Sir Halewyn lifted up his voice in a song.
And whatever maid heard that song must needs go to him straight away.
And now to all good Flemings will I tell the tale of this Halewyn
and his song, and of the brave maid Magtelt.
There were two proud castles in the province of Flanders. In one
dwelt Sir Roel de Heurne, with the lady Gonde, his good wife;
Toon the Silent, his son; Magtelt, his fair daughter, and a host
of pages, grooms, varlets, men-at-arms, and all the other members
of the household, among whom an especial favourite was Anne-Mie,
a girl of gentle blood, maid to the lady Magtelt.
Of everything that was made by his peasants, Sir Roel took naught
but what was the best.
And the peasants said of him that it was a good master who took only
as much as he needed, when he might have left them with nothing.
In the other castle lived Sir Halewyn the Miserable, with his father,
brother, mother, and sister, and a large following of rascals and
brigands.
And these were an ill-favoured crew, I can tell you, past masters of
robbery, pillage, and murder, such as it is not good to meet at too
close quarters.