The old man pulled the tree out of the earth on to his shoulders, and dragged it after him, and departed into a cave in the other world.
Said Mare’s Son to them, ‘Come with me, and you shall see what I’ve caught.’
They went, and found only the place.
Said Mare’s Son, ‘Come with me, for I’ve got to find him.’
They went, following the track of the tree to his cave.
‘This is where he went in. Who’ll go in to fetch him out?’
They said, ‘Not we, we’re afraid. Do you go in, for it was you who caught him.’
He said, ‘I’ll go in, and do you swear that you will act fairly by me.’
They swore that they will act fairly by him. They made a basket, and he lowered himself into the cave, and went to the other world. There was a palace under the earth, and he found the old man with his beard in the tree, put him in the basket, and they drew him up. He found a big stone, and put it in the basket. ‘If they pull up the stone, they will pull up me.’ They pulled it up half-way, and cut the rope. He fell a-weeping. ‘Now I am undone.’ [[77]]
He journeyed under the earth, and came to a house. There was an old man and an old woman, both blind, for the fairies[5] had put out their eyes. Mare’s Son went to them and said, ‘Good day.’