FIFTY-SEVEN:

-- Starkað and his brutish sons are introduced.

FIFTY-EIGHT:

-- Egil Kolsson, Starkað's brother-in-law, has three sons who are constant companions of their cousins.

-- Starkað has a good fighting horse.

-- Egil's sons challenge Gunnar to a horsefight, using insulting terms. Gunnar accepts, but urges moderation.

-- Njal predicts the horsefight will lead to many deaths.

FIFTY-NINE:

-- Hoskulð dies; Þorgerð gives birth and names her son Hoskulð at Hallgerð's suggestion.

-- The horsefight comes to a predictable conclusion. The handlers of Starkað's horse try to knock Gunnar down and are knocked down instead. They scuffle; Gunnar's horse is struck and loses an eye. Gunnar knocks out Þorgeir.

-- Njal tries to negotiate a settlement, but Þorgeir refuses; nevertheless, he takes no action during the following year.

SIXTY:

-- Asgrim, (nephew of Gizur the White) botches a lawsuit at the All-Þing.

-- Gunnar's sense of rightness is bothered, so he challenges the defendant to a duel, thus saving Asgrim's case.

-- Asgrim pledges Gunnar his support and invites him for a visit.

-- Njal warns Gunnar to travel armed.

SIXTY-ONE:

-- Gunnar's party of three is seen leaving Asgrim's.

-- Starkað and his sons prepare an ambush with 30 men.

-- His daughter Hildigunn predicts failure.

-- Visiting Norwegians must be goaded into the ambush with accusations of cowardice; one predicts his own death.

SIXTY-TWO:

-- Gunnar strangely falls asleep and dreams about the attack.

-- He foresees Hjort's death, and urges him to turn back. Hjort does not.

-- They take up a defensive position on a tongue of land in a nearby river.

SIXTY-THREE:

-- Gunnar's band kills fourteen men and wounds many others before the remainder flees.

-- Hjort is dead.

-- [Note the wonderful litotes in the battle scene.]

SIXTY-FOUR:

-- Egil's widow asks the surviving Norwegian to manage the farm; he refuses, citing his prediction that he must leave or die, but accepts when she offers her daughter in marriage.

-- Njal gives over to Gunnar as many lawsuits against the attackers as he can come up with.

-- Gunnar declares the remainder outlaws for assault.

SIXTY-FIVE:

-- Þorgeir Starkaðarson seeks help from Valgerð and his son Morð. At first they want money, then settle for Þorgeir's arrangement of Morð's marriage to Þorkatla Gizursdaughter.

-- The attackers bring charges against Gunnar, and Njal plots Gunnar's countercharges.

-- Large numbers of supporters from both sides attend the All-Þing.

SIXTY-SIX:

-- Njal forces Morð to concede that the law is on Gunnar's side.

-- Hjalti Skeggjason urges settlement anyway; Gunnar agrees when Hjalti pledges never to act against Gunnar.

-- Gunnar's friends all contribute money, and settlement is made immediately.

-- Gunnar leaves with increased prestige.