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).
Network
Drag nodes, scroll to zoom, click a character for its profile, click an edge to read the sentences that support it.
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 23: Huckster Hedinn
Gunnar rode from home two nights afterwards, and two men with him; they rode along until they got on Bluewoodheath, and then men on horseback met them and asked who that tall man might be of whom so little was seen. But his companions said it was Huckster Hedinn. Then the others said a worse was not to be looked for behind, when such a man as he went before. Hedinn at once made as though he would have set upon them, but yet each went their way. So Gunnar went on doing everything as Njal had laid it down for him, and when he came to Hauskuldstede he stayed there the night, and thence he went down the dale till he came to the next farm to Hrutstede. There he offered his wares for sale, and Hedinn fell at once upon the farmer. This was told to Hrut, and he sent for Hedinn, and Hedinn went at once to see Hrut, and had a good welcome. Hrut seated him over against himself, and their talk went pretty much as Njal had guessed; but when they came to talk of Rangrivervale, and Hrut asked about the men there, Gunnar sung this stave-- Men in sooth are slow to find,-- So the people speak by stealth, Often this hath reached my ears,-- All through Rangar's rolling vales. Still I trow that Fiddle Mord, Tried his hand in fight of yore; Sure was never gold-bestower, Such a man for might and wit. Then Hrut said, "Thou art a skald, Hedinn. But hast thou never heard how things went between me and Mord?" Then Hedinn sung another stave-- Once I ween I heard the rumour, How the Lord of rings bereft thee; From thine arms earth's offspring tearing, Trickful he and trustful thou. Then the men, the buckler-bearers, Begged the mighty gold-begetter, Sharp sword oft of old he reddened, Not to stand in strife with thee. So they went on, till Hrut, in answer told him how the suit must be taken up, and recited the summons. Hedinn repeated it all wrong, and Hrut burst out laughing, and had no mistrust. Then he said, Hrut must summon once more, and Hrut did so. Then Hedinn repeated the summons a second time, and this time right, and called his companions to witness how he summoned Hrut in a suit which Unna Mord's daughter had made over to him with her plighted hand. At night he went to sleep like other men, but as soon as ever Hrut was sound asleep, they took their clothes and arms, and went out and came to their horses, and rode off across the river, and so up along the bank by Hiardarholt till the dale broke off among the hills, and so there they are upon the fells between Laxriverdale and Hawkdale, having got to a spot where no one could find them unless he had fallen on them by chance. Hauskuld wakes up that night at Hauskuldstede, and roused all his household, "I will tell you my dream," he said. "I thought I saw a great bear go out of this house, and I knew at once this beast's match was not to be found; two cubs followed him, wishing well to the bear, and they all made for Hrutstede, and went into the house there. After that I woke. Now I wish to ask if any of you saw aught about yon tall man." Then one man answered him--"I saw how a golden fringe and a bit of scarlet cloth peeped out at his arm, and on his right arm he had a ring of gold". Hauskuld said--"This beast is no man's fetch, but Gunnar's of Lithend, and now methinks I see all about it. Up! let us ride to Hrutstede." And they did so. Hrut lay in his locked bed, and asks who have come there? Hauskuld tells who he is, and asked what guests might be there in the house. "Only Huckster Hedinn is here," says Hrut. "A broader man across the back, it will be, I fear," says Hauskuld, "I guess here must have been Gunnar of Lithend." "Then there has been a pretty trial of cunning," says Hrut. "What has happened?" says Hauskuld. "I told him how to take up Unna's suit, and I summoned myself and he summoned after, and now he can use this first step in the suit, and it is right in law." "There has, indeed, been a great falling off of wit on one side," said Hauskuld, "and Gunnar cannot have planned it all by himself; Njal must be at the bottom of this plot, for there is not his match for wit in all the land." Now they look for Hedinn, but he is already off and away; after that they gathered folk, and looked for them three days, but could not find them. Gunnar rode south from the fell to Hawkdale and so east of Skard, and north to Holtbeaconheath, and so on until he got home.
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