Stories from the Ballads | Page 6

her father the earl.'
Then upward glanced the little wee son as he cried aloud, 'I will shoot the linnet there on the tree and the larks as they wing their flight, and I will carry them home to my mother dear that she may weep no more.'
Yet neither with linnet nor with lark could her little wee son woo the smiles back to his dear mother's face.
Now a day came when Hynde Etin in his greenwood home thought the hours passed but slow, and that same day he took his gun and his dog and off he went alone to hunt. His seven little wee sons he left at home with their mother.
'Mother,' said the eldest little son, 'mother, will ye be angry with me an I tell you what I heard?'
'Nay now, my little wee son,' said she, 'I will never be cross with you.'
'I heard the church bells ring as I went hunting over the hill, mother. Clear did they ring and sweet.'
'Ah, would I had heard them too, my little dear son,' cried Margaret, 'for never have I been in the holy church for twelve long years and more, and never have I taken my seven bonny sons to be christened, as indeed I would they were. In the holy church will my father be, and there would I fain go too.'
Then the little young Etin, for that was the name of Margaret's eldest son, took his mother's hand and called his six little brothers, and together they went through Elmond wood as fast as ever they could go. It may be that the mother led the way, it may be that so it chanced, but soon they had left the greenwood far behind and stood on an open heath. And there, before them, stood a castle.
Margaret looked and Margaret smiled. She knew she was standing once again before her father's gate.
She took three rings from her pocket and gave them to her eldest wee boy.
'Give one,' she said, 'to the porter. He is proud, but so he sees the ring, he will open the gate and let you enter.
'Give another to the butler, my little wee son, and he will show you where ye are to go.
'And the third ye shall hand to the minstrel. You will see him with his harp, standing in the hall. It may be he will play goodwill to my bonny wee son who has come from Elmond wood.'
Then young Etin did as his mother had said.
The first ring he gave to the porter, and without a word the gate was opened for the little wee boy.
He gave the second ring to the butler, and without a word the little wee boy was led into the hall.
The third ring he gave to the minstrel, and without a word he took his harp and forthwith played goodwill to the bonny wee boy from the greenwood.
Now, when the little Etin reached the earl, he fell on his knee before him.
The old earl looked upon the little lad, and his eyes they were filled with tears.
'My little wee boy, ye must haste away,' he cried. 'An I look upon you long my heart will break into three pieces, for ye have the eyes, the hair of my lost May Margaret.'
'My eyes are blue as my mother's eyes, and my yellow hair curls as does hers,' cried the little wee boy.
'Where is your mother?' then cried the earl, and the tears rolled down his cheek.
'My mother is standing at the castle gate, and with her are my six little wee brothers,' said the bonny young Etin.
'Run, porter boys, run fast,' said the earl, 'and throw wide open the gates that my daughter may come in to me.'
Into the hall came Margaret, her six little sons by her side. Before the earl she fell upon her knee, but the earl he lifted her up and said, 'Ye shall dine with me to-day, ye and your seven bonny little sons.'
'No food can I eat,' said Margaret, 'until I see again my dear husband. For he knows not where he may find me and his seven dear little sons.'
'Now will I send my hunters, and they shall search the forest high and low and bring Hynde Etin unto me,' said the earl.
Then up and spake the little wee Etin.
'Search for my father shall ye not, until ye do send to him a pardon full and free.'
And the earl smiled at the young Etin.
'In sooth a pardon shall your father have,' said he.
With his own hand the earl wrote the pardon, and he sealed it with his own seal. Then the hunters were off and away to search for Hynde Etin. They sought for him east and they sought for him west, they sought all over the countryside. And