_The Royal Hall of the King of the Dovrë-Trolls. A great assembly of TROLL-COURTIERS, GNOMES, and BROWNIES. THE OLD MAN OF THE DOVRË sits on the throne, crowned, and with his sceptre in his hand. His CHILDREN and NEAREST RELATIONS are ranged on both sides. PEER GYNT stands before him. Violent commotion in the hall._ THE TROLL-COURTIERS. Slay him! a Christian-man’s son has deluded The Dovrë-King’s loveliest maid! A TROLL-IMP. May I hack him on the fingers? ANOTHER. May I tug him by the hair? A TROLL-MAIDEN. Hu, hei, let me bite him in the haunches! A TROLL-WITCH. [_With a ladle._] Shall he be boiled into broth and bree? ANOTHER TROLL-WITCH. [_With a chopper._] Shall he roast on a spit or be browned in a stewpan? THE OLD MAN OF THE DOVRË. Ice to your blood, friends! [_Beckons his counsellors closer around him._ Don’t let us talk big. We’ve been drifting astern in these latter years; We can’t tell what’s going to stand or to fall, And there’s no sense in turning recruits away. Besides the lad’s body has scarce a blemish, And he’s strongly-built too, if I see aright. It’s true, he has only a single head; But my daughter, too, has no more than one. Three-headed trolls are gone clean out of fashion; One hardly sees even a two-header now, And even those heads are but so-so ones. [_To PEER GYNT._] It’s my daughter, then, you demand of me? PEER. Your daughter and the realm to her dowry, yes. THE OLD MAN. You shall have the half while I’m still alive, And the other half when I come to die. PEER. I’m content with that. THE OLD MAN. Ay, but stop, my lad;— You also have some undertakings to give. If you break even one, the whole pact’s at an end, And you’ll never get away from here living. First of all you must swear that you’ll never give heed To aught that lies outside the Rondë-hills’ bounds; Day you must shun, and deeds, and each sunlit spot. PEER. Only call me king, and that’s easy to keep. THE OLD MAN. And next—now for putting your wits to the test. [_Draws himself up in his seat._ THE OLDEST TROLL-COURTIER. [_To PEER GYNT._] Let us see if you have a wisdom-tooth That can crack the Dovrë-King’s riddle-nut!