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The story of Burnt Njal: From the Icelandic of the Njals SagaOpenStories

The story of Burnt Njal: From the Icelandic of the Njals Saga

by OpenStories

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"The story of Burnt Njal: From the Icelandic of the Njals Saga by Dasent" is a thirteenth-century Icelandic saga describing events between 960 and 1020. The narrative follows a devastating blood feud in the Icelandic Commonwealth, showing how minor insults spiral into prolonged violence driven by honor's demands. At its center are two friends: Njáll, a wise lawyer, and Gunnar, a formidable warrior. When Gunnar's wife instigates conflict, the consequences span decades and lead to the infamous burning death of Njáll himself. Through omens and prophetic dreams, the saga explores vengeance, masculinity, and societal destruction.

The story of Burnt Njal: From the Icelandic of the Njals Saga, from the public domain. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #17919.

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160 Chapters

  1. 1.Front Matter9,768 words
  2. 2.Conclusion2,498 words
  3. 3.Chapter I: Of Fiddle Mord337 words
  4. 4.Chapter II: Hrut Woos Unna1,026 words
  5. 5.Chapter III: Hrut and Gunnhillda, Kings Mother1,121 words
  6. 6.Chapter IV: Of Hrut's Cruise161 words
  7. 7.Chapter V: Atli Arnvid Son's Slaying810 words
  8. 8.Chapter VI: Hrut Sails Out to Iceland1,193 words
  9. 9.Chapter VII: Unna Separates From Hrut813 words
  10. 10.Chapter VIII: Mord Claims His Goods From Hrut704 words
  11. 11.Chapter IX: Thorwald Gets Hallgerda to Wife429 words
  12. 12.Chapter X: Hallgerda's Wedding520 words
  13. 13.Chapter XI: Thorwald's Slaying606 words
  14. 14.Chapter XII: Thiostolf's Flight1,331 words
  15. 15.Chapter XIII: Glum's Wooing1,198 words
  16. 16.Chapter XIV: Glum's Wedding479 words
  17. 17.Chapter XV: Thiostolf Goes to Glum's House338 words
  18. 18.Chapter XVI: Glum's Sheep Hunt230 words
  19. 19.Chapter XVII: Glum's Slaying922 words
  20. 20.Chapter XVIII: Fiddle Mord's Death70 words
  21. 21.Chapter XIX: Gunnar Comes Into the Story289 words
  22. 22.Chapter XX: Of Njal and His Children148 words
  23. 23.Chapter XXI: Unna Goes to See Gunnar430 words
  24. 24.Chapter XXII: Njal's Advice1,183 words
  25. 25.Chapter XXIII: Huckster Hedinn814 words
  26. 26.Chapter XXIV: Gunnar and Hrut Strive at the Thing784 words
  27. 27.Chapter XXV: Unna's Second Wedding420 words
  28. 28.Chapter XXVI: Of Asgrim and His Children124 words
  29. 29.Chapter XXVII: Helgi Njal's Son's Wooing161 words
  30. 30.Chapter XXVIII: Hallvard Comes Out to Iceland257 words
  31. 31.Chapter XXIX: Gunnar Goes Abroad449 words
  32. 32.Chapter XXX: Gunnar Goes A-Sea-Roving1,413 words
  33. 33.Chapter XXXI459 words
  34. 34.Chapter XXXII: Gunnar Comes Out to Iceland391 words
  35. 35.Chapter XXXIII: Gunnar's Wooing822 words
  36. 36.Chapter XXXIV: Of Thrain Sigfus' Son820 words
  37. 37.Chapter XXXV: The Visit to Bergthorsknoll329 words
  38. 38.Chapter XXXVI: Kol Slew Swart1,329 words
  39. 39.Chapter XXXVII: The Slaying of Kol, Whom Atli Slew825 words
  40. 40.Chapter XXXVIII: The Killing of Atli the Thrall1,000 words
  41. 41.Chapter XXXIX: The Slaying of Brynjolf the Unruly415 words
  42. 42.Chapter XL171 words
  43. 43.Chapter XLI: Sigmund Comes Out to Iceland922 words
  44. 44.Chapter XLII: The Slaying of Thord Freedsmanson425 words
  45. 45.Chapter XLIII489 words
  46. 46.Chapter XLIV: Sigmund Mocks Njal and His Sons1,257 words
  47. 47.Chapter XLV: The Slaying of Sigmund and Skiolld1,033 words
  48. 48.Chapter XLVI: Of Gizur the White and Geir the Priest120 words
  49. 49.Chapter XLVII: Of Otkell in Kirkby725 words
  50. 50.Chapter XLVIII553 words
  51. 51.Chapter XLIX: Of Skamkell's Evil Counsel1,409 words
  52. 52.Chapter L: Of Skamkell's Lying571 words
  53. 53.Chapter LI: Of Gunnar828 words
  54. 54.Chapter LII: Of Runolf, the Son of Wolf Aurpriest177 words
  55. 55.Chapter LIII: How Otkell Rode Over Gunnar582 words
  56. 56.Chapter LIV: The Fight at Rangriver969 words
  57. 57.Chapter LV: Njal's Advice to Gunnar529 words
  58. 58.Chapter LVI1,080 words
  59. 59.Chapter LVII: Of Starkad and His Sons890 words
  60. 60.Chapter LVIII: How Gunnar's Horse Fought692 words
  61. 61.Chapter LIX: Of Asgrim and Wolf Uggis' Son364 words
  62. 62.Chapter LX: An Attack Against Gunnar Agreed on531 words
  63. 63.Chapter LXI: Gunnar's Dream492 words
  64. 64.Chapter LXII: The Slaying of Hjort and Fourteen Men842 words
  65. 65.Chapter LXIII: Njal's Counsel to Gunnar516 words
  66. 66.Chapter LXIV: Of Valgard and Mord585 words
  67. 67.Chapter LXV: Of Fines and Atonements645 words
  68. 68.Chapter LXVI: Of Thorgeir Otkell's Son461 words
  69. 69.Chapter LXVII: Of Thorgeir Starkad's Son379 words
  70. 70.Chapter LXVIII: Of Njal and Those Namesakes593 words
  71. 71.Chapter LXIX: Olaf the Peacock's Gifts to Gunnar654 words
  72. 72.Chapter LXX: Mord's Counsel318 words
  73. 73.Chapter LXXI: The Slaying of Thorgeir Otkell's Son670 words
  74. 74.Chapter LXXII628 words
  75. 75.Chapter LXXIII: Of the Atonement423 words
  76. 76.Chapter LXXIV: Kolskegg Goes Abroad1,080 words
  77. 77.Chapter LXXV: The Riding to Lithend300 words
  78. 78.Chapter LXXVI: Gunnar's Slaying1,341 words
  79. 79.Chapter LXXVII: Gunnar Sings a Song Dead645 words
  80. 80.Chapter LXXVIII: Gunnar of Lithend Avenged474 words
  1. 81.Chapter LXXIX213 words
  2. 82.Chapter LXXX: Of Kolskegg: How He Was Baptised200 words
  3. 83.Chapter LXXXI: Of Thrain: How He Slew Kol1,104 words
  4. 84.Chapter LXXXII: Njal's Sons Sail Abroad418 words
  5. 85.Chapter LXXXIII: Of Kari Solmund's Son498 words
  6. 86.Chapter LXXXIV: Of Earl Sigurd442 words
  7. 87.Chapter LXXXV: The Battle with the Earls466 words
  8. 88.Chapter LXXXVI: Hrapp's Voyage From Iceland1,582 words
  9. 89.Chapter LXXXVII: Thrain Took to Hrapp2,175 words
  10. 90.Chapter LXXXVIII: Earl Hacon Fights with Njal's Sons1,181 words
  11. 91.Chapter LXXXIX196 words
  12. 92.Chapter XC1,413 words
  13. 93.Chapter XCI: Thrain Sigfus' Son's Slaying1,743 words
  14. 94.Chapter XCII: Kettle Takes Hauskuld as His Foster-Son342 words
  15. 95.Chapter XCIII: Njal Takes Hauskuld to Foster290 words
  16. 96.Chapter XCIV: Of Flosi Thord's Son151 words
  17. 97.Chapter XCV: Of Hall of the Side104 words
  18. 98.Chapter XCVI: Of the Change of Faith514 words
  19. 99.Chapter XCVII: Of Thangbrand's Journeys300 words
  20. 100.Chapter XCVIII: Of Thangbrand and Gudleif799 words
  21. 101.Chapter XCIX: Of Gest Oddleif's Son585 words
  22. 102.Chapter C: Of Gizur the White and Hjallti287 words
  23. 103.Chapter CI: Of Thorgeir of Lightwater528 words
  24. 104.Chapter CII1,676 words
  25. 105.Chapter CIII: The Slaying of Hauskuld Njal's Son1,123 words
  26. 106.Chapter CIV: The Slaying of Lyting's Brothers849 words
  27. 107.Chapter CV: Of Amund the Blind507 words
  28. 108.Chapter CVI: Of Valgard the Guileful395 words
  29. 109.Chapter CVII: Of Mord and Njal's Sons260 words
  30. 110.Chapter CVIII: Of the Slander of Mord Valgard's Son958 words
  31. 111.Chapter CIX: Of Mord and Njal's Sons194 words
  32. 112.Chapter CX421 words
  33. 113.Chapter CXI: Of Hildigunna and Mord Valgard's Son543 words
  34. 114.Chapter CXII: The Pedigree of Gudmund the Powerful131 words
  35. 115.Chapter CXIII: Of Snorri the Priest, and His Stock128 words
  36. 116.Chapter CXIV: Of Flosi Thord's Son656 words
  37. 117.Chapter CXV: Of Flosi and Hildigunna879 words
  38. 118.Chapter CXVI530 words
  39. 119.Chapter CXVII: Njal and Skarphedinn Talk Together617 words
  40. 120.Chapter CXVIII1,674 words
  41. 121.Chapter CXIX: Of Skarphedinn and Thorkel Foulmouth866 words
  42. 122.Chapter CXX: Of the Pleading of the Suit607 words
  43. 123.Chapter CXXI577 words
  44. 124.Chapter CXXII: Of the Judges1,262 words
  45. 125.Chapter CXXIII: An Attack Planned on Njal and His Sons1,370 words
  46. 126.Chapter CXXIV: Of Portents269 words
  47. 127.Chapter CXXV: Flosi's Journey From Home270 words
  48. 128.Chapter CXXVI: Of Portents at Bergthorsknoll434 words
  49. 129.Chapter CXXVII: The Onslaught on Bergthorsknoll933 words
  50. 130.Chapter CXXVIII: Njal's Burning1,502 words
  51. 131.Chapter CXXIX: Skarphedinn's Death1,559 words
  52. 132.Chapter CXXX: Of Kari Solmund's Son905 words
  53. 133.Chapter CXXXI: Njal's and Bergthora's Bones Found1,187 words
  54. 134.Chapter CXXXII: Flosi's Dream475 words
  55. 135.Chapter CXXXIII1,315 words
  56. 136.Chapter CXXXIV: Of Thorhall and Kari1,619 words
  57. 137.Chapter CXXXV: Of Flosi and the Burners784 words
  58. 138.Chapter CXXXVI: Of Thorgeir Craggeir279 words
  59. 139.Chapter CXXXVII: Of Eyjolf Bolverk's Son1,725 words
  60. 140.Chapter CXXXVIII: Of Asgrim, and Gizur, and Kari1,327 words
  61. 141.Chapter CXXXIX: Of Asgrim and Gudmund326 words
  62. 142.Chapter CXL: Of the Declarations of the Suits1,101 words
  63. 143.Chapter CXLI: Now Men Go to the Courts4,604 words
  64. 144.Chapter CXLII: Of Eyjolf Bolverk's Son436 words
  65. 145.Chapter CXLIII: The Counsel of Thorhall Asgrim's Son2,234 words
  66. 146.Chapter CXLIV: Battle at the Althing3,368 words
  67. 147.Chapter CXLV: Of Kari and Thorgeir1,632 words
  68. 148.Chapter CXLVI822 words
  69. 149.Chapter CXLVII: Kari Comes to Bjorn's House in the Mark655 words
  70. 150.Chapter CXLVIII: Of Flosi and the Burners1,030 words
  71. 151.Chapter CXLIX: Of Kari and Bjorn1,232 words
  72. 152.Chapter CL: More of Kari and Bjorn883 words
  73. 153.Chapter CLI: Of Kari and Bjorn and Thorgeir662 words
  74. 154.Chapter CLII: Flosi Goes Abroad634 words
  75. 155.Chapter CLIII: Kari Goes Abroad589 words
  76. 156.Chapter CLIV: Gunnar Lambi's Son's Slaying925 words
  77. 157.Chapter CLV: Of Signs and Wonders568 words
  78. 158.Chapter CLVI: Brian's Battle1,701 words
  79. 159.Chapter CLVII: The Slaying of Kol Thorstein's Son502 words
  80. 160.Chapter CLVIII: Of Flosi and Kari1,964 words