The Roots of the Mountains · Chapter
XVI: The Bride Speaketh with Face-of-God explained
In a meadow near Burgstead, Face-of-god rests after a task, recalling his trysts with the Bride.
What happens
In a meadow near Burgstead, Face-of-god rests after a task, recalling his trysts with the Bride. She appears and asks for a token and the gift of his second son if she lives. He agrees, but the encounter leaves him grieved, ashamed, and conflicted, feeling his manhood diminished.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Sacrifice
The Bride's request for Face-of-god's second son reflects a sacrifice born of unrequited love and the pain of their changed relationship.
Honor and Oath-Keeping
Face-of-god agrees to give a token and swear an oath, highlighting the importance of promises and kinship duties.
Characters to notice
- Face-of-god
Resting in a meadow, he is confronted by the Bride and agrees to her request for a token and his second son, feeling shame and sorrow afterward.
- The Bride
She approaches Face-of-god barefoot, asks for a token and the gift of his second son, then departs in anguish, unable to kiss him.
Key passages
“She said: 'This is the gift that I ask of thee, that in the days to come when thou art wedded, thou wilt give me the second man-child whom thou begettest.'”
She asks him to promise her his second son after he marries.
The Bride's request is a poignant symbol of her enduring love and the cost of his new path.
“He said: 'This shalt thou have, and would that I might give thee much more. Would that we were little children together other again, as when we played here in other days.'”
He agrees and wishes they could return to their innocent childhood.
Face-of-god's response shows his regret and longing for simpler times.