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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.
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?
'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.
'Get up, Hynde Etin, get up and come with us, for the earl has sent for you, cried the merry hunters. 'The earl may do as he lists with me, said Etin. 'He may cut off my head, or he may hang me on a greenwood tree. Little do I care to live, moaned Etin, 'now that I have lost my lady Margaret.
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.
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.
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 at length they found him sitting alone in his home in Elmond wood. Alone, and tearing his yellow locks, was Hynde Etin.
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.
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.
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