Hauskuld was the fourth of Njal’s sons.  He was base-born.  His mother was Rodny, and she was Hauskuld’s daughter, the sister of Ingialld of the Springs.

Njal asked Skarphedinn one day if he would take to himself a wife.  He bade his father settle the matter.  Then Njal asked for his hand Thorhilda, the daughter of Ranvir of Thorolfsfell, and that was why they had another homestead there after that.  Skarphedinn got Thorhilda, but he stayed still with his father to the end.  Grim wooed Astrid of Deepback; she was a widow and very wealthy.  Grim got her to wife, and yet lived on with Njal.

CHAPTER XXVI.

OF ASGRIM AND HIS CHILDREN.

There was a man named Asgrim.  He was Ellidagrim’s son.  The brother of Asgrim Ellidagrim’s son was Sigfus.

Asgrim had two sons, and both of them were named Thorhall.  They were both hopeful men.  Grim was the name of another of Asgrim’s sons, and Thorhalla was his daughter’s name.  She was the fairest of women, and well behaved.

Njal came to talk with his son Helgi, and said, “I have thought of a match for thee, if thou wilt follow my advice”.

“That I will surely,” says he, “for I know that thou both meanest me well, and canst do well for me; but whither hast thou turned thine eyes?”

“We will go and woo Asgrim Ellidagrim’s son’s daughter, for that is the best choice we can make.”

CHAPTER XXVII.

HELGI NJAL’S SON’S WOOING.

A little after they rode out across Thurso water, and fared till they came into Tongue.  Asgrim was at home, and gave them a hearty welcome; and they were there that night.  Next morning they began to talk, and then Njal raised the question of the wooing, and asked for Thorhalla for his son Helgi’s hand.  Asgrim answered that well, and said there were no men with whom he would be more willing to make this bargain than with them.  They fell a-talking then about terms, and the end of it was that Asgrim betrothed his daughter to Helgi, and the bridal day was named.  Gunnar was at that feast, and many other of the best men.  After the feast Njal offered to foster in his house Thorhall, Asgrim’s son, and he was with Njal long after.  He loved Njal more than his own father.  Njal taught him law, so that he became the greatest lawyer in Iceland in those days.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

HALLVARD COMES OUT TO ICELAND.

There came a ship out from Norway, and ran into Arnbael’s Oyce,[10] and the master of the ship was Hallvard, the white, a man from the Bay.[11] He went to stay at Lithend, and was with Gunnar that winter, and was always asking him to fare abroad with him.  Gunnar spoke little about it, but yet said more unlikely things might happen; and about spring he went over to Bergthorsknoll to find out from Njal whether he thought it a wise step in him to go abroad.