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"I think of the days when thou didst the same service to me as a child, when we rode together, far from here, over the bright flowers; then I sat in terror, but I would not let thee remark it."

"Thy face was rounder that day, my royal cousin," said Ingo, merrily, "and the locks shorter which curled round thy head. But when I met thee here in the hall, and the King reminded me so kindly of old times, then I recognized the proud mien and the face of the little maiden; and I saw well that I had to thank thee that favor was shown me in the King's castle."

The Queen laughed, and again made her horse prance wildly about, till the horsemen in front of her disappeared behind an undulation of the ground; then she stopped again, and said cordially:

"Thank me always, Ingo, for I like to hear that thou valuest me. We have both been scared away from our homes into foreign countries, since the hatred of my family divided us. But I have never forgotten thee, and have inquired after thee whenever a wanderer came from the south to the castle. Thou becamest to me like a brother in misfortune, and I learned with pride how nobly thou didst bear thyself under a hard fate. Since thou hast at last penetrated to us, I have been happier than formerly." She looked at him so kindly that, carried away by the magic of her look, he caught at her hand; she stretched it out, and, turning her face toward him, rode thus for a time close to him.

Then she haughtily drew her hand back, galloped her horse, wildly bounding over the field, and looked back to see whether he was following her. Again she said, laughing, "Another would think of keeping thee, like a hunting falcon, under the hood, but I well see that the eagle soars freely on high, and takes its own path in the sunlight. For thou, cousin, art not born to be the servant of another; and he who would hold thee fast should look to it that thy talons do not wound him."

When the Queen began her confidential talk, the Hero thought of saying something to her about the forest arbor, which always occupied his heart, but the words and the eyes of the Queen prevented him. At last she said, with changed tone:

"And yet once the noble falcon rested with bound wings in the house of the peasant. I praise the folly of the father for having broken the inglorious tie; for it befits thee to desire what is highest. Only some bold deed of violence can raise thee above the heads of others: think thereof, Ingo. Let us join my son; I rejoice that the child confides in thee; I can not wish him any better teacher than thee for all hero-work."

Again she galloped on before him; her royal mantle and her locks floated in the wind; she threw the small short spear that she held in her hand up before her in the air, and caught it in its course; but Ingo now remained behind her, till both of them joined the hunting party, and shouted to the struggling buzzard, which sank down with a water-hen in its claws.

When the hunting party returned to the King's castle, they found an unusual disturbance there: horsemen came and went; the servants were carrying carpets and cushions into the stone house, which was appointed for distinguished guests; from the King's hall resounded the clang of weapons and clattering of the feet of many horses. Ingo sprang from his horse, and went with the young King's son to the Vandals' sleeping apartment; Berthar hastened toward him.

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