'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.
'Then Oluf Skötkonung became very wrath; he became like a madman.
'"So much for your wisdom," he shouted again and again to his men. "I will be free. Why do people laud your wisdom?"
'Whilst the King raged and shouted, and no one knew how to answer him, the maiden Astrid stepped forward from amongst the other women and made a proposal.
'Hjalte must really believe her when she told him that it was only because she found it so amusing that she could not help saying it, and not in the least because she thought it could really be done.
'"Why dost thou not send me?" she had said. "I am also thy daughter. Why dost thou not send me to the Norwegian King?"
'But when Ingegerd heard Astrid say these words, she grew pale.