Childe Rowland

From ArticleWorld

Childe Rowland is a very popular fairy tale. There are many versions of it. In 1892 Joseph Jacobs wrote his version of the fairy tale in his book English Folk and Fairy Tales. It is based on Scottish Ballads and it turned out to be the best among the lot. A unique feature of this version is that it was not written as a prose or a verse, but with a style combining both.

A brief note of “Childe Rowland” is found in King Lear. Edgar, Gloster’s son appearing as Mad Tom has mentioned about him in it. He says:

• Child Rowland to the Dark Tower came
• His word was still ‘Fei, foh, and fum,
• I smell the blood of a British man’.

Though the poem ‘Child Rowland to the Dark Tower came’ written by Robert Browning in 1855 sounds similar, it is more influenced by Shakespeare and in fact not related to the fairy tale at all.

The fairy tale

The fairy tale is all about the prowess of Rowland. Rowland is the third of the four children of the Queen. He had a sister called Burd Ellen and two elder brothers .Once all the four were playing with a ball by the side of a church. During the course of play, Rowland struck the ball and it went over the church and was lost. Burd Ellen went in search of the ball. She was so much involved in the game that she forgot to go clockwise in the direction of her shadow. Instead she made the blunder of going against the sun in the anti clockwise direction and she vanished.

The three brothers, who were waiting for their sister to get the ball back, got worried when she did not return. They went in search of her. But they could not find her. So Rowland went to Warlock Merlin to ask him, if he knows anything about his sister. Merlin knew that the King of Elfland had taken his sister to Dark tower and made her a prisoner there. He told Rowland about that. When Rowland in a hurry started to leave in search of her Merlin stopped him and said that it is not an easy job to retrieve Burd Ellen. Rowland got disappointed. He asked Merlin whether there is any way to get his sister back. Merlin felt sorry for him and decided to help him. He said if he had to retrieve his sister he has to sever the heads of all those who come on the way speaking to him before he could speak to his sister. And also that he should not have any food or drink when he is in that Kingdom. Merlin didn’t forget to add that only the bravest fellow in the Kingdom can do it.

The brothers could not wait any longer after getting the informations. The eldest brother went in search of Burd Ellen. He never came back. But that did not stop the second brother going in search of her. He also did not return. Rowland was left with no other options. He had to go in search of his sister. While leaving he took his father’s sword with him. He knew that the sword is such a mighty one that if he has it, he can win any fight.

Rowland entered Elfland with sword in his hand. He met a horseherd on the way. The horseherd refused to reveal anything about his sister. Rowland with one swing of his sword severed the head of the horseherd. The cowherd and the henwife whom he saw on the way also met with the same fate. Before taking the last breath henwife told Rowland that he has to go round a hill thrice in the anti clockwise direction and every time he should say “Open, door! Open, door! And let me come in”.

Rowland went to the hill and did what henwife said. A door in the hill leading to a big hall opened and Rowland entered. To his great relief he saw Burd Ellen sitting there. But she was bound by the magical powers of the King of Elfland. Burd Ellen got worried seeing Rowland entering the hall. She told misfortunes occurs to all those who enter and they almost die. She said it happened to her other brothers who came in search of her and were imprisoned in the Dark Tower.

By then Rowland was so tired and hungry he asked Burd Ellen, if she could provide her some food. She knew what would happen if Rowland ate. But as he was very tired she could not do anything but serve him food. When he was about to take the food into his mouth, Merlin’s orders flashed across in his mind and he threw the food on the floor. At the same time the King of Elfland entered very ferociously. Rowland confronted him with his father’s sword. The sword as always gave him an upper hand and the King was made to surrender. The King begged for his life. Rowland said he would let him go only if he is ready to release his brothers and sister. The King obliged and Rowland allowed him to go. Rowland went back home with his brothers and sister. It was a happy reunion. From that day Burd Ellen made sure she would never run against the sun or widdershins.