The Njál's Saga on Mord Fiddle

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord

• relationship: Mord Fiddle was the son of Sigvat the Red

  "There was a man named Mord whose surname was Fiddle; he was the son of Sigvat the Red"

• attestation: Mord Fiddle resided at the Vale in the Rangrivervales

  "he dwelt at the "Vale" in the Rangrivervales"

• attestation: Mord Fiddle was a powerful chieftain and legal authority whose involvement was considered necessary for legitimate judgments

  "He was a mighty chief, and a great taker up of suits, and so great a lawyer that no judgments were thought lawful unless he had a hand in them."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 2. Hrut Woos Unna

• attestation: Mord Fiddle was performing his customary role of laying down the law at the High Court

  "Fiddle Mord was laying down the law as was his wont"

• attestation: Mord set the marriage terms at sixty hundreds down, increased by a third in Hrut's household

  "she shall have sixty hundreds down, and this sum shall be increased by a third more in thine house"

• attestation: Mord formally betrothed Unna to Hrut with the wedding feast set for half a month after Midsummer

  "Mord betrothed his daughter Unna to Hrut, and the bridal feast was to be at Mord's house, half a month after Midsummer."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 6. Hrut Sails Out To Iceland

• attestation: Mord paid Unna's dowry portion at the wedding feast

  "Mord pays down his daughter's portion"

• attribution: Mord initially sided with Hrut, telling Unna to go home and be content

  "Home thou shalt go, and be content with thy lot; for all the witness goes better for him than for thee."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 7. Unna Separates From Hrut

• attestation: Mord recognized his daughter's distress and offered her confidential support

  "thou wilt trust to me rather than any one else to help thee out of thy trouble."

• attestation: Mord devised a detailed plan for Unna to legally separate from Hrut using witnesses at the marital bed and main door

  "thou shalt take witness before thy husband's bed, and declare thyself separated from him by such a lawful separation as may hold good according to the judgment of the Great Thing, and the laws of the land; and at the man's door the main door of the house, thou shalt take the same witness."

• attestation: Mord instructed Unna to feign illness through winter and spring to keep Hrut unsuspecting

  "when spring comes thou must sham sickness, and take to thy bed."

• attestation: Mord told Unna to flee via Laxriverdale Heath and Holtbeacon Heath to avoid pursuit through Hrutfirth

  "ride over Laxriverdale Heath, and so on over Holtbeacon Heath; for they will look for thee by way of Hrutfirth."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 8. Mord Claims His Goods From Hrut

• attestation: Mord filed a money-suit against Hrut for Unna's dower valued at ninety hundreds

  "Mord took witness and declared that he had a money-suit against Hrut for his daughter's dower, and reckoned the amount at ninety hundreds in goods"

• attestation: Mord laid his suit in the Quarter Court and asked for a fine of three marks

  "calling on Hrut at the same time to pay and hand it over to him, and asking for a fine of three marks. He laid the suit in the Quarter Court"

• attestation: Mord declined the combat challenge and was publicly shamed with hooting

  "Mord spoke out, that he would not fight with Hrut, and there arose a great shout and hooting on the hill, and Mord got the greatest shame by his suit."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 18. Fiddle Mord'S Death

• attestation: Mord Fiddle fell ill and died, which was considered a great loss

  "Fiddle Mord took a sickness and breathed his last; and that was thought great scathe."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > Endnotes:

• attestation: The kenning 'Lord of rings' is a periphrasis for a chief, referring to Mord

  ""Lord of rings," a periphrasis for a chief, that is, Mord."