69. kafli
Þá er þeir húskarlar og Kolskeggur höfðu verið þrjár nætur í Eyjum
Then when those HouseCarls and Kolskegg had been three nights on the Island
þá hefir
Þorgeir Starkaðarson njósn af þessu og gerir orð nafna sínum að hann skyldi
koma til móts við hann á Þríhyrningshálsa.
Then Thorgeir Starkadsson learned of this and he sends word to his namesake that he should come to meet him at Three Horns Ridges
Síðan bjóst Þorgeir undan Þríhyrningi við hinn tólfta mann.
After that Thorgeir (the other one) prepared himself to leave from under Three Horns as twelfth man
Hann ríður upp á hálsinn og bíður þar
nafna síns.
He rides up to the Ridge waiting there for his namesake
Gunnar er nú einn heima á bænum.
Gunnar is now home-alone at the Farm
Ríða þeir nafnar í skóga
nokkura. Þar kom að þeim svefnhöfgi og máttu þeir ekki annað en sofa.
They, the namesakes ride into a particular wood where drowsiness comes over them and they could do nothing but sleep
Festu
þeir skjöldu sína í limar en bundu hesta sína og settu hjá sér vopnin.
They set their shields on tree branches but tied their horses and placed their weapons near to them
Njáll var þessa nótt í Þórólfsfelli og mátti ekki sofa og gekk ýmist út eða
inn. Þórhildur spurði Njál hví hann mætti ekki sofa.
Njal was this night on Thorolfs Fell unable to sleep and went sometimes out or in
Thorhild asked for what (reason) could he not sleep
[Thorhild was his daughter-in-law wife to Skarpheðin Njalsson]
"Margt ber nú fyrir augu mér," sagði hann. "Eg sé margar fylgjur grimmlegar
óvina Gunnars og er nokkuð undarlega. Þær láta ólmlega og fara þó
ráðlauslega."
Much is seen before my eyes" said he "I see many fearful spirits of Gunnar's Enemies and it is extraordinary that they behave furiously but wander around aimlessly".
Litlu síðar reið maður að dyrum og steig af baki og gekk inn og var þar
sauðamaður þeirra Þórhildar.
A little after that a man rode to the door and dismounts (from horse back) and there was Thorhild's Shepherd
Hún mælti: "Hvort fannst þú sauðina?"
She spoke "Is it that you found the sheep"
"Fann eg það er meira mundi varða," segir hann.
"I have found something (else) which may be of greater import" says he
"Hvað var það?" segir Njáll.
"What was that" says Njal
"Eg fann fjóra og tuttugu menn," segir hann, "í skóginum uppi. Þeir höfðu
bundið hesta sína en sváfu sjálfir. Þeir höfðu fest skjöldu sína í limar."
" I found four and twenty men " says he "up in the woods, they had tethered their horses but they (themselves) slept. they had hung their shields on branches"
En svo hafði hann gjörla að hugað að hann sagði frá allra þeirra vopnabúnaði
og klæðum.
But how (well) he had observed (?remembered) them he told of all their weapons and clothing
Njáll vissi þá gjörla hver hvergi hafði verið og mælti til hans: "Gott hjóna
ert þú, ef slík væru mörg, og skalt þú jafnan þessa njóta en þó vil eg nú
senda þig."
Njal knew then certainly who they were and said to him "You are a good servant and if there were more (like you), and shall you gain / profit from this but still I wish to send you out (somewhere else)
Hann játti að fara
He agreed to go
"Þú skalt fara," segir Njáll, "til Hlíðarenda og segja Gunnari að hann fari
til Grjótár og sendi þaðan eftir mönnum
"You shall go " says Njal "To Hliðarend and tell Gunnar that he is to go to
Grjot River (Stony River) and send after men from there
en eg mun fara til móts við þá er í
skóginum eru og fæla þá í braut.
but I will go to see these men in the wood and scare them off
Hefir þetta af því vel í móti borist að
þeir munu engis afla í þessi en láta mikið."
this may turn out well because they will profit nothing yet lose much"
Sauðamaður fór og sagði Gunnari sem gerst frá öllu. Reið þá Gunnar til
Grjótár og stefndi að sér mönnum.
The shepherd went and told Gunnar as much as he could
(superl ? completely)
[i.e. all that had happened] .
Gunnar rode then to Grjot River and summoned his men
I was later than I thought I would be my PC Needed attention - but the Engineer did not turn up - so I had to "risk it"
Hope it is received okay
Patricia
Any advice welcome