8. Malcolm and Donaldbane, the two sons of Duncan, when they saw their father dead, fled from the castle, as they believed that Macbeth had committed the murder. Malcolm, the eldest son, made his way to the English court, and solicited aid to get possession of his father's throne. In the mean time Macbeth took possession of the kingdom of Scotland. The remembrance of his great crime continually haunted him, and he became so sleepless as to be nearly insane. He remembered that the witches had said that the children of Banquo should reign as kings in Scotland, and he became terribly jealous of his old friend and companion. At last he hired ruffians to waylay Banquo and his sons and murder them. The scheme was partially successful—Banquo was killed but the sons escaped, and from him descended a long line of the early Scottish kings.
9. But Macbeth was not more happy after he had slain his friend and cousin Banquo. He knew that people began to suspect him of his evil deeds, and he was constantly afraid that some of his nobles would treat him as he treated King Duncan. In his perplexity he sought the three witches he had met before, to ask them what was to happen to him in the future. They answered him that he should not be conquered nor lose the crown of Scotland until a great forest, called Birnam Wood should come to attack him in his strong castle on Dunsinane hill. As the distance between the two was about twelve miles, Macbeth thought it was impossible that the trees should ever come to assault him in his castle. He immediately summoned all his nobles to assist him in strengthening his castle at Dunsinane. All the nobles were obliged to furnish oxen and horses to drag the heavy stones and logs used on the fortification up the steep hill.
10. One day Macbeth noticed a pair of oxen so tired with their burden that they fell down under their load. Upon inquiry he learned that they belonged to Macduff, the Thane of Fife. The king, who was jealous of Macduff, flew into a great rage and declared that "since the Thane of Fife sends such worthless cattle as these to do my labor, I will put his own neck into the yoke, and make him drag the burden himself." A friend of Macduff who heard this speech hastened to the king's castle and informed Macduff who was walking about while the dinner was preparing.
11. Macduff snatched a loaf of bread from the table, called for his horses and servants, and galloped off toward his own castle of Kennoway in Fife. When Macbeth returned he first asked what had become of Macduff, and being informed that he had fled from Dunsinane, Macbeth put himself at the head of a large force of his guards, and immediately pursued. Macduff reached his castle which is built upon the shore of the sea, a little in advance of the king. He ordered his wife to shut the gates of the castle and pull up the drawbridge, and on no account permit the king or any of his soldiers to enter. In the mean time he went aboard a small ship and put out to sea.
12. Macbeth then summoned the lady to open the gates and deliver up her husband. "Do you see," said she, "yon white sail upon the sea? Yonder goes Macduff to the court of England. You will never see him again until he comes with young Prince Malcolm to pull you down from the throne and put you to death. You will never be able to put your yoke upon the neck of the Thane of Fife."
13. Some say that Macbeth was so enraged at the escape of Macduff that he stormed and took the castle, and put to death the wife and children of Macduff. But others say that Macbeth turned back from the strong castle and its brave defenders, and returned to his own home at Dunsinane. Macduff readily found Prince Malcolm and the English king, fitted them out with an army. Upon entering Scotland a large share of the nobles deserted Macbeth and joined the forces of Malcolm. The army marched as far as Birnam Wood where they encamped to rest and recuperate.
14. Macbeth, in the mean time, shut himself up in his castle, where he thought himself safe according to the old woman's prophecy, until Birnam Wood should advance against him, and this he never expected to see. Malcolm's army having entirely recovered their strength and vigor, at length were ready to march. As they were about to start, Macduff advised each soldier to cut down the bough of a tree and carry it so as to conceal the strength of the army as they crossed the valley. The sentinel on the castle walls saw all these green boughs advancing, ran to Macbeth and informed him that the wood of Birnam was moving toward the castle of Dunsinane. The king at first called him a liar and threatened to put him to death; but when he looked from the walls himself, and saw the appearance of a forest approaching from Birnam, he remembered the prediction, and felt that the hour of his destruction had come.
15. His followers were also superstitious and began to desert him. But Macbeth, at the head of those who remained true to him sallied out, and was killed in a hand-to-hand conflict with Macduff. This story, a tradition, is told by Sir Walter Scott, and forms the foundation of Shakespeare's tragedy of "Macbeth."
