''Puck of Pook's Hill'' is a fantasy book by
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)'' The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work.
...
, published in 1906, containing a series of short stories set in different periods of English history. It can count both as
historical fantasy
Historical fantasy is a category of fantasy and genre of historical fiction that incorporates fantastic elements (such as magic) into a more "realistic" narrative. There is much crossover with other subgenres of fantasy; those classed as Art ...
– since some of the stories told of the past have clear magical elements, and as
contemporary fantasy – since it depicts a magical being active and practising his magic in the England of the early 1900s when the book was written.
The stories are all narrated to two children living near
Burwash
Burwash, archaically known as Burghersh, is a rural village and civil parish in the Rother district of East Sussex, England. Situated in the High Weald of Sussex some 15 miles (24 km) inland from the port of Hastings, it is located five ...
, in the
High Weald
High may refer to:
Science and technology
* Height
* High (atmospheric), a high-pressure area
* High (computability), a quality of a Turing degree, in computability theory
* High (tectonics), in geology an area where relative tectonic uplift to ...
of Sussex, in the area of Kipling's own house
Bateman's
Bateman's is a 17th-century house located in Burwash, East Sussex, England. It was the home of Rudyard Kipling from 1902 until his death in 1936. The house was built in 1634. Kipling's widow Caroline bequeathed the house to the National Trust ...
, by people magically plucked out of history by the elf
Puck, or told by Puck himself. (Puck, who refers to himself as "the oldest Old Thing in England", is better known as a character in
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's play ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream
''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict a ...
''.) The genres of particular stories range from authentic historical novella (A Centurion of the Thirtieth, On the Great Wall) to children's fantasy (Dymchurch Flit). Each story is bracketed by a poem which relates in some manner to the theme or subject of the story.
Donald Mackenzie, who wrote the introduction for the Oxford World's Classics edition of ''Puck of Pook's Hill'' in 1987, has described this book as an example of archaeological imagination that, in fragments, delivers a look at the history of England, climaxing with the signing of Magna Carta.
Puck calmly concludes the series of stories: "
Weland gave the Sword, The Sword gave the Treasure, and the Treasure gave the Law. It's as natural as an oak growing."
The stories originally appeared in the
Strand Magazine
''The Strand Magazine'' was a monthly British magazine founded by George Newnes, composed of short fiction and general interest articles. It was published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950, running to 711 issues, though th ...
in 1906 with illustrations by
Claude Allin Shepperson, but the first book-form edition was illustrated by
H. R. Millar
Harold Robert Millar (1869–1942) was a prominent and prolific Scottish graphic artist and illustrator of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He is best known for his illustrations of children's books and fantasy literature. "His ...
.
Arthur Rackham
Arthur Rackham (19 September 1867 – 6 September 1939) was an English book illustrator. He is recognised as one of the leading figures during the Golden Age of British book illustration. His work is noted for its robust pen and ink drawings, ...
provided four colour plates for the first US edition. ''Puck of Pook's Hill'' was followed four years later by a second volume, ''
Rewards and Fairies'', featuring the same children in the following summer.
T. S. Eliot included several of the poems in his 1941 collection ''
A Choice of Kipling's Verse''.
Stories and poems
"Puck's Song"
A poem which introduces some of the themes of the stories that follow.
" Weland's Sword"
A story of Burwash in the 11th century just before the
Norman Conquest
The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Conq ...
, told by Puck himself.
"A Tree Song"
A poem about English trees, emphasising the symbolic nature of
Oak,
Ash
Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non-gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...
and
Thorn
Thorn(s) or The Thorn(s) may refer to:
Botany
* Thorns, spines, and prickles, sharp structures on plants
* ''Crataegus monogyna'', or common hawthorn, a plant species
Comics and literature
* Rose and Thorn, the two personalities of two DC Comic ...
.
"Young Men at the Manor"
A story that continues the previous one just after the Norman Conquest. It is told by Sir Richard Dalyngridge, a
Norman knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...
who took part in the Conquest and was awarded a
Saxon
The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic
*
*
*
*
peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
manor.
"Sir Richard's Song"
The poem of Sir Richard Dalyngridge and how he adapted to living in England despite his Norman origins.
"Harp Song of the Dane Women"
A lament by the Danish women for their menfolk who leave to go on a
viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
on the grey sea.
"The Knights of the Joyous Venture"
The story of a daring voyage to Africa made by
Danes
Danes ( da, danskere, ) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nationality native to Denmark and a modern nation identified with the country of Denmark. This connection may be ancestral, legal, historical, or cultural.
Danes generally regard t ...
after they captured Sir Richard and his Saxon friend Hugh at sea. This story was adapted by
Hal Foster
Harold Rudolf Foster, FRSA (August 16, 1892 – July 25, 1982) was a Canadian-American comic strip artist and writer best known as the creator of the comic strip '' Prince Valiant''. His drawing style is noted for its high level of draftsmanship ...
as an episode of ''
Prince Valiant
''Prince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur'', often simply called ''Prince Valiant'', is an American comic strip created by Hal Foster in 1937. It is an epic adventure that has told a continuous story during its entire history, and the full stretc ...
'' in 1942.
"Thorkild's Song"
A song by a Danish seafarer hoping for wind.
"Old Men at
Pevensey
Pevensey ( ) is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The main village is located north-east of Eastbourne, one mile (1.6 km) inland from Pevensey Bay. The settlement of Pevensey Bay forms part ...
"
A tale of intrigue set in Pevensey at the beginning of the reign of
Henry I Henry I may refer to:
876–1366
* Henry I the Fowler, King of Germany (876–936)
* Henry I, Duke of Bavaria (died 955)
* Henry I of Austria, Margrave of Austria (died 1018)
* Henry I of France (1008–1060)
* Henry I the Long, Margrave of the N ...
in 1100.
"The Runes on Weland's Sword"
A poem that summarises the stories in the book to this point.
"A Centurion of the Thirtieth"
A poem that comments on how "cities, thrones and powers" are as transitory as flowers that bloom for a week.
"A Centurion of the Thirtieth"
A story that introduces a new narrator, a
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
* Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...
soldier named Parnesius, born and stationed in Britain in the 4th century. He tells how his military career started well because the general
Magnus Maximus
Magnus Maximus (; cy, Macsen Wledig ; died 8 August 388) was Roman emperor of the Western Roman Empire from 383 to 388. He usurped the throne from emperor Gratian in 383 through negotiation with emperor Theodosius I.
He was made emperor in B ...
knew his father.
"A British-Roman Song"
The song of a Roman Briton serving Rome although he and his forebears have never seen the city.
"On the Great Wall"
A story of the defence of
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall ( la, Vallum Aelium), also known as the Roman Wall, Picts' Wall, or ''Vallum Hadriani'' in Latin, is a former defensive fortification of the Roman province of Britannia, begun in AD 122 in the reign of the Emperor Hadrian. Ru ...
against the native
Picts
The Picts were a group of peoples who lived in what is now northern and eastern Scotland (north of the Firth of Forth) during Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. Where they lived and what their culture was like can be inferred from ea ...
and
Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and S ...
n
raiders.
"A Song to Mithras"
A hymn to the god
Mithras
Mithraism, also known as the Mithraic mysteries or the Cult of Mithras, was a Roman mystery religion centered on the god Mithras. Although inspired by Iranian worship of the Zoroastrian divinity (''yazata'') Mithra, the Roman Mithras is link ...
.
"The Winged Hats"
A return to Hadrian's Wall and the fate of Magnus Maximus.
"A Pict Song"
The song of the Picts, explaining how, although they have always been defeated by the Romans, they will win in the end.
Billy Bragg
Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer-songwriter and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that mostly span political or romantic themes. His music i ...
included a musical setting of this poem on his 1996 album ''
William Bloke''.
"Hal o' the Draft"
A poem about how prophets are never acknowledged or celebrated in their native village.
"Hal o' the Draft"
A tale of deception told by Sir Harry "Hal" Dawe, involving the explorer
Sebastian Cabot and the privateer
Andrew Barton near the end of the 15th century.
"A Smuggler's Song"
Sung by a smuggler advising people to look the other way when
contraband
Contraband (from Medieval French ''contrebande'' "smuggling") refers to any item that, relating to its nature, is illegal to be possessed or sold. It is used for goods that by their nature are considered too dangerous or offensive in the eyes o ...
is being run through the town.
The mention of "King George" places the supposed date of the poem between the years 1714 and 1830, and perhaps more specifically during the Napoleonic
Continental System
The Continental Blockade (), or Continental System, was a large-scale embargo against British trade by Napoleon Bonaparte against the British Empire from 21 November 1806 until 11 April 1814, during the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon issued the Berli ...
of 1806-1814.
"The Bee Boy's Song"
A poem that explains how
honey bees must be told all the news or else they will cease to produce
honey
Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...
.
" Dymchurch Flit"
A fairy tale told by Puck (in disguise) and set around the time of the
Dissolution of the Monasteries (about 1540).
"A Three-Part Song"
A poem that tells of the three main landscapes of
Sussex
Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the Englis ...
: the
Weald
The Weald () is an area of South East England between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It crosses the counties of Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex and Kent. It has three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the ...
,
Romney Marsh
Romney Marsh is a sparsely populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. It covers about . The Marsh has been in use for centuries, though its inhabitants commonly suffered from malaria until ...
and the
South Downs
The South Downs are a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, in the Eastbourne Downland Estate, East Sussex, in the eas ...
.
"The Fifth River"
How God assigned the four great rivers of the
Garden of Eden
In Abrahamic religions, the Garden of Eden ( he, גַּן־עֵדֶן, ) or Garden of God (, and גַן־אֱלֹהִים ''gan- Elohim''), also called the Terrestrial Paradise, is the biblical paradise described in Genesis 2-3 and Ezekiel 28 ...
to men, but
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
was later assigned the secret fifth great river, the River of Gold.
"The Treasure and the Law"
A story of money and intrigue, told by a Jewish moneylender named Kadmiel, leading up to the signing of
Magna Carta
(Medieval Latin for "Great Charter of Freedoms"), commonly called (also ''Magna Charta''; "Great Charter"), is a royal charter of rights agreed to by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215. First drafted by t ...
in 1215. Here we learn the eventual fate of most of the African gold brought back to Pevensey by Sir Richard Dalyngridge.
"The Children's Song"
A patriotic prayer to God to teach the children how to live correctly so that their land will prosper.
Original book illustrations
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 1.jpg, ''Frontispiece:'' They saw a small, brown ... pointy-eared person ... step quietly into the Ring
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 2.jpg, ''Weland's Sword:'' Then he made a sword
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 3.jpg, ''Young Men at the Manor:'' 'At this she cried that I was a Norman thief'
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 4.jpg, ''Young Men at the Manor:'' Said he, 'I have it all from the child here'
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 5.jpg, ''Young Men at the Manor:'' 'Sir Richard, will it please you enter your Great Hall?'
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 6.jpg, ''The Knights of the Joyous Venture:'' 'And we two tumbled aboard the Dane'
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 7.jpg, ''The Knights of the Joyous Venture:'' Thorkild had given back before his Devil, till the bowmen on the ship could shoot it all full of arrows
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 8.jpg, ''The Knights of the Joyous Venture:'' 'So we called no more'
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 9.jpg, ''Old Men at Pevensey:'' 'A' God's Name write her free, before she deafens me!'
File:H._R._Millar_-_Rudyard_Kipling_-_Puck_of_Pook's_Hill_10.jpg, ''Old Men at Pevensey:'' He drew his dagger on Jehan, who threw him down the stairway
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 11.jpg, ''A Centurion of the Thirtieth:'' 'You put the bullet into that loop'
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 12.jpg, ''On the Great Wall:'' 'And that is the Wall!'
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 13.jpg, ''The Winged Hats:'' 'Hail, Caesar!'
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 14.jpg, ''The Winged Hats:'' 'We dealt with them thoroughly through a long day'
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 15.jpg, ''The Winged Hats:'' 'The Wall must be won at a price'
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 16.jpg, ''The Winged Hats:'' Where they had suffered most, there they charged in most hotly
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 17.jpg, ''Hal o' the Draft:'' 'I reckon you'll find her middlin' heavy,' he says
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 18.jpg, '''Dymchurch Flit':'' '''I'' know what sort o' man you be,' old Hobden grunted, groping for the potatoes
H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 19.jpg, ''The Treasure and the Law:'' Doors shut, candles lit
File:H. R. Millar - Rudyard Kipling - Puck of Pook's Hill 20.jpg, ''The Treasure and the Law:'' 'They drove me across the drawbridge'
References
External links
*
Readers' Guide to the Works of Rudyard Kipling
{{Rudyard Kipling
1906 children's books
1906 short story collections
British children's books
Short story collections by Rudyard Kipling
Fantasy short story collections
Children's short story collections
Historical literature
Books illustrated by Arthur Rackham
Books illustrated by H. R. Millar
Sussex in fiction