PROCEDURE AT THE ARROW-THING. 585 



wounds. Then he summoned the nine neighbours of the 

 slaying-place to come to the Althing, then he rode home " 

 (Njala, 112). 



The days and nights immediately following a murder were 

 called blood-nights. 



Hrolleif, the son of a witchcraft-knowing woman, slew the 

 chief Inginumd. When he came home and told his mother 

 what he had done, she said : 



" ' It is my advice thatthou goest away, for the blood-nights 

 are the quickest for revenge ' ' 1 (Vatnsdaela, c. 24). 



" Glum went out one day to slay Sigmimd ; he put on the 

 blue cloak, and had a spear in his hand, ornamented with gold. 

 When he had killed him he rode off to his brother Thorstein, 

 who, seeing blood on the inlaid ornaments of the weapon, asked 

 if he had struck anyone with it just before. Glum said : ' It 

 is true, I forgot to tell thee that I have slain Sigmund Thor- 

 kelsson to-day.' Thorstein answered : ' That will be bad tidings 

 to Thorkel (Sigrnund's father) and the Esphol men, his sons- 

 in-law.' Glum added : ' It is an old saying, that during the 

 blood-nights every one is most passionate ; but they will think 

 little of it as time passes ' " (Viga Glum's Saga, c. 8). 



If at least twenty-seven boendr had come to the Thing, and 

 the nearest kinsman of the murdered man was present, and the 

 slayer himself, after having received truce (grid), appeared, or 

 it was stated that although the arrow had reached him he did 

 not desire to appear, the Arrow-thing possessed the right to at 

 once render judgment in the case. 



The fifth day the prosecution took place at the Fimtartliing, 

 which was an extraordinary Heradstliing. 



To this Thing the slayer, or the person accused of the 

 murder, was summoned, and here the case was carried to com- 

 pletion, and judgment given by the Thingsmen. 



If the slaying was murder, and there was no certainty as to 

 the murderer, then the next of kin could require three persons, 

 on whom his suspicions had fallen, to free themselves one after 

 the other, by tylftareid (an oath of suspicion). 



" If the king accuses a man of land-treason (high-treason), 



1 Gulath., 132. 



