The Water of the Wondrous Isles

The Water of the Wondrous Isles

By William Morris.

Table of Contents

1. Titlepage
2. Imprint
3. The First Part: Of the House of Captivity
   1. I: Catch at Utterhay
   2. II: Now Shall Be Told of the House by the Waterside
   3. III: Of Skin-Changing
   4. IV: Of the Waxing of the Stolen Child
   5. V: Of Birdalone, and How She Is Grown Into Maidenhood
   6. VI: Herein Is Told of Birdalone’s Raiment
   7. VII: Birdalone Hath an Adventure in the Wood
   8. VIII: Of Birdalone and the Witch-Wife
   9. IX: Of Birdalone’s Swimming
   10. X: Birdalone Comes on New Tidings
   11. XI: Of Birdalone’s Guilt and the Chastisement Thereof
   12. XII: The Words of the Witch-Wife to Birdalone
   13. XIII: Birdalone Meeteth the Wood-Woman Again
   14. XIV: Of Birdalone’s Fishing
   15. XV: Birdalone Weareth Her Serpent-Ring
   16. XVI: Birdalone Meeteth Habundia Again; and Learneth Her First Wisdom of Her
   17. XVII: The Passing of the Year Into Winter
   18. XVIII: Of Spring-Tide and the Mind of Birdalone
   19. XIX: They Bid Farewell, Birdalone and the Wood-Mother
   20. XX: Of Birdalone and the Sending Boat
4. The Second Part: Of the Wondrous Isles
   1. I: The First Isle
   2. II: Birdalone Falleth in with New Friends
   3. III: Birdalone Is Brought Before the Witch-Wife’s Sister
   4. IV: Of the Witch’s Prison in the Wailing-Tower
   5. V: They Feast in the Witch’s Prison
   6. VI: Atra Tells of How They Three Came Unto the Isle of Increase Unsought
   7. VII: The Three Damsels Take Birdalone Out of the Witch’s Prison
   8. VIII: In What Wise Birdalone Was Clad, and How She Went Her Ways from the Isle of Increase Unsought
   9. IX: How Birdalone Came to the Isle of the Young and the Old
   10. X: Birdalone Comes to the Isle of the Queens
   11. XI: And Now She Comes to the Isle of the Kings
   12. XII: Of Birdalone, How She Came Unto the Isle of Nothing
5. The Third Part: Of the Castle of the Quest
   1. I: Birdalone Comes to the Castle of the Quest
   2. II: Of Birdalone, and How She Rested the Night Through in a Bower Without the Castle of the Quest
   3. III: How Birdalone Dight Her for Meeting the Champions of the Quest
   4. IV: And Now She Meets the Champions
   5. V: Birdalone Has True Tokens from the Champions of the Quest
   6. VI: How the Champions Would Do Birdalone to Be Clad Anew in the Castle of the Quest
   7. VII: Of Birdalone, How She Told the Champions All Her Tale
   8. VIII: In the Meanwhile of the Departing of the Champions, They Would Pleasure Birdalone with Feats of Arms and Games of Prowess
   9. IX: Birdalone Cometh Before the Champions in Her New Array
   10. X: The Champions Go Their Ways in the Sending Boat
6. The Fourth Part: Of the Days of Abiding
   1. I: Of Birdalone’s Grief; and of Leonard the Chaplain
   2. II: Birdalone Learneth Lore of the Priest. Ten Days of Waiting Wear
   3. III: Now Would Birdalone Ride Abroad
   4. IV: Of Birdalone’s Faring Abroad
   5. V: Sir Aymeris Showeth Birdalone the Mountains Afar Off
   6. VI: Birdalone Heareth Tell Tales of the Black Valley of the Greywethers
   7. VII: Birdalone Beguileth the Priest to Help Her to Outgoing
   8. VIII: Birdalone Fares on Her Adventure
   9. IX: Birdalone Comes to the Black Valley
   10. X: How Birdalone Fell in with a Man in the Black Valley of the Greywethers
   11. XI: Birdalone Is Led Up the Black Valley
   12. XII: How Those Twain Get Them from Out of the Black Valley of the Greywethers
   13. XIII: Now They Rest for the Night in the Strait Pass
   14. XIV: The Black Knight Tells the Truth of Himself
   15. XV: The Black Knight Brings Birdalone to the Bower in the Dale
   16. XVI: Yet a Day and a Night They Tarry in the Dale
7. The Fifth Part: The Tale of the Quest’s Ending
   1. I: Of Sir Leonard’s Trouble and the Coming of the Quest
   2. II: Now Ask They of Birdalone, and Sir Leonard Speaks
   3. III: How They Follow the Slot of Birdalone and the Black Knight
   4. IV: Of the Slaying of Friend and Foe
   5. V: They Come Home to the Castle of the Quest
   6. VI: Of the Talk Betwixt Birdalone and Viridis
   7. VII: Birdalone Telleth the Tale of Her Wandering Up the Valley of the Greywethers
   8. VIII: Atra and Birdalone Talk Together While the Lords Sit at the Murder-Council
   9. IX: Hugh Tells the Story of the Quest’s Ending
   10. X: How It Fared with the Three Ladies After the Escape of Birdalone
   11. XI: Birdalone and the Black Squire Talk Together in the Hall of the Castle
   12. XII: The Knights and Their Fellows Betake Them to the Assaulting of the Red Hold
   13. XIII: Birdalone Bethinks Her to Fulfil the Promise Made Unto Atra
   14. XIV: Birdalone Leaves the Castle of the Quest
8. The Sixth Part: The Days of Absence
   1. I: Birdalone Rides to Greenford and There Takes Leave of Arnold and His Men
   2. II: Of Birdalone and Her Fellowship, Their Faring Over the Downland
   3. III: They Come to the City of the Five Crafts, and Birdalone Meets with the Poor-Wife
   4. IV: Of the Love of Gerard’s Sons and of Jacobus for Birdalone
   5. V: Of the Death of Audrey, Mother to Birdalone. She Is Warned in a Dream to Seek the Black Squire, and Is Minded to Depart the City of the Five Crafts, and Seek Again the Castle of the Quest
   6. VI: Of the Sundering of Birdalone from Gerard and His Sons
   7. VII: Birdalone Cometh to Greenford, and Hears of the Wasting of the Castle of the Quest
   8. VIII: Birdalone Cometh to the Castle of the Quest, Heareth the Tale Thereof from Leonard, and Departeth Thence by the Sending Boat
   9. IX: Birdalone