Now what happened you will learn by and by; meanwhile, Burd Helen’s three brothers waited for her return.

  But long they waited, and longer still,
  And she came not back again.

Then they grew alarmed, and—­

  They sought her east, they sought her west,
  They sought her up and down. 
  And woe were the hearts of her brethren,
  Since she was not to be found.

Not to be found anywhere—­she had disappeared like dew on a May morning.

So at last her eldest brother went to Great Merlin the Magician, who could tell and foretell, see and foresee all things under the sun and beyond it, and asked him where Burd Helen could have gone.

“Fair Burd Helen,” said the Magician, “must have been carried off with her shadow by the fairies when she was running round the church widershins; for fairies have power when folk go against the light.  She will now be in the Dark Tower of the King of Elfland, and none but the boldest knight in Christendom will be able to bring her back.”

“If it be possible to bring her back,” said the eldest brother, “I will do it, or perish in the attempt.”

“Possible it is,” quoth Merlin the Magician gravely.  “But woe be to the man or mother’s son who attempts the task if he be not well taught beforehand what he is to do.”

Now the eldest brother of fair Burd Helen was brave indeed, danger did not dismay him, so he begged the Magician to tell him exactly what he should do, and what he should not do, as he was determined to go and seek his sister.  And the Great Magician told him, and schooled him, and after he had learnt his lesson right well he girt on his sword, said good-bye to his brothers and his mother, and set out for the Dark Tower of Elfland to bring Burd Helen back.

  But long they waited, and longer still,
  With doubt and muckle pain. 
  But woe were the hearts of his brethren,
  For he came not back again.

So after a time Burd Helen’s second brother went to Merlin the Magician and said: 

“School me also, for I go to find my brother and sister in the Dark Tower of the King of Elfland and bring them back.”  For he also was brave indeed, danger did not dismay him.

Then when he had been well schooled and had learnt his lesson, he said good-bye to Childe Rowland, his brother, and to his mother the good Queen, girt on his sword, and set out for the Dark Tower of Elfland to bring back Burd Helen and her brother.

  But long they waited, and longer still,
  With muckle doubt and pain. 
  And woe were his mother’s and brother’s hearts,
  For he came not back again.

Now when they had waited and waited a long, long time, and none had come back from the Dark Tower of Elfland, Childe Rowland, the youngest, the best beloved of Burd Helen’s brothers, besought his mother to let him also go on the quest; for he was the bravest of them all, and neither death nor danger could dismay him.  But at first his mother the Queen said: