father."

"Ah!" says the king, "maybe thou hast more than that; well, few
salt-boiling carles are thy peers, I deem, unless eld is deep in mine
eyes now."

So Thief was there through the winter amid good entertainment, and well
accounted of by all men; he was bounteous of his wealth, and joyous with
all men: the queen held but little converse with him; but the king and
he were ever blithe together.

CHAPTER XII. Frithiof saves the King and Queen on the Ice.

The tale tells that on a time King Ring and the queen, and a great
company, would go to a feast. So the king spake to Thief: "Wilt thou
fare with us, or abide at home?"

He said he had liefer go; and the king said: "Then am I the more
content."

So they went on their ways, and had to cross a certain frozen water.
Then said Thief: "I deem this ice untrustworthy; meseemeth ye fare
unwarily."

Quoth the king: "It is often shown how heedful in thine heart thou wilt
be to us."

So a little after the ice broke in beneath them, and Thief ran thereto,
and dragged the wain to him, with all that was therein; and the king and
the queen both sat in the same: so Thief drew it all up on to the ice,
with the horses that were yoked to the wain.

Then spake King Ring: "Right well drawn, Thief! Frithiof the Bold
himself would have drawn no stronger had he been here; doughty followers
are such as thou!"

So they came to the feast, and there is nought to tell thereof, and the
king went back again with seemly gifts.

CHAPTER XIII. The King sleeps before Frithiof.

Now weareth away the mid-winter, and when spring cometh, the weather
groweth fair, the wood bloometh, the grass groweth, and ships may glide
betwixt land and land. So on a day the king says to his folk: "I will
that ye come with us for our disport out into the woods, that we may
look upon the fairness of the earth."

So did they, and went flock-meal with the king into the woods; but so it
befell, that the king and Frithiof were gotten alone together afar from
other men, and the king said he was heavy, and would fain sleep. Then
said Thief: "Get thee home, then, lord, for it better beseemeth men of
high estate to lie at home than abroad."

"Nay," said the king, "so will I not do." And he laid him down
therewith, and slept fast, snoring loud.

Thief sat close by him, and presently drew his sword from his sheath and
cast it far away from him.

A little while after the king woke up, and sa