lights of the banqueters. And as the
drink went faster Westmar revealed his purpose in due course, in a very
merry declaration, wishing to sound the mind of the maiden in talk of
a friendly sort. And, in order not to inflict on himself a rebuff,
he spoke in a mirthful vein, and broke the ground of his mission,
by venturing to make up a sportive speech amid the applause of the
revellers. The princess said that she disdained Frode because he lacked
honour and glory. For in days of old no men were thought fit for the
hand of high-born women but those who had won some great prize of glory
by the lustre of their admirable deeds. Sloth was the worst of vices in
a suitor, and nothing was more of a reproach in one who sought marriage
than the lack of fame. A harvest of glory, and that alone, could bring
wealth in everything else. Maidens admired in their wooers not so much
good looks as deeds nobly done. So the envoys, flagging and despairing
of their wish, left the further conduct of the affair to the wisdom
of Gotwar, who tried to subdue the maiden not only with words but with
love-philtres, and began to declare that Frode used his left hand as
well as his right, and was a quick and skillful swimmer and fighter.
Also by the drink which she gave she changed the strictness of the
maiden to desire, and replaced her vanished anger with love and delight.
Then she bade Westmar, Koll, and their sons go to the king and urge
their mission afresh; and finally, should they find him froward, to
anticipate a rebuff by a challenge to fight.

So Westmar entered the palace with his men-at-arms, and said: "Now thou
must needs either consent to our entreaties, or meet in battle us who
entreat thee. We would rather die nobly than go back with our mission
unperformed; lest, foully repulsed and foiled of our purpose, we should
take home disgrace where we hoped to will honour. If thou refuse thy
daughter, consent to fight: thou must needs grant one thing or
the other. We wish either to die or to have our prayers beard.
Something--sorrow if not joy--we will get from thee. Frode will be
better pleased to hear of our slaughter than of our repulse." Without
another word, he threatened to aim a blow at the king's throat with his
sword. The king replied that it was unseemly for the royal majesty
to meet an inferior in rank in level combat, and unfit that those of
unequal station should fight as equals. But when Westmar persisted in
urging him to fight,