Historical Tales, Vol. 9 | Page 3

the king told Queen Ingerd that evening what he had said she
was much displeased.
"King Rolf may have a small kingdom," she said, "but he has gained
fame by his courage and ability, and is as powerful as many kings with
a wider rule. You did not well to mock him."
The next day Erik, thus admonished, begged Rolf's pardon, saying that
the ale had made him speak foolishly, and thus he became reconciled
with his guest. As for Rolf's desire to win his daughter, he would first
have to gain Torborg's consent, which would be no easy matter. The
king promised not to interfere but would do no more.

Soon after this Rolf and his men arrived at Ulleraker, reaching there
when the whole of Torborg's court were assembled in the great hall.
Fearing a hostile reception, Rolf took wary precautions. He choose
twelve of his stoutest men, with himself and Ingiald at their head, to
enter the court with drawn swords in their hands. If they were attacked,
they were to go out backward fighting, but they were bidden to conduct
themselves like men and let nothing alarm them. The others remained
outside, keeping the horses in readiness to mount.
When the party entered the hall, Rolf at their head, all there were struck
with his great size and noble aspect. No one assailed them and he
walked up the hall, on whose high seat at the front he saw what seemed
a tall and finely formed man, dressed in royal robes. Knowing that this
must be the haughty princess whose hand he had come to seek, he took
off his helmet, bowed low before her, and began to tell what brought
him to her court.
He had scarcely begun when she stopped him. She said that he must be
joking; that she knew his real errand was to get food and that this she
would give him; but he must apply for it to the chief of the kitchen, not
to her.
Rolf had not come so far to be laughed out of the court, and he sturdily
went on with what he had to say, speaking to her as a woman, and
demanding her hand in marriage. At this she changed her jesting
manner, her cheeks grew red with anger, and springing up, she seized
her weapons and called upon her men to lay hold upon and bind the
fool that had dared affront their monarch. Shouting and confusion
followed and a sharp attack was made on the intruders, but Rolf put on
his helmet and bade his men to retire, which they did in good order. He
walked backward through the whole hall, shield on arm and sword in
hand, parrying and dealing blows, so that when he left the room,
though no blade had touched him, a dozen of the courtiers lay bleeding.
But being greatly overmatched, he ordered his men to mount, and they
rode away unscathed.
Back to West Gothland they went and told Kettil how poorly they had
fared.

"You have suffered a sore insult and affront at a woman's hand," said
Kettil, "and my advice is that it be speedily avenged," but Rolf replied
that he was not yet ready to act.
Torborg had not taken the trouble to ask the name of her wooer, but
when she learned who it was she knew very well that the matter had not
reached its end and that her would-be lover would return stronger than
before. As she did not want him or any man for husband she made great
preparations for an attack, gathering a large body of warriors and
having a wall of great strength and the finest workmanship built round
the town. It was so high and thick that no battering ram could shake it,
while water-cisterns were built into it to put out the fire if any one
sought to burn it. From this we may judge that the wall was of wood.
This done, Torborg made merry with her court, thinking that no lover
in the wide world would now venture to annoy her.
She did not know the kind of man she had to deal with in King Rolf.
He had fought with men and fancied he was fit to conquer a woman.
The next summer he had a battle with Asmund, son of the king of
Scotland, and when it was over they became friends and foster-brothers
and went on viking cruises together. Next spring Rolf armed and
manned six ships and, taking Kettil and Ingiald and Asmund with him,
set sail for Upsala. He proposed now to woo the warrior princess in
another fashion.
Queen Ingerd about this time dreamed again, her dream being the same
as before, except that this time there were two