The Roots of the Mountains · Chapter
XV: Murder Amongst the Folk of the Woodlanders explained
After midwinter, rumors of strange, murderous men in the wood spread.
What happens
After midwinter, rumors of strange, murderous men in the wood spread. Two such men attack a Woodland carle, Wood-grey, who kills one but dies of his wounds. Gold-mane and others from Burgstead visit the Woodlanders, view the strange corpses, and hear the women's prophetic song. The dead are buried, and speculation arises about the attackers' connection to earlier raids.
Themes in this chapter
Community and Kinship
The Burgstead men and Woodlanders come together to mourn Wood-grey, praise his bravery, and share in the funeral rites, reinforcing bonds between the communities.
Honor and Oath-Keeping
Wood-grey's naked pursuit of the felon and his death in defense of his household exemplify the honor and duty of a goodman, praised by all as falling like his folk of old time.
Nature and the Wilderness
The Wildwood is portrayed as a place of marvels and evil wights, where strange, murderous men appear and may melt away like snow, reflecting the untamed and mysterious wilderness.
Characters to notice
- Gold-mane
Visits the Woodlanders after the murder, examines the strange corpses, and becomes merry and wordy; he is certain his Mountain friends had no part in the attack.
- Stone-face
Accompanies Gold-mane to the Woodlanders; he comments that the strange men are spawn of evil wights from the Wildwood, and his words are deemed wise by the older folk.
- The Bride
Remains sad and misdoubting, but dauntless; she forces herself not to look sad or craving when in Face-of-god's company, though she lacks heart to ask him about his autumn adventures.
- Bristler
Initially thinks the two felons are from the same company that ransacked Penny-thumb and Harts-bane, but later changes his mind, reasoning such men would have slain first and ransacked afterward.
- Face-of-god
Mentioned in the context of the Bride's thoughts; he seeks her company and thinks things are changing with her as they have with him, planning to speak with her when the time comes.
Key passages
“But the stranger he had slain outright; and the one whom he had smitten in the hall died before the dawn, thrusting all help aside, and making no sound of speech.”
Wood-grey killed one attacker outright, and the other he struck in the hall died before dawn, refusing all aid and remaining silent.
Describes the aftermath of the attack on Wood-grey's household.
“Why sit ye bare in the spinning-room? Why weave ye naked at the loom? Bare and white as the moon we be, That the Earth and the drifting night may see.”
The women sing of their nakedness at the loom, comparing themselves to the moon, visible to the earth and night.
Opening lines of the women's prophetic song in Wood-grey's hall.
“We weave the Wolf and the gift of war From the men that were to the men that are.”
The women's weaving depicts the Wolf and the spoils of war, passed from past generations to the present.
Final lines of the song, linking the weaving to the folk's warrior heritage.