An excerpt from Indian Summer, a novel in progress.
The characters in this story live outside of the constraints of linear time. In this scene, Mary Louise Dudley, an accused witch who lived in the 18th century, tells a folk tale to Bulkley Emerson (1818-1861), the retarded brother of Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Journal Entry, November 27, l96l
Bulkley's favorite story: Mary-Louise has told it to him maybe twenty-five times. He knows it by heart but insists on hearing it tirelessly.
"It was a long time ago on a Sabbath morn and all the people were to church save a little herd boy and his sister. And as they were tending their flock in the green hills didn't they catch sight of something moving in the shadows of the ravine and then while they two did watch, out flowed a long cavalcade a' fairies. They wound through the wooded hollow and snaked among the knolls and disappeared all to the north. And weren't they all in antique jerkins and long gray cloaks and little red caps and some in bright waistcoats with polished brass buttons and all with their wild untamed locks shooting out and they had spindly legs and long little noses and eyes that glimmed like water jewels. And didn't they sing an ancient music and some did walk and some did hobble and some did go upon the backs of tiny shaggy horses, all spackled and dun. And didn't the little herd boy call out and say:
`Where are ye ga'n, little mannie? and who be ye?'
And wasn't there an old glinty-eyed one among them all dressed in harlequin, and he didn't he turn and say
`Not of the race of Adam be we. And no more shall the people of peace be seen in all Angleland.'"
"Not of the race of Adam be we," Bulkely echoed. "And no more shall the people of peace be seen in all England."
"But one stayed back in the shadows of the ravine," said Mary-Louise. "A large thing in ivy clothed."
"And all hairy with fur."
"All furry and shaggy. And he lived all alone in the wildwood and dells, all alone by himself, an 'e was ni man ni beastie."
"The Wild Man of Greenwood..."
"The Wild Man of Greenwood, and he ga'ed all in green..."
"And he fed little lost children..."
"And he spake to all saints and to spirits and ghosties..."
"And he danced by the moon?"
"Na Bulk, he did na dance, and thou
knowest' it well."
She tousled his shaggy head and kissed his forehead.
The characters in this story live outside of the constraints of linear time. In this scene, Mary Louise Dudley, an accused witch who lived in the 18th century, tells a folk tale to Bulkley Emerson (1818-1861), the retarded brother of Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Journal Entry, November 27, l96l
Bulkley's favorite story: Mary-Louise has told it to him maybe twenty-five times. He knows it by heart but insists on hearing it tirelessly.
"It was a long time ago on a Sabbath morn and all the people were to church save a little herd boy and his sister. And as they were tending their flock in the green hills didn't they catch sight of something moving in the shadows of the ravine and then while they two did watch, out flowed a long cavalcade a' fairies. They wound through the wooded hollow and snaked among the knolls and disappeared all to the north. And weren't they all in antique jerkins and long gray cloaks and little red caps and some in bright waistcoats with polished brass buttons and all with their wild untamed locks shooting out and they had spindly legs and long little noses and eyes that glimmed like water jewels. And didn't they sing an ancient music and some did walk and some did hobble and some did go upon the backs of tiny shaggy horses, all spackled and dun. And didn't the little herd boy call out and say:
`Where are ye ga'n, little mannie? and who be ye?'
And wasn't there an old glinty-eyed one among them all dressed in harlequin, and he didn't he turn and say
`Not of the race of Adam be we. And no more shall the people of peace be seen in all Angleland.'"
"Not of the race of Adam be we," Bulkely echoed. "And no more shall the people of peace be seen in all England."
"But one stayed back in the shadows of the ravine," said Mary-Louise. "A large thing in ivy clothed."
"And all hairy with fur."
"All furry and shaggy. And he lived all alone in the wildwood and dells, all alone by himself, an 'e was ni man ni beastie."
"The Wild Man of Greenwood..."
"The Wild Man of Greenwood, and he ga'ed all in green..."
"And he fed little lost children..."
"And he spake to all saints and to spirits and ghosties..."
"And he danced by the moon?"
"Na Bulk, he did na dance, and thou
knowest' it well."
She tousled his shaggy head and kissed his forehead.
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