The Water of the Wondrous Isles · Chapter
XXXIII: Viridis Telleth the Tale of Their Seeking explained
Viridis recounts the quest of Hugh, herself, Aurea, and Atra to find Birdalone and Arthur.
What happens
Viridis recounts the quest of Hugh, herself, Aurea, and Atra to find Birdalone and Arthur. They journey from the Green Mountains to Greenford and the Castle of the Quest, where they learn of Birdalone's departure and encounter a vision of a green-clad woman (resembling Birdalone) who guides them toward Evilshaw. They hire two dubious way-leaders, are betrayed by them, and captured by the Red Felons. Arthur and Birdalone rescue them, and the reunited group returns to the House under the Wood, ending the Sixth Part.
Themes in this chapter
Journey and Quest
The entire chapter is structured around the quest to find Birdalone and Arthur, with Viridis recounting their perilous journey through Evilshaw.
Female Agency and Autonomy
Atra takes the lead in proposing the haunted hall vigil; Viridis tells the tale; Birdalone tends to the ladies and chooses her own array.
Characters to notice
- Viridis
Tells the tale of the seekers from the world; she is reunited with Hugh and is deeply affected by the false way-leaders.
- Hugh the Green Knight
Leads the quest from the Green Mountains; is bound by the Red Felons but rescued.
- Atra
Proposes sleeping in the haunted hall; perceives the vision as not quite Birdalone; her heart is set on the journey's end.
- Aurea
Timorous but joins the others in the hall; rides with Arthur afterward.
- Birdalone
Rescues the captives, tends to the ladies, and rides with Atra on the return.
- Arthur the Black Squire
Participates in the rescue and rides with Aurea.
Key passages
“Now came they back to where were the three others, and Viridis was quite come to herself and ran to meet her man, and he took her in his arms and caressed her sweetly; and then he turned to Birdalone, and spared no sign of friendly love to her; and Arthur, for his part, did so much for Aurea and Viridis.”
The group reunites with Viridis, Hugh, Aurea, and Atra; Hugh embraces Viridis and warmly greets Birdalone, while Arthur shows affection to Aurea and Viridis.
Describes the joyful reunion after the rescue.
“But first they dug a grave for those two poor men who had been slain by the felons, and prayed for them. As for the caitiffs who lay slain there, one score and two of them, they left them for the wolves to devour, and the tearing of the kites and crows; nor meddled they with any of their gear or weapons.”
They bury the two slain men and leave the twenty-two dead felons for scavengers, taking none of their belongings.
Shows the contrast in treatment of friends versus enemies.
“And it seemed by her tale that Hugh and the ladies, though they were living happily and prosperously in the land of the Green Mountains, wherein Hugh had wealth enow, yet the thought both of Arthur and of Birdalone would not out of their minds, and often it was that they thought of them, not as friends think of friends of whom they are content to know that they are yet alive and most-like thriving, but as friends think of friends whose absence cuts a shard out of their lives, so that they long to see them day by day.”
Viridis explains that despite their comfortable life, Hugh and the ladies were driven by a deep longing for Arthur and Birdalone, feeling their absence as a painful void.
Highlights the emotional motivation for the quest.
“And the end of it was, that a little before midnight Atra waked the others, and did them to wit that by her deeming something was toward; and presently they were all four as wide awake as ever they were in their lives; and next, without any sound that was strange, there came the image of a woman on to the dais, clad in green like to an huntress of ancient days, her feet sandalled, her skirts gathered up into her girdle, so that her legs were naked; she had a quiver at her back, and a great bow in her hand.”
Atra wakes the others just before midnight; they see a silent vision of a green-clad huntress woman appear on the dais.
Describes the supernatural vision that guides the seekers.
“Now these said carles were not over fair of favour, but seemed somewhat of ribalds, nor would Sir Hugh have taken them to service in his house at home; but he called to mind that it were more prudence than wisdom to spoil his journey and lose the occasion of finding his dear friends for the hasty judgment of a man's face and demeanour, wherefore he waged these two men, and they set out for the western edges of Evilshaw.”
Hugh hires two rough-looking men as guides despite his misgivings, deciding that caution would be less wise than seizing the chance to find his friends.
Illustrates Hugh's prioritization of the quest over prudence.
