THE ROOTS OF THE MOUNTAINS

WHEREIN IS TOLD SOMEWHAT OF THE LIVES OF THE MEN OF BURGDALE THEIR FRIENDS THEIR NEIGHBOURS THEIR FOEMEN AND THEIR FELLOWS IN ARMS

by William Morris

Whiles carried o'er the iron road,
We hurry by some fair abode;
The garden bright amidst the hay,
The yellow wain upon the way,
The dining men, the wind that sweeps
Light locks from off the sun-sweet heaps -
The gable grey, the hoary roof,
Here now--and now so far aloof.
How sorely then we long to stay
And midst its sweetness wear the day,
And 'neath its changing shadows sit,
And feel ourselves a part of it.
Such rest, such stay, I strove to win
With these same leaves that lie herein.

Contents

  1. OF BURGSTEAD AND ITS FOLK AND ITS NEIGHBOURS
  2. OF FACE-OF-GOD AND HIS KINDRED
  3. THEY TALK OF DIVERS MATTERS IN THE HALL
  4. FACE-OF-GOD FARETH TO THE WOOD AGAIN
  5. FACE-OF-GOD FALLS IN WITH MENFOLK ON THE MOUNTAIN
  6. OF FACE-OF-GOD AND THOSE MOUNTAIN-DWELLERS
  7. FACE-OF-GOD TALKETH WITH THE FRIEND ON THE MOUNTAIN
  8. FACE-OF-GOD COMETH HOME AGAIN TO BURGSTEAD
  9. THOSE BRETHREN FARE TO THE YEWWOOD WITH THE BRIDE
  10. NEW TIDINGS IN THE DALE
  11. MEN MAKE OATH AT BURGSTEAD ON THE HOLY BOAR
  12. STONE-FACE TELLETH CONCERNING THE WOOD-WIGHTS
  13. THEY FARE TO THE HUNTING OF THE ELK
  14. CONCERNING FACE-OF-GOD AND THE MOUNTAIN
  15. MURDER AMONGST THE FOLK OF THE WOODLANDERS
  16. THE BRIDE SPEAKETH WITH FACE-OF-GOD
  17. THE TOKEN COMETH FROM THE MOUNTAIN
  18. FACE-OF-GOD TALKETH WITH THE FRIEND IN SHADOWY VALE
  19. THE FAIR WOMAN TELLETH FACE-OF-GOD OF HER KINDRED
  20. THOSE TWO TOGETHER HOLD THE RING OF THE EARTH-GOD
  21. FACE-OF-GOD LOOKETH ON THE DUSKY MEN
  22. FACE-OF-GOD COMETH HOME TO BURGSTEAD
  23. TALK IN THE HALL OF THE HOUSE OF THE FACE
  24. FACE-OF-GOD GIVETH THAT TOKEN TO THE BRIDE
  25. OF THE GATE-THING AT BURGSTEAD
  26. THE ENDING OF THE GATE-THING
  27. FACE-OF-GOD LEADETH A BAND THROUGH THE WOOD
  28. THE MEN OF BURGDALE MEET THE RUNAWAYS
  29. THEY BRING THE RUNAWAYS TO BURGSTEAD
  30. HALL-FACE GOETH TOWARD ROSE-DALE
  31. OF THE WEAPON-SHOW OF THE MEN OF BURGDALE AND THEIR NEIGHBOURS
  32. THE MEN OF SHADOWY VALE COME TO THE SPRING MARKET AT BURGSTEAD
  33. THE ALDERMAN GIVES GIFTS TO THEM OF SHADOWY VALE
  34. THE CHIEFTAINS TAKE COUNSEL IN THE HALL OF THE FACE
  35. FACE-OF-GOD TALKETH WITH THE SUN-BEAM
  36. FOLK-MIGHT SPEAKETH WITH THE BRIDE
  37. OF THE FOLK-MOTE OF THE DALESMEN, THE SHEPHERD-FOLK, AND THE WOODLAND CARLES: THE BANNER OF THE WOLF DISPLAYED
  38. OF THE GREAT FOLK-MOTE: ATONEMENTS GIVEN, AND MEN MADE SACKLESS
  39. CHAPTER XXXIX. OF THE GREAT FOLK-MOTE: MEN TAKE REDE OF THE WAR- FARING, THE FELLOWSHIP, AND THE WAR-LEADER. FOLK-MIGHT TELLETH WHENCE HIS PEOPLE CAME. THE FOLK-MOTE SUNDERED
  40. OF THE HOSTING IN SHADOWY VALE
  41. THE HOST DEPARTETH FROM SHADOWY VALE: THE FIRST DAY'S JOURNEY
  42. THE HOST COMETH TO THE EDGES OF SILVER-DALE
  43. FACE-OF-GOD LOOKETH ON SILVER-DALE: THE BOWMEN'S BATTLE
  44. OF THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE MEN OF THE STEER, THE BRIDGE, AND THE BULL
  45. OF FACE-OF-GOD'S ONSLAUGHT
  46. MEN MEET IN THE MARKET OF SILVER-STEAD
  47. THE KINDREDS WIN THE MOTE-HOUSE
  48. MEN SING IN THE MOTE-HOUSE
  49. DALLACH FARETH TO ROSE-DALE: CROW TELLETH OF HIS ERRAND: THE KINDREDS EAT THEIR MEAT IN SILVER-DALE
  50. FOLK-MIGHT SEETH THE BRIDE AND SPEAKETH WITH HER
  51. THE DEAD BORNE TO BALE: THE MOTE-HOUSE RE-HALLOWED
  52. OF THE NEW BEGINNING OF GOOD DAYS IN SILVER-DALE
  53. OF THE WORD WHICH HALL-WARD OF THE STEER HAD FOR FOLK- MIGHT
  54. TIDINGS OF DALLACH: A FOLK-MOTE IN SILVER-DALE
  55. DEPARTURE FROM SILVER-DALE
  56. TALK UPON THE WILD-WOOD WAY
  57. HOW THE HOST CAME HOME AGAIN
  58. HOW THE MAIDEN WARD WAS HELD IN BURGDALE
  59. THE BEHEST OF FACE-OF-GOD TO THE BRIDE ACCOMPLISHED: A MOTE-STEAD APPOINTED FOR THE THREE FOLKS, TO WIT, THE MEN OF BURGDALE, THE SHEPHERDS, AND THE CHILDREN OF THE WOLF