it had done that, it flew up to the sandhill and flapped its wings,
so that the wind nearly took off the heads of the sailors, and it
flew past the fir with such force that it turned the lad right about,
but he was ready with his sword, and gave the bird one blow and
brought it down dead.

After that he went to the town, where every one was glad because the
king had got his daughter back; but now the king had hidden her away
somewhere himself, and promised her hand as a reward to any one who
could find her, and this though she was betrothed before. Now as the
lad went along he met a man who had white bear-skins for sale, so he
bought one of the hides and put it on; and one of the captains was to
take an iron chain and lead him about, and so he went into the town
and began to play pranks. At last the news came to the king's ears,
that there never had been such fun in the town before, for here was a
white bear that danced and cut capers just as it was bid. So a
messenger came to say the bear must come to the castle at once, for
the king wanted to see its tricks. So when it got to the castle every
one was afraid, for such a beast they had never seen before; but the
captain said there was no danger unless they laughed at it. They
mustn't do that, else it would tear them to pieces. When the king
heard that, he warned all the court not to laugh. But while the fun
was going on, in came one of the king's maids, and began to laugh and
make game of the bear, and the bear flew at her and tore her, so that
there was scarce a rag of her left. Then all the court began to
bewail, and the captain most of all.

'Stuff and nonsense', said the king; 'she's only a maid, besides it's
more my affair than yours.'