The Njál's Saga on Hallgerd

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord

• attestation: Hallgerda was Hauskuld's daughter, fair-faced and tall with waist-length silken hair

  "Hauskuld had a daughter named Hallgerda, who was playing on the floor with some other girls. She was fair of face and tall of growth, and her hair was as soft as silk; it was so long, too, that it came down to her waist."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 9. Thorwald Gets Hallgerda To Wife

• attestation: Hallgerda grew up to be the fairest of women, tall, earning the nickname Longcoat

  "Hallgerda, Hauskuld's daughter, grows up, and is the fairest of women to look on; she was tall of stature, too, and therefore she was called "Longcoat.""

• attestation: Hallgerda had abundant fair hair she could hide herself in, but was lavish and hard-hearted

  "She was fair-haired, and had so much of it that she could hide herself in it; but she was layish and hard-hearted."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 10. Hallgerda'S Wedding

• attribution: Hallgerda resented not being consulted about her marriage to Thorwald

  "thou lovest me not so much as thou art always saying, when thou hast not thought it worth while to tell me a word of all this matter."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 11. Thorwald'S Slaying

• attestation: Hallgerda was extravagant and grasping, wasting both her own goods and others'

  "Hallgerda was prodigal and grasping, and there was nothing that any of their neighbours had that she must not have too, and all that she had, no matter whether it were her own or belonged to others she wasted."

• attestation: Hallgerda's wastefulness caused a shortage of meal and stockfish by spring

  "when the spring came there was a scarcity in the house, both of meal and stock fish"

• attribution: Hallgerda insulted Thorwald by accusing him and his father of making money by starving themselves

  "What care I," said Hallgerda, "if thou and thy father have made your money by starving yourselves."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 13. Glum'S Wooing

• attestation: Hallgerda was now a widow after Thorwald's death

  "Hallgerda, Hauskuld's daughter"

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 14. Glum'S Wedding

• attestation: Hallgerda behaved well at the wedding feast and rode south to Varmalek with Glum

  "Hallgerda sat upon the cross bench on the dais, and behaved well."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 15. Thiostolf Goes To Glum'S House

• attestation: Hallgerda confirmed her marriage with Glum was going well when Thiostolf asked

  "Does it go well between you?" he says."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 16. Glum'S Sheep Hunt

• attestation: Hallgerda intervened on behalf of Thiostolf in the dispute with Glum

  "Hallgerda was sitting out of doors. Glum went up to her and said"

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 33. Gunnar'S Wooing

• attestation: This was Hallgerda's third marriage, after Thorwald and Glum both died

  "Hallgerda"

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 35. The Visit To Bergthorsknoll

• attestation: Hallgerda and Bergthora quarreled over seating arrangements at the feast

  "Bergthora came and said to Hallgerda"

• attestation: The seating dispute planted the seeds for the feud between Hallgerda and Bergthora

  "Hallgerda and Bergthora"

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 36. Kol Slew Swart

• attribution: Hallgerda dismissed Gunnar's friends contemptuously

  "The trolls take thy friends"

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 37. The Slaying Of Kol, Whom Atli Slew

• attestation: Hallgerda swore to avenge Kol's killing by having Atli killed in turn

  "She said Atli should be paid off for them."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 38. The Killing Of Atli The Thrall

• attestation: Hallgerda sent Brynjolf the Unruly to kill Atli

  "Hallgerda sent Brynjolf"

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 41. Sigmund Comes Out To Iceland

• attribution: Hallgerda mocked Njal as 'the beardless carle' and asked who would avenge the insults

  ""Who will avenge it?" she asks; "is it the beardless carle?""

• attestation: Hallgerda and Sigmund plotted in secret, and none knew their full counsel

  "they talked long and low, and no man knew what counsel they took together."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 42. The Slaying Of Thord Freedmanson

• attestation: Sigmund and his companions ambushed and killed Thord Freedmanson at Hallgerda's instigation

  "Hallgerda told them that Thord was at home, but that he was to ride straightway to the Thing after a few nights' space."

• attribution: Hallgerda provided intelligence about Thord's movements to enable the ambush

  "Now ye will have a fair chance at him," she says, "but if this goes off, ye will never get nigh him."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 44. Sigmund Mocks Njal And His Sons

• attestation: Hallgerda encouraged the spread of the mocking verses throughout the district

  "Hallgerda"

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 45. The Slaying Of Sigmund And Skiolld

• attribution: Hallgerda wished she had received Sigmund's severed head as Skarphedinn intended

  "'Twas ill that thou didst not do t"

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 76. Gunnar'S Slaying

• attestation: Hallgerda refused to give Gunnar her hair, reminding him of the slap he once gave her

  ""Well!" she says, "now I will call to thy mind that slap on the face which thou gavest me; and I care never a whit whether thou holdest out a long while or a short.""

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 77. Gunnar Sings A Song Dead

• attestation: Hallgerda fled to Gritwater with her son Grani after Gunnar's death

  "Then Hallgerda fled away to Gritwater, and her son Grani with her, and they shared the goods between them"

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 90. The Quarrel Of Njal'S Sons With Thrain Sigfus' Son

• attestation: Hallgerda told Njal's sons they were not welcome at Gritwater

  "Hallgerda stood in the porch, and had been talking low to Hrapp, then she spoke out loud: "None of those who are here will say that ye are welcome.""

• attestation: Hallgerda coined the nickname 'Dungbeardlings' for Njal's sons and 'the Beardless Carle' for Njal

  ""Away with you home, ye Dungbeardlings!'" says Hallgerda, "and so we will call you always from this day forth; but your father we will call the Beardless Carle.'""