The Four Men · Chapter
The Thirty-First of October 1902 explained
The four travelers—the Sailor, Grizzlebeard, the Poet, and the narrator—reach the source of the Arun, then descend through Lower Beeding and Leonard's Lee toward Ashurst.
What happens
The four travelers—the Sailor, Grizzlebeard, the Poet, and the narrator—reach the source of the Arun, then descend through Lower Beeding and Leonard's Lee toward Ashurst. They discuss the naming of Sussex by Adam, the nature of fairies and the Little People, and the value of poetry versus worldly pursuits. As night falls, they cross the water meadows under a frosty moon, arrive at a familiar house, light a fire, and plan to send for ale from the Fountain Inn. The chapter ends with them seeking food and drink at an inn in Henfield.
Themes in this chapter
Pilgrimage and Journey
The travelers' walk is framed as a pilgrimage to the source of the Arun and onward to Ashurst, with the narrator leading his companions toward shelter and food.
Nature and Landscape
Vivid descriptions of the Arun's source, the water meadows, the frosty moon over Chanctonbury, and the open Weald and Downs emphasize the beauty of the Sussex landscape.
Tradition and Heritage
The discussion of Adam naming Sussex places, the native song about Sussex hills, and the reverence for local inns and landmarks reflect a deep connection to regional heritage.
Characters to notice
- The Sailor
Sings a song about Sussex hills; leads the group to his house near Ashurst; expresses gladness at witnessing the nativity of the Arun.
- Grizzlebeard
Comments on the Arun's majesty only when married to salt water; remarks on the Little People and fairy gold; trails his stick along the ground in melancholy.
- The Poet
Speaks of the holiness of river sources; claims to have seen the Little People and received the power to conceive good verse; slouches as they walk.
- Myself
The narrator; leads the group; unlocks the house at Ashurst; lights the fire with a sheaf of disappointing verse; admits he may have heard the fairies but never seen them.
Key passages
“That trickle of water below you to the left in the dale, and that long lake you see with a lonely wood about either shore is the place where Arun rises.”
The narrator points out the source of the Arun River to his companions.
This moment marks the arrival at the river's origin, a key event in the journey.
“For when Adam set out (with the help of Eve) to name all the places of the earth... he desired to distinguish Sussex, late his happy seat, by some special mark...”
The narrator recounts a myth about Adam naming Sussex places with deliberately confusing names.
This passage explains the origin of local place names like Lower Beeding and Upper Beeding.
“The frost had touched the grass, and the twigs of quickset were sharp in the moonlight like things engraved upon metal.”
The cold night had frozen the grass, and the hedge twigs looked sharp and metallic in the moonlight.
A vivid description of the frosty landscape as the group walks to Ashurst.
“I lit beneath all these a sheaf of verse I had carried about for months, but which had disappointed me, and the flames leapt up, in shape like leaves of holly.”
The narrator uses his own disappointing poems as kindling for the fire.
This act symbolizes letting go of failed creative efforts in favor of warmth and companionship.
“The Little People gave you verse that seemed well minted, sterling and sound, and you put it into your sack and you bore it away. But when you came out into man’s-world... this verse turned out to be the light and worthless matter of dead leaves.”
The Sailor mocks the Poet, saying fairy-inspired poetry is worthless in the real world.
This exchange highlights the tension between artistic inspiration and practical life.
