ow shall I know which is your real mind?" The
princess almost laughed as she said: "How stupid men are! What could I
do but pretend to hate you, since otherwise the Picts would have slain
you then and us all afterwards, but I claimed you as my victims, and
you have been given to me. How else could I have come here to-night?
Now tell me, if I set you free will you swear to carry a message for
me?"

[Illustration: Hereward and the Princess]

Sigtryg Ranaldsson of Waterford

"Whither shall I go, lady, and what shall I say?" asked Hereward.
"Take this ring, my ring of betrothal, and go to Prince Sigtryg, son
of King Ranald of Waterford. Say to him that I am beset on every side,
and beg him to come and claim me as his bride; otherwise I fear I may
be forced to marry some man of my father's choosing, as I was being
driven to wed the Pictish giant. From him you have rescued me, and I
thank you; but if my betrothed delays his coming it may be too late,
for there are other hateful suitors who would make my father bestow my
hand upon one of them. Beg him to come with all speed." "Lady, I will
go now," said Hereward, "if you will set me free from this vault."

Hereward Binds the Princess

"Go quickly, and safely," said the princess; "but ere you go you have
one duty to fulfil: you must bind me hand and foot, and fling me, with
this old priest, on the ground." "Never," said Hereward, "will I bind
a woman; it were foul disgrace to me for ever." But Martin only
laughed, and the maiden said again: "How stupid men are! I must
pretend to have been overpowered by you, or I shall be accused of
having freed you, but I will say that I came hither to question you,
and you and your man set on me and the priest, bound us, took the key,
and so escaped. So shall you be free, and I shall have no blame, and
my father no danger; and may Heaven forgive the lie."

Hereward reluctantly agreed, and, with Martin's help, bound the two
hand and foot and laid them before the altar; then, kissing the
maiden's hand, and swearing loyalty and truth, he turned to depart.
But the princess had one question to ask. "Who are you, noble
stranger, so gallant and strong? I would fain know for whom to pray."
"I am Hereward Leofricsson, and my father is the Earl of Mercia." "Are
you that Hereward who slew the Fairy Bear? Little wonder is it that
you have slain my monster and set me free." Then master and man left
the chapel, after carefully turning the key in