men came down with their load, but Thiostolf was not slow in his plans. He hewed with both hands at the gunwale of the skiff and cut it down about two planks; then he leapt into his boat, but the dark blue sea poured into the skiff, and down she went with all her freight. Down too sank Thorwald's body, so that his men could not see what had been done to him, but they knew well enough that he was dead, Thiostolf rowed away up the firth, but they shouted after him wishing him ill luck. He made them no answer, but rowed on till he got home, and ran the boat up on the beach, and went up to the house with his axe, all bloody as it was, on his shoulder. Hallgerda stood out of doors, and said-- "Thine axe is bloody; what hast thou done?" "I have done now what will cause thee to be wedded a second time." "Thou tellest me then that Thorwald is dead?" she said. "So it is," said he, "and now look out for my safety." "So I will," she said; "I will send thee north to Bearfirth, to Swanshol, and Swan, my kinsman, will receive thee with open arms. He is so mighty a man that no one will seek thee thither." So he saddled a horse that she had, and jumped on his back, and rode off north to Bearfirth, to Swanshol, and Swan received him with open arms, and said-- "That's what I call a man who does not stick at trifles! And now I promise thee if they seek thee here, they shall get nothing but the greatest shame." Now, the story goes back to Hallgerda, and how she behaved. She called on Liot the black, her kinsman, to go with her, and bade him saddle their horses, for she said--"I will ride home to my father". While he made ready for their journey, she went to her chests and unlocked them, and called all the men of her house about her, and gave each of them some gift; but they all grieved at her going. Now she rides home to her father; and he received her well, for as yet he had not heard the news. But Hrut said to Hallgerda-- "Why did not Thorwald come with thee?" and she answered-- "He is dead." Then Said Hauskuld-- "That was Thiostolf's doing?" "It was," she said. "Ah!" said Hauskuld, "Hrut was not for wrong when he told me that this bargain would draw mickle misfortune after it. But there's no good in troubling one's self about a thing that's done and gone." Now the story must go back to Thorwald's mates, how there they ate, and how they begged the loan of a boat to get to the mainland. So a boat was lent them at once, and they rowed up the firth to Reykianess, and found Oswif, and told him these tidings. He said, "Ill luck is the end of ill redes, and now I see how it has all gone. Hallgerda must have sent Thiostolf to Bearfirth, but she herself must have ridden home to her father. Let us now gather folk and follow him up thither north." So they did that, and went about asking for help, and got together many men. And then they all rode off to Steingrims river, and so on to Liotriverdale and Selriverdale, till they came to Bearfirth. Now Swan began to speak, and gasped much. "Now Oswif's fetches are seeking us out." Then up sprung Thiostolf, but Swan said, "Go thou out with me, there won't be need of much". So they went out both of them, and Swan took a goatskin and wrapped it about his own head, and said, "Become mist and fog, become fright and wonder mickle to all those who seek thee". Now, it must be told how Oswif, his friends, and his men are riding along the ridge; then came a great mist against them, and Oswif said, "This is Swan's doing; 'twere well if nothing worse followed". A little after a mighty darkness came before their eyes, so that they could see nothing, and then they fell off their horses' backs, and lost their horses, and dropped their weapons, and went over head and ears into bogs, and some went astray into the wood, till they were on the brink of bodily harm. Then Oswif said, "If I could only find my horse and weapons, then I'd turn back"; and he had scarce spoken these words than they saw somewhat, and found their horses and weapons. Then many still egged the others on to look after the chase once more; and so they did, and at once the same wonders befell them, and so they fared thrice. Then Oswif said, "Though the course be not good, let us still turn back. Now, we will take counsel a second time, and what now pleases my mind best, is to go and find Hauskuld, and ask atonement for my son; for there's hope of honour where there's good store of it." So they rode thence to the Broadfirth dales, and there is nothing to be told about them till they come to Hauskuldstede, and Hrut was there before them. Oswif called out Hauskuld and Hrut, and they both went out and bade him good-day. After that they began to talk. Hauskuld asked Oswif whence he came. He said he had set out to search for Thiostolf, but couldn't find him. Hauskuld said he must have gone north to Swanshol, "and thither it is not every man's lot to go to find him". "Well," says Oswif, "I am come hither for this, to ask atonement for my son from thee." Hauskuld answered--"I did not slay thy son, nor did I plot his death; still it may be forgiven thee to look for atonement somewhere". "Nose is next of kin, brother, to eyes," said Hrut, "and it is needful to stop all evil tongues, and to make him atonement for his son, and so mend thy daughter's state, for that will only be the case when this suit is dropped, and the less that is said about it the better it will be." Hauskuld said--"Wilt thou undertake the award?" "That I will," says Hrut, "nor will I shield thee at all in my award; for if the truth must be told thy daughter planned his death." Then Hrut held his peace some little while, and afterwards he stood up, and said to Oswif--"Take now my hand in handsel as a token that thou lettest the suit drop". So Oswif stood up and said--"This is not an atonement on equal terms when thy brother utters the award, but still thou (speaking to Hrut) hast behaved so well about it that I trust thee thoroughly to make it" Then he stood up and took Hauskuld's hand, and came to an atonement in the matter, on the understanding that Hrut was to make up his mind and utter the award before Oswif went away. After that, Hrut made his award, and said--"For the slaying of Thorwald I award two hundred in silver"--that was then thought a good price for a man--"and thou shalt pay it down at once, brother, and pay it too with an open hand". Hauskuld did so, and then Hrut said to Oswif--"I will give thee a good cloak which I brought with me from foreign lands". He thanked him for his gift, and went home well pleased at the way in which things had gone. After that Hauskuld and Hrut came to Oswif to share the goods, and they and Oswif came to a good agreement about that too, and they went home with their share of the goods, and Oswif is now out of our story. Hallgerda begged Hauskuld to let her come back home to him, and he gave her leave, and for a long time there was much talk about Thorwald's slaying. As for Hallgerda'a goods they went on growing till they were worth a great sum.
Table of contents
1. Of Fiddle Mord2. Hrut Woos Unna3. Hrut And Gunnhillda, Kings Mother4. Of Hrut'S Cruise5. Atli Arnvid Son'S Slaying6. Hrut Sails Out To Iceland7. Unna Separates From Hrut8. Mord Claims His Goods From Hrut9. Thorwald Gets Hallgerda To Wife10. Hallgerda'S Wedding11. Thorwald'S Slaying12. Thiostolf'S Flight13. Glum'S Wooing14. Glum'S Wedding15. Thiostolf Goes To Glum'S House16. Glum'S Sheep Hunt17. Glum'S Slaying18. Fiddle Mord'S Death19. Gunnar Comes Into The Story20. Of Njal And His Children21. Unna Goes To See Gunnar22. Njal'S Advice23. Huckster Hedinn24. Gunnar And Hrut Strive At The Thing25. Unna'S Second Wedding26. Of Asgrim And His Children27. Helgi Njal'S Son'S Wooing28. Hallvard Comes Out To Iceland29. Gunnar Goes Abroad30. Gunnar Goes A-Sea-Roving31. Gunnar Goes To King Harold Gorm'S Son And Earl Hacon32. Gunnar Comes Out To Iceland33. Gunnar'S Wooing34. Of Thrain Sigfus' Son35. The Visit To Bergthorsknoll36. Kol Slew Swart37. The Slaying Of Kol, Whom Atli Slew38. The Killing Of Atli The Thrall39. The Slaying Of Brynjolf The Unruly40. Gunnar And Njal Make Peace About Brynjolf'S Slaying41. Sigmund Comes Out To Iceland42. The Slaying Of Thord Freedsmanson43. Njal And Gunnar Make Peace For The Slaying Of Thord44. Sigmund Mocks Njal And His Sons45. The Slaying Of Sigmund And Skiolld46. Of Gizur The White And Geir The Priest47. Of Otkell In Kirkby48. How Hallgerda Makes Malcolm Steal From Kirkby49. Of Skamkell'S Evil Counsel50. Of Skamkell'S Lying51. Of Gunnar52. Of Runolf, The Son Of Wolf Aurpriest53. How Otkell Rode Over Gunnar54. The Fight At Rangriver55. Njal'S Advice To Gunnar56. Gunnar And Geir The Priest Strive At The Thing57. Of Starkad And His Sons58. How Gunnar'S Horse Fought59. Of Asgrim And Wolf Uggis' Son60. An Attack Against Gunnar Agreed On61. Gunnar'S Dream62. The Slaying Of Hjort And Fourteen Men63. Njal'S Counsel To Gunnar64. Of Valgard And Mord65. Of Fines And Atonements66. Of Thorgeir Otkell'S Son67. Of Thorgeir Starkad'S Son68. Of Njal And Those Namesakes69. Olaf The Peacock'S Gifts To Gunnar70. Mord'S Counsel71. The Slaying Of Thorgeir Otkell'S Son72. Of The Suits For Manslaughter At The Thing73. Of The Atonement74. Kolskegg Goes Abroad75. The Riding To Lithend76. Gunnar'S Slaying77. Gunnar Sings A Song Dead78. Gunnar Of Lithend Avenged79. Hogni Takes An Atonement For Gunnar'S Death80. Of Kolskegg: How He Was Baptised81. Of Thrain: How He Slew Kol82. Njal'S Sons Sail Abroad83. Of Kari Solmund'S Son84. Of Earl Sigurd85. The Battle With The Earls86. Hrapp'S Voyage From Iceland87. Thrain Took To Hrapp88. Earl Hacon Fights With Njal'S Sons89. Njal'S Sons And Kari Come Out To Iceland90. The Quarrel Of Njal'S Sons With Thrain Sigfus' Son91. Thrain Sigfus' Son'S Slaying92. Kettle Takes Hauskuld As His Foster-Son93. Njal Takes Hauskuld To Foster94. Of Flosi Thord'S Son95. Of Hall Of The Side96. Of The Change Of Faith97. Of Thangbrand'S Journeys98. Of Thangbrand And Gudleif99. Of Gest Oddleif'S Son100. Of Gizur The White And Hjallti101. Of Thorgeir Of Lightwater102. The Wedding Of Hauskuld, The Priest Of Whiteness103. The Slaying Of Hauskuld Njal'S Son104. The Slaying Of Lyting'S Brothers105. Of Amund The Blind106. Of Valgard The Guileful107. Of Mord And Njal'S Sons108. Of The Slander Of Mord Valgard'S Son109. Of Mord And Njal'S Sons110. The Slaying Of Hauskuld, The Priest Of Whiteness111. Of Hildigunna And Mord Valgard'S Son112. The Pedigree Of Gudmund The Powerful113. Of Snorri The Priest, And His Stock114. Of Flosi Thord'S Son115. Of Flosi And Hildigunna116. Of Flosi And Mord And The Sons Of Sigfus117. Njal And Skarphedinn Talk Together118. Asgrim And Njal'S Sons Pray Men For Help119. Of Skarphedinn And Thorkel Foulmouth120. Of The Pleading Of The Suit121. Of The Award Of Atonement Between Flosi And Njal122. Of The Judges123. An Attack Planned On Njal And His Sons124. Of Portents125. Flosi'S Journey From Home126. Of Portents At Bergthorsknoll127. The Onslaught On Bergthorsknoll128. Njal'S Burning129. Skarphedinn'S Death130. Of Kari Solmund'S Son131. Njal'S And Bergthora'S Bones Found132. Flosi'S Dream133. Of Flosi'S Journey And His Asking For Help134. Of Thorhall And Kari135. Of Flosi And The Burners136. Of Thorgeir Craggeir137. Of Eyjolf Bolverk'S Son138. Of Asgrim, And Gizur, And Kari139. Of Asgrim And Gudmund140. Of The Declarations Of The Suits141. Now Men Go To The Courts142. Of Eyjolf Bolverk'S Son143. The Counsel Of Thorhall Asgrim'S Son144. Battle At The Althing145. Of Kari And Thorgeir146. The Award Of Atonement With Thorgeir Craggeir147. Kari Comes To Bjorn'S House In The Mark148. Of Flosi And The Burners149. Of Kari And Bjorn150. More Of Kari And Bjorn151. Of Kari And Bjorn And Thorgeir152. Flosi Goes Abroad153. Kari Goes Abroad154. Gunnar Lambi'S Son'S Slaying155. Of Signs And Wonders156. Brian'S Battle157. The Slaying Of Kol Thorstein'S Son158. Of Flosi And Kari