# XLVII: The Kindreds Win the Mote-House explained — The Roots of the Mountains

> Chapter companion for The Roots of the Mountains by William Morris.

## What happens

Face-of-god, Folk-might, and Hall-face lead the Host to storm the Mote-house of the Wolf, overcoming the Dusky Men in a fierce assault. They enter the Hall to find it defiled and the embalmed bodies of four ancient chieftains hanging from the roof, a sight that fills the Wolf kindred with rage and horror.

## Themes in this chapter

### War and Liberation

The chapter depicts the climactic battle to reclaim the Wolf's Mote-house, symbolizing the liberation of the kindred from the Dusky Men's oppression.

### Honor and Oath-Keeping

Folk-might's determination to ascend the stair of his fathers and reclaim the high-seat reflects the deep honor and duty to ancestral traditions.

## Character check-ins

### Face-of-god

War-leader who coordinates the assault on the Mote-house, taking the northern stair with Hall-face.

### Folk-might

Filled with grief and wrath over the Bride's wounding, he leads the charge up the southern stair, wielding the sword Sleep-thorn.

### Hall-face

Fights beside Face-of-god on the northern stair, crying 'For the Burg and the Face!'

### Sun-beam

Led into the Hall by Stone-face and Bow-may, pale but with gleaming eyes after the battle's climax.

### Stone-face

Leads the Sun-beam by the hand into the Hall after the stairs are won.

### Dallach

Among the delivered thralls entering the Hall, though hurt in the battle.

## Key lines

> Now he lifted up his face, and put his hand on Folk-might’s shoulder, and said in a loud voice: “Kinsmen, it were well if our brother were to bid the banners into the Mote-house of the Wolf, and let all the Host set itself in array before the said house, and abide till the chasers of the foe come to us thither; for I perceive that they are now become many, and are more than those of our kindred.”

Face-of-god suggests they gather the banners at the Wolf's Mote-house and wait there for the pursuing enemy, noting that the foe's numbers have grown.

_Face-of-god's strategic command to consolidate the Host at the Mote-house._

> But Folk-might tossed up his head and laughed, and cried out, “At last, at last!” And his sword was in his hand, the Sleep-thorn to wit, a blade of ancient fame; so now he let it fall and hang to his wrist by the leash, while he clapped his hands together and uttered the Wolf-whoop mightily, and all the men of the Wolf that were in the host, and the Woodlanders withal, uttered it with him.

Folk-might laughs in triumph, draws his legendary sword Sleep-thorn, and gives the Wolf-whoop, which is echoed by all the Wolf and Woodlander warriors.

_Folk-might's fierce joy and the rallying cry before his assault._

> For wretched and befouled was that well-builded house: the hangings rent away; the goodly painted walls daubed and smeared with wicked tokens of the Alien murderers: the floor, once bright with polished stones of the mountain, and strewn with sweet-smelling flowers, was now as foul as the den of the man-devouring troll of the heaths.

The Hall was desecrated: torn hangings, defiled walls, and a filthy floor, transformed from a beautiful place into something as foul as a troll's den.

_Description of the defilement of the Wolf's Mote-house by the Dusky Men._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xlvii-the-kindreds-win-the-mote-house
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters