last in the land of Fairy. "Canst thou tell me," said Childe Rowland
to the horse-herd, "where the King of Elfland's Dark Tower is?" "I
cannot tell thee," said the horse-herd, "but go on a little further
and thou wilt come to the cow-herd, and he, maybe, can tell thee."

Then, without a word more, Childe Rowland drew the good brand that
never struck in vain, and off went the horse-herd's head, and Childe
Rowland went on further, till he came to the cow-herd, and asked him
the same question. "I can't tell thee," said he, "but go on a little
farther, and thou wilt come to the hen-wife, and she is sure to know."
Then Childe Rowland out with his good brand, that never struck in
vain, and off went the cow-herd's head. And he went on a little
further, till he came to an old woman in a grey cloak, and he asked
her if she knew where the Dark Tower of the King of Elfland was. "Go
on a, little further," said the hen-wife, "till you come to a round
green hill, surrounded with terrace-rings, from the bottom to the top;
go round it three times, widershins, and each time say:

Open, door! open, door!
And let me come in.

and the third time the door will open, and you may go in." And Childe
Rowland was just going on, when he remembered what he had to do; so he
out with the good brand, that never struck in vain, and off went the
hen-wife's head.

Then he went on, and on, and on, till he came to the round green hill
with the terrace-rings from top to bottom, and he went round it three
times, widershins, saying each time: