"Owlswater" by Pamela Dean/"Witch of the Westmorland" by Stan Rogers
We bought Between the Breaks...Live!, by Stan Rogers, when twenty year old older son was only two so I've known the song, "The Witch of the Westmorland," for a long time. I've heard one other version of it, but I love Stan Rogers'. The song is written by Scottish singer, Archie Fisher, and Stan Rogers referred to it as "a five hundred year old legend that Archie made up."
The Witch of the Westmorland
Pale was the wounded knight that bore the rowan's shield
Loud and cruel were the ravens' cries that feasted on the field saying,
"Black water cold and clear will never clean your wounds
There's none but the witch of the Westmorland can make thee hale and sound"
So turn turn your stallion’s head til his red mane flies in the wind
And the rider of the moon goes by as the bright stars fall behind
And queer was the paling moon when his shadow passed him by
Below the hills were the brightest stars when he heard the owl cry
Saying why do you ride this way and wherefore came you here?
I seek the Witch of the Westmorlands who dwells by the winding mere
And it’s weary by the owl’s water in a mist he found their way
‘Til through a cleft in the Kirkstane pass where the winding waters lay
He said “Lie down my brindle hound and rest ye my good gray hawk
And thee my steed may graze thy fill for I must dismount and walk
But come when you hear my horn and answer swift the call
As sure as the sun will rise this morn you’ll serve me best of all”
And it’s down to the water’s brim he’s born the rowan shield
And the golden rod he has cast in to see what the lake might yield
And wet rose she from the lake and fast and fleet went she
One half the form of a maiden fair with a jet black mare’s body
And loud long and shrill he blew ‘til his steed was by his side
Over head the gray hawk flew as swiftly he did ride
Saying “course well my brindle hound fetch me the jet black mare
Stoop and strike my good gray hawk and bring me the maiden fair.”
She said “Pray sheath thy silvery sword lay down thy rowan shield
I see by the briny blood that flows you’ve been wounded in the field.”
And she stood in a gown of velvet blue bound ‘round with a silver chain
She’s kissed his pale lips once and twice and three times ‘round again
And she’s bound his wounds with the golden rod full fast in her arms he lay
And he has risen hale and sound with the sun bright in the day
She said “Ride with your brindle hound at heel and your good gray hawk at hand
There’s none can harm the knight who’s lain with the Witch of the Westmorland
Recently, I finally got around to reading "Owlswater," a short story by Pamela Dean, which is based on this ballad. The main character, an apprentice sorcerer , has dreamed of this song. His teachers have given him the task of finding and following the character in the song. That's all, just follow and observe. Don't intervene.
If you know anything about ballads or fantasy short stories, you'll know that things don't go according to plan. In many ways. Which I won't tell you because I hate to have people give stories away. Here's a brief taste, though:
The dog came pelting out of the trees again, dropped the rabbit back on his foot, and put her cold nose into his hand.
"Course well, my brindled hound," he quoted bitterly, from the song he followed. The knight in it had animals far more obliging than Shan's. He pulled a new burr out of the dog's right ear and added, "Fetch me the mud-brown mare." She wagged her tail. As far as she was concerned, "fetch" meant that he would throw a stick for her to chase. He would get more good out of giving her to his younger brother. (p. 138)
"Owlswater" is my
favorite story in Xanadu, a fantasy short story collection edited by Jane Yolen. "Owlswater" is set in the Secret Country that Pamela Dean wrote about in three novels (previous post here).
Other favorite stories from Xanadu are "The Poacher," by Ursula K. LeGuin, which presents an unusual point of view in a fairy tale, "Time Travel, the Artifact, and a Famous Historical Personage," by Will Shetterly, which is a creepy story of both literary and time travel confusion, "A Boy and his Wolf: Three Versions of a Fable," by John Morrisey, which mixes fable, philosophy, and popular culture, and "Lucy Maria," by Lisa Tuttle, about the unusual fulfillment of a long-standing promise.
