“I have come in a ship for your daughter, and my name is Dyeermud Ulta,” was the answer the king got.
The king was frightened at the answer, though he knew himself well enough that it was for the daughter Dyeermud had come in the ship, and was greatly in dread that she would be taken from him. He went then to an old henwife that lived near the castle to know could he save the daughter, and how could he save her.
“If you’ll be said by me,” said the henwife, “you’ll bid them all come to a feast in the castle. Before they come, let your men put sharp poisoned spikes under the cushions of the seats set apart for the company. They will sit on the spikes, swell up to the size of a horse, and die before the day is out, every man of them.”
Hearing Ear was listening, heard all the talk between the king and the henwife, and told it.
“Now,” said Fis Wacfis to Dyeermud, “the king will invite us all to a feast to-morrow, and you will go there and take us. It is better to send Ironback to try our seats, and sit on them, for under the cushion of each one will be poisoned spikes to kill us.”
That day the king sent a message to Dyeermud. “Will you come,” said he, “with your men, to a feast in my castle to-morrow? I am glad to have such guests, and you are welcome.”
“Very thankful am I,” said Dyeermud. “We will come to the feast.”
Before the company came, Ironback went into the hall of feasting, looked at everything, sat down on each place, and made splinters of the seats.
“Those seats are of no use,” said Ironback; “they are no better than so many cabbage stalks.”
The king had iron seats brought in, strong ones. There was no harm to Dyeermud and his company from that feast.