The legendary hunter Wild Edric was returning from hunting in the forest he lost his way, and wandered about till nightfall, alone. At last he saw the lights of a very large house in the distance and when he had reached it, he beheld within a large company of noble ladies dancing. They were exceedingly beautiful, taller and larger than women of the human race, and dressed in linen garments. They circled round with smooth and easy motion, singing a soft song of which the hunter could not understand the words. Among them was one maiden who surpassed all the others in beauty; it was love at first sight Forgetting the fears of enchantment, which at the first moment had seized him, he hurried round the house, seeking an entrance, and having found it, he rushed in, and snatched the maiden who was the object of his passion from her place in the moving circle. The dancers attacked him with teeth and nails, but he escaped at length from their hands, and succeeded in carrying off his captive. For three whole days not his strongest persuasions could prevail on her to utter a single word, but on the fourth day she suddenly broke the silence. “Good luck to you, my dear!” said she, “and you will be lucky too, and enjoy health and peace and plenty, as long as you do not reproach me on account of my sisters, or the place from which you snatched me away, or anything connected with it. For on the day when you do so you will lose both your bride and your good fortune; and when I am taken away from you, you will pine away quickly to an early death.”

He pledged himself by all that was most sacred to be faithful in his love for her, and they were solemnly wed in the presence of all the nobles in the land,. At that time William the Norman was newly made king of England, desired both to see the lady, and to test the truth of the tale; and bade the newly-married pair to London, where he was holding his Court. But the marvellous beauty of the lady was the best of all proofs of her superhuman origin. And the king let them return in peace, wondering greatly.

Many years passed happily by, till one evening Edric returned late from hunting, and could not find his wife. He searched far and wide for her with no luck. At last she appeared.  The rest of his upbraiding was addressed to the air, for the moment her sisters were mentioned she vanished. Edric’s grief was overwhelming. He sought the place where he had found her at first, but no tears, no laments of his could call her back. He cried out day and night against his own folly, and pined away and died of sorrow, as his wife had long before foretold. This tale manages to be an insightful look into avarice and how it plays a key role in our desire for wanting things in the now instead of waiting for the long run and how that can affect our lives negatively.