“Thou shalt rule, my lord,” said the queen; “but in small account do I hold this Thief of thine.”
So then he gat a good mantle over him, and sat down in the high-seat beside the king.
The queen waxed red as blood when she saw the goodly ring, yet would she give him never a word; but the king was exceeding blithe with him and said: “A goodly ring hast thou on thine arm there; thou must have boiled salt long enough to get it.”
Says he, “That is all the heritage of my father.”
“Ah!” says the king, “maybe thou hast more than that; well, few salt-boiling carles are thy peers, I deem, unless eld is deep in mine eyes now.”
So Thief was there through the winter amid good entertainment, and well accounted of by all men; he was bounteous of his wealth, and joyous with all men: the queen held but little converse with him; but the king and he were ever blithe together.
CHAPTER XII. Frithiof saves the King and Queen on the Ice.
The tale tells that on a time King Ring and the queen, and a great company, would go to a feast. So the king spake to Thief: “Wilt thou fare with us, or abide at home?”
He said he had liefer go; and the king said: “Then am I the more content.”