For he came not back again.

And when they had waited and waited a good long time, Childe Rowland,
the youngest of Burd Ellen's brothers, wished to go, and went to his
mother, the good queen, to ask her to let him go. But she would not at
first, for he was the last of her children she now had, and if he was
lost, all would be lost. But he begged, and he begged, till at last
the good queen let him go, and gave him his father's good brand that
never struck in vain. And as she girt it round his waist, she said the
spell that would give it victory.

So Childe Rowland said good-bye to the good queen, his mother, and
went to the cave of the Warlock Merlin. "Once more, and but once
more," he said to the Warlock, "tell how man or mother's son may
rescue Burd Ellen and her brothers twain."

"Well, my son," said the Warlock Merlin, "there are but two things,
simple they may seem, but hard they are to do. One thing to do, and
one thing not to do. And the thing to do is this: after you have
entered the land of Fairy, whoever speaks to you, till you meet the
Burd Ellen, you must out with your father's brand and off with their
head. And what you've not to do is this: bite no bit, and drink no
drop, however hungry or thirsty you be; drink a drop, or bite a bit,
while in Elfland you be and never will you see Middle Earth again."

So Childe Rowland said the two things over and over again, till he
knew them by heart, and he thanked the Warlock Merlin and went on his
way. And he went along, and along, and along, and still further along,
till he came to the horse-herd of the King of Elfland feeding his
horses. These he knew by their fiery eyes, and knew that he was at