He thrust the hook in, and brought up a great piece of meat, cutting for himself therefrom, and at once every man before whom a cauldron waited, did likewise, and it passed on.

They signed Thor's hammer over the meat and began to eat.
Now after Ingvar had helped himself, the cauldron came to Guthrum, and then to Halfden, and then it must come to me, and I had heaped food before me that I might pass it by more easily, knowing that this was the sacrificed meat of which I might not eat.

But the men stayed before me, and I made a sign to them to pass by, and honest Thormod leaned across me to take his share quickly, and they passed to him, wondering at me a little, but maybe thinking nothing of it.
They were but thralls, and had not been at the Ve.
But Rorik's men had their eyes on me, and when the cauldron passed Thormod, and I had not taken thereout, one rose up and said, pointing to me: "Lo! this Saxon will not eat of the sacrifice." At that was a growl of wrath from the company, and Ingvar rose, looking over the heads of my comrades, saying: "Have a care, thou fool; go not too far with me." Then Guthrum laughed and said: "This is foolishness to mind him; moreover, he has fought for and won his right to please himself in the matter." So too said Halfden and Thormod, but against their voices were now many raised, saying that ill luck would be with the host for long enough, if this were suffered openly.
Now a Dane or Norseman takes no heed of the religion of other folk unless the matter is brought forward in this way, too plainly to be overlooked.

But then, being jealous for his own gods, whom he knows to be losing ground, he must needs show that he is so.

Nor do I blame him, for it is but natural.
So to these voices Ingvar the godar must needs pay heed, even if his own patience were not gone, so that he might not suffer that one should sit at the board of Thor and Odin, untasting and unacknowledging.
He called to two of his courtmen.
"Take this man away," he said, very sternly, "and put him in ward till tomorrow.