They sought her up and down,And woe were the hearts of those brethren,For she was not to be found.So at last her eldest brother went to the Warlock Merlin and told him all the case, and asked him if he knew where Burd Ellen was.‘The fair Burd Ellen,’ said the Warlock Merlin, ‘must have been carried off by the fairies, because she went round the church "widershins" — the opposite way to the sun.She is now in the Dark Tower of the King of Elfland; it would take the boldest knight in Christendom to bring her back.’‘If it is, possible to bring her back,’ said her brother, ‘I’ll do it, or perish in the attempt.’‘Possible it is,’ said the Warlock Merlin, ‘but woe to the man or mother’s son that attempts it, if he is not well taught beforehand what he is to do.’The eldest brother of Burd Ellen was not to be put off, by any fear of danger, from attempting to get her back, so he begged the Warlock Merlin to tell him what he should do, and what he should not do, in going to seek his sister.And after he had been taught, and had repeated his lesson, he set out for Elfland.But long they waited, and longer still,With doubt and muckle painBut woe were the hearts of his brethren,
