"Then after dances Byrge Green,
And many a gentle knight I ween.
"And now comes dancing Hanke Kann,
And eke his wife, hight Lady Ann.
"Then dancing comes a noble pair--
Sir Rank, and Lady Berngerd fair.
"Then rich Sir Wolfram, with his dame,
A lady fair, without a name."
At this verse Sir Bent Rimaardson, who had received the same invitation as Drost Peter, joined the dancers, with an unknown lady by his side.
At the last couplet--
"Then dancing came Sir Iver Helt:
He followed the king across the Belt:"[[36]]
to his great surprise, Drost Peter perceived the brave Sir Thorstenson advance, conducting a smart peasant-girl by the hand.
"What! Sir Thorstenson here, too!" he exclaimed, as he turned to Lady Ingé, who hastily informed him that the bold knight was there to accompany him to Nyborg, whither he had conducted the king and the whole court, and that he had immediately approved of and entered into her project.
Rané, however, had yet shown no disposition to take his part in the dance. They had twice danced round the open space, and each time that Lady Ingé had approached him, she had sung in a louder tone:--