'"Look, Ingegerd," he said, "here are five blackcocks hanging from my saddle. In one morning I have killed five blackcocks. Who dost thou think can boast of better luck? Have you ever heard of a King making a better capture?"
'But then the Princess was angered that he who barred the way for her happiness should come so proudly and praise his own good luck. And to make an end of the uncertainty that had tormented her for so many weeks, she replied:
'"Thou, father, hast with great honour killed five blackcocks, but I know of a King who in one morning captured five other Kings, and that was Olaf Haraldsson, the hero whom thou hast selected to be my husband."
'Then the Svea-King sprang off his horse in great fury, and advanced towards the Princess with clenched hands.
'"What troll hath bewitched thee?" he asked. "What herb hath poisoned thee? How hath thy mind been turned to this man?"
'Ingegerd did not answer; she drew back, frightened. Then the King became quieter.
'"Fair daughter," he said to her, "dost thou not know how dear thou art to me? How should I, then, give thee to one whom I cannot endure? I should like my best wishes to go with thee on thy journey. I should like to sit as guest in thy hall. I tell thee thou must turn thy mind to the Kings of other lands, for Norway's King shall never own thee."
'At these words the Princess became so confused that she could find no other words than these with which to answer the King:
'"I did not ask thee; it was the will of the people."
'The King then asked her if she thought that the Svea-King was a slave, who could not dispose of his own offspring, or if there were a master over him who had the right to give away his daughters.
'"Will the Svea-King be content to hear himself called a breaker of oaths?" asked the Princess.
'"Do not let that trouble thee. No one shall call me that. Why dost thou question about this, thou who art a woman? There are still men in my Council; they will find a way out of it."
'Then the King turned towards his henchmen who had been with him to the chase.
'"My will is bound by this promise," he said to them. "How shall I be released from it?"
'But none of the King's men answered a word; no one knew how to counsel him.