Pondering this he went a little way through the wood and stationed himself near to some cottages where he knew there were maids of divers ages, and there waited until morning.
Soon after the sun was up, a little girl came out, nine years old, or rather less, and began collecting and cutting up faggots.
Going up to her, he sang the song and showed her the sickle.
Whereupon she cried out in fear, and ran away as fast as she could.
But Halewyn, having quickly overtaken her, dragged her off by force to his castle.
Going in, he met on the bridge his lady mother, who said to him: “Where goest thou, Miserable, with this child?”
He answered:
“To bring honour to our house.”
And his lady mother let him pass, thinking him mad.
He went into his room, opened the side of the girl beneath a breast just budding, cut out the heart with the sickle, and drank the blood.