Short Fiction Selma Lagerlöf (best book club books of all time .txt) 📖

a successful chase. There hung from the pommel of his saddle a shining blue-black blackcock, a tough old fellow, with red eyebrows, as well as four of his half-grown young ones, which on account of their youth were still garbed in many-coloured hues. And the King was very proud; he thought it was not every man’s luck to make such a bag with falcon and hawk in one morning.

“But that morning Princess Ingegerd and her maidens stood at the gates of the castle waiting for the King. And amongst the maidens was one, Astrid by name; she was the daughter of the Svea-King just as much as Ingegerd, although her mother was not a free woman, and she was therefore treated as a bondmaiden. And this young maiden stood and showed her sister how the swallows gathered in the fields and chose the leaders for their long journey. She reminded her that the summer was soon over⁠—the summer that should have witnessed the marriage of Ingegerd⁠—and urged her to ask the King why she might not set out on her journey to King Olaf; for Astrid wished to accompany her sister on the journey. She thought that if she could but once see Olaf Haraldsson, she would have pleasure from it all her life.

“But when the Svea-King saw the Princess, he rode up to her.

“ ‘Look, Ingegerd,’ he said, ‘here are five blackcocks hanging from my saddle. In one morning I have killed five blackcocks. Who dost thou think can boast of better luck? Have you ever heard of a King making a better capture?’

“But then the Princess was angered that he who barred the way for her happiness should come so proudly and praise his own good luck. And to make an end of the uncertainty that had tormented her for so many weeks, she replied:

“ ‘Thou, father, hast with great honour killed five blackcocks, but I know of a King who in one morning captured five other Kings, and that was Olaf Haraldsson, the hero whom thou hast selected to be my husband.’

“Then the Svea-King sprang off his horse in great fury, and advanced towards the Princess with clenched hands.

“ ‘What troll hath bewitched thee?’ he asked. ‘What herb hath poisoned thee? How hath thy mind been turned to this man?’

“Ingegerd did not answer; she drew back, frightened. Then the King became quieter.

“ ‘Fair daughter,’ he said to her, ‘dost thou not know how dear thou art to me? How should I, then, give thee to one whom I cannot endure? I should like my best wishes to go with thee on thy journey. I should like to sit as guest in thy hall. I tell thee thou must turn thy mind to the Kings of other lands, for Norway’s King shall never own thee.’

“At these words the Princess became so confused that she could find no other words than these with which to answer the King:

“ ‘I did not ask thee; it was the will of the people.’

“The King then asked her if she thought that the Svea-King was a slave, who could not dispose of his own offspring, or if there were a master over him who had the right to give away his daughters.

“ ‘Will the Svea-King be content to hear himself called a breaker of oaths?’ asked the Princess.

“Then the Svea-King laughed aloud.

“ ‘Do not let that trouble thee. No one shall call me that. Why dost thou question about this, thou who art a woman? There are still men in my Council; they will find a way out of it.’

“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.

“ ‘Be silent, and go thy way!’ she said angrily. ‘Go thy way, thou tattler, thou deceitful, wicked thing, to propose such a shameful thing to my father!’

“But the King would not allow Astrid to go. On the contrary! on the contrary! He stretched out his arms and drew her to his breast. He both laughed and cried, and was as wild with joy as a child.

“ ‘Oh,’ he shouted, ‘what an idea! What a heathenish trick! Let us call Astrid Ingegerd, and entrap the King of Norway into marrying her. And afterwards when the rumour gets abroad that she is born of a bondwoman, many will rejoice in their hearts, and Olaf Haraldsson will be held in scorn and derision.’

“But then Ingegerd went up to the King, and prayed:

“ ‘Oh, father, father! do not do this thing. King Olaf is dear at heart to me. Surely thou wilt not grieve me by thus deceiving him.’

“And she added that she would patiently do the bidding of her royal father, and give up all thought of marriage with Olaf Haraldsson, if he would only promise not to do him this injury.

“But the Svea-King would not listen to her prayers. He turned to Astrid and caressed her, just as if she were as beautiful as revenge itself.

“ ‘Thou shalt go! thou shalt go soon⁠—tomorrow!’ he said. ‘All thy dowry, thy clothes, my dear daughter, and thy retinue, can all be collected