536 NURSERY RHYMES.

and obtained the same answer. Child Rowland then cut off the
cowherd’s head, and having pursued exactly the same course
with a shepherd, goatherd, and swineherd, he is referred by the
last to a henwife, who, in reply to his question, said, “Go on yet
a little farther till you come to a round green hill surrounded
with terraces from the bottom to the top: go round it three
times widershins,* and every time say, ‘Open door, open door,
and let me come in!’ and the third time the door will open, and
you may go in.” Child Rowland immediately cut off the hen-
wite’s head in return for her intelligence, and following her
directions, a door in the hill opened, and he went in. As soon
as he entered, the door closed behind him, and he traversed a
long passage, which was dimly but pleasantly lighted by crys-
tallized rock, till he came to two wide and lofty folding doors,
which stood ajar. He opened them, and entered an immense
hall, which seemed nearly as big as the hill itself. It was the
most magnificent apartment in all the land of Faérie, for the

pillars were of gold and silver, and the keystones ornamented _

with clusters of diamonds. A gold chain hung from the middle
of the roof, supporting an enormous lamp composed of one
hollowed transparent pearl, in the midst of which was a large
magical carbuncle that beautifully illumined the whole hall.

At the upper end of the hall, seated on a splendid sofa, under
a tich canopy, was his sister the Burd Ellen, “kembing her
yellow hair wi’ a silver kemb,” who, immediately perceiving him,
was sorrow-struck at the anticipation of his being destroyed by
the King of Elfland. ji

* The contrary way to the course of the sun.

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