In 1033, good old King Duncan ruled Scotland. He had two sons - Malcolm and Donalbain. At that time, Scotland suffered from raids by the warlike Danes. Danish warriors, having landed on the British coast, destroyed everything they could get their hands on. They burned houses and castles, even churches, took the loot, boarded their sailing boats again and flew away.
And so once again a large fleet of Danes landed on the shores of Scotland and landed in the vicinity of Fife. The Scots gathered a powerful army against the foreigners, but since King Duncan was already too old and his sons too young, the army was led, at the king’s behest, by his closest relative Macbeth.
Macbeth was the son of the Thane of Glamis. Tana means owner of lands in Glamiss. Macbeth was considered by everyone to be a brave warrior. At the head of the Scots army, together with the faithful Banquo, Thane of Lochaber, he repulsed the Danes. The Scots won the great battle, they defeated the Danes and forced them to retreat to their longships, abandoning the wounded and not burying the dead.
Having driven out the Danes, Macbeth and his victorious army returned to the north of Scotland to Forres.
It was rumored that three soothsayers lived in Forres - three old women who knew how to cast magic and predict fate. Even such fearless warriors as Macbeth believed in witches back then.
Three soothsayers hid in a swamp near the road and began to wait for Macbeth. When he appeared at the head of his army, the first soothsayer was not afraid, came out to him and said:
- Greetings to you, Macbeth, greetings to you, O glorious Thane of Glamis!
The second soothsayer came out behind her and said:
- Greetings to you, Macbeth, greetings to you, O glorious Thane of Cawdor!
And the third soothsayer came out and exclaimed:
- Hail Macbeth, who is destined to become King of Scotland!
Before Macbeth had time to recover from his amazement, a messenger appeared on horseback and reported that Macbeth’s father had died. This means that Macbeth has indeed now become Thane of Glamis.
Following the first messenger, the second one soon appeared. He brought good news from King Duncan. The king thanked Macbeth for the victory and reported that the Thane of Cawdor had rebelled against him, and therefore all his lands now belonged to the winner Macbeth. This means that Macbeth has now become Thane of Cawdor.
It turns out that two predictions of the old witches have already come true. And Macbeth wondered what to do to make the third thing come true - how to become king.
But I must tell you that Macbeth had a wife, a cunning and very ambitious woman. She took advantage of her power over him and by persuasion, reproaches and threats made him believe that he would take possession of the crown if he killed the good old king. Macbeth resisted her persuasion for a very long time. He did not at all want to kill the old king, his good friend. But what can’t a cunning, ambitious woman achieve? And besides, the prophet’s prediction... and Macbeth gave in. And he plotted how to kill the king.
He invited King Duncan to visit him at his castle near Inverness. Together with his wife, he warmly received the king and his entire retinue, giving them a magnificent feast.
Already late at night, the king wanted to leave the feasters and go to bed. Macbeth escorted him to luxurious chambers prepared in advance.
In those distant, wild times, there was a custom that at the door of the bedchamber where the king slept, two brave warriors stood guard. Lady Macbeth knew who was appointed as the guards that night, and in advance gave them wine to drink, into which she mixed a sleeping potion. And when the king retired to his chambers and went to bed, the guards immediately fell in a dead sleep at his door. Now they would not be awakened further by the military trumpet.
The storm raged all that night, but neither the howl of the wind nor the clap of thunder disturbed the king's sleep, because he was already old and too tired after a long journey and a rich feast.
Of course, the guards did not awaken.
Only Macbeth did not go to bed, sleep did not come to him. He was tormented by doubts whether it was worth starting such a dangerous game. After all, if the king is destined to die, everything must happen that very night. Lady Macbeth was nearby.
“Be ashamed,” she said, “it’s not your conscience that worries you, but your cowardice!” Be a man! If your courage has failed you, I, a weak woman, will do it myself.
Macbeth could no longer listen to the speeches disgracing him and headed through the long passages of the castle to the king’s chambers.
He snatched from the scabbard the daggers that were hanging on the belts of the sleeping guards, and, bursting into the king's chambers, thrust them straight into the heart of old Duncan. After that, Macbeth put the blood-stained blades into the hands of the soldiers and smeared their faces with blood, so that everyone would think that they had killed the good king.
The next morning, all the noble lords and nobles who were part of the king’s retinue gathered in the large hall of the castle. And both his sons - Malcolm and Donalbain. While waiting for Duncan to come out, they talked about the terrible storm that raged during the night.
-Did you hear how the wind howled? It was as if all the devils of hell were singing.
“Shadows darted, shutters creaked, and somewhere nearby an owl hooted.
- And the dogs barked. And King Duncan's horses broke free and tore each other to pieces. That's right, they were furious.
- This is not good.
- Not good...
The king still did not leave his chambers, and the alarmed nobles sent one of the noble nobles to him. With all respect, he approached the king's chambers, opened the doors and - oh, horror! - Duncan lay in front of him, dead and motionless. And nearby are two guards with bloody daggers in their hands.
The bell rang alarmingly, sorrowful lamentations filled the chambers of the castle when the nobles and friends saw the evil committed. It seemed that the owner of the castle, Macbeth, was the most angry of all. Before anyone had time to come to their senses, he pierced the sleeping guards with his sword.
“It’s clear to everyone that they are murderers!” - he exclaimed. - And they deserved punishment.
But Duncan's sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, found this murder strange. And they hastened to leave Macbeth's ominous castle in Inverness. Donalbain went to Ireland, and Malcolm to the court of the English king to ask for his support and restore the law according to which he, Malcolm, should inherit the throne of his father Duncan.
Macbeth became king of Scotland, as the prophets predicted. It seemed that everything had come true, but he knew neither joy nor happiness. Obsessive thoughts about his crime did not give him peace. Fear penetrated the soul: what if someone as ambitious as he did the same thing to him?
But who?
The troubled conscience was not silent, and suspicion fell on Banquo. “Banquo, that’s who’s dangerous now!” - Macbeth decided and sent an assassin to him.
But this did not bring him either happiness or peace. He noticed that some people began to suspect him. And he was afraid that someone would take revenge on him. But no, then Malcolm will find support from the King of England and go to war against him.
And so Macbeth decided to go to Forres again to see the prophets. Didn't they instill in him the dream of becoming King of Scotland! He couldn't wait to find out his fate further.
“You are invincible and will not give up the crown until the green forest, called Birnamsky, comes to the impregnable Dunsinane Castle,” said the soothsayers.
Macbeth now usually held his court in Dunsinane. And Birnam Forest was a good twelve miles from Dunsinane.
“Fairy tales, nonsense - trees don’t walk on their own,” Macbeth reassured himself. “I’m completely safe in the castle.”
And yet, after a night meeting with the witches, Macbeth ordered to strengthen his castle on a hill near Dunsinane. And therefore he forced his nobility and noble thanes to send him stones and logs, which were to be lifted up the hill by mighty oxen.
Among the noble thanes who were ordered by Macbeth to deliver stones, timber and all the rest to Dunsinane Castle was Macduff of Fife. Macbeth had long suspected that if Prince Malcolm ever arrived in Scotland with help from the King of England, Macduff would support him. And Macbeth feared and hated Macduff for this.
All the thanes, all the Scottish nobles, gathered at Dunsinane Castle - as Macbeth commanded. Among them is the Thane of Fife, the brave Macduff, who at other times tried to visit Macbeth’s court as rarely as possible.
One day, on a clear day, King Macbeth rode out with his retinue outside the castle fortifications to see how the oxen were coping with their load. He saw that many were struggling to carry stones and logs up - the load was too heavy, the day was too hot and the climb was too steep.
And then Macbeth noticed that one pair of oxen was so exhausted that they sank to the ground to rest. The king flew into a rage and demanded to know who dared to send him such lazy oxen that did not want to work for him. The answer was:
- Their owner is Macduff, Thane of Fife.
“Then let the Thane of Fife himself,” said the king in great anger, “instead of his lazy oxen, harness himself to a cart with a precious cargo.”
Macduff's friend was in the king's retinue. Unnoticed, he left the hill and hurried to Macduff. He was in the castle hall, where preparations for dinner were underway. Hearing what the king said, Macduff immediately realized that he could not hesitate.
Having said goodbye to his friend and grabbing one round loaf from the table, Macduff called to his horses and servants and galloped quickly to his native Fife. He was in a hurry to get there before Macbeth arrived at his castle for dinner.
Macduff's horses flew faster than the wind. But here's the problem! He was in such a hurry to get away from the castle of the treacherous Macbeth that he did not have time to take the money with him. And when he rode to the big crossing of the Tay River, he had nothing to pay the boatman with. Well, the boatman agreed to take the round bread for the crossing.
And since then this crossing has been called Khlebnaya.
Finally Macduff arrived at his castle of Kennoway near Fife. First of all, he hugged his wife and his children, then ordered the guards to close the castle gates, raise the drawbridge and not allow King Macbeth or anyone else from his retinue to enter. Then he headed to a small harbor next to the castle and ordered the sailboat to be quickly equipped. Having said goodbye to his wife and given her strict orders, Macduff was ready to escape from Macbeth.
But Macbeth himself did not hesitate. He and his warriors were at the gates of Kennoway Castle before Macduff could sail. The king called on Lady Macduff to open the gates for him and hand over her husband. However, Lady Macduff, being a woman not only brave, but also wise, tried to find so many excuses and excuses that the sailor servants had enough time to go to sea.
Only then did she climb the castle wall and boldly declare to the king:
- Do you see a snow-white sail in the sea? Then my husband Macduff sails to the king of England. You will not see him until he returns with Prince Malcolm to dethrone you and put you to death. Be angry and rage, but you will never be able to throw an ox yoke around the neck of the noble Macduff, Thane of Fife.
And in fact, Macduff sailed safely to the English shores and came to the king's court to join the retinue of Prince Malcolm, the son of the good Duncan. He convinced the prince that the Scots were already tired of Macbeth's cruelty and would only be glad to join the ranks of Malcolm if he hurried to return to his native places. Without delay, the English king gave an army of brave warriors, who were led by the great Siward, Earl of Northumberlain, to help Malcolm, the heir of the murdered Duncan, regain his crown.
And everything happened as Macduff predicted. The Thanes of Scotland and other nobles abandoned Macbeth and went over to Malcolm and Macduff. Macbeth was left with only a small retinue of those who swore not to leave him. And he locked himself in the fortified Dunsinane Castle. He did not lose heart and was not afraid of anything, believing in the prediction of the prophets.
Finally, the army of Malcolm and Macduff entered Birnam Forest. The next morning, at the behest of Macduff, each warrior broke off a large branch of a tree and, under its cover, moved towards Dunsinane. The branches hid the warriors, and the enemy could not see which army, large or small, was moving towards the castle.
Macbeth was informed that the enemy was camped in the forest. But even then his heart did not waver; he believed that he remained safe. However, closer to noon, a sentry standing on the fortress wall noticed that Birnam Forest itself was moving smoothly, slowly towards Dunsinane Castle. He rushed with the news to the king. The terrible Macbeth at first did not want to believe this and even threatened to hang the frightened messenger.
He himself climbed the ramparts and, seeing what he saw, realized that his time had come.
But courage and bravery did not leave him. With a handful of the same brave men, he went out of the castle gates and rushed towards fate. He died in battle, crossing swords with Macduff himself.
Malcolm ascended the throne of Scotland. He ruled for a long time and successfully. He generously rewarded Macduff and commanded that from now on Macduff and all his descendants would always lead the Scottish army - a great honor. And they will place the crown on the future Scottish kings - honor and trust.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru