Stories from the Ballads | Page 5

over the young Tamlane was for ever gone. Their
spell was broken.
Now, the Queen of the Fairies had hidden herself in a bush of broom to
see what would happen. And when she saw her favourite knight change
into his own true mortal shape, she was very cross, very cross indeed.
The little fairy band was ordered to march home in silence, their pipes
thrust into their tiny green girdles, and there were no more revels in the
fairy court for many and many a long day to come.

HYNDE ETIN
May Margaret did not love to sew, yet here in the doorway of her
bower she sat, her silk seam in her hand.
May Margaret sat with her seam in her hand, but she did not sew, she
dreamed, and her dream was all of Elmond wood.
She was there herself under the greenwood gay. The tall trees bowed,
the little trees nodded to her. The flowers threw their sweetest scents
after her as she passed along; the little birds sang their gladdest that she
might hear. How fair and green and cool it was in the wood of Elmond!
On a sudden, Margaret sat upright in the doorway of her bower. She
dreamed no more. The sound of the hunting-horn rang in her ear. It was
blown in Elmond wood.
Then down on her lap slipped the silken seam, down to her feet the
needle. May Margaret was up and away to the greenwood.
Down by the hazel bushes she hastened, nor noticed that the evening
shadows fell; on past the birch groves she ran, nor noticed that the dew
fell fast.
No one did May Margaret meet until she reached a white-thorn tree.
There, up from the grass on which he lay, sprang Hynde Etin.

'What do ye seek in the wood, May Margaret?' said he. 'Is it flowers, or
is it for dew ye seek this bonny night of May?'
But Margaret did not care to answer. She only shook her head.
Then said Hynde Etin, 'I am forester of Elmond wood, nor should ye
enter it without my leave.'
'Nay now,' cried the lady Margaret, 'leave will I ask of no man, for my
father is earl of all this land.'
'Your father may be earl of all the land, May Margaret, yet shall ye die,
because ye will not ask my leave to come to Elmond wood.' And he
seized her fast and tied her to a tree by her long, yellow locks.
Yet did Hynde Etin not kill the maiden, but this is what he did.
He pulled up by the root the tallest tree he could see, and in the hollow
he dug a deep deep cave, and into the cave he thrust May Margaret.
'Now will ye wander no more in my woods!' cried Hynde Etin. 'Here
shall ye stay, or home shall ye come with me to be my wife.'
'Nay, here will I rather stay!' cried May Margaret, 'for my father will
seek for me and will find me here.'
But the cave was dark and cold, and the earl sought yet did not find his
daughter.
No bed was there in the cave for May Margaret, no bed save the rough
earth, no pillow save a stone.
Poor May Margaret! She did not like the dark or the cold. Ere many
days had passed away, she thought it would be better to live with
Hynde Etin than to stay longer alone in so dismal a cave.
'Take me out, take me out!' then cried May Margaret.
Hynde Etin heard the maiden's call and he came and took her out of the

cave. Deep into the greenwood he carried her, where his own home had
been built, and there he made May Margaret, the earl's daughter, his
wife.
For twelve long years Margaret lived in the greenwood. And Hynde
Etin was kind to her and she grew to love him well.
Seven little sons had Margaret, and happy and gay was their life in their
woodland home. Yet oft did Margaret grieve that her little wee sons
had never been taken to holy church. She wished that the priest might
christen them there.
Now one day Hynde Etin slung his bow across his shoulder, placed a
sheath of arrows in his belt, and was up and away to the hunt. With him
he took his eldest wee son.
Under the gay greenwood they paced, Hynde Etin and his eldest son,
and the thrush sang to them his morning song. Upward over the hills
they climbed, and they heard the chimes of church bells clear.
Then the little wee son said to his father, 'An ye would not be angry
with me, father, there is somewhat I would ask.'
'Ask