Thence Thangbrand fared to Bergthorsknoll, and Njal took the faith and all his house, but Mord and Valgard went much against it, and thence they fared out across the rivers; so they went on into Hawkdale and there they baptised Hall,[50] and he was then three winters old.

Thence Thangbrand fared to Grimsness, there Thorwald the scurvy gathered a band against him, and sent word to Wolf Uggi’s son, that he must fare against Thangbrand and slay him, and made this song on him—­

  To the wolf in Woden’s harness,
  Uggi’s worthy warlike son,
  I, steel’s swinger dearly loving,
  This my simple bidding send;
  That the wolf of Gods[51] he chaseth,—­
  Man who snaps at chink of gold—­
  Wolf who base our Gods blasphemeth,
  I the other wolf[52] will crush.

Wolf sang another song in return—­

  Swarthy skarf from month that skimmeth
  Of the man who speaks in song
  Never will I catch, though surely
  Wealthy warrior it hath sent;
  Tender of the sea-horse snorting,
  E’en though ill deeds are on foot,
  Still to risk mine eyes are open;
  Harmful ’tis to snap at flies.[53]

“And,” says he, “I don’t mean to be made a catspaw by him, but let him take heed lest his tongue twists a noose for his own neck.”

And after that the messenger fared back to Thorwald the scurvy and told him Wolf’s words.  Thorwald had many men about him, and gave it out that he would lie in wait for them on Bluewoodheath.

Now those two, Thangbrand and Gudleif, ride out of Hawkdale, and there they came upon a man who rode to meet them.  That man asked for Gudleif, and when he found him he said—­

“Thou shalt gain by being the brother of Thorgil of Reykiahole, for I will let thee know that they have set many ambushes, and this too, that Thorwald the scurvy is now with his band At Hestbeck on Grimsness.”

“We shall not the less for all that ride to meet him,” says Gudleif, and then they turned down to Hestbeck.  Thorwald was then come across the brook, and Gudleif said to Thangbrand—­

“Here is now Thorwald; let us rush on him now.”  Thangbrand shot a spear through Thorwald, but Gudleif smote him on the shoulder and hewed his arm off, and that was his death.

After that they ride up to the Thing, and it was a near thing that the kinsmen of Thorwald had fallen on Thangbrand, but Njal and the eastfirthers stood by Thangbrand.

Then Hjallti Skeggi’s son sang this rhyme at the Hill of Laws—­

  Ever will I Gods blaspheme
  Freyja methinks a dog does seem,
  Freyja a dog?  Aye! let them be
  Both dogs together Odin and she.[54]

Hjallti fared abroad that summer and Gizur the white with him, but Thangbrand’s ship was wrecked away east at Bulandsness, and the ship’s name was “Bison”.

Thangbrand and his messmate fared right through the west country, and Steinvora, the mother of Ref the Skald, came against him; she preached the heathen faith to Thangbrand and made him a long speech.  Thangbrand held his peace while she spoke, but made a long speech after her, and turned all that she had said the wrong way against her.