And many a man have I questioned since yesterday, and all men say that you were my father's friend.

It was a true story that you told me." "You believed it rightly, Jarl." "Aye--and therefore I will not fight with you." Then I asked him to leave the land in peace, and his face darkened.
"I speak of yourself alone," he said, "as for land and king and people--that is a different matter." "You have had your revenge," I said.
"What ?" he asked fiercely.

"Is the life of Lodbrok, my father, worth but the death of a hound like Beorn?
Stand aside, Wulfric, and let me have my revenge in full." Now, seeing that our talk was earnest, there rode up another Danish chief, and it was Guthrum, the man who had seemed to take my part at the idol feast.

I was glad to see him come at this moment.
"Here is Halfden's friend," said Ingvar to him, "and he, forsooth, would have us go in peace." And the Danish king laughed harshly.
"Why, so we will, if they make it worth our while," said Guthrum, nodding to me.
"What ransom will you take from us ?" I asked them.
"The keeping of Eadmund, your king," answered Ingvar; "nothing more nor less." "It seems to me that you will have to fight before you take him," I said plainly; for no man in all the Anglian ranks would have listened to that.
"That is too much," said Guthrum.

"Tell him to own you as overlord and pay scatt {xxi} to us, holding the kingdom from you, and that will save fighting--and surely the whole land will be weregild enough for Jarl Lodbrok." Then Ingvar thought for a moment, and said to me, still frowning: "Go and tell your king those terms, and bring word again." So I went back and told Eadmund, knowing full well what his answer would be.